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krazykat10
Participating Frequently
January 28, 2014
Question

Flash Player 12 will not install on WIN XP PRO SP3

  • January 28, 2014
  • 1 reply
  • 7820 views

Hello,

I am unable to get Adobe Flash player to install on Windows XP Pro, SP3, 32bit or to work with IE8.

My first question is:  Is Adobe Flash Player 12 compatible with WIN XP PRO?  I have used Flash Player with this laptop and decided to upgrade to latest version.  Adobe website said to download and install Flash 12.

What I have done:

  1. Downloaded and ran the Adobe Flash uninstaller
  2. Down loaded and ran the Adobe Flash 12 installer.  Installer  ran to completion and said it was finished.
  3. Re booted machine –Dell Vostro 1500 laptop
  4. As a check, went to Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs.  "Adobe Flash Player 12 Active X is listed.
  5. Open IE8, go to: help.adobe.com/flash-player.htm. Perform step 1. "Check if Flash Player is installed on your computer".

Receive error message: Sorry, Flash Player is either not installed or not enabled"

  1. Go to IE Manage Add-ons, show currently loaded add-ons and scroll to Adobe Systems Incorporated.  There are two listings:

Shockwave ActiveX Control  ENABLED       ver 12.07.148

Shockwave Flash Object       ENABLED       ver 12.0.0.38

  1. IE security settings is at MEDIUM
  2. IE ActiveX settings

Automatic prompting for ActiveX controls  --Enable

Download Signed ActiveX controls  ---  Prompt

Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins  ---- Prompt

Script ActiveX controls marked for safe scripting  --- Enable

Using the above, IE will not open a .swf file and I get the Adobe website check, see step 5; "Sorry, Flash Player is either not installed or not enabled".

I have tried uninstall then install of Flash Player 12 again and get the same errors.

SO,  what am I missing?? What do I need to do to successfully install Flash Player 12 or the correct version of Flash Player for XP Pro SP3?

Thanks for your help.

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

C_F_McBlob
C_F_McBlob
Inspiring
January 28, 2014

Yes, Flash Player 12 is compatible with XP.

As you can see, YouTube plays in IE 8... as long as IE ie not blocking it.

I have the Default settings for my ActiveX in IE8... but...

ActiveX is the biggest reason I don't use IE as my primary browser, but for testing only. ActiveX controls were developed in 1993 and were designed for dialup Internet with Windows 3.1 and 95. NOT really what you want "looking out for you" in 2014, eh? They prompt you to approve every last thing you see or do with IE, and they slow it down compared to other browsers, which don't use ActiveX.

I use Firefox with XP and it's faster, safer, and takes about half the resources of IE.

It uses the standard plugin Flash Player Plug-in (All other browsers)

You even get the option to import all of your IE settings and bookmarks into it when you install it.

Give it a try.

K
krazykat10Author
Participating Frequently
January 31, 2014

Mike M

Thanks for your reply and information. I also use Firefox, not as much as you. Mostly as a "back up" for IE, but begining to use it more as an alternate.

Your answer that IE8 and Flash Player 12 are compatible --  a picture says a 1K words.

My problem is now solved.  Here is the steps I took.

So I went searching for an answer on the Forum. Found several posts about installing IE8 on XP PRO.  Post

https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/installation-problems-flash-player-windows.html" helped solve my problem.  A good step by step install guide. Section "Install Flash Player", section 3 heading, Flash Player for Internet Exployer; line c. talks about setting the Trusted Sites zone and then line k. says to repeat the steps for the Internet zone.  I probably missed setting the Internet zone in previous instructions, becaust this was the first time I saw both Trusted AND Internet zones needed to be set.

I was going down the procedure step by step and at the end of each section going back to the https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html page and checking the installed status. As soon as I set both Trusted AND Internet zones, I got the "Congratulations, your computer ......"  Sweet!.

I posted the above so that anyone reading this could benefit from the

https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/installation-problems-flash-player-windows.html" article. Read and follow it step by step for your computer and operating system and you stand a good chance of a successful install.

Thanks again to you and the Adobe  Installing Flash Player forum.

K
krazykat10Author
Participating Frequently
February 1, 2014

Mike M,

Well, I spoke too soon about my success because it was short lived. When I made the above post, Flash X was working in IE8 and in Firefox. I shut down my laptop.

This afternoon, I turned on the laptop and Flash is not working in IE or Firefox.  I have spent the last 3 hours following my own advice above. Carefully going through each step with no success.  I have tried a couple of other posts in the forum with no success. Still get the "sorry Flash is not installed..... " message when I check the installation with http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html.

There are two items I have not tried:

"reset" of IE  Might help IE but would not affect Firefox.

Run the registry fix listed in  http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-windows-registry-permissions.html.  I am always nervous about changing the registry.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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