Need Techie re Adobe Flash Settings Manager

Archive
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I've tried everything to make Flash work properly on my computer...have new updates (11.1), switch browsers, and, yet, I keep getting message regarding flash not responding. I've been to the Abobe support forums and there are tons of folks with older computers (like me) and new computers....all experiencing freezing and crashes of Adobe Flash Player.  Some folks with NEW computers are even getting "blue screens"!

 

I found if I right click on a video, it will bring me to the Flash Player Settings Manager.  I am NOT a tech and the info they give isn't for the average user. 

 

Is it necessary to allow access to my computer via the Settings Manager for both Flash Player components and third party websites? 

 

I was having such a nightmare with Flash, that I had to walk away from my computer for a few days! 

 

Finally, I clicked "allow" for the Global Settings to store info on my computer up to 10 mbs and even was forced to make my email account AND Adobe Flash Manager my home pages, so I could easily see what was happening with the Flash.

 

I was able to watch videos with no problem for a couple of days.  As I said in another message, I always clear my history and run CCleaner, after I sign off AND run Norton full scan overnight, every night.  I've been doing a "workaround", by leaving a blank tab up to clear the history every hour or so.  It worked for awhile...then I started getting error messages that only a computer programmer would understand.

 

I went back (yet again) to the Flash Settings help page, and saw that SOME third party websites are abusing that access to our computers. So, I disabled it and now am back to square one...getting the "flash not responding" error message!

 

My question is, should I set the Flash Global Settings to store ANYTHING on my computer?  As I said, I disabled it today, cleared the addon cache and I'm back to square one..."flash is not responding" with ONLY an option to "stop" or "continue". 

 

Since disabling the "save to my computer" option, I can't even open emails?!!

 

Adobe really needs to realize that not all of us are techies!  I'm no dummy, but the "help" they give is very lame...and really gives no guidance as to whether it is NECESSARY to allow access!  The only thing the help page says is..."some websites may not work if you disable websites to store data on your computer". 

 

Please give we average users some guidance as to how to set up the Flash Player's "Settings Manager"!

 

Thanks~Donna

 

 

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Hi donna3154,

 

Generally, you do not need to allow sites to store Flash content on your computer in order to view Flash videos.  In fact, it is generally recommended that you NOT let sites store flash content because so-called Flash Cookies can be placed there which will make it difficult to remove the tracking cookies that some sites place in your browser (and Norton removes).  You definitely do not want to allow third-party sites to store anything.

 

Flash has nothing at all to do with email, so it sounds like something else may be going on there.  Try browsing through the troubleshooting suggestions at Adobe to see if you can fix the Flash issue.  If not try uninstalling Flash Player using the Uninstaller, which you can download from that site as well.  Then reinstall Flash and see if it behaves better.

 

http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/

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Thank you, SendofJive!  I've waited all day to hear from Adobe and still have no reply.

 

I did what you suggested, uninstalled and reinstalled the Flash Player.  Also, to be sure the old version was gone, I ran that uninstaller also (version 10+). 

 

My email seems to be working again...but I've been through this before. All is okay for a while, then it starts acting up. 

 

I think once I get my badly needed extra RAM ordered (next week) and installed, I may not get these errors.  Although, as I said, I saw on the Adobe web site all sorts of folks having problems with Flash freezing and crashing...even those with new computers.

 

I greatly appreciate your quick reply!  I now know not to allow any access to my computer.  I cleaned out the addon info, ran CCleaner, ran a MBAM scan, a Norton scan and all looks okay.

 

I've left my email up and no problems in the past hour or so...it may have done the trick.

 

Thanks again and all the best~Donna

 

PS  Since the version 10+ uninstaller did run and acknowledge deletion of Flash (and I had uninstalled via programs in Windows, prior to installing 11.1 before), perhaps the old version had some components left behind and they were bumping heads with each other?!

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Hi donna3154,

 

I hope that solves the Flash issue for you.  Using the standalone Uninstaller often works for issues like you describe.  As long as you can watch YouTube videos with no problems, then your Flash Player is working - your email would be something else.

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SendofJive,

 

You answered my main concern (and your response was fast...I didn't have to wait and I appreciate that greatly). 

 

My concern was that Flash kept prompting me to allow access to my computer by both Flash and third parties, and then I saw a disclaimer (when I looked into it) that stated some third parties were using their access in a way to gather information.  That concerned me greatly, and it seems Adobe is either understaffed or puzzled as to the Flash problem...due to the huge amount of folks having problems all across the spectrum.  Thanks again!

 

I was able to watch my Youtube videos for a long time last night, with no problems AND I denied all access to my computer via Flash Settings Manager.  It leads me to think that Adobe is getting paid by these third party entities for the encouragement by Adobe to allow access. I caught it early (thanks to you) and was able to clean the data stored on my computer.

 

CCleaner is a tool I've used for years, as it cleans all history, cookies and across all browsers in one sweep.  Again, I want to stress to all average users like me, DO NOT use the registry tool...I never have in the 4 or 5 yrs I've been using it. I never changed the settings, and just use the main cleaner. NOT a good idea to mess with the registry, if you don't know what you're doing.  But CCleaner cleared the data stored by Flash for me, plus I ran the "clear data stored by addons" in my browser to be sure it was off my computer.

 

As to my email, that is a strange one.  I kept getting an error message that stated "the video running is causing instability and may cause a crash..do you want to continue?"  I had no videos or any media running...I was just browsing my email!  the error was tied to Flash, though.  I'm leaving my email open today, as I open other tabs, to see if it happens again.  I browsed Adobe Flash support and see no email references, at all.

 

After clearing totally the old 10+ version of Flash with the uninstaller, the performance of Youtube was fast and I had no problems (knock wood).

 

You may have saved my old computer, SendofJive, as I had no reply by Adobe and thanks to your quick reply, I cleaned up all data storage on my computer,  and all is running fine. 

 

It's misleading on Adobe's part, to lure users into using Flash's Setting Manager and blindly making settings to allow potentially harmful access to their computers.  I'm wondering if those with new computers (on the Adobe support site)  are getting the "blue screens" and having problems BECAUSE they are using that Flash Settings Manager.

 

I can't thank you enough, SendofJive, for addressing the issue so quickly!

 

All the best~Donna

 

P.S.  I also removed the plugin version of Flash 11.1, since I'm using IE now...maybe they were bumping heads, too.  I'll go back to Foxfire, after I get my RAM...but IE is the one that runs the best for me now (probably because I have low RAM, XP and haven't updated the browser or Windows yet). 

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Hi donna3154,

 

Is it possible that when you were looking at email you had a tab in a browser that was open to a site running Flash content?  This could have been going on in the background and caused the notice you saw.

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Hi SendofJive,

 

No, I had this site open or just the email tab alone!  The error message is "a script in this movie is causing Flash Player to become unresponsive" do you want to stop it or continue? 

 

I think I know why the email problem is happening.  The system requirements for Adobe Flash 11.1 require 128 mbs of graphic RAM.  Seems it all comes back to getting more RAM, which I'm going to order next Wed.

 

BUT the crucial thing, in my mind, is the push by Adobe to encourage folks to open access to their computer to both Flash and third parties.  You saved me on that issue.

 

I finally heard back from Adobe, and they have all the usual blah, blah, blah.  Turn off your hardware accelerator (which I did a while ago), and to a woman with a new lap top with a blue screen, they send links to her to send what she has on her computer as an error message and report as a "bug". She clearly said there was no message and took a picture of her laptop with a blue screen and writing...another lady had a screen all squiggly, with colored lines. They weren't helpful at all.

 

Gave kudos to this site, for helping me so quickly, as it was 2 days before I even heard from them AND they say nothing about not allowing access to your computer.

 

The  problem is, that the update is forced upon those who don't have matching system requirements, rather than offer a version compatible.  I'm fortunate, I know my system requirments...not everyone does and just updates and blindly allows access. Not very good practice on Adobe's part, imo.

 

It's my RAM, as to the email, SendofJive...and as I said, I'm going to order more next week.  Hugh helped me GREATLY by helping me find my computer and the site to order it from. 

 

Thanks again for your quick response, I am very grateful!

 

All the best~Donna