# Solved: Installation Flash Player 11 Error: failed to register



## Barc777

I get this problem when attempting to install FP 11. The installer comes up OK, then downloads FP11, gets past the 'downloading' part at 50%, then gets to 51% and gives the error.

I've tried going to http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/163/fb1634cb.html, but nothing there works. It seems mostly to apply to FP10 and lower, anyway.


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## TOGG

Did you go to the Adobe Troubleshooter page and follow the recommended steps there (including downloading and running the Adobe uninstaller)?; http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html If it does its job properly, the uninstaller should remove the old Registry entries that seem to be causing your problem.

Running the uninstaller twice and rebooting before you attempt the reinstall may also help. Note that the uninstaller removes all the Flash plugins you have (except the one built into the Chrome browser). If you have any browsers other than Internet Explorer installed, you will need to get the non Active X version for it/them.


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## Barc777

OK, when I went to the link you specified, and checked the About FP page, it says I have 11,0,1,152 installed (even though Add/Remove says I still only have the plug-in for non-ActiveX). 

I went through the uninstallation steps, and verified that it was not installed. When I went to the download page and attempted to install it, I got a message about the registry and ActiveX.

I went through the steps to change the Internet Options, and tried to install again afterward. No luck.

And, just for the heck of it, I successfully downloaded & installed the plug-in for other browsers. Of course, that meant I had to run the uninstaller again...

And, yes, I tried both as myself (I have admin rights), and as the Administrator. Neither worked.


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## TOGG

Flash has been updated (yet again) to 11.1.102.55, although I don't think that would be the cause of your problem.

I'm not sure I understand what you're seeing when you attempt to upgrade Flash in Internet Explorer (which is what I assume you're trying to do?). In my Add/Remove list I have an entry for the Active X version (because although I don't use IE, I keep it up to date) and an entry like this for the version used by my Opera and Firefox browsers "Adobe Flash Player 11 Plugin"

It seemed very simple to me to update IE because you just went to the downloads URL;http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ using IE and the whole process took place while you were online. You had to refuse the Google toolbar (unless you wanted it) and then accept various options to complete the install. Now you get a 741 KB .exe file which, when doubleclicked, completes the installation of the full 3.62 MB package although , if I remember correctly, you still need to agree to the running of Active X controls etc.

If you try the installation again, make a note of the full text of any error messages you get and post them here. Someone more knowledgeable than me may be able to help.


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## Barc777

The first installation, the automatic one, gives me the error I put in the subject line: Error: failed to register.

When I attempt to download & install manually, I get the slightly different error that says: The ActiveX control for Flash Player could not be registered. (You can see it on the Error Messages page http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_191...es_displayed_during_Flash_Player_installation; it's the last error message screenshot.)


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## marksm

Adobe Flash Player 11.2 Beta is available for download here.

It may works for you.


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## Barc777

Beta didn't work; same error with the ActiveX message.


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## Cramer64

Anybody know anything? I'm experiencing the exact same issue. I've tried everything from Adobe's page, tried installing older versions, upgraded to IE9, and no change at all. It's a Win7 x64 machine.


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## reva12

Hi,

I have a 32-bit computer with Windows XP Professional SP3.

Both IE8 and Mozilla FireFox browsers are installed.

I am having trouble installing the activex control for IE8 for the latest version of flash player (WIN 11,1,102,55).

I used the install latest version page on the adobe site (using IE browser itself) so that the activex (without the google toolbar) gets installed directly . (The precise name of the executable is: install_flashplayer11x32ax_gtbd_aih.exe. Have no idea what aih could stand for though. )

It goes through to almost the 60% of the installation process and says: "Error; failed to register".

I have never before had problems installing the new versions of the flash player activex on IE8. This is the first time this error comes up.

But FireFox flash install goes through and works just fine.

[Note:

1. I tried to reinstall the older version (10, 3 r183) activex using the offline file - install_flash_player_10_active_x.

Same "failed to register" error.

2. I also tried lowering the security "trusted zone", "internet zone" levels to medium, etc. (and then installing the new version) as suggested on Adobe's help page for troubleshooting flsah installs on IE.

But that did not help.]

(So for now, I have restored the system to an earlier point to have flash player working in both browsers and then installed the Flash Player new version just in FireFox.)

Would appreciate any insight and help.

Thanks.


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## TOGG

Did you work your way through all the suggestions in the Troubleshooter, in particular, running the Adobe uninstaller and rebooting before trying to install the new versions of the plugin?


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## reva12

Thanks for the response.

Yes; I uninstalled the older version using the uninstaller provided by Adobe before the unsuccessful install of the new version. (Always have done that for every update.) Yes, I also rebooted before the (attempted) install of the new version.

Only, IE is refusing the Activex version this time around with the error "Failed to register".

FireFox had no trouble installing or using the new version plugin.


Any other suggestions?


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## TOGG

If you look at Barc777's post #5, you will see a link to an Adobe page which, in turn, links to a Microsoft advisory that mentions running a tool to modify the Registry. 

Anything that modifies the Registry represents a risk of making the computer unusable if it were to go wrong. If you are absolutely desperate to use IE to view Flash content, you may have to consider following the Adobe/Microsoft advice (including backing everything up and creating a Restore point).

If I were in your shoes I would think seriously about running the uninstaller again to remove the out of date and insecure plugin from IE and then reinstall the latest version only in Firefox so that you have one up to date browser that can handle Flash. If IE won't run without a Flash plugin, you will have to weigh up the risks of running it with the out of date plugin which could be targetted by malware.


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## reva12

Thanks, TOGG.

I am not any expert to be fiddling around in the registry.

So, I will follow your advice and uninstall the older version of flash player from both FF and IE and install the latest version only in FF.

At least until the issue is resolved by Adobe, I will have to do without flash content on IE. But that is ok, as I hardly use that browser.


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## TOGG

Me neither! Because I don't use automatic updates for Windows (which I am NOT recommending for anyone else to try), I get my updates by using Firefox and the IETab addon, which fools the MS update site into thinking that it's dealing with IE. 

That is the only time any part of IE is used on this computer, except for those components it 'shares' with Windows Explorer of course!, (which is why I keep IE patched even though I don't use it).


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## Cramer64

My boss was able to install flash after receiving this error multiple times. He uninstalled the existing IE plugin, rebooted, and used firefox to download the ie version of the plugin. He closed all open programs, and then was able to successfully install. I still don't understand how this is different than all the troubleshooting I did.


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## TOGG

I don't know why that would work because the IE version of the plugin is specifically for that browser. However, he might have downloaded the .exe version of the IE plugin from a third party site like this;http://www.filehippo.com/download_flashplayer_ie/ and then doubleclicked on it to install it like any 'normal' program.

I have no idea if that does work so anybody that tries it should create a restore point first and accept that they try it at their own risk!


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## Barc777

Well, I took my (computer's) life in my hands, and without backing up anything, followed Cramer64's boss's method. Used the uninstaller, then opened Firefox to download the IE version of Flash Player. It installed correctly. Then I installed the Firefox version.


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## TOGG

I'm aware that a lot of people get both the Flash plugins in .exe form from third party sites instead of from the Adobe site and don't seem to have any problems. 

What is slightly odd is that the, apparently serious, Registry issues that prevented the 'online' installation of the IE version disappear when the .exe version is used. Perhaps it supplies new Registry entries which overwrite the defective ones?

Whatever, if it's fixed for you, the jobs done!


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## Barc777

When I told one of our network guys about this, he said that he spoke to our a/virus guy about it, and said that McAfee had to stop blocking it. He said a machine might need to be rebooted to be able to apply the update through WSUS. I tried rebooting a machine that it had not been installed on, but it still did not work. I tend to believe that the .exe version worked. Only problem is that Firefox is not officially supported here, because of the frequent update cycle FF now uses. I have to download & install FF on most of our problem machines.


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## TOGG

Just in case it's of use to anybody coming to this thread via a search engine, in their Troubleshooter; http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html Adobe themselves suggest using .exe versions for one problem (but not specifically for the 'Failure to Register' error) and I quote;

"Install in a firewall proxy server environment

Issue: The Flash Player installer sometimes has trouble working in some firewall proxy server environments.

Workaround: Download the Adobe Flash Player installer directly by clicking one of the following links.
64 bit Flash Player for ActiveX (Internet Explorer)
64 bit Flash Player Plug-in (All other browsers)
32 bit Flash Player for ActiveX (Internet Explorer)
32 bit Flash Player Plug-in (All other browsers)"

These links lead directly to .exe versions which, I assume, should mean that, if you really like IE (or believe that the sky will fall in if you don't use the browser Mr Gates welded into your OS), you can use IE to download the .exe, as long as you then close IE before you try the installation.


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## Barc777

It isn't that we specifically like IE, it's just that Firefox and Chrome have such a rapid update cycle that we can't devote sufficient resources to them to test each update. We just don't have enough people to justify allocating one of them at what would practically be full time to evaluate each update these two browsers would need before deploying. The week or two that each update takes to evaluate is a significant part of their short life cycle. Many smaller government agencies and corporate entities are decrying this development on the part of FF & Chrome.


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## reva12

As done by Cramer64's boss and suggested by you, I downloaded the Activex as the .exe file and then tried installing. Still the same problem (failed to register) when installation is over 50% complete.



So, for the moment I just use my FF browser with the latest version plugin (it is set to "inform, ask permission and update"). It works fine.



Will remove the outdated version of the Activex in IE through the ADD/REMOVE, so that I do not leave the system vulnerable (if ever I use IE accidentally).


Hope Adobe people read these posts so that they work on this issue.



For Barc777 : Strangely, it is only the Activex updates for IE that are posing problem. (Not the FF updates that you do not test for issues! They install and function smoothly!)



Thanks.


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