Unable to install Adobe Flash on Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.4

Report · Oct 19, 2016

My Adobe Flash was in need of an update. When I tried to update it, it failed at 90%. I have tried every single step indicated at Installation problems | Flash Player | Mac (some multiple times) so please do not advise me to try any of those options. I have also tried restarting my computer and trying again multiple times. I did a Google search and have found that this seems to be a common problem, yet I have not been able to find a solution. I am using a Macbook Pro with OS X El Capitan 10.11.4. Please advise, as right now I am unable to view anything that uses Adobe Flash. I'd also like to add that, while I am far from being technologically inept, I am also not an IT person so a step by step guide in plain English would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Report · Oct 19, 2016

My log of my most recent installation attempt is below. You will note that at the end it instructs me to contact the software manufacturer for assistance.

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: JS: Flash Player Install: Performing volume check for /

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: JS: Flash Player Install: Volume check passed.

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: JS: Flash Player Install: Performing volume check for /Volumes/NO NAME

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: JS: Flash Player Install: Error: Non-OS Volume detected.

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Product archive /Volumes/Flash Player/Install Adobe Flash Player.app/Contents/Resources/Adobe Flash Player.pkg trustLevel=202

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: -[IFDInstallController(Private) _buildInstallPlanReturningError:]: location = file://localhost

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: -[IFDInstallController(Private) _buildInstallPlanReturningError:]: file://localhost/Volumes/Flash%20Player/Install%20Adobe%20Flash%20Player.app/Contents/Resources/Adobe%20Flash%20Player.pkg#AdobeFlashPlayerComponent.pkg

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Set authorization level to root for session

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Administrator authorization granted.

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Will use PK session

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Using authorization level of root for IFPKInstallElement

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Starting installation:

Oct 19 20:49:24 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Configuring volume "Macintosh HD"

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Preparing disk for local booted install.

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Free space on "Macintosh HD": 311.87 GB (311872393216 bytes).

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Create temporary directory "/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n0000000000000/T//Install.440KE0KGN"

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: IFPKInstallElement (1 packages)

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Adding client PKInstallDaemonClient pid=440, uid=0 (/usr/sbin/installer)

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: PackageKit: Enqueuing install with framework-specified quality of service (utility)

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: ----- Begin install -----

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: request=PKInstallRequest <1 packages, destination=/>

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: packages=(

"PKLeopardPackage <file://localhost/Volumes/Flash%20Player/Install%20Adobe%20Flash%20Player.app/Contents/Resources/Adobe%20Flash%20Player.pkg#AdobeFlashPlayerComponent.pkg>"

)

Oct 19 20:49:25 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Extracting file://localhost/Volumes/Flash%20Player/Install%20Adobe%20Flash%20Player.app/Contents/Resources/Adobe%20Flash%20Player.pkg#AdobeFlashPlayerComponent.pkg (destination=/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n0000000000000/C/PKInstallSandboxManager/F903F921-E909-46F6-B5A5-0173D5DF8FC6.activeSandbox/Root, uid=0)

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: prevent user idle system sleep

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: suspending backupd

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro install_monitor[443]: Temporarily excluding: /Applications, /Library, /System, /bin, /private, /sbin, /usr

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro install_monitor[443]: Re-included: /Applications, /Library, /System, /bin, /private, /sbin, /usr

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: releasing backupd

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: allow user idle system sleep

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Install Failed: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 "Operation not permitted" UserInfo={NSFilePath=/private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.XXXXXX} {

NSFilePath = "/private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.XXXXXX";

}

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Running idle tasks

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: install:didFailWithError:Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 "Operation not permitted" UserInfo={NSFilePath=/private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.XXXXXX}

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Removing client PKInstallDaemonClient pid=440, uid=0 (/usr/sbin/installer)

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Done with sandbox removals

Oct 19 20:49:27 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: Install failed: The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.

Report · Oct 19, 2016

Please share the installer logs- steps available @ Where do I find the Flash Player installation log on the Macintosh?

If not already tried please try the links in "Still having problems" section @ Installation problems | Flash Player | Mac

Report · Oct 20, 2016

As I stated in my original post, I have already tried every single step in the "installation problems" link you provided (multiple times). I also already provided my installation log above, as a reply to my original post.

Report · Oct 20, 2016

Hi,

According to the log file you provided, the error is:

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Install Failed: Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 "Operation not permitted" UserInfo={NSFilePath=/private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.XXXXXX} {

NSFilePath = "/private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.XXXXXX";

}

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installd[342]: PackageKit: Running idle tasks

Oct 19 20:49:26 AMANDAs-MacBook-Pro installer[440]: install:didFailWithError:Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 "Operation not permitted" UserInfo={NSFilePath=/private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.XXXXXX}

I performed an internet search for the second part of the output and found quite a few hits on this with several different software installation, not just Flash Player, in recent days. When installing software, files are written to a tmp location first. In this case, it appears the OS installer utility is trying to write to a directory that should be there but is missing, has wrong permissions, or has a broken link to it (this is what I've seen from searching the internet for this error). I'm not sure what the exact fix for it is. Some people simply upgrade to macOS Sierra, which really isn't a fix since they're simply installing a new OS and resetting whatever permissions were on the directory, or re-creating the directory.

The two items I have in bold in the log file output, that are returning the failure, are system utility applications that are used when installing (any) software. See PackageKit and installd for more information on these.

I recommend contacting Apple for assistance.

Report · Oct 20, 2016

I'm sorry, but this is not at all helpful. As you can see from the log, it clearly instructs me to contact the software manufacturer for assistance. The only recent updates to my MacBook have been flash updates, so there have been no changes from Apple to cause these updates to suddenly stop working. As I previously stated, when I did MY internet search of the issue I found that there are MANY people having this problem over the past week. It is really unacceptable that the only "solution" is to upgrade to a new operating system (which I have NO intention of doing when it is a brand new system).

Report · Oct 20, 2016

Nothing has changed in the Flash Player installer from the previous to recent release. When installing any software, installd and PackageKit (OS system utilities) are used to manage the installation process. During installation files are written to a tmp directory. For some reason this tmp directory either doesn't exist, has wrong permissions, or a symlink to it is broken.

"As I previously stated, when I did MY internet search of the issue I found that there are MANY people having this problem over the past week. " this is true, and not just with Flash Player, but with other software as well. See

Some report disabling System Integrity Protection and creating the missing folders, or modifying permissions, has helped. However, I do not feel comfortable recommending someone disable SIP to mess with permissions. Which is why I recommended contacting Apple for assistance.

I agree, upgrading the OS is not a solution, it's a workaround, as installing a new OS would fix any file system issues found on the system.

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Unable to install Adobe Flash on Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.4