Security Issue: Update your Adobe Reader Version 2015.016.20039 Note: Other Software is offered in the download.

That's Shockwave for Director, not the flash player.

Security Issue: Update your Flash Player Note: Windows users should download the active_x for Internet Explorer. and the plugin for Plugin-based browsers (like Firefox).

Note: Windows 8 and Windows 10 have built-in flash players and Adobe will cause a conflict. Install the plugin only. Not the active_x.

Flash Player Version: 21.0.0.242 Flash Player (Linux) Version 11.2.202.621

https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Direct link scans current system and browser Note: Other software is offered in the download.

https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/ Step 1: Select Operating System Step 2: Select A Version (Firefox, Win IE . . . .) Note: Other software is offered in the download.

See if there are updates for your graphics drivers https://support.mozilla.org/kb/upgrade-graphics-drivers-use-hardware-acceleration

Java Downloads for All Operating Systems

Make sure your Java (Not JavaScript) is up to date Verify Java and Find Out-of-Date Versions {web link}

Version 8 Update 91 Release date April 19, 2016 http://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

Firefox can play some content "natively" using the "Media Foundation" components of Windows. To test whether those are installed and sites can use them, could you visit the YouTube HTML5 test page:

https://www.youtube.com/html5

Do you have all blue boxes except the last one? If you have other red boxes, which ones are they?

Note: If you use an add-on to override the normal YouTube player, then this test probably won't return valid results.

i got to the youtube page - 4 blue boxes & 2 red 1) H284 and 2) MSE & H.264 .

I will try to go to the adobe site. This youtube page doesnt give much direction, or I am an idiot.

I do occasionally enable a youtube video downloader add-on bu its disabled until I need to use it.

Thank you jscher2000, for showing me this page tho, it never occurred to me they would have one. lol FredMcD's links were very helpful and eventually it installed and verified Java. Thank you Fred. But on my plugins page it shows the toolkit v.8.0.9.10.15 is blocked and so is the reader version my vista needs. Its my beaten up laptop and I am waiting to save up enough to get a newer one. So its probably my issue and I did notice when I went to the reader page it didnt list vista as an operating system in the dropdown list. hmm...? And how firefox installed itself and left these bits out I dont know but there it is. I can move forward thanx to all you good-guys out there who swoop down and save the day again. Like a superhero Firefox Phoenix? lol out of the ashes and resurrected? You guys rock!

If H.264 is "red" then Firefox is reporting to YouTube that it can't decode MP4s. That's a huge problem for a lot of sites. Could you check these preferences to see whether one of them is switched off:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste mp4 and pause while the list is filtered

(3) If the media.mediasource.mp4.enabled preference is bolded and "user set" to false, double-click it to restore the default value of true

(4) If the media.mp4.enabled preference is bolded and "user set" to false, double-click it to restore the default value of true

(5) In the search box above the list, type or paste wmf and pause while the list is filtered

(6) If the media.wmf.enabled preference is bolded and "user set" to false, double-click it to restore the default value of true

If you changed anything, please test again. If not, hmm, I'm not sure why your Firefox isn't decoding MP4s. Vista should have the needed bits.

Hi jscher2000. I went to that youtube page and those same boxes are red still.

So I followed your directions ( thanx for being simplified for me)  

and each of the preferences were 'true in the value column.

It's a little bizaar to me but maybe you see if differently. I don't pretend to understand why it didnt have those bits, why the values are true and the boxes still red.

And I dont get why vista wasnt listed as an OS on adobe's site. Istill get pop-up boxes saying I need to update my java or flash - according to the sites. I am ignoring those and can get some videos to play anyway but that is unpredictable.

I did go and verify java but the first time it interupted and offered to remove an older version [?] where the heck it was hiding I have no clue. And after it declared it uninstalled I tried to go have it verified and it said I didnt have any. Similar issues when coming across acrobat. It seems I am not the only one clueless in this computer.

As I said before, I have had to recover my laptop a few times since January, and it started when my non-password startup decided to create a profile and a password all by itself. It left me out of the equation, and impossible to bypass because the computer also decided it didnt know who or where windows was. And only after unplugging it for 2 months did it recognize me and windows on a new recovery. Its obvious to me - a clueless idiot, that this harddrive is frying itself. Its an HP and not the first one donated to me by friends who were upgrading. So their problems became mine and around we go again. I am hoping my son sends his Samsung soon so I can drive a spike thru this one. ....waiting since xmas...... Thank you for your help. I appreciate it immensely but I dont want to tie you up with this if its something that is physically screwed up. You guys are great, and I will hold onto your answers incase they are needed in the future.

Make sure your Java (Not JavaScript) is up to date Verify Java and Find Out-of-Date Versions {web link}

Version 8 Update 91 Release date April 19, 2016 http://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

I verified it and it declared no others are present , just the v.8.91 thank heavens. And thank you too FredMcD.

Good to hear.