Unable to upgrade Flash on Windows 10

Question

_{Monday, May 16, 2016 1:20 PM}

Hello.

We cannot get the Flash installer to work properly with Windows 10 professional. I have obtained the redistributable install_flash_player_21_active_x.msi. The version we are trying to install is 21.0.0.242. The error given is:

Product: Adobe Flash Player 21 ActiveX -- Error 1722.There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package vendor. Action NewCustomAction1, location: C:\Users\xdetemp3\AppData\Local\Temp\InstallAX_21_0_0_242.exe, command: -install -msi -prev 18.0.0.203

This used to happen occasionally with Windows 7 machines, and it was always resolved by deleting the contents of HKLM\Software\Macromedia and reinstalling. However, this is not working on Windows 10.

I have attempted to use the Adobe Flash uninstaller and also delete the registry entries, but this error 1722 seems like it cannot be fixed on Windows 10, when trying to install the latest version of flash.

I also attempted to run the .exe that gets temporarily extracted to the appdata\temp folder, and received this message:

"your microsoft internet explorer browser includes the latest version of the adobe flash player built in. Windows update will inform you when new verisons of the the flash player are available"

Well, the version that is currently on this windows 10 is OUT OF DATE, and it seems there is no way to update it now?

Is it possible to install the latest version of Flash in Windows 10, or is it something only Microsoft can control now? I could not find an answer to this question anywhere.

Can someone please answer this question.

All replies (7)

_{Tuesday, May 17, 2016 1:06 PM ✅Answered}

Is it possible to install the latest version of Flash in Windows 10, or is it something only Microsoft can control now? I could not find an answer to this question anywhere.

Can someone please answer this question.

You are trying to install the ActiveX version of Flash Player.  It is not possible to do this on Windows 10 because the ActiveX version is only used for Microsoft's browsers and is only updated via Windows Update.

If you need the latest Flash Player for non-Microsoft applications on your machines, you can download it using THIS LINK

_{Tuesday, May 17, 2016 5:12 PM ✅Answered}

Does anyone have a bulletin or article that explains the reasoning behind this?

Actually, this did not start with Windows 10.  Flash Player has been integrated in Microsoft's OS since Windows 8 and was based on the desire to eliminate plug-ins from the browser for better security.

You are migrating from Windows 7 which was their last OS to use the Active X plug-in.  Since the Flash Player is now integrated it must be updated through the OS updates.

As you've now found out, that doesn't prevent you from using the API versions for alternate browsers.

Not sure about a formal MSFT bulletin on the subject but you can access an interesting MSDN article by clicking on THIS LINK

_{Tuesday, May 17, 2016 11:49 AM}

Hi KCSteele,

The last version of Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.242 is available through Windows Update, try to download and install the update KB3163207, we will update to the last version of Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.242.

MS16-064: Security update for Adobe Flash Player: May 13, 2016

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3163207

Here is a link provided by Adobe for you reference, it indicates the last version of Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.242 will be updated via Windows Update as well.

“Adobe Flash Player installed with Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer for Windows 10 and 8.1 will be automatically updated to the latest version, which will include Adobe Flash Player 21.0.0.242.”

https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb16-15.html

NOTE: This response contains a reference to a third party World Wide Web site. Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. Microsoft does not control these sites and has not tested any software or information found on these sites.

Best regards

Please mark the reply as an answer if you find it is helpful.

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_{Tuesday, May 17, 2016 12:57 PM}

Hi Rick_Li,

Thanks for your response. I know that MS has been providing Flash updates via Windows Update for some time now. However, here we already have a mechanism in place for updating Flash separately from windows update, using the redistributable packages that Adobe provides.

Can you answer this question:

Is the 1722 error encountered when attempting to install the flash redistributable .msi file on Windows 10 by design? Is there a way to work around it, so that instead of relying on Windows Update to update flash, one can use the redistributable to update Flash? Or is there no way to update Flash manually anymore on Windows 10, and the only way that works is by running the appropriate MS patch via windows update from now on?

If you could answer this question that would help a lot in explaining what is happening here.

Thanks again.

_{Tuesday, May 17, 2016 1:30 PM}

Thanks John.b_,

I just tried the PPAPI (chrome version - the link you provided was NPAPI which is firefox/netscape) and it indeed worked, with no 1722 error generated. 

So at this point is it a verified fact, that one cannot manually install the Active X version of Flash in Windows 10, and that in order to update it, it can only be done via an MS issued patch over windows update?

Since this was not the case with Windows 7, it strikes me as strange that MS would no longer "allow" the standard activeX .msi redistributable to work with Windows 10. Does anyone have a bulletin or article that explains the reasoning behind this?

Thanks again.

_{Thursday, November 17, 2016 1:41 AM}

I've noticed that there are flash update from Microsoft Updates.

Does this mean, whenever Adobe release a new update, Microsoft follows with a new IE/Flash update of their own?

Thanks, DM.

_{Thursday, November 17, 2016 11:06 PM}

not 100% sure but with it being built into windows now it would seem they want to control the version that is installed. this way you dont manually install flash x.x.x.x.x that MS hasnt tested yet, possibly breaking a program. Just a thought.