Adobe Flash Player Prompting to Update when MMS.cfg file is set to silent

[williamf93693351]

Hi,

We recently enabled silent auto update to 200 PCs (Windows 7, 64bit, IE11) and two of them came back with a prompt to update the latest version (27.0.0.183).

I have uploaded the FlashInstall.log files saved at C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash and the regkey HKCU\Software\Macromedia

The regkey for Flash at HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce did not exist.

The contents of the mms.cfg file:

AutoUpdateDisable=0

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

mms.cfg file does not have a txt extension.  The same file was used on all 200 PCs.

Thank you,

William

[_maria_]

We recently enabled silent auto update to 200 PCs (Windows 7, 64bit, IE11) and two of them came back with a prompt to update the latest version (27.0.0.183).

Due to how Notification Updates function, it's quite possible the system was configured to display the update notification prior to you deploying the custom mms.cfg file to block u

updates.

I have uploaded the FlashInstall.log files saved at C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash and the regkey HKCU\Software\Macromedia

Where did you upload the files to?  Forums software doesn't allow these file types to be attached/uploaded with a post.

The regkey for Flash at HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce did not exist.

RunOnce reg keys are deleted once the task has run.

[williamf93693351]

These were the previous mms.cfg file settings

AutoUpdateDisable=1

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=0

I just sent the link to the files to you.

[_maria_]

I misread the settings in your first post.

The following settings enable Flash Player Notification Updates, and Background Updates:

AutoUpdateDisable=0

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

The following entry disables AutoUpdate (Notification and Background)

AutoUpdateDisable=1

When did you change AutoUpdateDisable=1 to AutoUpdateDisable=0?

When did the notification display on the system?

Based on the files provided, the FlashPlayerUpdate entry was created on 26-Oct, but the FlashInstall log file you provided has Flash 27.0.0.130 installed on 27-Oct, and 27.0.0.183 via Background Updates a few minutes later.  There are no entries prior to 27-Oct.  Is the FlashInstall log file you provided from the same machine that received the Notification Updates?  If so, where are the entries prior to 27-Oct?  Did you install 27.0.0.130 and then manually trigger the Background Update task?  Usually there's more than just a few minutes between installation and Background Update task executing.

[williamf93693351]

m_vargas  wrote

I misread the settings in your first post.

The following settings enable Flash Player Notification Updates, and Background Updates:

AutoUpdateDisable=0

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

We want to use auto updates and we want to do it silently.

The following entry disables AutoUpdate (Notification and Background)

AutoUpdateDisable=1

Are you say we should use

AutoupdateDisable=1

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

Really?

When did you change AutoUpdateDisable=1 to AutoUpdateDisable=0?

On 26-Oct when Flash 27.0.0.130 was installed.

When did the notification display on the system?

On Tuesday, October 31, 2017 after 9AM.

Based on the files provided, the FlashPlayerUpdate entry was created on 26-Oct, but the FlashInstall log file you provided has Flash 27.0.0.130 installed on 27-Oct, and 27.0.0.183 via Background Updates a few minutes later.  There are no entries prior to 27-Oct.  Is the FlashInstall log file you provided from the same machine that received the Notification Updates?  If so, where are the entries prior to 27-Oct?  Did you install 27.0.0.130 and then manually trigger the Background Update task?  Usually there's more than just a few minutes between installation and Background Update task executing.

Logs are from the affected machine.  I don't know where the entries are prior to 27-Oct.  I did not manually trigger the background update task.  If I did, I should be able to recreate the prompt but I can't.

[_maria_]

We want to use auto updates and we want to do it silently.

The only way to have truly, completely silent updates is to host the Background Update resources locally on your server, which we do provide to customers with a current, valid distribution license.

Are you say we should use

AutoupdateDisable=1

SilentAutoUpdateEnable=1

Really?

No, this is not a valid configuration.  I was just indicating that the previous settings had AutoUpdate disabled, and thus had SilentAutoUpdate disabled as well, but the new setting had AutoUpdates enabled.  Sorry for the confusion.

When did you change AutoUpdateDisable=1 to AutoUpdateDisable=0?

On 26-Oct when Flash 27.0.0.130 was installed.

When did the notification display on the system?

On Tuesday, October 31, 2017 after 9AM.

We're going to have to investigate this further, which will be more difficult since the log files appear to be missing entries (with date sequence).

It sounds like the the update via Background Updates didn't delete the RunOnce entry, which it's supposed to, and then when the system was logged back into on 31-Oct, the RunOnce entry triggered the Notification Update dialog window.  I will try to reproduce this behaviour.

I did not manually trigger the background update task.  If I did, I should be able to recreate the prompt but I can'

The prompt is from the Notification Update workflow, not the Background Update check, which doesn't display a prompt.  Notification and Background update workflows are completely different:

• Notification Update: User views Flash content, Flash checks for an update (default is every 7 days). If an update is available it creates the FlashPlayerUpdate and RunOnce entries.  The RunOnce entry triggers the Notification Update dialog window to display upon system log in (from a reboot or log off/on).  This can be checked more frequently by setting the AutoUpdateInterval setting in mms.cfg to 0 so Flash checks for an update every time Flash is viewed.  But if your goal is to have completely silent updates, don't set this more frequent than the default, or host the Background Update files locally.
• Background Update: A service and task are created when Flash is installed.  If user opts into Background Updates the system is configured to randomly check for an update once every 24 hours.  The Task runs when the Next Run Time is reached. If an update is found, it is immediately downloaded and installed.  If not, the Next Run Time is updated in the Task and the Task checks again at that time.  This can be manually triggered by running the task.

HTH clarify the 2 different workflows. 

[_maria_]

After investigating, I discovered the Background Update installation isn't deleting the RunOnce entry as it should, so that the Update Notification dialog doesn't display.  I'm filing an internal bug for this, but it's too late to get the fix into the next scheduled release (November).  We're going to aim for the release after that (December).

Thank you for reporting this and we apologize for the inconvenience.