Auto-updating Flash behind proxy - account for the scheduled task auto-updater

[bb74483076]

Can anybody suggest a good way to automatically update Flash behind an authenticated proxy, without using an internal deployment server?

Why by default the scheduled task for the Flash updater runs on SYSTEM account (doesn't work behind the proxy), while a similar task for Reader updater runs on the user's account (works behind the proxy)? What's the logic here?

Thanks.

[_maria_]

Hi,

I'm inquiring about the first question.

For the second question, Background Updates runs as SYSTEM account to enable Background Update to run even when no users are logged on, which allows for the system to updated as soon as Flash Player determines an update is available.

--

Maria

[bb74483076]

Thanks for your quick reply.

> For the second question, Background Updates runs as SYSTEM account to enable Background Update to run even

> when no users are logged on, which allows for the system to updated as soon as Flash Player determines an update

> is available.

I understand your point, but that also makes it obsolete behind the authenticated proxy.

We'd love to schedule the Flash auto updated on the user account, so it would work behind the proxy, but it's then causing a pop-up window for a moment on a user's screen... Can it be hidden?

Frankly I still don't understand why 2 Adobe programs use 2 different auto-update methods / accounts...

Thanks,

Bartosz

[_maria_]

I'm not sure I understand what you're referring to here:

We'd love to schedule the Flash auto updated on the user account, so it would work behind the proxy, but it's then causing a pop-up window for a moment on a user's screen... Can it be hidden?

Can you post a screenshot​ of the pop-up window?

This article, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2778122 discusses authenticated proxy servers and the Windows App store.  The recommendation is to enable unauthenticated access to URLs by white listing them.  Not sure if this would work for your situation.  If you'd like to test it out, Background Updates uses the domains fpdownload.macromedia.com and fpdownload2.macromedia.com.

[bb74483076]

Thanks for the tip with whitelisting these URL-s on proxy, we'll try that.

As of the pop-up window, I was referring to the auto-updater schedule task called "Adobe Flash Player Updater".

It is starting exe from C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe

By default it is hidden when running on the System account (but as mentioned it doesnt work behind the proxy).

If I change it to run on a user's account, the EXE pop-up for a second with empty console window (but that might work with our proxy), We wouldn't like our thousands of users to see this pop-up each hour, that's why I was asking if there is a way to hide it?

[_maria_]

Modifying the Updater Service to run as User instead of SYSTEM is not a supported workflow, and not something we've tested.  I'm not sure if there's a way to suppress the dialog.

Did white listing the domains work for you?

[bb74483076]

Thanks, but how can we test if whitelisting the URLs on the proxy really works?

It seems there is no easy way to download an outdated version of Flash plugin...?

Also, will the scheduled task, when started on demand, attempt to update all Flash versions installed in the system (IE, Firefox etc.)?

Thanks.

[_maria_]

Previous versions of Flash Player are posted on the Archived Adobe Flash Player versions  page.  To install a previous version, use the latest uninstaller to install the currently installed version, then install the previous version.

If you use the MSI installer, you'll need to opt into Background Updates by either modifying the mms.cfg file (AutoUpdateDisable=0 and SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1)

or modifying the update settings in the Flash Player Settings Manager in Control Panel\All Control Panel Items > Flash Player > Updates tab.  If you use the EXE installer, opt into Background Updates when prompted to select an update option during installation

The Background Update service updates one player type at a time (ActiveX Control, NPAPI, & PPAPI, in this order), so you'd need to run the Task or Service 3 times to update all 3 player types (if you have all 3 installed).  During testing, you may need to delete the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Macromedia\FlashPlayerSAU > LastUpdateCheck entry if you find Flash Player is not updating and everything is configured correctly.

During testing, enable Background Updates verbose logging by adding SilentAutoUpdateVerboseLogging=1 to the mms.cfg file.  If you encounter issues having verbose logging enabled from the beginning will help us troubleshoot them quicker.

[bb74483076]

Hi, no luck so far after unlocking fpdownload.macromedia.com and fpdownload2.macromedia.com on proxy. There are multiple redirections. Are there any other URL-s that need to be bypassed on proxy like download.macromedia.com?

Here's an extract from FlashInstall.log, what does it mean?

2016-6-8+12-44-32.199 [info] 1619 1063

2016-6-8+12-44-32.239 [info] 1614

2016-6-8+12-44-32.240 [info] 1615

2016-6-8+12-44-32.240 [info] 1618

2016-6-8+12-44-32.242 [info] 1608

2016-6-8+12-44-32.243 [info] 1612

2016-6-8+12-44-32.244 [info] 1620

2016-6-8+12-44-34.708 [info] 1614

2016-6-8+12-44-34.710 [info] 1615

2016-6-8+12-44-34.710 [info] 1618

2016-6-8+12-44-34.712 [info] 1619 1063

2016-6-8+12-44-34.752 [info] 1614

2016-6-8+12-44-34.752 [info] 1615

2016-6-8+12-44-34.753 [info] 1618

2016-6-8+12-44-34.755 [info] 1608

2016-6-8+12-44-34.755 [info] 1612

2016-6-8+12-44-34.757 [info] 1620

Thanks.