What is the switch for auto update in Flash Player 11.2 on a silent install?

[mr_woogy]

This is for installing Flash Player silently(flash.exe -install). I'm looking for the switch that will enable the new install updates automatically feature in flash 11.2. I would like to deploy flash 11.2 with this feature enabled.

[chris.campbell]

Please see the "Performing a background update" section in the FP 11.2 Admin Guide.  You should be able to set your user's mms.cfg to:

AutoUpdateDisable=0

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

and have silent updates enabled.

Chris

[chris.campbell · Accepted solution]

In addition, adding the command line argument "-au 0" will also enable the silent auto update mechanism

[mr_woogy]

Thanks Chris!

That is exactly what I was looking for. To install flash player silently with the auto update feature enabled is this command

flash.exe -install -au 0

[chris.campbell]

Glad to help.  Please be aware that this command line parameter will not work with the Flash installers that utilize the installation helper technology (ones with AIH in the filename).

[pwillener]

Chris Campbell wrote:

In addition, adding the command line argument "-au 0" will also enable the silent auto update mechanism

I wonder why this is not documented in the Flash Player 11.2 Administration Guide ?

[Guest]

The main reason why this isn't documented in the admin guide is because the command line switch is not applicable to .msi installers, which is the preferred choice for admins to deploy Flash Player. Admins should continue to use the traditional method of pushing an mms.cfg file to their network that specifies the update settings of their choice. Please refer to Chris' answer for the correct entries to turn the Flash Player Background Updater on.

[Twayde]

Hi Chris

I want to do the opposite, I want to install Flash Player silently(flash.exe -install) with the new install updates automatically feature disabled.

I tried install_flash_player_11_active_x_32bit.exe -install -au 1 however the mms.cfg had

AutoUpdateDisable=0

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=0

instead of

AutoUpdateDisable=1

Any ideas?

PS.

Played a bit more seems -au 2 will give the desired result.

Cheers

Message was edited by: Twayde

[go_adobe_go]

Will using the "-au 0" install option allow silent updates for non-admin users?

Is this switch persistent after a Flash update is auto-installed?

Thanks

[Guest]

Hi go adobe go,

Yes, "-au 0" will configure the system to update Flash Player in the background, i.e. for all users on the system.

-Stephen

[ipgman]

The copy of the guide I downloaded today appears to have the exact opposite on p17:

Background update is disabled by default. To enable it, edit the mms.cfg file, as shown below:

AutoUpdateDisable=1

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=0

Yours makes more sense.

[chris.campbell]

We're working on correcting the guide.

[TamgiaoNguyen]

Hi Chris,

The article on auto-update notification & background update process here:

http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/administration-configure-auto-update-notification.html

seems to contain incorrect information.

The article incorrectly indicates that for "SilentAutoUpdateEnable", "0 allows background update.1 disables background update." and that the default value is 1.

That contradicts information on Page 28 of the guide.

QUESTIONS:  Say, if I deploy Flash Player 11.2 MSI packages via AD without pushing any custom "mms.cfg" out with it...

1> Since "SilentAutoUpdateEnable=0" is the default value when there's no "mms.cfg" explicitly defined, the installer won't install the update service to "%windir%\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe"? Or will it install the service anyway but won't enable it?

2> Since "AutoUpdateDisable=0" is the default value when there's no "mms.cfg" explicitly defined, such FP installation on any of the target PC still checks for notification updates at a default 7-day interval since the last time FP (either ActiveX or plug-in) is loaded?

3> Also, if there are notification updates, non-admin users still see the notifications popping up on their desktop about new versions?

4> Even if they are notified, those non-admin users still can't initiate the installation of any notification updates?

5> Non-admin users won't be able to mess with the update settings via Control Panel - FP Settings Manager?

6> Since "SilentAutoUpdateEnable=0" is the default value when there's no "mms.cfg" explicitly defined, FP won't attempt to use the SYSTEM account to run the background update service and perform any silent update?  I just want to make sure.

Another question:

Does the "ISCHECKFORPRODUCTUPDATES" property (value set to 1 as seen in Orca) of the MSI files actually serve any purpose?

Thanks.

[chris.campbell]

Please see my answers inline

TamgiaoNguyen wrote:

Hi Chris,

The article on auto-update notification & background update process here:

http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/administration-configure-auto-u pdate-notification.html

seems to contain incorrect information.

The article incorrectly indicates that for "SilentAutoUpdateEnable", "0 allows background update.1 disables background update." and that the default value is 1.

That contradicts information on Page 28 of the guide.

Thank you for the heads up.  I've forwarded this to our documentation folks and they'll fix it soon.

QUESTIONS:  Say, if I deploy Flash Player 11.2 MSI packages via AD without pushing any custom "mms.cfg" out with it...

1> Since "SilentAutoUpdateEnable=0" is the default value when there's no "mms.cfg" explicitly defined, the installer won't install the update service to "%windir%\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe"? Or will it install the service anyway but won't enable it?

The service is a component of Flash Player and will therefore always be installed.  This is identical to the Settings Manager.  The service will always chick if it is enabled first and not perform any update checks unless it was explicityly turned on.

2> Since "AutoUpdateDisable=0" is the default value when there's no "mms.cfg" explicitly defined, such FP installation on any of the target PC still checks for notification updates at a default 7-day interval since the last time FP (either ActiveX or plug-in) is loaded?

Correct

3> Also, if there are notification updates, non-admin users still see the notifications popping up on their desktop about new versions?

Yes

4> Even if they are notified, those non-admin users still can't initiate the installation of any notification updates?

Yes, the background updater solves this problem.  If you are in this situation, it is recommended that you turn on background updating.

5> Non-admin users won't be able to mess with the update settings via Control Panel - FP Settings Manager?

No.  Changing update settings requires admin privileges as of Flash Player 11.2

6> Since "SilentAutoUpdateEnable=0" is the default value when there's no "mms.cfg" explicitly defined, FP won't attempt to use the SYSTEM account to run the background update service and perform any silent update?  I just want to make sure.

It will continue to use the SYSTEM account, but since it isn't turned on, it will never actually perform any kind of update checks.

Another question:

Does the "ISCHECKFORPRODUCTUPDATES" property (value set to 1 as seen in Orca) of the MSI files actually serve any purpose?

I'll find out if this property is functional and let you know.

Thanks.

[chris.campbell]

Quick follow up, the ISCHECKFORPRODUCTUPDATES propert is not used by our installer.

[UnFlash]

Chris Campbell wrote:

Quick follow up, the ISCHECKFORPRODUCTUPDATES propert is not used by our installer.

When does Adobe plan to make the MSI options available? It would be nice if Adobe would do this.

[thejimmys]

Hi Stephen

I would like some clarification on these flags and how they apply to a non-admin user on windows 7 32bit.

What I am trying to accomplish:

Disable any update notification prompts for the users.  Have any flash updates be installed via the new Adobe Flash Updates service and in the background, silently.

I install the flash player via the .exe installers using the -install -au 0  flags to enable autoupdate.

I also deploy a mms.cfg file to the C:\windows\system32\macromed\flash\mms.cfg location

From what i've been reading, i have set these options in the mms.cfg for Adobe Flash Player 11.2:

AutoUpdateDisable=1

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

however, there have been posts saying that if you set the "AutoUpdateDisable=1" that this will override teh SilentAutoUpdateEnable options all together and in turn turn OFF all autoupdate options.

Basically, how do we enable silentautoupdates and at the same time hide any user notifications for non-admin users??

The Flash Player Admin guide would be a bit more helpful if it included real world scenerios that most desktop admins encounter such as:

How can i deploy Adobe Flash Player to a non-admin user and enable silent autoupdates.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[hgiljr]

Jimmy where you able to figure this out?  I too am looking to accomplish what you wrote.  Any information greatly appreciated.  Thanks

[thejimmys]

yes, i was. however it seems the new 11.4.xxx updates basically require you to reinstall/redeploy the new version of flash to your users again and then use the following flags to enable the silent updates (we use the .exe to deploy vs msi):

install_flash_player_11.active_x.exe -install -au 0

also be sure to push a mms.cfg file w/these lines in it too:

AutoUpdateDisable=0

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

i have a batch file that will then copy the mms.cfg file to the appropriate location (example below using copy cmd in windows):
copy /Y mms.cfg C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\mms.cfg

hope that helps!