Why does Adobe flash upgrade install Google Toolbar?

[ppainter650]

I was prompted to install an update of adobe flash player.  It installed Google Toolbar.  I was not even given an option.  Is Adobe a virus?  That is how viruses behave?

[Jeff A Wright]

Moving this discussion to the Installing Flash Player forum.

[chris.campbell]

You should have been given the option to opt out of this third party install.  Here's a post where I've tried to illustrate how this should work, depending on the version of Flash Player previously installed.

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4699783#4699783

As for why this checkbox is checked by default, please see this post

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4860432#4860432

Finally, in this post I recap 3 different ways to make sure that only the software you want is installed.

[NotHaqppy]

Regardless of what should occur, what did (and probably is going to continue to) occur was the toolbar installing without a single prompt to allow it to be blocked! I have been very deliberate in watching to opt out of this crapware with Adobe and Java both, but didn't get the chance this time! I realize you do this for advertising dollars, but you are usually better at providing the ability to opt out!

[C_F_McBlob]

[post removed]

Message was edited by: Pat Willener

[NotHaqppy]

[post removed]

Message was edited by: Pat Willener

[pwillener]

Are you saying that Flash Player updated silently in the background, and in this process silently installed 3rd-party software?

[NotHaqppy]

Almost! I started the install, elevated privledges to Admin, and then had no interaction until completion except for the progress bar (though I could have hit Cancel). I've done silent installs and usually they don't show the progress or anything else, and they also usually do not install third party software. This one acted like it had a foot in both worlds. It's something I've never seen before or I might not have bothered to post about it. It isn't like it was difficult to uninstall the toolbar.

[pwillener]

NotHaqppy wrote:

I started the install...

How did you start the install?

[NotHaqppy]

Received the notification that Flashplayer was out of date and did I want to update it.

Here's the last entry appended to the log and the closing identifier from the one before. It didn't seem relevant to go all the way back to October 2011.

=X====== M/11.7.700.224 2013-06-12+03-20-35.963 ========

=O====== M/11.8.800.94 2013-07-09+22-40-17.201 ========
0000 00000010 "C:\Users\Tim\AppData\Local\Temp\{C782CF1D-2AD6-49D6-A54F-920DF515F281}\InstallFlashPlayer.exe" -install -skipARPEntry -iv 10 -au 4294967295
0001 00000020 C:\Windows\SysWOW64\FlashPlayerCPLApp.cpl
0002 00001037 SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Adobe Flash Player Plugin/ 2
0003 00001036 Software\Mozilla\MaintenanceService\extensions/Plugins 2
0004 00001036 Software\Opera Software/Last CommandLine 2
0005 00001036 Software\Opera Software/Last CommandLine 2
0006 00001036 Software\Opera Software/Plugin Path 2
0007 00001036 Software\Opera Software/Plugin Path 2
0008 00000014 C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\NPSWF64_11_8_800_94.dll
0009 00000015 C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil64_11_8_800_94_Plugin.exe
0010 00000024 C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\plugin.vch
0011 00000019 C:\Windows\SysWOW64\FlashPlayerCPLApp.cpl
0012 00000012
=X====== M/11.8.800.94 2013-07-09+22-40-19.030 ========

[pwillener]

Do you remember what gave you that notification - Firefox perhaps?  It was obviously not the Flash Player updater (which panel I posted earlier).

How did that proceed; did you have to go to a website, or did that notification lead to an automatic update?

You know, these complaints have been going on for years, but I have never been able to get any evidence that this is actually happening.  That's why I am asking all these detail questions.

[NotHaqppy]

I was just trying to edit my message with that. I'll have to remember not to do that when I'm posting with you in realtime.

It was Firefox and it was an autoupdate not at the website.

I just went to the Website to manually update the Active X version for IE and Shockwave. Both of those worked without a problem. The Active X had the option available on the download page itself and the Shockwave gave me the pop-ups for both Google Toolbar and Norton PC.

The detailed questions don't bother me. I've done helpdesk work and asked similar questions, so I know why you ask and I welcome them since it means you are actually trying to gather information to work from. Even though this could easilly be one of those that never do get resolved except by accident.

I'm headed to bed for now, I get up for work in 4 and a half hours, but feel free to ask for more information if you need to. I'll get to them tomorrow.

[pwillener]

I have let my Windows 7 auto-update yesterday in order to see how the Flash Player updater handles this.

None of my other (XP) systems have updated yet, so I will wait until I get a notification from Firefox, so that I can observe how that is done.  It is possible that it is actually Firefox that is downloading the bundled installer!

Anyway, thanks for all your information.

[pwillener]

This is the panel that the Flash Player updater presents

[NotHaqppy]

Yes Pat as I pointed out to the insulting big head. I know to watch for that dialog and it didn't show up.

Not sure why and I also pointed out that it is not usual, which is why I know to wait for this panel for both Adobe products and Java. Obviously you can't fix my install (or need to since it was only necessary to uninstall) and you won't be able to trace or recreate the problem from this little bit of information, but if left uninformed you don't know to try to find answers or solutions because you don't know a problem exists.

Here are a couple more bits of information that might eventually help. I did not have Google Toolbar installed (I hate it from early use and why doesn't matter), but I did (and still do) have Chrome installed.

[pwillener]

I need to know what update actually took place.  Normally this is what should happen

• minor updates (e.g. from 11.7.700.202 to 11.7.700.224) will occur silently in the background
• higher-level updates (e.g. from 11.7.x to 11.8.x) will incur a user intervention, such as the update panel I posted

Can you post the contents of the FlashInstall.log from C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash so that I can see exactly what update took place.

[scottchillemi]

NotHaqppy,

I just had the exact same problem.  I was not given the choice to obtain the Google Toolbar, but it came on the screen as installing anyway.  I search to see if anyone else had this problem and this thread appeared.  I also had Chrome, but opt out of all toolbars as a rule.

I've disabled it and will likely not go through the effort to uninstall it.  Just thought you might appreciate someone else having the problem.  You aren't crazy, we weren't given a choice.

Scott