Computer help forum: Flash installs but doesn't work

First uninstall your current Flash by downloading and running the standalone Adobe Flash Uninstaller from the link below:

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html

After that's done, then download the standalone installer for Internet Explorer from the link below:

(Please note, clicking on the links below will immediately bring up a download dialogue window.)

http://fpdownload.adobe.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player_ax.exe

If you also have Firefox, Opera, or some other browser that doesn't support ActiveX, download the standalone installer from the link below and install it also.

http://fpdownload.adobe.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player.exe

Once that's done, then visit the site below using all your browsers, just to make sure Flash is working.. If it works correctly at the site below, showing "Successfully installed", then the other sites which request something different are incorrect.

http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

If after trying the steps above you're still not seeing Flash content, please provide the links to which you're having problems.

One other note, if you're having issues with just certain pages, make sure you're not using a HOSTS file which is blocking advertisements at the beginning of the content.. If such blocking occurs, it frequently prevents ANY content from playing at that particular site.

Hope this helps.

Grif

G_Unzueta, Open Internet Explorer>Tools>Internet Options>Advanced tab and scroll all the way down to "Enable memory protection to help mitigate online attacks*" and uncheck it, click Apply/OK. If that doesn't correct the flash problem go back and checkmark it.

Tufenuf

Regarding the about page, yes I was refering to the ...flas/about page. The upper left side would not display the flash content 'flash successfully installed', but just below that there is a small box that displays the version info, which did show the correct version installed.

I tried Tufenug's suggestion, no change.

For your #1 step, because the flash content did not display on the main upper left section, the global settings shortcut did not show, but the smaller version info box did. I went in there, tried clicking the global security link, which only brought me back to the 'you must have flash installed' window.

#2, all addons are properly enabled.

#3. installed firefox, then installed flash from your links (the one for non-ie browsers). I then went to flash site, which requested I isntall their download manager, which then reinstalled flash again anyways. But after all of this, yes I have flash content available on Firefox.

So now, if this means it's is IE's problem, is there a way to fix it? Keeping in mind that one of the things I had tried was to reinstall IE8 straight from microsoft's site, is there a way to do a clean-reinstall or to remove the corrupted one first?

IE was not listed under the regular uninstall/change section of 'programs & features', I did find it however under 'view installed updates'. I uninstalled it throught there, and double checked to make sure that what was leftover was IE7 (which it was). I reset all settings for IE7 just to make sure, then reinstalled IE8 from your link. Checked for updates, settings, and made sure all addons were enabled. Still, the problem remains. Any other things that I might be able to try?

... installs as a "plug-in" for a browser. You may have to reinstall/repair the browser. From what you described, it looks like it has not been properly installed. Make sure that the version of Flash player is compatible with the browser you are using to download it.

we had the same issue and here is what we have done to fix it:
http://ycsoftware.net/unable-to-play-flash-media-ie8-win732-bit/

Honestly i would hate to reinstall an entire operating system just to have flash working with IE unless of course the entire system is compromised. I would rather use a different browser for a while until i find a way to find the issue. Then again i have more than 300 programs installed it will take me forever to reinstall them, which may not be the case for you.

Did you reboot the machine right after you uninstall the software (adobe does not ask you to reboot)? and this is most important step.

Also i am running windows7 32 bit not vista could that make a difference?.

Also if you have your manufacturer's original vista disk you might be able to repair windows instead of completly reinstall.