Error Flash Player Update service 11.6 r602 ... Bad file

[jlepperson]

I'm running on Windows Vista 32 with IE9. (an old Dell). I first noticed this problem when the Latest version of Flash Player was updated. Periodically windows will show an Error Flag saying the Flash Player update Service has stopped working...sometimes this flag has interfered with the smooth functioning of programs that I have running; mostly it is an annoyance.

I asked about this last week and was told to try a manual uninstall and check for the removal of all the files. Here is where I ran into the problem. But first, the steps. The Uninstaller did most of the work.

All of the rest of the files were easy to delete; EXCEPT for one. In C:/windows/system32/macromed/Flash is the file 'FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe'  11.6 r602  Version 11.6.602.180  ... It refuses to be deleted !!! I think this is the source of all the problems. I think that it is supposed to function Only with FP Ver. 11.6. and when an updated version is installed, it is left behind AND CAN'T BE deleted.

I checked the Permissions of this file and the user can only read and execute the file, nothing else. Trying to change the permissions gets you a duplicate file that can be deleted. the original file is untouched.

I have tried as Admin to delete it, no luck. I tried the "Unlocker" program and it can't find a handle. It offers to delete it on next reboot, but the file is still there.

I tried to go at it using DOS commands and get an Access Denied. Short of using a .357 Magnum; How do I kill this File????

By the way, I went ahead and reinstalled the latest FP and it works fine... Just this annoying flag keeps poping up every now and then.

P.S. I'm thinking about starting the computer in Safemode or do without windows (DOS only) and see if it will let me delete it that way, but I'm not sure I can remember all the old DOS command structure that I need.

John

[jlepperson]

An Update: The DOS attempt did not work. (access denied) Don't Bother trying. program was in use, even though it stopped working. I finally figured out that the program somehow gets started a WIN startup... I used "Glary Utilities" in the Modules section... - System Tools - Process Manager: to Stop the Process.  Then I used in the Privacy & Security tag - File Shredder: to erase the file. ... But It Came back...again.

So I did Another Clean Uninstall After I first (as Administrator (Right click on Delete)) deleted the file C:\windows\system32\macromed\flash\ FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe  (Version 11.6.602.180)  Be sure that it is the Older file that you delete!

Refer to  http://forums.adobe.com/thread/928315  for the procedure.

I followed the steps carefully and double checked that all and ONLY the files called for were deleted. It surprised me that in step 5. I found still another copy of  the offending file (same date) FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe (I deleted it to (as Admin (right click on delete))). 

Finally I did a new Install by going to http://get.adobe.com/FlashPlayer and following the process. Note: If you have WeatherBug, shut it down first before going to the installer. (otherwise you will just have to shut it down anyway and the install may not finish (took me 2 tries)) Also, do not close your IE page until the installer tells you to or it may get confused (it did on me the first time).

I (Hopefully) have this problem corrected now.

Note: After the New install if you use windows Explorer & go to C:\windows\system32\macromed\flash  and look at the file FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe you will see that it has a Newer version.

John

[grandthing]

I've had this problem for weeks and have tried a lot of things. Last night I stumbled on this: Adobe Flash Player Update Service is running as a scheduled task, well, three tasks to be exact. I deleted them and so far this has done the trick. No more annoying error messages! Here's how I did it. Under Control Panel, Administration Tools, choose Configuration Management. Under System Tools is Task Scheduler. Click on the arrow next to Task Scheduler to expand it and you find Task Scheduler Library. If you see Adobe Flash Player in the library list at the top, click on it and click Delete on the right hand action panel. Do this for every Adobe Flash Player Update Service action. Since doing this I have checked in the Task Scheduler Library list and Adobe Flash Player Update Service appears in it again and I have deleted it again. But I have not had the error message yet so I'm very hopeful and this will do it.

[pwillener]

The important thing is that the old 11.6 version FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe is deleted before installing the latest player version.  This way it won't fail any more.