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Firefox won't recognise Flash, even though it's installed on my computer.

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Firefox keeps telling me I require additional plugins to view media. But when I click on 'install plugin', the install fails and I'm prompted to manually install Flash. But I've done that about three times now, and it still won't recognise it. I know it's installed, because I can play flash using IE on my laptop, but still no luck with Firefox.

Firefox keeps telling me I require additional plugins to view media. But when I click on 'install plugin', the install fails and I'm prompted to manually install Flash. But I've done that about three times now, and it still won't recognise it. I know it's installed, because I can play flash using IE on my laptop, but still no luck with Firefox.

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There are two different versions of Flash, the ActiveX version for IE and the Plugin version used by most other browsers.

1.Download the Flash Plugin version setup file from here:
Adobe Flash - Plugin version.
Save it to your Desktop.

2. Close Firefox using File > Exit
then check the Task Manager > Processes tab to make sure firefox.exe is closed,
{XP: Ctrl+Alt+Del, Vista: Shift+Ctrl+ESC = Processes tab}

3. Then run the Flash setup file from your Desktop.

4. Start Firefox and test your installation here: https://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

  • On Vista and Windows 7 you may need to run the plugin installer as Administrator by starting the installer via the right-click context menu if you do not get an UAC prompt to ask for permission to continue (i.e nothing seems to happen).

See this:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/run_as_administrator.htm