Cannot complete Adobe Flash update16.0.0.280

[petekpec]

I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit operating systems and Firefox.

Firefox has disabled an Add-In that they say is an insecure version of Adobe Flash Player and recommended a dowload of the latest version 16.0.0.280.

However, when I try to update (and I have tired several different sites where the update is said to exist) I cannot complete the installation.

I get the Installer download OK (http://aihdownload.adobe.com/bin/live/install_flashplayer16x32_mssd_aaa_aih.exe from http://aihddownload.adobe.com): it downloads to my PC and when I click on the download I get the usual popup asking me to SAVE the file -which I accept.

I then double click on the saved file (install_flashplayer16x32_mssd_aaa_aih.exe) and get the usual popup asking "Do you want to run this file?" and I click RUN - so far so good!

However, I now get a popup displayed (identified as Adobe in the top left corner and with the words "Adobe Flash Player Installer" but it is blank (dark grey) in the whole of the centre panel. Nothing happens thereafter no matter how long I wait.

When I try to close this popup I get a new tab in Firefox Headed "Problem Loading Page" and the words "Server not found - Firefox can't find the server at www.{completionpageurl}.com." on the page. The only way I can close this popup is by using the Windows Task Manager.

Can anyone out there help?

[Glazios]

I am having much the same problem, and having been for weeks. Every so often I try to download the installer again, and get the same result: I run the installer package, it begins retrieving the update...and then it BREAKS. Continuously, without fail, every damned time. Getting really sick of this crap now.

And now Firefox is complaining that my Flash Player is out of date, and jamming everything up by shutting down the plugin wherever I go -- but no-matter what I try, I can't get the damn thing to update.

Hey, Adobe. Your installer is BROKEN. ¬_¬

[petekpec]

Thanks glazios - I thought it was me going mad!!

We will just have t wait and see how long it takes Adobe to get their act together - I cannot find a contact email for them or I would send them a blast!

[_maria_ · Accepted solution]

Hi Pete,

Flash Player 16.0.0.280 is a beta version.  It is not the most current release version, which is 16.0.0.296.  If you have a beta version installed, you'll first need to uninstall it before you can install the release version.  To do so, use the standalone uninstaller posted here: Uninstall Flash Player | Windows

We are aware of some issues with the online installer.  We are working to resolve the issues with the online installer.  In the mean time, you can use the offline installer, posted at the bottom of the Installation problems | Flash Player | Windows page, in the 'Still having problems' section.  There are three different versions of Flash Player for Windows.  You'll want to install the one(s) for the browser(s) you use.

--

Maria

[petekpec]

Hi Maria.

When Firefox 'switched off' my 'Unsafe Flash' Add On, it provided an update path that led me to version 16.0.0.280 - it said nothing about it being a Beta product and there was nothing online (in the pages that I visited) to indicate that either.

However, as a precaution I uninstalled the existing Flash anyway and then followed the online download 16.0.0.296 - but it displays exactly the same issues as I got for 16.0.0.280 and will not load. HOWEVER, the Firefox download prompted by your Still Having Problems page, followed by offline installation WORKS FINE - HURRAH!!

One minor issue for you is that throughout the download and installation I could only see that it was version 16.0. It wasn't until installation was complete that I could read the full 16.0.0.296 in the Add Ons info in Firefox. To see only 16.0 during the installation made me think I was going backwards and was somewhat disconcerting considering the problems I've had over the past few days.

Anyway - its all fine now and thanks for the help.

Regards

Pete

[_maria_]

Hi Pete,

"When Firefox 'switched off' my 'Unsafe Flash' Add On, it provided an update path that led me to version 16.0.0.280"  The only place that beta installers are posted to is Download Adobe Flash Player 16 Beta for Desktops - Adobe Labs and the page does indicate the it is a beta build.  I would hope that the Firefox redirect isn't going to this page but to get.adobe.com/flashplayer. 

--

Maria

[_maria_]

Hi Owen,

I don't know what you mean by "it BREAKS", as that doesn't provide any information.  If you're system is Windows, please refer to the Help link I posted in my response to Pete.  If you system is OS X, the offline installers are posted at the bottom of the Installation problems | Flash Player | Mac page, in the 'Still having problems' section.

--

Maria

[Glazios]

Maria,

What I mean by 'it breaks', is that every time I try to run the installer, it freezes for several minutes after displaying 'Retrieving install', and then seemingly breaks when it spits out a very uninformative 'Error has been encountered. Close this window and try downloading again.' The window then refuses to close for several minutes, unless I force it to close by ending the process in Task Manager. The download package also automatically deletes itself without warning - which is really irritating, as I then have to go through the whole process of downloading it all over again.

This has been going on for weeks, and at this point it's a pretty infuriating and self-defeating process. Given that Pete has had some success, however, I'll follow that process and see what I get - but at this point, frankly, I'm not holding my breath...

[_maria_]

Hi Owen,

Thank you for the additional information.  Please do try the offline installer.  Since the offline installer is the complete installer, as opposed to the online installer being a shim installer that downloads and installs Flash Player silently in the background folks tend to have more success with it.

--

Maria