The file "install_flash_player_ax.exe" is the ActiveX version (as noted by the "_ax" at the end of the file name) used by IE; Firefox and most other browsers do not use ActiveX, but instead they use a Plug-in version. See: ActiveX

You must download with Firefox to get the correct version. Use the following instructions.

Install/Update Adobe Flash Player for Firefox: your ver. N/A; current ver. 10.1 r53 (important security update 2010-06-10) See: Updating Flash -use Firefox to download and SAVE to your hard drive (save to Desktop for easy access) -exit Firefox (File > Exit) -in Windows, check to see that Firefox is completely closed (Ctrl+Alt+Del, choose Task Manager, click Processes tab, if "firefox.exe" is on the list, right-click "firefox.exe" and choose End process, close the Task Manager window) -double-click on the Adobe Flash installer you just downloaded to install/update Adobe Flash -when the Flash installation is complete, start Firefox, and test the Flash installation here: http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_15507&sliceId=1

• NOTE: 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
• NOTE for IE: Firefox and most other browsers use a Plugin. IE uses an ActiveX version of Flash. To install/update the IE ActiveX Adobe Flash Player, same instructions as above, except use IE to download the ActiveX Flash installer.
• Also see: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Flash ~~red:and~~ How do I edit options to add Adobe to the list of allowed sites

err... so why did adobe's site even offer me the active-x version?

Do you have the correct one now?

"err... so why did adobe's site even offer me the active-x version?" Did you go there with Firefox? Did not use Firefox with IE Tab extension when you went to the Adobe site? Using nothing to change your user-agent string?

They need to be able to determine your browser. Are you sure that your user-agent hasn't been changed by something you downloaded? See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_Agent

Reset general user-agent -In Firefox, type about:config in the URL bar and press the Enter key. -If you see the warning, accept it (promise to be careful). -Filter = general.useragent.extra.firefox -Right-click that preference and select Reset -Then restart Firefox (File > Restart Firefox)

"Any idea how to install this for FF without Adobe's accompanying ****ware?"

If you go directly to the Adobe site, be sure JavaScipt is enabled (and no script block like NoScript) so you can uncheck the "extra" items. See image at the end of this post (IGNORE the second page of that image as it no longer applies; they use a much more convoluted route now to get to the Flash Player download. The link in the "Updating Flash" article, above, takes you around all of that, however).

You can get the Flash Player here: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/ (Adobe Flash Player) "Select operating system" and make sure that you get the "Browser: Firefox, Safari, Opera" version. Make sure that you remove any check mark to install additional software (Free McAfee Security Scan (optional))

You can use this link: http://fpdownload.adobe.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player.exe See http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html#Troubleshoot%20other%20installation%20and%20viewing%20problems

The flash always crash! Get it fixed ffs