Adobe Flash Update popup

[Eduardo5FD2]

Does any one have this pop up problem? (See picture below).
From memory I recall this popup started to appear way back in November 2020 or thereabouts, every time the laptop is started.
I am now very suspicious that this may not be what it appears to be. By default all programs are set to update automatically, so why hasn't this program updated within the 45 days it claims it will execute automatically?
Furthermore, why update a program that has been discontinued?
What "Usability or Security" can be improved if the program is not going to be used?
Can anyone give any feedback or indicate how to get rid of this nuisance popup?
Thanks

[Test Screen Name]

Well, Flash Player is dead, end of life, discontinued and blocked. So whether it updates is pretty irrelevant now. Better to uninstall, but I suspect the updater may be stuck until you choose Download.

When do you get the message - is it after each reboot, before visiting any web site?

[Eduardo5FD2]

Hi, thank you for your response.

Correct, Flash Player is dead hence my suspicions and reluctance to "Install" an update for a product that is not even installed on my laptop.
According to the website https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html
It states: “Flash Player is either not installed or enabled. Please go to step 2”

The popup seems to appear on “Cold Booting” only. I do not recall it appearing after any “Warm Boot”. In fact I have tried “Warm Booting” several times just now and it did not appear at all. The twist is that it did not appear after every cold boot either!!

The web browsers installed on this laptop are Firefox, Chrome, Edge and Opera.
Traditionally Opera is used as the preferred browser. No browser has been set as the default browser. Visiting any web pages with any of the browsers does not result on the popup appearing. It only does so when starting from OFF and annoyingly only sometimes.

The core questions remain:

Did Adobe issue an update in 2020 just before termination of the Flash Player?
If yes why?
More importantly having confirmed there is no Flash Player installed or active to disable or uninstall on this laptop, how do I get rid of the popup without having to install anything? I do not trust this popup much less going to download/install anything from it.
Is there a location in Windows 10 I need to flag / un-flag to disable the popup?

Please advise.

[jeromiec83223024]

Flash Player shipped monthly, aligned with Microsoft Patch Tuesday.  You can see our release notes for details on dates.  https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/flash-player-releasenotes.html

Running our uninstaller would ensure that any Adobe-distributed versions of Flash Player and the accompanying update service are removed.  This is low-effort/low-cost.  I'd just do it again to be sure.  (Also, good instincts on the don't-trust-links-in-popups front.  Here's the direct download.)

Uninstall Flash Player - Windows:
https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-windows.html

At that point, the other copy of Flash Player on Windows 10 that's plugged into our auto-update system would be the one distributed by Microsoft for IE and Edge.  You can apply the appropriate Windows Update to remove that.

Microsoft Update for Removal of Flash Player for IE and Edge on Windows 8 and higher

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4577586/update-for-removal-of-adobe-flash-player 

I'd reboot at the end of that process, just to make sure that anything that might still be resident in memory isn't.

At that point, if you're still getting pop-ups, I'd consider that a red flag.  It's unlikely to be a legitimate notification, but based on what I'm seeing, it's either legit or a good facsimile.  

[Eduardo5FD2]

Hi, thanks for the follow up email. 

Yes, I have tried the solution indicated in the previous email with the following results. 

 To download the uninstaller the first notice I encountered was: 

These instructions are NOT applicable to Flash Player included with Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer on Windows 8 and later or with Google Chrome on all supported operating systems.  Please visit the Flash Player Help page for instructions on enabling (or disabling) Flash Player in various browsers. 

Not very encouraging, the Adobe website had already confirmed Flash Player was not installed or active on this laptop. As the Dell laptop came with Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome pre installed I was left unsure if this notice would apply to my particular dilemma. 

Nevertheless, I downloaded and ran the uninstaller, after a while of doing whatever it did, the following message was displayed: 

Thanks for using Adobe Flash Player. We're proud that Flash had a key role in evolving web content across animation, interactivity, audio, and video -- and we're excited to help lead the next era of digital experiences. 

 I assumed this was the farewell confirmation that Flash Player was uninstalled.  

To complete the task and as per the instructions, I proceeded to the deletion of files from: 

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash
"appdata"\Adobe\Flash Player 

"appdata"\Macromedia\Flash Player
 

Here I ran into the second part of this Flash Player nightmare.  

The files cannot be deleted, the system reports: 

You need permission to perform this action 

You require permission from TrustedInstaller to make changes to this file 

Flash.ocx ......... 

Type ActiveX control 

Size 27.6 MB 

Date modified: 03/10/2020 01:33     Try again - Cancel

I rebooted the laptop thinking there may be some residual Flash Player file loaded, but again the same notice appeared when trying to delete the contents of the flash directory.
As the notice indicates these are not the usual “Administrator” permissions, the files are actually owned by the “TrustedInstaller”. 

Trying to take ownership of the "flash" directory (or any of the other indicated files) I met with the next mountain to climb, it won’t have it!!
I can not move the ownership of the files to the Administrator or any other User with Administrator rights.  

So in answer to the question, did the fix worked? I don’t know, as I have indicated in the original email the Pop Up does not appear every time the laptop is booted. 

Surely Adobe could have designed a Flash Player uninstaller that removed all necessary files to return the systems to a time without Flash Player, better still, as it has been indicated the update was bundled with one of the Microsoft updates and forced on to my laptop. Why not get Microsoft to remove the offending Pop Up and Flash Player files in their next compulsory update. 

Actually, having said that, perhaps leaving the files where they are may be a good trade off if the Pop Up finally stopped, the last few updates from Microsoft have given me no end of trouble. Lost files, USB problems, interrupt problems to name a few, An actual Windows 10 equivalent of a Blue Screen!! Those were the days. 

I would be grateful though if anyone let me know when a solution to delete the orphan files is found and I will certainly be in touch if the Pop Up persists. 

Please advise 

[Test Screen Name]

The Adobe Uninstaller removes all the files under Adobe's control. Those remaining folders are under Microsoft's control, and they locked it with "trustedinstaller" so you, and I, and all the clever programmers at Adobe can't get rid of it. But Microsoft do have a special patch to get rid of their files. There was a link to this patch in an earlier reply, as it says "Microsoft Update for Removal of Flash Player for IE and Edge on Windows 8 and higher".

[jeromiec83223024 · Accepted solution]

For completeness, here's the link the Windows Update that removes the copy of Flash Player that Microsoft distributes as a built-in component of IE and Edge.  This update will eventually be included in a roll-up update that gets applied automatically.  Users with automatic updates will get it eventually, and in the meantime, Flash Player is already effectively disabled by default. 

For folks that would like to apply that patch manually in the meantime, details follow. 

Microsoft Update for Removal of Flash Player for IE and Edge on Windows 8 and higher:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4577586/update-for-removal-of-adobe-flash-player