could not find flash.ocx

[starstealinggirl]

For the past few days, I've been getting an error "could not find the file 'flash.ocx.'" There is a button for OK and nothing else.

I recently upgraded to flash 9 so I could run a game, and have been receiving the error ever since.

I've tried uninstalling and restarting, then re-installing and restarting. I've looked at websites all over the internet hoping to find some sort of fix but couldn't find many other people having the same issue, and couldn't find an answer. I found a registry fix but running that did not work. I even tried installing flash 8, and it still was giving me the error. I found that the error was showing up every five minutes and only when the computer was idle, never when I was doing something. It also seemed to disable my screensaver, which I assume uses flash. My screensaver, apparently, is the program trying to access this and failing. Sure enough, going into my screensaver options and chosing to preview this particular screensaver showed me the error. I deleted and re-installed this screensaver (from an official website, it's the stargate atlantis official screensaver) and still am receiving the error.

Changing my default screensaver to a windows XP one works fine. Now that I've worked around it, it's not a big issue but I'd still like to know if anyone knows what could be wrong. Could there be something wrong with my version of flash, could it be corrupted somehow, or is it the actual screensaver? Could the screensaver be looking for something in an earlier flash version and not playing well with flash9? I just don't want this to become a problem in the future, and I hope it helps a few out who are having this issue as well.

[svtdragon]

I've got the same error on XP SP2 (fully patched) with the offical Ford Mustang screensaver. Also, none of the flash/javascript on MLB.com works.

Solutions would be great.

[Feibiana]

Hey you!!!
After looking and loooking I found this...and it worked for me!!!!!!

Go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash and copy “Flash9.ocx” (may be named a little different) and then paste it back in the same directory. Rename the copied one “flash.ocx” and everything will be cool!

Hope it works, and if it does, spread it out!!!!!

Regards

Feibian

[Nikki_Tatts]

ERROR "could not find the file Macromedia Flash"

I am having the exact same problem and it is driving me nuts! I've uninstalled, reinstalled you name it. The screen saver I'm using is the blank screen so there is no need for flash there. Every time I reinstall Flash 9 is says it has been installed successfully and even has the flash display, yet when I go to some sites it tells me I need to install flash. I don't know and no one seems to have a solution......PLEASE HELP!!!!!

[Nikki_Tatts]

I believe I have figured out the solution. Go to this "Uninstaller Link"and click on "download the windows uninstaller."
Follow the prompts and completely uninstall the player and Active X. Once this is done go to download Flash Player 9 and it will install the complete version instead of the updates which have been problematic.

[vèédub]

i've gone through all the steps above plus about 30 others with no success and i still get the same "flash.ocx" error. i've uninstalled flash player and shockwave and reinstalled them both repetedly. i've finally given up on trying to run anything other than a Windows® screen saver becasue this new player upgrade is clearly sub-par and can't handle the simple opperation. what i don't understand is why there is a "flash9.ocx" file in C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash. is that the replacement for this missing file that isn't communicating with the older applications like the flash screen savers that everyone's having a problem with? adobe needs to rethink their upgrades before releasing them, especially if they aren't much of an "upgrade" at all. ANY help to solve this issue would be much appreciated.

[svtdragon]

I think I solved the problem.

I went to C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash and copied "Flash9.ocx" and then pasted it back in the same directory. This created "Copy of Flash9.ocx" which I then renamed to "Flash.ocx." (Thus I had "Flash.ocx" and "Flash9.ocx", both the same file with a different name in the same directory.) Everything in IE seems to be working normally now; I'm not sure yet about my screensaver, but time will tell.

[vèédub]

genius! i tried renaming the file from "flash9.ocx" to "flash.ocx" but it wouldn't let me because it is a read-only file. never thought of copying it and renaming though. worked perfectly. my screen saver worked in the "screen saver preview," now i just gotta wait 5 minutes to see if it really works. thanks for the help.

[hexagon4]

I've uninstalled Flash9 and not reinstalled it but still I have the "Can not find Macromedia Flash" pop up when idle which is driving me mad !! I don't have a C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash9.ocx anymore to try the above workaround as obviously I've unstalled, but I did find a c:\program files\common files\aol\flasha.ocx ? Is anyone else with this problem also running AOL ?

[vèédub]

quote:

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Originally posted by: hexagon4

I've uninstalled Flash9 and not reinstalled it but still I have the "Can not find Macromedia Flash" pop up when idle which is driving me mad !!

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wouldn't the first step to trouble shooting be to reinstall it? i mean, logically speaking...

quote:

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Originally posted by: hexagon4

I don't have a C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash9.ocx anymore to try the above workaround as obviously I've unstalled

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reinstall it
also, this is not an AOL problem, as it is occuring on your desktop at idle. the problem, as mentioned before, is on your C:\ drive. completely uninstall ALL flash player software, reboot, and reinstall flash player 9. then do the previously mentioned fix.

[hexagon4]

Hi vèédub,

Yes I've already tired uninstalling and then reinstalling, at the moment I'm trying leaving it uninstalled but it obviously doesn't remove itself completely as the error message still pops up when my PC is idle

I only suggested it maybe connected to AOL as flasha.ocx is in the AOL program files folder. I don't know, I'm running out of ideas of things to try without hacking the registry to death !!

Steve

[vèédub]

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_14157 go here for the uninstaller, assuming you had flash 8 player prior to installing the flash 9 upgrade. have you tried copying "flasha.ocx" and pasting a copy in the same folder as it's original location but renaming it to "flash.ocx?" that might solve your problem. go through all the steps of COMPLETELY removing flash and reinstalling it and go from there. if that doesn't solve your problem, try contacting adobe directly. good luck.

[svtdragon]

"at the moment I'm trying leaving it uninstalled but it obviously doesn't remove itself completely as the error message still pops up when my PC is idle"



As was said above, in order to fix it you're going to need to reinstall it. You can't leave it uninstalled unless you want to try to uninstall whatever app is trying to access it as well, because either way, the problem is that the app isn't finding Flash, not that Flash isn't there.

It doesn't even matter if you've uninstalled it correctly; just reinstall over what you have.

The problem is not the flash player itself when you get a "not found" error. The problem is that whatever program you have that's looking for flash is looking for it as "flash.ocx" and not "flash9.ocx". There was just a stupid renaming on Adobe's part as of the upgrade.

By REinstalling Flash 9 and then copying and renaming the file, you're giving whatever app that's trying to access Flash (and isn't having any luck) something to find and work with. So if you want to stop getting the error message, either reinstall it and do the above fix, or try going into start->run->type "msconfig" and hit enter, go to the startup tab, and start unchecking stuff one/a few at a time to see what's trying to access it (by process of elimination). Of course, since it's on idle, it could very well be your screensaver so try disabling that first.

I'd recommend just reinstalling flash 9, and doing the copy/rename.

[rmum]

Hola:Descagué macromedia flash9 y se instaló bien pero ahora surge una ventana con el mensaje"Could not fin macromedia flash". Flash está instalado en windows/system 32/macromed/Flash 9..S.O. Windows XP.POr favor,necesito una solución a este entuerto.Gracias.

[corkad]

Go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash and copy “Flash9.ocx” (may be named a little different) and then paste it back in the same directory. Rename the copied one “flash.ocx” and everything will be cool!

Ve a Go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash y copia “Flash9.ocx” (puede tener un nombre un poco diferente) y copialo (copy). Luego haz una copia (paste) en el mismo directorio. Re-nombra esa copia (rename)
con el nombre de “flash.ocx” . Vas a tener dos files iguales pero con nombres diferentes (“Flash9.ocx” y “flash.ocx” ). Esto te resuelve el problema.

Suerte!!!

[pelinaca1]

quote:

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Originally posted by: vèédub
genius! i tried renaming the file from "flash9.ocx" to "flash.ocx" but it wouldn't let me because it is a read-only file. never thought of copying it and renaming though. worked perfectly. my screen saver worked in the "screen saver preview," now i just gotta wait 5 minutes to see if it really works. thanks for the help.

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I would like to second this opinion! Genius might just be an understatement! I did everything Adobe said to do first with no success at all. Then I tried this technique and viola it is now perfect!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For anyone out there having the same problem, try this! It will save your sanity!!!

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by: pelinaca1

quote:

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Originally posted by: vèédub
genius! i tried renaming the file from "flash9.ocx" to "flash.ocx" but it wouldn't let me because it is a read-only file. never thought of copying it and renaming though. worked perfectly. my screen saver worked in the "screen saver preview," now i just gotta wait 5 minutes to see if it really works. thanks for the help.

---

I would like to second this opinion! Genius might just be an understatement! I did everything Adobe said to do first with no success at all. Then I tried this technique and viola it is now perfect!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For anyone out there having the same problem, try this! It will save your sanity!!!

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I have to agree with this... It seems awfully "hacky", but it works! (so far, anyway). I find it pretty amazing that Adobe has not fixed this bug in an update. Most likely it would only require fixing one line of code. I wondered what might happen to Macromedia's stuff after the big buy-out... perhaps this is a side effect? Maybe some things are not being watched as closely as they once were?

veg

[leecat151]

Try this it worked for me...

Flash">http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html[L=Flash player 9 debugger version

[KMills32]

Thanks to all. This seemed to work thus far!!!

[Guest]

From one dragon to another, Thank you Svtdragon! All fixed, annoying message is gone and everything is working fine!

quote:

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Originally posted by: svtdragon
I think I solved the problem.

I went to C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash and copied "Flash9.ocx" and then pasted it back in the same directory. This created "Copy of Flash9.ocx" which I then renamed to "Flash.ocx." (Thus I had "Flash.ocx" and "Flash9.ocx", both the same file with a different name in the same directory.) Everything in IE seems to be working normally now; I'm not sure yet about my screensaver, but time will tell.

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[fatalerrorreport]

Same problem! I am not downloading any more updates from a company that that has screwed up my computer so many times.

[Shavanah]

I tried your solution, and it worked! Thanks!

[truefoe]

"Originally posted by: svtdragon
I think I solved the problem.

I went to C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash and copied "Flash9.ocx" and then pasted it back in the same directory. This created "Copy of Flash9.ocx" which I then renamed to "Flash.ocx." (Thus I had "Flash.ocx" and "Flash9.ocx", both the same file with a different name in the same directory.) Everything in IE seems to be working normally now; I'm not sure yet about my screensaver, but time will tell."

I tried this and it still did not work 😞 this was one of the first tricks I tried, then I went through my entire regedit file and removed all references to flash that did not pertain to anything system related, and still had it come up when I rebooted.

[sanjumc27]

Thanks ; Its working ; great ideas always accepted .

[shotgun_willie]

Downloaded screensaver from Moet Chandon website last week. No problems until a couple of days ago, when I got the ugly "cannot find Flash.ocx file" box! Checked out the comments on here, so decided to revert to previous screensaver I was using (from 'My Pictures' file). Eureka!! No more error box now.

Thanks guys for the info!