unable to clear C: \ Windows \ System32 \ Macromed \ Flash\ FlashUtil_Activex.exe

[Decop42]

Hello !

I uninstalled adobe flash player with the Adobe program.

This program remains in C: \ Windows \ System32 \ Macromed \ .......

Can not delete it, even with administrator rights?

thank you for your collaboration

[jeromiec83223024]

I'm assuming this is Windows 7.  If you're on Windows 8 and higher, ActiveX Flash Player is a built-in component of Internet Explorer, and you don't have permissions to modify those files.  For Windows 7, you should totally be able to delete them as Administrator, and it's probably a sign that the filesystem is corrupt.

Disk corruption can be an early indicator of impending disk failure.  If you have any critical data on the machine, this is a great time to make sure that you have a working backup.

Once you have backups, you probably want to scan the disk for errors.

Check your hard disk for errors - Windows 7:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2641432

If you *still* can't delete the file, then you may need to use a third-party utility to do it.  We use a little freeware tool called "Unlocker" that gets the job done, but there are others as well.

[Decop42]

Hello Jerowiec !

Thank you for your reply.

I am with Windows 10 1809

However, when installing Windows 10, there was no such directory C: \ Windows \ System32 \ Macromed \ Flash \ ...

It was after downloading the Adobe Flash Player uninstall program "FlashUtil_Activex.exe" that this folder was created and it is not normal not to be able to delete it !

Have a good day !

[_maria_]

The file name "FlashUtil_Activex.exe" without a version number (in Windows 8 and above) is Microsoft's embedded Flash Player ActiveX for Edge Edge/IE.  It's a component of Edge/IE on Windows 10 and thus Microsoft locks the file so that an end user cannot delete it.  Since it's embedded in Edge/IE and a component of the browser, Adobe's Flash Player uninstaller will not delete the file.

[jeromiec83223024 · Accepted solution]

Yep.

If you're on Windows 8 and higher, ActiveX Flash Player is a built-in component of Internet Explorer, and you don't have permissions to modify those files.

What are you trying to accomplish?