Flash Player won't download

[BethCPA]

A long time ago I downloaded SpyBot and then later uninstalled it. I am now having trouble getting Adobe FlashPlayer to download or run. It appears to be there but won't run or allow me to use the Windows control panel to add/remove the software. Someone mentioned to me that there might be a flash kill bit on my computer leftover from the old Spybot program. Is there a way to determine this -- or if I reinstall Spybot is there a way to turn off or remove the flash kill bit (assuming that could be the problem)?
This is driving me insane! I can't view many websites as they require Flash.
I'm running Windows XP and Internet Explorer (I also have the same problems if I try to access sights using the AOL browser). Any help would be appreciated.

[md usa spybot fan]

I don’t know if the following thread will help or not:

• Adobe and AOL problem
  http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=11777

Although the thread was never answered, DazzleSurprise indicated that they encountered problems downloading Flash Player that were overcome as follows:

I finally realized there were more options, so I selected 'installed all Adobe products without asking' (or something like that), so the pop-up doesn't show up anymore.

[BethCPA]

I get excited every time I think something might help but unfortunately that wasn't the answer either ().
I guess I will try to reinstall spybot but wonder if there is any type of flash kill option in it to turn off? If so I think that could solve my problem.
I'm running Norton Internet Security (no wise cracks -- I know some hate it while others love it) and have it selected to allow Adobe and flash.
I've thought of running a registry cleaner but am a bit afraid of doing so.
I did notice an item in the registry that makes me a bit curious. In
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-4063998020-3555372199-132661179-1008\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru\5603 there is a "flash killer". In HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-4063998020-3555372199-132661179-1008\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru\5604 there is an item called "flash-kill". Is this my problem -- and can I just delete those two items without totally messing up my registry?

[md usa spybot fan]

BethCPA:

Although I may be mistaken, to the best of my knowledge there is nothing in Spybot to prevent the installation.

As far as those registries entries are concerned, it appears that did searches in Windows Explorer where "flash killer" was used as an argument to do a "All or part of the file name" search and "flash-kill" was used as an argument to do a "A word or phrase in the file" search.

__________________

You have presupposed that an old installation of Spybot is the cause of the problem and only described the problem as follows:

... I am now having trouble getting Adobe FlashPlayer to download or run. It appears to be there but won't run or allow me to use the Windows control panel to add/remove the software.

I suggest that you provide a more detailed description of the problem that you are having including any error messages that you get when attempting to download, install, uninstall, etc. and perhaps someone can determine what the actual cause is.

[Zenobia]

md and BethCPA,not to butt in,but:
I once had a problem with installing Flash Player,and it was because I had an old version no websites would recognize,so the new one would not install(that's the gist of it,anyways.)Was there an older version of Flash Player preinstalled?I had to use the Flash Uninstaller,then download the new version,and then test it.
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowled...n_15511#fixall
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowled...=tn_15511#test
Also:
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowled...#close_browser
And:
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowled...11#install_win

Also,would you happen to have Spywareblaster?That has a Flash Killer option,if I remember correctly.

[md usa spybot fan]

Zenobia:

Thanks for butting in!

[Zenobia]

You're welcome. I've never been thanked for being a nosyNellie before.

[BethCPA]

Thanks for the info on those registry entries... yes I was doing file searches for "flash kill" and "flash killer" so it seems that is what generated those registry entries.
As to a description of the problem... that's the problem.. there's nothing visible going on... no error messages at all. I attempt to load flash.. it acts as if it's going to download and then does nothing. When I attempt to view some websites I again get the "flash required" message and the link to download -- and again, download attempts get me into the same loop -- nothing happens when I download.
A friend has told me the "best" answer is to just reinstall my entire system (which to me sounds like using a big gun to kill a fly).
I have uninstalled and attempted to reinstall flash several times.
When I reinstall it shows Flash as an installed program when I use the control panel "add or remove" programs but it won't let me do anything with it -- I click on the change/remove button and nothing happens. When I use the flash uninstaller from the Adobe website it does remove it however.

BethCPA:

Although I may be mistaken, to the best of my knowledge there is nothing in Spybot to prevent the installation.

As far as those registries entries are concerned, it appears that did searches in Windows Explorer where "flash killer" was used as an argument to do a "All or part of the file name" search and "flash-kill" was used as an argument to do a "A word or phrase in the file" search.

__________________

You have presupposed that an old installation of Spybot is the cause of the problem and only described the problem as follows:


I suggest that you provide a more detailed description of the problem that you are having including any error messages that you get when attempting to download, install, uninstall, etc. and perhaps someone can determine what the actual cause is.

[Zenobia]

Yes,reinstalling Windows is a bit extreme.
Which version of Spybot did you have installed before?Spybot never set a flash kill bit that I can remember,unless it was before version 1.2.Do you have Spywareblaster?

Why don't you try working through the troubleshooting steps on the Adobe page,and see if anything works,that's what I did.Just pick out the things that seem to apply in the troubleshooting section:
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowled...fm?id=tn_15511
There is also the Flash player support center:
http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/
common install issues:
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowled...fm?id=tn_19166

[Zenobia]

Also,here's the article on Adobe about the flash kill bit:
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowled...fm?id=tn_19091