You Tube requires Flash update. Worked for laptop Windows 7 but not PC Windows Vista. Can you help?

[BrisChris]

You Tube said I needed latest Adobe Flash Player, so uninstalled old version and reinstalled latest version 11.6.602.171 on PC running Windows Vista Home Basic SP2 32-bit OS.  My system says it's there, but it still won't work on You Tube - still get same message saying Ineed latest version.

Had same message on my Laptop running Windows 7 and it updated and works fine.  I use Internet Explorer 9.

Detailed Problem Description: Problem with downloading latest Adobe Flash update and viewing YouTube.  On PC running Windows Vista Home Basic SP2 32-bit OS, You Tube home page red banner at top said I needed to install latest Adobe Flash Player but even after installing, it does not work and will not play most videos in browser and shows black screen with message still asking to download latest version.  Seems to be rather random as to which videos it will play and which ones it won't, although there may be some common link (see examples below).  I thought it might have been HTML5 problem but I have successfully played HTML5 and Non-HTML videos through Adobe test site (Adobe Flash Player Help/Video Playback Issues) as well as Stage Videos. (Note: Had same You Tube messages when viewing on Laptop running Windows 7 but that updated without problem.)

Ran Adobe Uninstall. Closed all other programs before reinstalling direct from Adobe (rather than You Tube link). No change.

Ran all Adobe troubleshooting suggestions listed at http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-games-video-or.html#main_2__Disable_ActiveX_Filt....

Removed browsing data and deleted cache, checked that Internet Tools\Safety\Active X filtering was disabled (but in Internet Option\Security, Active X controls are enabled), disabled Hardware Acceleration, restarted computer but no change to You Tube viewing.  Re-enabled, but no change.  (WOULD LOVE ADVICE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE IF I SHOULD KEEP THIS ENABLED OR DISABLED.)

I have updated graphics drivers for NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT- although had to do manually as NVIDIA auto system scan said "could not detect your GPU". Noted they said Windows Vista supports up to Direct X 10, but my system is running Direct X 11.  Had optional update message for "nVidia Graphics Adapter WDDM1.1, Graphics Adapter WDDM 1.2, other Hardware NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT" on both PC & laptop.  Laptop downloaded fine. Tried to download on PC but was not successful. Error Code 80070103, possibly because system had already been updated? Current driver version 9.18.13.1407 - "Windows has determined that your current driver software is up to date".

Running Norton 360 but it did not block or indicate any problems with Flash Player download.

Problem URL: http://www.youtube.com/?utm_source=navclient (red banner at top of home page says I still need to download latest Adobe Flash).

Example of specific video that will not play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=384IUU43bfQ

Example of specific video that will not play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgMen4-PI74

Example of video that will play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGbrFmPBV0Y

[chris.campbell]

First, definitely keep hardware acceleration turned on if possible.  You'll have a better viewing experience for sites that you StageVideo (like YouTube.)

When you did the uninstall, did you happen to check if there were files left over in your c:\windows\system32\macromed\flash folder?  For the videos that do play, when you right click on them what version of Flash Player is reported at the bottom of the context menu?

[BrisChris]

Dear Chris,

Thanks for reply. I ran the recommened Adobe uninstall program so assumed it deleted whatever it should have, before installing new version. When it didn't work I followed instructions in Flash Player help page (screen shot below) which said to delete the Roaming App Data/Macromedia/Flash folder and Roaming App Data/Adobe/Flash folder, which I did.

Below are screen shots of C:\windows\system32\macromed\flash files as they currently stand. I have a fuzzy recollection that it was deleted at some point because I think I went searching for it during one troubleshooting session and it couldn't be found (but maybe I'm geting confused with the App Date folders?). Anyway I presume these current files are all post-reinstallation as the dates are all 5 or 6 March (did them before and after midnight). I'm on Australian time - not sure where you are. However, notice install.log date is 21/05/2010 and Flash Player Trust sub-folder is dated 6/09/2008.

When I right click on the screen of both videos that will and won't play, I just get a list of options starting at "Copy video URL" down to "About HTML5". So not sure what you mean when you say "For the videos that do play, when you right click on them what version of Flash Player is reported at the bottom of the context menu?" as I can't see any info like this. Do I click somewhere else?

If you are able to get the info you are after yourself, two videos that will work are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLKlTN1JN7w and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGbrFmPBV0Y

Also, with hardware acceleration enabling or disabling, the only place I can find to do this is through the Adobe Flash Help page http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-games-video-or.html#main_2__Disable_ActiveX_Filtering__if_you_are_using_Internet_Explorer_9_

and right clicking on the Flash Player info box, going into Settings and checking or unchecking the Enable box. Do you know if there is another setting in my actual computer where I can do this and or there's some other setting I need to change? There doesn't seem to be anything similar when I go through Conrol Panel - Flash Player.

5. Delete all Flash Player browsing data

a.. Click Start > Control Panel.

b.. Double-click Flash Player.

c.. In the Flash Player Setting Manager, click Advanced.

d.. Under Browsing Data and Settings, click Delete All.

6. Remove Flash Player cache

a.. On your computer, select Start > Run. (On Windows 7, click Start and type in Search Programs and Files.)

b.. Type %appdata%\Adobe and click OK.

c.. Delete the Flash Player folder.

d.. Repeat step 1 and type %appdata%\Macromedia.

e.. Delete the Flash Player folder.

[chris.campbell]

Unfortunately the list of files in your Flash folder didn't come through.  Could you try posting the screenshot again using the camera icon in the forum reply toolbar?

[BrisChris]

Below is screen shot of C:\windows\system32\macromed\flash files @ today (my son tried downloading Adobe again today while I was at work, so all files are now dated 7 March) .  However after each time we've tried downloading, the file "install.log" stayed dated 21/05/2010 and the FlashPlayer Trust sub-folder remained dated 6/09/2008 with a file in it called EACoreTrust.cfg dated 6/09/2008. 

At suggestion of IT guy at work, used Google Chrome instead of IE9 to view YouTube and was able to view videos no problem!  So if my laptop works using Window 7 and IE9, and my PC works using Vista and Google Chrome but not IE9, can I presume it is some bug or that I need some plug-in that enables the latest Adobe Flash version to work with both Vista and IE9?  Would prefer to stick with IE9 if possible.  From discussion with others on forums, it seems many are having the same problem, but even with Windows 7, and many also report having no problem viewing YouTube or other Flash sites using Google Chrome or Safari. 

Just don't understand why this is suddenly happening when everything was problem free a few weeks ago - very frustrating, especially for my two boys who are cut off from their Minecraft and music videos! If it helps, I have also included screen shots of all the Windows Updates installed since 15 Feb 2013 in case you can see anything that might have caused a problem.  Also have noticed that now my IE9 is working at a snail's pace, lagging badly, taking ages to load photos, etc, but when I use Google Chrome and I don't have those issues.  Do you know anywhere I can go to see if there's a problem with IE9 and how to check?

BTW, did you have any luck finding the info you were after about Flash Player versions in the YouTube video examples I gave you?  I have tried several others since and can see no pattern or link as to what will play and what won't.