Ever since upgrading to Mavericks, Adobe Flash Player doesn't work.

Question

Level 1

38 points

Ever since upgrading to Mavericks, Adobe Flash Player doesn't work.

I upgraded from Snow Leopard to Mavericks recently and since then, sites do not recognize that I have Adobe Flash Player installed at all. I currently have the most updated version: "Plug-in version 11.9.900.170 is installed." I noticed this when family and friends sent me e-cards. I go to the sites to view them and it tells me I need to download Adobe Flash Player.

I have uninstalled it twice and downloaded it twice. Installation is always successful and complete but when I test it to view an e-card sent to me from a reliable site, it still states that I need to install it to view the card. I HAVE IT!! lol I don't understand why the sites are not recognizing it on my computer.

I've tested it out on both Safari and Firefox and it doesn't work on either. Safari is 7.0.1 (current).

Can anyone help me fix this? Troubleshooting on Adobe Flash Player basically tells me to uninstall and re-install. Still doesn't help. ~sigh~

Thanks in advance for any help! 🙂

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), using Epson stylus NX420 with it

Posted on Dec 31, 2013 2:43 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 31, 2013 4:50 PM in response to lablady

If you're sure you've installed the latest version of Flash, take each of the following steps that you haven't already tried. After each step, relaunch Safari and test. For a "missing plug-in" error, start with Step 5.

Step 1

If you're only having trouble with YouTube videos, sign in to your YouTube account and load this page. You may see a link with the text "Leave the HTML5 Trial." If so, click that link.

Step 2

If you're getting a "blocked plug-in" error, then from the menu bar select

 ▹ System Preferences… ▹ Flash Player ▹ Advanced

and click Check Now. Quit and relaunch your browser.

Step 3

Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

/Library/Internet Plug-Ins

Right-click or control-click the highlighted text and select

Services ▹ Open

from the contextual menu.* A folder should open. Delete the following item, or anything with a similar name, if present:

Flash Player (failing).plugin

You may be prompted for your login password.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combinationcommand-C. In the Finder, select

Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens (command-V). You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

Step 4

Re-download and reinstall Flash. Download it from the domain " get.adobe.com". Don't click a link from any other website, including this one, because you can't trust links. They may be an attempt to trick you into installing malware masquerading as Flash. Type the address into the browser window. Never download a Flash update from anywhere else.

Step 5

If you get a " missing plug-in" error, select

Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Security

from the Safari menu bar and check the box marked

Allow (or Enable) plug-ins

Then click the button marked

Manage Website Settings...

if present and make sure that the website is not blocked for Flash.

Step 6

Select

Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Extensions

from the Safari menu bar. If any extensions are installed, disable them.

Step 7

In the Safari preference window, select

Privacy ▹ Remove All Website Data

Close the window. Then select

 ▹ System Preferences… ▹ Flash Player ▹ Advanced

and click Delete All. Close the preference pane.

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Answer 2

lablady Author

Level 1

38 points

Dec 31, 2013 11:35 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

Thank you for taking the time to go through this - I'll fill you in. First of all, I am absolutely certain I have the most current version as stated in my original posting: "Plug-in version 11.9.900.170 is installed." I'm fairly tech-savvy, been using computers and operating systems for more than 30 years (all kinds!!). So, yes, the most current version is installed.

1) I can see YouTube videos just fine, no problem there.

2) I am not receiving any error messages. The sites simply don't register that my computer HAS Adobe Flash Player installed and state I need Flash Player and offer a button to "Click here" to get Adobe Flash Player.

3) I checked the plugins, nothing with "failure" in it at all. There is only "Flash Player.plugin".

4) Already uninstalled & did two fresh downloads and yes, I always get it from "get.adobe.com" and I know not to click through any link online anywhere (or in e-mails). I always type an address in.

5) I triple-checked my Safari Preferences > Security. Enable plug-ins is checked. The two specific e-card sites are listed with Allow next to them. I already have my preferences set to Ask for every site for more control.

6) The only Extension I have is AdBlock and it's been there for many, many months. I disabled it anyway and quit Safari and re-launched it. No difference. 😟

7) I just recently did this step a day or two ago. I make it a habit to Remove All Website Data fairly often, or at the very least go through and delete all the things I didn't visit (usually tracking stuff from a few sites). I did so again anyway, and tried accessing one of the e-cards. Same results. Tells me to get Adobe Flash Player. **eyeroll**

Once again, thank you for all of your suggestions. This one has me stumped. I was able to access the e-cards on my son's laptop (mac) and, as I mentioned, I had no problem accessing these sorts of things prior to my upgrading to Mavericks a few weeks ago. It's a puzzle!!! ??

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jan 1, 2014 6:56 AM in response to lablady

Please post a link to a page you're having trouble with, if possible. It must be publicly accessible without a password.

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Answer 4

lablady Author

Level 1

38 points

Jan 1, 2014 1:05 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

Please note, these are basic addresses, I'm not going to post the exact link given to me to receive my e-card. So...these are simply the sites. The first site is http://www.hallmarkecards.com/PickUp.... - a medium-sized blank window pops up with a question mark in the center to click through to the get.adobe.com site. (There's a little help button that explains it.)

The second site is http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.......... and this is the message I see:

To load the latest version, please click here and then click 'Yes" on the screen that follows. Remember the update is free of charge and only takes a minute or two to install.

Please tell us why you selected not to upgrade your Flash Player

I've used these sites many times in the past several years with no problem until now. As you can see, they both don't recognize I have Flash Player installed or that it is up-to-date.

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jan 1, 2014 1:39 PM in response to lablady

From the Safari menu bar, select

Help ▹ Installed Plug-ins

Besides the following, what plugins are listed?

iPhotoPhotocast
Java
QuickTime

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Answer 6

Feb 7, 2014 9:23 PM in response to lablady

Have you made sure that JavaScript is enabled in Safari's security preferences?

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Answer 7

Feb 12, 2014 6:10 PM in response to lablady

When you see the grey "Flash blocked for this website" banner, like the one above, click on the arrow on the righthand side of the banner. You will then be asked whether you want to trust the website to use the "Adobe Flash Player" plug-in. If you trust the site, click on "Trust". You may need to open Safari's security preferences and temporarily uncheck the "Block pop-up windows" box. Then, in Safari's privacy preferences, temporarily select the "Never" option for "Block cookies and other website data". When you have finished viewing your e-card, reselect the "Block pop-up windows" box, block cookies and other website data from third parties and advertisers and remove all website data.

Installing security extensions such as Web of Trust (WOT) can help you decide whether you should trust a particular website. To get extensions for Safari, just click on Safari at the top left of your screen/ Safari Extensions. In the extensions gallery, click on security, scroll down to WOT and click on "Install Now".

I had a look at the particular websites that you are having a problem with and I am also having the same problem with them. However, I found that I can view animated e-cards on www.123greetings.com and www.bluemountain.com, which are both classified as safe sites by WOT and Bitdefender Trafficlight. I don't know why Flash is working for some e-card sites but not others. It is a puzzle! Perhaps you could ask friends and family to send you e-cards from sites such as 123greetings or bluemountain. I tested the Kissopotamus talking card on bluemountain and it works perfectly well 🙂

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Answer 8

lablady Author

Level 1

38 points

Feb 13, 2014 10:17 AM in response to photographer26

Yes, JavaScript is always enabled. It is only Java that I enable twice a week for a specific chat room. Otherwise, Java is disabled. Since JavaScript is an entirely different thing, it is always enabled.

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Answer 9

lablady Author

Level 1

38 points

Feb 13, 2014 10:25 AM in response to photographer26

Oops, just saw you had another suggestion. Yes, I know about the "Trust this website?" window/option. I have it set to ask every time I go to a new website and I get to choose whether or not to do so. This isn't the problem.

I have found that this whole problem with Flash Player is only with the browser, Safari. I can view the e-cards with no problem on Firefox. So, whenever I receive an e-card, I now know to open Firefox to view it. I have no other Flash Player problems when using Safari, though. It's very strange.

So, my solution? Use Firefox in these instances. Thanks for your suggestion about WOT. I'll look into although probably won't need it as I only receive e-cards a few times a year. I was just puzzled why, upon upgrading to Mavericks, I started having problems with things like that whereas it was fine before.

Just one of those weird glitches with Safari.

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