Printable, formatted versions of these steps, valid as of 9/15/2007 are
available. I recommend printing them and following along with the print version:
.doc: http://www.supportflash.com/bent/flash_player_ocx_troubleshooting.doc
.pdf: http://www.supportflash.com/bent/flash_player_ocx_troubleshooting.pdf

The issue is this: You have multiple accounts on your XP machine. One account
plays Flash no problem, the other doesn't, although both are Administrator
accounts. Or possibly you have only one account, and that account fails to
play any Flash content. In any case if you have ANY odd trouble with the
Flash Player ActiveX control for Windows as of September 2007, these should
be your steps. And yes, you need to do both sets of steps, in order!

The cause: This is usually caused by either or BOTH of the following
problems:

1. Leftover locked bits of an old Flash Player installation
2. Registry permission errors (aka 'ACL's)

OK so what do you do about this?

[B]ONE: Identify possibly leftover Flash player bits[/B]
[B] a.[/B] Open C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash folder.
[B]b.[/B] Download the latest FP uninstaller from
http://www.adobe.com/go/tn_14157.
[B]c.[/B] Run the uninstaller. If you get a notice saying
you need to reboot, then reboot.
[B]d.[/B] Look at C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash folder.
[B]e.[/B] Does any file ending in .ocx remain?
(flash.ocx, flasha.ocs, flash9d.ocx etc...)
[B]e1.[/B] If no, then you don't usually have
any leftover locked bits.
You're done with this part of the
problem, proceed to TWO.
[B]e2.[/B] If yes, then that remaining .ocx
file may be locked. Right click it
and select properties and look at the
version tab.
What is the version number?
[B]f.[/B] Is the version number Flash Player 9.0.16.0 or
earlier?
[B] f1.[/B] Use the uninstaller instructions
from this technote:
http://www.adobe.com/go/4da116d3
-- section "Flash Player 9.0.16.0 and
earlier"
-- DO NOT re-register the uninstaller.
ONLY do this UninstFl.exe part.
Yes, you'll need to know how to use the
command line to do this. If you're not
comfortable with that then take your
machine to someone who is!
[B]g.[/B] Is the version number Flash Player 9.0.28.0 or
higher?
[B]g1.[/B] Use the uninstaller instructions from
this technote:
http://www.adobe.com/go/4da116d3
-- section "Flash Player 9 (9.0.28.0)
and later"
-- DO NOT re-register the uninstaller.
ONLY do this UninstFl.exe part.

In both the D and E sections above you'll need to use the
specific name of the control that remains
in the C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash. So if you had a
stuck flash9b.ocx[DJM1] in the folder
and version was 9.0.28.0, your uninstall command would look
like this:
UninstFl.exe -u c:\windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash9b.ocx

That said, if you have trouble running these commands it
really is necessary to find someone who knows how
to use the command line, either a friend or a local
professional. Or spend some time learning about the
command line yourself.

[B]h.[/B] RERUN the uninstaller you downloaded earlier. This
should get rid of the remaining (now unlocked) .ocx file and fix any registry
keys associated with it.

ALL of section "ONE: Identify possibly leftover Flash player bits" is
important. BUT this locked bit problem only happens on maybe one out of 50
machines. So most people with installation problems such as this are not going
to have locked bits.

AND even after reinstalling you may still have continued problems with Flash
Player not being recognized.

Then we have to move on to section two..


[B]TWO: Registry Permission Problems[/B]
We have been working on Flash Player failures caused by Windows System
Registry issues. We have not been able to determine what?s causing these
permissions to change. But that change prevents the successful installation of
Flash Player ActiveX control (used by IE Windows).

Registry permission problems can be resolved using a tool called SubInACL,
built by Microsoft to correct system registry issues.

[B]Symptoms: What to look for: [/B]
1. If you install Flash Player on IE and are unable to see Flash
content on any webpage
2. After installation C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash will have
flash 9c.ocx in it but it failed to register
3. It appears that Flash Player installed correctly, but unable to
view Flash content
4. Flash Player works on other browsers, but NOT Internet Explorer
5. If you are missing groups in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT Advanced
Permissions
6. If you have run registry cleaners in the past, this may have
corrupted your system

Warning: The following solution involves the Windows System Registry. Editing
or manipulating the registry incorrectly can result in serious system damage
which may require re-installation of the operating system. If you are not
comfortable editing the registry, then take your system to a professional. If
you choose to proceed, then it is essential that you create a complete system
backup and a Windows System Restore Point before proceeding. Adobe Systems
cannot be held responsible for damage resulting from this information.

1. Select Start > Run
2. Type in ?regedit?
3. Right click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
4. Select Permissions
5. Select Advanced

[B]For Vista[/B]
Compare your permissions with the ones in this screenshot.
http://www.supportflash.com/vista_key.png

[B]For Window XP Pro or other flavors of XP[/B]
Compare your permissions with the ones in this document ?Troubleshooting
system registry issues that prevent Flash Player installation? (scroll down to
the bottom of page).
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=kb400116

Notice any major differences, missing groups, incorrect permissions?

[B]How can you repair the System Registry, what's the fix[/B]

[B]For Window XP Pro or other flavors of XP[/B]
Compare your permissions with the ones in this document ?Troubleshooting
system registry issues that prevent Flash Player installation? (scroll down to
the bottom of page).
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=kb400116

Notice any major differences, missing groups, incorrect permissions?



What if you do not find any differences in the screenshot provided and the
registry permissions on the PC with flash issues?

Flash works under my local admin account. Under the users local admin account
it doesn't. It has a red X were the flash content should be.

I ran the uninstaller and checked to see there was no .ocx file remaining.

I created reset.cmd using the ADOBE .cmd script as directed for Windows XP
Home users. When I double click on it, I see a window pop up briefly but it
closes before I can see the commands. I do not get a 'press any button to
continue' message.

Any other suggestions?

[q][i]Originally posted by: [b][b]tominmn[/b][/b][/i]
I created reset.cmd using the ADOBE .cmd script as directed for Windows XP
Home users. When I double click on it, I see a window pop up briefly but it
closes before I can see the commands. I do not get a 'press any button to
continue' message.
[/q]

I think you may be viewing an older cached version of
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=fb1634cb .

Last Friday we removed all the information about Windows XP Home.. The Adobe
..cmd script is safe for all versions of Windows.

So what I would do is clear my cache, hit the above technote, download the
reset.zip, unzip it to get the Adobe .CMD file.. make sure it's on the desktop.


Next make sure that you've downloaded SubInACL from Microsoft AND installed it
(it's an MSI when you get if from Microsoft, so you have to run that MSI to
install it). It wants to install into C:\Program Files\Windows Resource
Kits\Tools. So I suggest making a copy of it from that folder and placing it
on the desktop next to the .CMD file (or move the .cmd into that folder. )

Then double click the .CMD file. It should run for a minute or two.

Let me know if that works for you....

[q][i]Originally posted by: [b][b]oddbean[/b][/b][/i]
What if you do not find any differences in the screenshot provided and the
registry permissions on the PC with flash issues?

Flash works under my local admin account. Under the users local admin account
it doesn't. It has a red X were the flash content should be.[/q]

In that scenario I'd concentrate on the steps in ' ONE: Identify possibly
leftover Flash player bits'. That's usually enough to resolve the multiple
admin problem.

But if it's not, then after you've done all the stuff in "ONE", proceed to run
the SubinACL instructions (on the login that's failing).

I have followed the instructions provied to the letter, there were missing
permissions in the Advanced Security Settings, that issue has been resolved. I
re ran the unistaller, then ran the web install. The program does not create
any output files in the C:\WINDOWS\System32\Macromed\Flash directory. There is
nothing in the folder?

Something does happen, after I run the install the program shows up in my
add/remove programs list. Still no Flash in the add ons in IE.