Adobe Flash 11.4.402.278 causes browser lockups & erroneous download requests

[dlawson52]

I've installed Adobe Flash Player 11.4.402.278 on multiple Windows 7 Pro computers.  After the install, various websites (i.e. MSN.com, Yahoo, YouTube) lock up when trying to open.  This problem occurs in both IE9 & Firefox.  The workaround in IE9 is to disable the Adobe Flash Shockwave add-on.  Secondarily, users repeatedly receive requests to download Flash even though it is already installed.  To make matters worse many video files will not play even after the user reloads Flash 11.4.402.278.  Does anyone know how to revert to an earlier version of Flash?  I didn't have these problems with the previous version (.265, I believe).

[chris.campbell]

The instructions below will tell you how to revert to a previous version of Flash Player.  We're interested in fixing these crashes though, so we'd like to get more info from you if possible.

How do I revert to a previous version of Flash Player?

On the machines that lock up, does it always occur with both IE and Firefox?  If it's just IE, do these systems have fingerprint scanners or accessibility software installed?  On Firefox, have you tried any of the troubleshooting steps listed in this faq?  How do I troubleshoot Flash Player's protected mode for Firefox?

Thanks,

Chris

[dlawson52]

Chris: I think both problems are resolved. I’m blaming a new cloud-based web filtering package we’re testing which appeared to cause some inexplicable/hidden proxy problems. Once we disabled the proxy checking both the Flash-related lockups and the repeated Flash download requests seemed to stop. It could be coincidental - but I’ll keep testing over the next few days and let you know the results. Thanks.

[chris.campbell]

Ok, thanks for the update.  Please don't hesitate to let us know if you find Flash to be at fault.

Chris

[dlawson52]

Chris: After we turned the new proxy checker off I thought the problems with Flash were resolved but they’re not. I’m still having various websites lockup while accessing Flash, and I’m still having other sites request a Flash download when it already exists. I haven’t had the chance to determine yet if the identical problem happens with IE and Firefox, but I’m working on that determination.

My hope is that installing a retrograde version of Flash will circumvent the problems. I will let you know. Doug

[chris.campbell]

Thanks Doug.  Please do let me know.  We've also got a Flash Player 11.5 beta that we just released.  This build focuses mainly on bug fixes so it might be worth while to give this a try too.

9/26/2012 - Flash Player 11.5 Beta

Chris

[dlawson52]

Thanks for the beta, Chris. I downloaded it on one problematic machine and Flash problems ceased. I downloaded it on a second machine and Flash problems persisted. Here’s the specifics: We’re trying to access the website http://ifiafire.wix.com/wwwillinoisfireinspectorsorg . On the problematic machine if the user tries IE9 or Firefox 15.0 to access that url, the request to install Flash appears – even though Beta 11.5 is installed. Oddly, we can access the same site successfully from a different machine.

Is there a way we can troubleshoot the Flash problem on the one specific machine that’s having trouble? Interestingly this same website worked for the affected user on the affected machine prior to installing Flash 11.4.402.278 or Beta 11.5. Crazy. Doug

[jeromiec83223024 · Accepted solution]

@dlawson52

Does this resolve the issue on the remaining machines that have this problem?

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4323109

[dlawson52]

Chris, et al: I get past the URL lockup problem in IE9 by disabling the Adobe Flash Shockwave add-on. I get past the recurring Flash download requests in IE9 and Firefox 15 by using Google Chrome. The Flash 11.5 beta didn’t fix the IE or Firefox problems in every instance. I realize that both of my “solutions” are work-arounds, but they allow my users to get what they need - and that’s what matters. Thanks for everyone’s input. Doug Lawson

[chris.campbell]

@kutdkyutdkhg - Can you give me a URL with the Meetic advertisement so we can take a look?

@Lucy Den - Glad to hear that the 11.5 beta helped.  You might also find that our newest 11.4 update (11.4.402.278, released today) might also work.

@ahallett2 - Does this HP laptop have a fingerprint scanner installed?  If so, please try upgrading to our 11.4.402.278 release to see if that helps (it should).

@KurianOfBorg - Out of curiosity, what browser do you use?

@dlawson52 - Does Flash lockup Chrome for you?  YOu mention that 11.5 didn't help in every instance, did it help in some?

[ahallett2]

Chris, I think you mean 11.4.402.287?  The HP laptop does have a fingerprint reader, but as per my first post that has been removed now, I first encountered this issue on regular HP Business desktops i.e. no fingerprint readers.  I found a solution - do not install Flash under the Administrator account (something I do for some customers if I do not know the users password), and to fix the instances where I have done this is to remove Flash under the users login account and then re-install.  I may give 287 a whirl tomorrow and see if that has fixed the particular problem that only I seem to be getting.  As for others in this post, I can only assume they have been getting the problem when Flash has been installed under the user account.

[quarky422]

ahallett2:  "As for others in this post, I can only assume they have been getting the problem when Flash has been installed under the user account." 

Respectfuly, you are mistaken about this.   I am the only user on my computer which is the administrator account and is the same account that the Flash Player was installed. 

[ahallett2]

>Chris - I've installed 11.4.402.287 logged in as Domain Administrator on the HP laptop, then logged in as the regular user, and web browsing all ok now.  So it looks for now the issues I've been specifically experiencing have been resolved.  However, I think I will in future incorporate some acceptance testing before I start deploying future version of Flash everywhere!

> quarky422 - In the specific cases I reported I had the described problem and solution that worked for me, and the latest release has hopefully fixed that issue for good.  With the plethora of machine configurations out there I guess everyone has unique issues, but my approach is simple: if it worked before something was updated, start rolling back until you identify the cause.  It took me a few hours to identify the issue and I went down the wrong track initially (thought it was to do with a web site the customer visited then I also visited on a different computer and had the same problem, but when reports came in from other users I knew that couldn't be the cause).  I really thought it was down to a Java update, so uninstalled that and Flash and it worked.  On the next machine just removed Flash and it worked, so re-installed Flash while logged in as the user, and it still worked.  This link

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4323109 seems to be a fix though I have not tried it as the latest version fixed my particular problem, so may fix yours as well?  You don't say if you are logging in as Domain Admin or Local Admin.