macromedia flash problem

Appetiser,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.
Try clearing your I.E defaults.
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How to reset I.E defaults:

1.Right click on the Internet Explorer icon.
2.Click on Properties.
3.Under the "General" tab, Temporary Internet Files Option, click the Delete Files button, and then click OK.
Under the History option, click the Clear History button.
**This will delete all web pages you have been to previously***
4.Under the "Security" tab, if applicable, click the Default Level button.
5.Under the "Programs" tab, click the Reset Web settingsbutton.
6.Click the "Advanced" tab, click the Restore Defaults button.
7.Click the Apply or OK buttons.
8.Restart the system.

Clear out the Temporary folders:

1.Open My Computer, and the Windows folder.
2.Open the Temp folder under the Windows folder.
3.Delete everything that is listed in the Temp folder.
4.Go back to the Windows Folder.
5.Open the Temporary Internet Files folder.
6.Delete everything that is listed in the Temporary Internet Files folder.
7.Close all open Windows and reboot the system.

Delete installed I.E objects.
1.Right click on the Internet Explorer icon.
2.Click on Properties.
3.Under the "General" tab click the Settings button.
4.Click the View Objects button.
5.Click Edit, Select All, click File, Delete.
6.Close everything and reboot the system.

I gave my PC a good clean out as above, alas I still can not download flash v 6 from macromedia web site. I did find a referenece that flash 5 is preinstalled with XP and that the location of the control file swflash.ocx is a protected system file catalog which prevents the file from being overwritten which is why flash 6 is called flash.ocx.

Alas I am at a loss as to what to try next, only thing I can think of is to reinstall IE, any ideas on how to do this?

Thanks

Appetiser

here is the link to the flash player 6 download http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&P5_Language=English  here is a document about reinstalling ie 6 http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q318378

Thanks Redwolfe,

The first URL is the site I have tried to download flash from. This just hangs and does nothing when I click the install button, the bytes transmitted and received counters do not move on my dial-up connection.

Never being one to give up I viewed the source page for the download site and found a download instruction. I cut and pasted this into the URL window and a cab file was downloaded. Alas, I am not sure what to do with the cab file! It contains two files: Flash.ocx and swflash.inf. Anybody running XP Home ed with IE and using flash 6 able to do a search and tell me where the files should be installed?

If this fails I will reinstall IE, the second URL has comprehensive details, I would just like to try installed the files I just downloaded first as this would be quicker than an IE install.

Thanks

Appetiser

Well I have found the answer to this problem and as it is generic I thought I would post my findings. After much searching and being close to reinstalling XP the answer turns out to be EMS Free Surfer. I use this freeware to stop pop-up and pop-under ads. Alas by default it also blocks flash!! As soon as I turned on enable flash under tools > options the flash down load worked just fine.

Highly relieved as I didn't fancy having to reinstall XP and all those apps etc.

Your last message was such a huge help!  To think it was as easy as just a check box in Free Surfer, and I have been frustrated for months trying to figure out what was wrong with my computer.  Thanks!

Jenn