Cannot uninstall Adobe Flash Player 11 Active X

[Guest]

hi.

i am using avast free antivirus.

they have a software updater and all was fine until last week when my flashplayer activex got stuck 'preparing' to update (it seems 'stuck') and never fully updates.

i was in touch with avast community (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=150163.new;topicseen#new)  and was given links to uninstall flashplayer plugin (and all background files).

i followed instructions to remove without using Control Panel via http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-windows.html   but still stuck 'preparing' to update.

obviously something is corrupted, but since i cant find flashplayer or activex on my system (searched thru start button), i've no idea where to turn.

any help would be appreciated.  thanks in advance.

[pwillener]

Try if the clean install instructions get you any further: https://forums.adobe.com/thread/928315

Make sure nothing that uses Flash Player is running during the uninstall.

[Guest]

hey pat,

thanks so much for helping out.

i followed the video and deleted the suggested files.

there is nothing on my system related to flashplayer any longer...but the problem on avast still exists.

i should note that the flashpayer activex icon in the avast software updater is not an icon.  see below.

might you have any other tips?

thanks in advance.

[Guest]

finally, is there any way i cant remove my real name from my profile? 

[pwillener]

To post a screenshot you need to post it in the forum itself (using the camera icon), not as an email attachment.

Regarding your name, only you can see it.  I see your user name data_cloud.

[Guest]

this is what i was discussing.

Flash Player Active X

[pwillener]

Sorry, I don't understand what that screenshot means.

Also, I don't understand: is the problem with Avast, or with Flash Player?  What version do you have installed now?

[Guest]

hey pat,

thank you so very much for continuing to follow up.  i very much appreciate it.

i'm not sure if the problem is with avast or flash player.

i uninstalled completely (as far as i know ...and per your instructions nothing remains on my computer for flash player)

avast has a software updater and i usually get a popup when there is an update i need to install.

i got an update last week saying a few programs needed updating, and i updated them all.  flash player was one of the programs.

when i clicked on flash player to update, it began updating (which is why it said 'preparing'), but never fully updated.

it got 'stuck' in 'preparing' mode.

on this software updater, one can see the icon for the program, but next to the words flash player all i see is what was in the screenshot (i think it is the icon for an executable??)

regarding what i have installed right now, again, i completely uninstalled flash player and did all the steps noted in my initial post, so currently i have no flash player installed.

when i was trying all sorts of things, i did uninstall and reinstall a few times, but that did not fix the issue.

i think i sent you an icon of avast that stays in my taskbar.  it is orange all the time, but every few minutes it turns to blue (then back to orange) to show me that it is working.

i was wondering if this is using flash, which might affect the uninstall (as the instructions said to stop all programs using flash).

i hope this helps explain things...and thank you so much again.

[pwillener]

I think you should use the proper Flash Player installers to get it installed without any problems:

• Flash Player for ActiveX (Internet Explorer)
• Flash Player Plug-in (All other browsers)

[Guest]

i've done this before and it didnt fix problem.

i did again now with your links and still not fixed.  i was able to do a screenshot.

[Guest]

again, screenshot didnt post...but its exactly as described above.

see

[pwillener]

So the full installer acts the same way - stuck at "preparing"?  This means something is interfering with the installer; could it be Avast itself?  Can you try to temporarily disable it while you run the installer?

[Guest · Accepted solution]

nothing from the above worked, but i was able to figure out a fix and wanted to post it should others have the same problem.

go to SETTINGS > TOOLS > SOFTWARE UPDATER > UNCHECKED ENABLE SOFTWARE UPDATER.

close page and go to TOOLS > SOFTWARE UPDATER

voila!  it is no longer 'updating'.  it is 'up to date'.

thanks, pat, for sticking with me.  i appreciate your help.

[Guest]

screenshot of icon didnt download.  what i wanted to show you is that it is not an icon...i dont know how to describe it, but it looks like when you are installing something but BEFORE it is fully installed.  it is what 'turns into' the icon.  (i hope that is clear).