Flash Update Prompts despite Silent Auto Update enabled in MMS.CFG

[MicrosoftBob]

This is regarding 32-bit Windows Flash Player Activex.  Version 14.0.0.145

We have silent auto updates enabled for 15000 Windows 7 computers.  Sometimes non-admin users are prompted to update when Adobe releases a new version, like 14.0.0.176.  WHY?  WHY?  WHY?  

Below is our MMS.CFG that we use in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MACROMED\FLASH

AutoUpdateDisable=0

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

SilentAutoUpdateVerboseLogging=1

AutoUpdateInterval=0

[_maria_]

Hello,

Even if silent updates are enabled, users could be prompted to update if the update hasn't yet occurred via the silent update.  The only way to completely disable notification updates while configured for silent updates is to host the silent update resources locally.  Information on hosting silent updates locally is available in Chapter 3 of the Adobe Flash Player Administration Guide for Flash Player 14 | Adobe Developer Connection in the section labeled "Background Updates". 

--

Maria

[MicrosoftBob]

Hi Maria, thanks for the prompt reply!

We have the Auto-Update set to check HOURLY and it appears to be working, yet the Auto-Update DOES NOT download the latest version.  I even tested by installing version 13 and the Auto-Update downloaded and installed version 14.0.0.145 instead of version 14.0.0.176.  So why are users getting prompted to MANUALLY install 14.0.0.176 when the Auto-Update installs only 14.0.0.145?

Bob

[chris.campbell · Accepted solution]

Hi Bob,

We're in what we consider a "loud" release right now.  The silent auto update, which is currently pushing 14.0.0.145, will be updated to 14.0.0.176 within 45 days of 8/12.

To stop the notification dialog from happening with your users, I would highly recommend taking a look at the chapter that Maria mentioned in her post.  This really is the most straight forward way of making sure your users are always updated with the latest release without any user interaction.

Thanks,

Chris

Ps.  You can also remove AutoUpdateInterval=0 from your mms.cfg settings.  It's a little confusing, but anything prepended with "AutoUpdate" is really referring to our notification dialog update, not the silent auto update.

[MicrosoftBob]

Chris, thanks for the quick reply!

It appears you have confirmed that Adobe is delivering a manual (interactive) update to 14.0.0.176 but not an auto update to 14.0.0.176.

Your note about the AutoUpdateInterval indicates that this is the update interval for notifications for manual (interactive) updates. 

So if I changed it to AutoUpdateInterval=99 this would not impact the auto update (non-interactive) download, but would impact the manual (interactive) notifications, correct?

Bob

[chris.campbell]

Hi Bob,

That's correct.  Changing that to 99 would make the notification dialog (interactive update) check every 99 days.

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

It's confusing and I wish it could be renamed to "NotificationUpdateInterval" but at the time it was named we didn't actually have a silent auto update.  Now there's too many existing mms.cfg's out in the world to change it.

Thanks,

Chris

[MicrosoftBob]

Thanks Chris!

One last thing... how often does silent auto update check for a new vesrion?  is there a MMS.CFG setting for the interval for silent auto update?

[chris.campbell]

The check for the silent auto update is done as a Windows task (check out Task Scheduler) and is run once an hour, but only reaches out to Adobe once per day.  The other 23 launches are no-ops that simply start up and shut right down.