Installing Flash Player on Windows 2000

[Guest]

Thanks to numerous past discussions, methods have been found for installing Flash Player 11.2.202.235 on Windows 2000. See this thread, which explains how to use HxD Hex Editor to make a simple change that will allow installation on Windows 2000:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4428785

The original post goes into fine detail with illustrations. Here's a quick redux:

- Download the latest Adobe Flash Player (IE or non-IE) for Windows 32-bit systems.

- Download HxD Hex Editor hereabouts (VirusTotal rates it clean):

http://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/

- Unzip and install HxD.

- Launch HxD and open the Adobe Flash Player Installer, something like:

install_flash_player_32bit.exe

- Hit F3 for HxD's search function, and search for SetDllDirectoryW

- On the right-hand side of the HxD display, change SetDllDirectoryW to GetModuleHandleW

- SaveAs install_flash_player_32bit_Win2k.exe or similar.

- Quit HxD and run the modified Flash Player Installer. It should install fine on Win2k.

This worked for me using Flash Player Installer 11.2.202.235, both IE and non-IE versions.

This is a hack and is not officially supported by Adobe.

[chris.campbell]

Thank you for summarizing.

[M_Miller12345]

As the original topic starter in the related thead, I wanted to thank the following people:

OC92135 for his summary above!

Chris Campbell, who forwarded the request to the installer team.  Even though they declined to make the change, Chris' efforts were professional and thoughtful and the type of response all of us greatly appreciate.

Oldperl & Pat Willener, for the wrapper workaround posts.

Mrs. Clift & AcroNot, for keeping the prior thread active and a special extra thanks to AcroNot for his detailed explanation (with screenshots) of the best and easiest fix for this issue.

Finally, MAD PROPS to NOTBEBE, who discovered the most elegant, simple, and best solution for Win2K users.  For me, it worked flawlessly.

Thank you again,

Mark Miller

[andyross63]

I found a possible issue with this Win2K fix. I used it on the latest 11.2 release (it sounds like the 11.3 has more issues.) Flash itself works fine, but this morning, I got an error that FlashUtil(blahblah) had that SetDLLDirectoryW error. Looking in the event viewer, I found the file name. It's in \winnt\system32\macromed\flash. There may be 2 versions if you have the IE and other versions installed. I guess it's part of the updater and was trying to run, even through I told the installer I do not want automatic checking. Presumably it runs, see's it's not supposed to run, then ends?

Anyways, I did the same hexedit fix. I'll see if that fixes the issue, or I'll have to roll back to the last 11.x that worked properly as-is.

I did look through the obivous RUN entries in the registry, but don't see where it's set to run. Since it was working fine for the past week or two, it's running off of some scheduler or I wold have had the issue on the next reboot.

[Guest]

I apologize that I might not be able to reply to all enquiries. I only use Windows 2000 on 1 machine and have not been on that machine lately. I'll probably stick with Adobe Flash 11.2.202.235 for awhile.

The post above by andyross63 implies that after using the hexedit hack to successfully install Flash 11.x on Windows 2000, you should try to ensure that Flash auto-update features are completely disabled. Otherwise, an auto-update may try to download and run a newer installer which is not compatible with Windows 2000. Hopefully, if that happens it would be non-destructive, or you could roll back by rerunning the hacked installer that was working for you.

Many people are much more knowledgeable than me. I just tried to repost what worked for me in easy-to-understand language.

[andyross63]

Actually what happens is that the auto-upate itself has the same issue as the Flash installer. I haven't found where to disable it yet. Every other Friday, it keeps asking to update.

[pwillener]

I suggest that you disable the auto-updater; not in the registry, but in the Task Scheduler.

[andyross63]

There's nothing in my Task Scheduler.

[pwillener]

Really - then how does it get to run?

Another way would be to disable the service.

[pwillener]

Ah - what is your Flash Player version?  If it is a version before 11.2, you should disable it from http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager05.html

[andyross63]

I tried that and unchecked the option. I'll see if it works, but it probably won't trigger until next Friday. I am using 11.2.something.

[bblackh1]

If you are having trouble, you can always revert back to 10.3.183.11

which installs correctly on Windows 2000 even though that version

has security risks.  The 10.1.102.64 listed version is giving an installer error

now that says, "This is an outdated version of Flash, and we are directing

you back to the Adobe website and will not install the version we are

recommending for Windows 2000 and there is nothing to find for Windows

2000 when you go to that webpage."  So I just installed 10.3.183.11 and

it worked fine with no installer error messages.

bblackh1

[pwillener]

The latest patched version of 10.3 is 10.3.183.20; you can download the installer from http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

[bblackh1]

Problem is that the installer fails on any version newer than 10.3.183.11

when you try to install on Windows 2000.  Not sure why.

bblackh1

[pwillener]

How does it fail?

[MaxedSEO]

ADDED HOURS LATER = The Uninstaller will not finction.. Suggestions? I treid a regedt for the two items...and nothing.. Does one have to use the hex on the uninstaller maybe? Heck, I'll give that a try.

NOPE

-----------------------------------------

Greetings all and I hope "someone" can help..

Also? to Mark Miller.. 

re:

Finally, MAD PROPS to NOTBEBE, who discovered the most elegant, simple, and best solution for Win2K users.  For me, it worked flawlessly.

Where is this one please?

re:

First thanks to > OC92135 for the hack..

I was on 10.x version of Flash...and all worked fine

BUT? I have Win2kServer and it installed  Using Firefox 12.0 <the last one that works etc> But now FF us freezing when Adobe

Did the 11.x.x235 one, but?

Uninstaller from CCleaner says Set DLL Directy W etc...can't be found..  Did regedit search as thought I would have to change it back.. 

So, what I want to do first is to Uninstall FF 12 but I can't even download it from www.oldapps.com now w/out freezin..

How may I get the danged FLASH out of my system? <smile>

  Thanks in advance,

Jim

[bblackh1]

MaxedSEO,

You should be able to disable the offending flash version

in the Tools->Add Ons->Plugins of Firefox.  Then you can

uninstall and reinstall flash without problems. 

bblackh1

[trodas]

I installing the Adobe Flash plugin ONLY by my own hand. Sadly, Adobe did not come up with zip archive with just the plugin dll file, but I install - copy the DLL - and uninstall. Then manually delete the remaining files and just use the DLL or the installer.

To make the installe work at Win2k, the very same hack is need - hack the Flash Util file the same way, as the dll - change in it the SetDllDirectoryW to GetModuleHandleW and that it is!

If someone want, there is Flash Util and Adobe Flash as DLL files, hacked with W2k:

http://rapidshare.com/files/3122942562/Flash%20Players%20for%20W2k.zip

http://depositfiles.org/files/max4wif3c

http://www.sendspace.com/file/z2t9j2

Archive contain Adobe Flash unpacked (ready to copy into Firefox) with their utility files hacked for W2k in these versions: Flash Player 9.0.124.0, Flash Player 10.0.32.18, Flash Player 10.1.85.3, Flash Player 10.1.102.64, Flash Player 10.2.159.1, Flash Player 10.3.183.29, Flash Player 11.2.202.235, Flash Player 11.3.300.273, Flash Player 11.4.402.287

Interesting thing. Fullscreen video won't work on YouTube (only white screen, sound go ok) with Firefox v3.0.14 and Adobe Flash higher version that 10.0.32.18... Strange, strange 

(could be that the Firefox is kinda old, but it is weird that v10.0.32.18 works flawlessly and just v10.1.85.3 not at all in fullscreen... I also use relatively old Forceware drivers v45.28 on crap GF2MX400 card 🙂 )

[batıkand60102570]

Thank you for your uploads I was able to download from depositfiles. I tried to copy the Flash files  C:\WINNT\Macromed\Flash and C:\WINNT\System32\Macromed\Flash but didn't worked I have installed Netscape Navigator and Firefox 3.6 I couldn't run Flash setup because of kernel32.dll error. Can you help me, where should I copy these 2 files? Thank you.