Really? Again? "The user does not have sufficient privileges to install Adobe Flash Player"

[Guest]

My browser is firefox.

"The user does not have sufficient privileges to install Adobe Flash Player" is the incessant problem I've had many times updating Flash.

Come on guys, this is getting beyond ridiculous. The install always stops at 55% exactly, and never completes, leaving me to abandon Firefox for Chrome. I mucked about the last half a dozen times this happened during the update and just by sheer accident it managed to install, but it's been 2 hours of similar mucking about and I'm now getting nowhere.

This has been a persistent problem and affected many firefox users for years now, as I've seen both by my own experience and by searching google. Isn't there a way you all can provide a single SIMPLIFIED solution to this issue, either by coordinating with firefox or by providing a Firefox "unique" installer? Really it's too infuriating.

Anyway, before anyone asks, yes I'm logged on as the admin, and yes I've run the installer "as the admin" by right clicking. I've also gone ahead and completely uninstalled flash (and emptied the folders as requested in other threads here) and reinstalled, only to watch the progress bar halt at 55% as per usual and leave me clicking that stupid Chrome icon to have a working flash program.

Honestly folks, why, after years, does this continue to be a persistent issue? Fix it for the love of God! Are you lot the guys doing the ObamaCare website or what? We firefox folks are loyal to our browser, and installing new versions of flash on this browser is an unnecessary bloody pain in the you know what.

Sorry for the visible frustration, but if someone could please provide a universal working solution I wouldn't need to be on here whinging and moaning.

[pwillener]

It would help if you told us your operating system.

[Guest]

Sorry. Operating system is Windows 7 Professional 64 bit.

[pwillener · Accepted solution]

Try a clean install as described in http://forums.adobe.com/thread/928315

As for the installers, use these offline installers:

Flash Player for ActiveX (Internet Explorer)

Flash Player Plug-in (All other browsers)

If you still experience problems during the install, please post the contents of the FlashInstall.log files from

C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash and

C:\Windows\syswow64\Macromed\Flash

[Guest]

OK, I had already done the steps in the first thread link you gave, but I tried it again - this time including your "offline" installer link... needless to say the process worked this time halleyfrikinluyah .

This singular difference was that I used the offline installer. So my 'cranky old guy' routine is finished, and I'm a happy camper once again. Thanks heaps for the help.

It's worth noting that the only difference between the last time I followed the directions and now is the presence of your offline installer link. Not sure why that makes a difference, any chance you can explain why that is?

It was also an offline installer which fixed my previous install issues, on every occasion wherein this "permissions" error has occured. I remember now (thanks to your awesome help!!) I dug around and found a blog post from someone who also had this problem, and followed his directions to find an offline installer. Leave it to my absent mindedness to forget that important point lol. Anyway, it's worth noting this fix here in case someone stumbles on this thread panicking like I was.

That said, there is still a lingering issue that I encountered this time (as well as those previous times) even with the "offline" installer. Here is the error message I receive whenever I manage to get it working this way ...

"The installation encountered errors:

A required file (C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\flashplayer.xpt:5) could not be written due to insufficient permissions."

As I said previously, I am logged in as an admin and I also made sure to right click and "run as administrator" throughout both the uninstall and the install. Permissions shouldn't be an issue.

Either way, flash is working now, so that persistent error message is a bit weird.

If it will help you to suss out why that error message came up, I can still post both log files in a subsequent post. Just let me know.

Otherwise thanks again for the help and sorry about the b!tchy quality of my initial post. This issue was running me nuts.

[pwillener]

peterclik wrote:

A required file (C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\flashplayer.xpt:5) could not be written due to insufficient permissions."

This error is sometimes issued when the file could not be written because of the old version cannot be deleted (due to permission or other issues).  This should be fixed when the clean install instructions are completely followed (and all files in the install folders are manually deleted after running the uninstaller.

If this is still happening even after all files are manually deleted, then the FlashInstall.log files may give additional information.

Anyway, glad that Flash Player is now working for you.

If you bookmark this page http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/installation-problems-flash-player-windows.html#main-pars_hea... you will always have easy access to the offline installers.  (They also do not contain any unwanted 3rd-party bundled software!)

[jguhle]

I have exactly the same issue, I have done everything you suggested, Pat, but the problem persists. Operating system Windows 7 Professional 64 bit, browser Mozilla Firefox 30.0. Any ideas?

[whispers8021]

Here is what I have to say ADOBE!!! I have been avoiding this task for 8 months now, becasue if i have to watch videos and read manuals and browse to make this work than you didnt do your job!!!!! And again i am going to give up and go back to google chrome where everything works without me having to take on a part time job figuring out how to use your software!!!!!!!! Are you \ kidding me.  If your going to release a new version of your flash player IT IS YOUR DUTY TO MAKE SURE IT SEAMLESSLY UPGRADES TO EVERY BROWSER OUT THERE!!!!!!!!! IT IS NOT MY DUTY TO TRACK DOWN THE MAGICAL KEYCODE TO MAKE THIS WORK ON A BROWSER I PREFER OVER GOOGLE CHROME!!!!!!!!! THAT IS YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!!!! AND DON'T TELL ME I AM DOING SOMETHING WRONG HERE CUZ GUESS WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO A  THING TO MAKE CHROME WORK WITH THE NEW FLASH PLAYER.  I DO HOWEVER HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHY IAM THE ONLY USER LOGGED IN AS ADMIN DON'T HAVE PERMISSION TO UPGRADE MY FIREFOX, MYIE, MYOPERA, OR MYTORCH BROWSER ON MY COMPUTER BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO THE OTHER 10% OF YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS IS BULLS*** THAT I HAVE TO PLAY  SOFTWARE DETECTIVE TO FIGURE OUT WHY YOUR  NEW VERSION ISN'T COMPATABLE WITH MY BROWSWER OR WHY IT DOESNT WANT TO INSTALL ON ANY OTHER BROWSER OTHER THAN GOOGLE CHROME.  COMPLETE AND UTTER BULL****.  I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO 2O HOURS NOW AND IM NOT SPENDING ONE MORE MINUTE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THIS F*CKING RIDDLE.  DO YOUR F*CKING JOB AND MAKE IT WORK FOR EVERY POSSIBLE SCENARIO OUT THERE OR DONT F*CKING RELEASE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UNTIL IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR F*CKS SAKE!!!!!! I F*CKING HATE YOU

[determined68]

I have had the same problem, but found that doing it this way, eradicated the issue for me-

I am no computer expert and have experimented over time until i found what has worked for myself. 

I hope this helps others to resolve this problem.

                                            If you are unsure, then please get somebody that has an idea what they are doing to prevent any accidental deletion of system files!!!!!!!

This is a Microsoft windows 7 PC, not Apple Mac.

slightly lengthy, but has stopped me pulling hairs out and stopped swearing at the computer.

Allowed for me to open e learning that needed adobe to continue with learning.

Firstly:

1. Download the current uninstaller
   • Uninstaller for Windows
2. Close all browser windows and run the uninstaller
3. Restart Windows.
4. Delete all remaining files and folders located in the following directories. (these directories are probably hidden away from sight)

    (tip: copy and paste ONE of these paths into the path/search bar in an Explorer window)

• C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash
• C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash (if you are using a 64-bit system)

which should then display a white page with a top line in bold letters saying something like:-

"Index of C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\" as shown below:

This INFORMATION is only needed for the location as to where these files are hidden so DO NOT !!!!! click on any of the folders within this browser, as they will download into the download folder and cause more problems.

THIS WILL SHOW  WHERE THE FOLDERS ARE HIDING WITHIN THE COMPUTER ITSELF, BUT THEY ARE PROBABLY HIDDEN, UNTIL YOU UNHIDE THE FOLDER(S) THAT YOU NEED.

MINIMIZE THIS SCREEN TO ONE HALF OF THE SCREEN, AND HAVE THE FOLDER OF THE COMPUTER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN, SO THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW WITHOUT HAVING TO REMEMBER WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE NEXT

Secondly:

1. Go onto DESKTOP
2. double click on computer
3. then double click on "C"
4. go to organize on top left corner under backwards arrow,
5. click on "folder and search options"
6. click on "view" tab,
7. look for heading "Hidden files and folders"
8. click on "show hidden files, folders, and drives"
9. click "Apply"
10. CLICK "OK"

Most folders will be a bright yellow folder, whereas the hidden folders that you have now made reappear will be a shaded yellow.

You should still have the operating system IDE (C) folder open.

Thirdly:

Look for:

1. Open folder "Windows"
2. Open Folder "System32"
3. Find Folder "Macromed"
4. Right Click on folder and look down for "Delete" left click which will then put the folder into the waste basket on the computer.
5. Empty the wastebin if it is on desktop by right clicking and choosing "Empty Recycle Bin"
6. close all explorer/Google pages.

then repeat the process as near top of page from Computer --> C Drive --> all the way to

Hidden files and folders

Forthly:

THEN !!!!!

1. click on "DON'T show hidden files, folders, or drives"
2. click "apply"
3. click "OK"

                                   THAT WILL HIDE THE SYSTEM FOLDERS

Fifthly:

CLOSE ANY FOLDER OR BROWSER ON THE  COMPUTER SO THAT YOU ARE BACK TO THE DESKTOP.

FINALLY:

OPEN BROWSER

YOU SHOULD THEN BE ALLOWED  TO INSTALL ADOBE WHEN OPENING A FRESH BROWSER