When I attempt to use any site that is using Flash, Firefox Portable reports the plugin has crashed.
I have used Adobe's uninstaller and installed the latest FlashPlayer 11.4.402. No change.
Flash works fine in the installed version of Firefox and in Chrome and IE, it is just crashing in the portable version but that's what I use most.
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I'm having the same problem its only crashing on Firefox portable 15 and its definitely Firefox because flash works fine on internet explorer.
flash for IE is different software the for Firefox.
Installing flash in portable needs to copy file manually, installing it with the adobe installer means installing it to the local machine.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
Otto
Thanks but I have been using Firefox Portable for several years and this problem has never arisen before.
As far as the IE / FF difference is concerned, Flash is now a universal installer so one install works for any browser.
Installed FF is fine, just the portable version playing up.
Happy to try anything if someone can point me to some instructions.
It exists both for Internet Explorer and for Firefox / Opera / Safari an independent installer regarding the Adobe Flash Player. Accordingly your assumption is not true, that you can use an universal installer for the Adobe Flash Player. But let me now return to your original problem.
Of course there are many possible reasons for your described failure.
In a first attempt you can try to copy the files "NPSWF32_11_4_402_265.dll" and "flashplayer.xpt" from the folder C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash to the folder FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins.
Furthermore please enter about:config in the Location bar (address bar) of Firefox Portable. Please note, that the preference value for the expression plugin.scan.plid.all is set to "true".
Finally you should check via the Add-ons Manager of Firefox Portable, if in the Plugins list the plugin "Shockwave Flash 11.4.402.265" is enabled.
Please report me your results.
I followed your instructions and Flash Player still crashed. The term Universal I can now see is in relation to 32/64 bit versions.
I again ran the Flash Player uninstaller to make sure things were clean. Then I opened the Portable version of Firefox and it reported that I needed to install the player, as expected. I checked that the download was for Firefox and installed.
Then I opened the installed version of Firefox and all was OK, the player did its job. I then closed that and opened the portable version. Using the same link, the portable version then crashed Firefox.
Shockwave is enabled.
I found this page and followed the instructions there to install an earlier version.
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/flash-113-crashes
This works so it just remains to be seen if sticking with an old version has a downside later.
Hopefully if that is the case, the cause of this problem will have been fixed by then.
Thanks for the suggestions.
>Furthermore please enter about:config in the Location bar (address bar) of Firefox Portable. Please note, that the preference value for the expression plugin.scan.plid.all is set to "true".
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
I'm now back on a PC with 11.4.402.
I tried setting that to false and just copying the DLL file to Data > Plugins. Portable Firefox still crashes.
Please inform me, which add-ons you have installed in your Firefox Portable browser and which Windows OS you use.
Regarding the settings of plugin.scan.plid.all here shortly the meaning of that. On Windows systems, Mozilla applications will scan for common plugins at startup, such as Java, Windows Media Player and others, in locations external to the installation directory plugins folder. If the value of plugin.scan.plid.all is set to "true", then the Firefox browser scans the directories specified in the Windows registry for PLIDs, which is currently HKLM\Software\MozillaPlugins\@adobe.com/FlashPlayer. For more detailed informations please look at the mozillaZine article Plugin scanning. This of course assumes that the Adobe Flash Player is installed on the host PC. This now makes it possible, that the Firefox browser can find the Flash plugin also in the folder C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash for 32-bit Windows OS. Therefore it's a good idea, that the value of plugin.scan.plid.all is always set to "true".
Thanks so much!!!! It really help me after hour of searching!!!
I dont understand what you mean, I've always installed flash player to local machine and its worked fine with Firefox portable. What do you mean I need to copy file manually? I'd like to try it if that helps solve the issue.
Please look at the instructions starting at paragraph 3 in my post to the member petergrainge.
I had (and somehow still have) the same problem (since Flash Version 11.3).
FF Portable is crashing as soon as it has to access the flash plugin, if
- I haven't flash installed and use the NPSWF-dll version 11.3 or 11.4 under .\Data\plugins.
- I have it installed AND have it copied to .\Data\plugins additionally.
But it DOES work, if
- I have the plash player installed BUT NOT copied NPSWF.dll to .\Data\plugins!
- I haven't flash installed and use NPSWF-dll version 11.2 (or less).
- using Windows XP (or probably x86 in general, but I haven't checked this).
[An "installed flash player" means, the flash player's dll-version is located under \windows\sytem32\Macromed!
"Not installed" means, this directory does not exist at all or only the ocx-version for IE is installed!]
So it's working but as the flash player has to be installed on the machine it's not what I would call portable! Or I have to use an outdated flash version. btw: it works fine with Opera without any installation.
Thank you!
11.4 seemed better than 11.3 but still froze. Removing NPSWF.dll from .\Data\plugins fixed it!
are all talking about.
Just tested again:
firefox portable 15.0
flash file NPSWF32_11_4_402_265.dll only!!!!
(no other files as the flash for IE, which is different software entirely and none of the helper files etc)
copied to the plugins folder and checked if reports right version, it does ok, go to any flash site and all works.
You can use any other 32bit version thought, but this is supposed to be the recent one (well can be different in 1h)
Do not copy any of the other files and do not copy there any of the recent 64bit flash as this will not work.
Such prepared firefox portable will work on w7 32 and 64, on xp and probably on vista too. It will run in wine on current ubuntu.
So do not search for any magic, do not install - uninstall - reinstall and all such experiments. Portable firefox is supposed to use the plugin from its plugin folder and it will do so if found there.
You can test: copy some older copy of the flash dll to the plugin folder of ffp and see version displayed. It should read the version in the plugin folder and not the local installed one.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
I am not sure what you want to tell us?
What I tested is, that FF 15 Portable CRASHES under Windows 7 x64 when executing the flash plugin (dll 11.4 or 11.3) located under Data\plugins. Fullstop. It makes no difference whether flash is additionally installed or not on this machine. There are also no other flash-related files in the plugin-directory,
This answer refers to both your previous post and this last post.
In your earlier post you mentioned the following:
You should strongly distinguish between the portability regarding the browser Firefox Portable and the Adobe Flash Player. That means, that also in case of pasting of the 2 files "NPSWF32_11_4_402_265.dll" and "flashplayer.xpt" (these files refer to Flash 11.4) in the folder FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins you doesn't get complete portability with respect to the Adobe Flash Player. The reason is that the Adobe Flash Player generates so-called Flash cookies (or Local Shared Object, shortly LSO). On Windows OS such a Flash cookie will stored in the folders %AppData%\Macromedia\Flash Player\#SharedObjects and %APPDATA%\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\support\flashplayer\sys. The browser Firefox has no influence regarding the creation of such a Flash cookie.
In your earlier post you mentioned the following:
In the mozillaZine article Flash is described, that the 2 files "NPSWF32_11_4_402_265.dll" and "flashplayer.xpt" should copied in the plugins folder of Firefox ( please look under No. 3.1 "Installing Flash on Windows", paragraph 5 and 6 for more detailed informations). You only copied the file "NPSWF32_11_4_402_265.dll" in the plugins folder. If also in this case a crash is caused, then I suspect that the problem is related with your Windows 7 x64 OS. Obviously this would be a BUG of Firefox Portable, because the browser seems to have problems with the 64-bit version of Windows 7. With these remarks I also refer to your last post.
In your earlier post you mentioned the following:
Regarding on your 2nd enumeration point, I wonder what that means exactly. Does that mean, that you copied the file NPSWF32.dll in the folder FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins and afterwards you uninstalled the Flash Player from the host PC?
Of course I copied also the .xpt-file to the plugins-directory: It makes no difference! Sorry for not mentioning it explicitly.
Obviously we have different opinions on what portability means.
I am using a portable application to take it with me and run it on different machines - they may have flash installed or not. I simply expect that my portable browser works on this machines - including flash. Or at least it's not crashing. That's portablilty. And Opera e.g. does it this way.
And, btw, FF portable does it also: With Flash version 11.2. And without caring about flash cookies and LSOs or having flash installed at all.
But in one point I agree with you: This is a Windows 7 x64 related problem.
To your last question: This machine has NO flash player installed. It never had. There is no directory \windows\system32\macromed! There is only the flash-dll (version 11.2!) in the directory data\plugins. And it works fine. Also under x64!
In fact differ yours and mine opinion regarding the definition of portable applications. There are a number of criteria, by which the portability of a program is determined. One criteria you mentioned yourself, namely the fact that a portable app is a computer program, that you can carry around with you on a portable device and use on any Windows computer. Another very important criteria, however, is the fact that after removing the USB flash drive these programs not leave any traces on the other machine.
I am travelling and have not read all the replies thoroughly. However, I did find a solution that retains portability. Use Adobe's uninstaller and then install an earlier version from their site. Take NPSWF.dll from the version I downloaded (10.3 I think) and put that in the plugins folder.
Then I upgraded the version for the installed version of Firefox. Now that uses the later version and Portable Firefox uses the DLL in the plugins folder. It is working fine for me.
That's what I am doing at the moment. FF portable works with NPSWF.dll 11.2 (or less) in the \Data\plugins directory.
But being forced to use an outdated version is really not satisfying!
Its not just a Win7 x64 problem, as I'm using a 32bit version of Win 7 and have the same problem.
I too am using Windows 32 bit and was having this problem.
Meanwhile, I've read through the entire mozillaZine article Flash. Under No. 6 "Troubleshooting" are described a lot of different causes for problems with Flash. To solve your specific problem, it is therefore imperative that you describe your problem so exactly as possible. A screenshot of the problem here would certainly be very helpful.
Based on the independent descriptions of several members in this thread I have found for now 2 possible workarounds.
The problem is quite easy to describe:
- Use a freshly installed Win-7-PC (with nothing but the OS, also no flash player installed).
- Start FF portable with npswf.dll (11.4) and (optionally) flashplayer.xpt in the Data\plugins-folder.
- Open a website using flash and FF stops responding. You even can't close FF anymore.
That's all.
To comment on the 2 workarounds you have mentioned:
#1: There is no folder C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash on this machine
Nevertheless installing flash solves the problem, as long as you DO NOT have the npswf.dll 11.4 in the Data\plugins-directory as well. See my post above. But: Installing software is sometimes beyond my control. That's why I am using a portable browser!
#2: Changing this value to -1 (it was 45 before) does not solve the problem. But you won't get the error message after 45 seconds ...
You wrote the following:
Regarding to your first enumeration point:
Do you use a Win 7 PC with a 32-bit or 64-bit OS? With respect to your earlier comments I assume you use a Win 7 x64 PC. Is that right? Also I hope, that your PC really is clean, i.e. there is no flash player installed. Since if you want to use the flash related files in the folder FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins, it's necessary to install the Adobe Flash Player on the host PC in a first step. Afterwards you should copy all flash related files (fore more informations see my remarks below under "Regarding to your second enumeration point:") from the folder C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash (Windows 32-bit OS) or the folder C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash (Windows 64-bit OS) to the folder FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins. As a final step it is imperative, that you uninstall the Adobe Flash Player accordingly the instructions on the Adobe website.
Regarding to your second enumeration point:
You should copy all flash related files as mentioned above (not only the files "NPSWF32_11_4_402_265.dll" and "flashplayer.xpt"). After the installation of the Adobe Flash Player plugin 11.4 for the Firefox browser the folder C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash contains the following 6 files:
After these preparatory measures you should launch FF portable. If the problem continues to occur, then follow the instructions exactly, which I described in the Workaround # 1. If even then the problem persists, please tell me, which extensions you have installed in FF portable.
As another third workaround you can try the following:
Workaround #3 - Disable hardware acceleration
a small introduction :
I used "portable application" (applications running without any installation on client PC) for more than 15 years on a network share in a engineer school : 250 client PC with one windows server (apps are on a SSD drive and gigabit network) : more than 200 applications like eclipse,android sdk, dozen of developement tools, math applications, latex tools, cad tools, open and libreoffice, multiple jdk and jre, etc etc ...
Until flashplayer 11.2, everything work fine for firefox (and flashplayer in his plugin directory )from the network drive, with XP en Seven 64bits clients.
But with flasplayer 11.3 and 11.4 and the new "protected mode", firefox hang in Seven 64 bits.
And from my point of view (and i imagine for the portable application standard), it's not a clean solution to put ProtectedMode=0 in the C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\mms.cfg (although it's the only solution) .
GoogleChrome have exactly the same probleme with his integrated flashplayer (since fp 11.3), but chrome has a command line switch "-no-sanbox" that enable my "up to date" googlechrome to work from my network share without a glitch in windows 7 64bits. If the same googlechrome is used in windows XP, the launch script will not pass the -no-sandbox switch.
And for the moment, i let the old flashplayer 11.2 in the firefox plugin directory.
I will love the one who will find a solution ...
As I already mentioned: Like lots of other people I'm using a portable browser, because I CANNOT install/deinstall something on every machine I am working on!
And, yes, I am using it mainly under Win7 x64, but some posts before it was pointed out that this seems to be a problem occuring both under Win7 x64 and x86.
To eliminate potential impact of installed extensions I just downloaded a "clean" FF portable version. After installing/extracting it on a "fresh" Win7 x64 System I only copied npswf.dll 11.4 (and the other bunch of files) to the Data\plugins-folder. Surfed to a flash-movie and ... crashed! Conclusion: Having NO extensions installed obviously does not make a difference. Btw. Replacing the 11.4 dll with the outdated 11.2 makes it work without a problem!
Also disabling the hardware acceleration does not solve this problem.
Firstly thank you for your effort regarding analyzing the Flash problem.
Meanwhile, I have tested the situation on my Windows XP SP 3 computer. In addition I have copied the relevant 6 files regarding Flash 11.4 in the folder FirefoxPortable\Data\plugins on my USB flash drive. Finally I have uninstalled the Adobe Flash Player completely from my PC accordingly the instructions on the Adobe website. Now I have started Firefox Portable v15.0.1 and looked at a flash video. And there were no problems.
Due to the statements made by you and other members in this thread, there is mandatory only one conclusion realistic and useful: Flash 11.3 and 11.4 cause problems in connection with a Windows 7 PC. How far Windows Vista computers are concerned, I can not currently assessed. Probably the only solution is, that you use an outdated Flash version (11.2 or 10.3). Personally I would recommend you the usage of Flash 10.3, because it includes all known security patches. In contrast Flash 11.2 has more features but it is less secure. For more detailed informations please read the mozillaZine article Flash (especially paragraph 2 of the section "Flash Player 11.3 Protected Mode - Windows").
Have you also tested the workaround #1 sufficiently?
Thank you for your support! I also had no problems under Windows XP. And also no idea about Vista :-). There is a post somewhere above with the different configurations I checked.
If "workaround 1" refers to you post dated 9-10: There is no problem on machines where I can install flash. FF portable works with the installed flash 11.4 as long as you DO NOT have the npswf.dll in the Data\plugins-folder as well.
Therefore the steps 2. to 4. of this workaround can be skipped. Strange, but so it is! The crash only happens when npswf.dll (11.4) is located in the Data\plugins-directory - with or without having flash installed.
I agree that using an old flash-dll is the only possible solution for now. And it's a good idea to use the even older 10.3 version for the moment. But I think we all here hope the problem will be solved as soon as possible.
Interesting new discoveries that I hope the gurus we rely on can make some sense of.
After a lot of different tests, I finally found a fix. My previous fix worked for a while but the problem came back as I moved around machines.
A friend installed Portable Apps and Firefox on a thumb drive and did not have this problem.
I then did the same with a spare thumb drive. A link that crashed my main install on an external USB hard disk worked fine on this new drive.
I then renamed the Portable Apps folder on my external USB disk and copied the install from the thumb drive. Now that one crashes. Note it is exactly what was on the thumb drive.
Next I copied all my external USB disk portable apps to the thumb drive. The link that was crashing on the external USB works fine.
I then did some copy in both directions and identified that an install that works fine on the thumb drive crashes the external USB. Same install, all the whole Portable Apps folder copies in either direction, works on thumb drive only.
****************************************
I also tried a backup I had of Firefox 15.0 on the external USB disk, that works too but fails as soon as you apply 15.0.1.
However the above identifies that 15.0.1 is not the issue as the new installs are to 15.0.1, it's only when the update is applied to the external USB disk.
****************************************
Then I tried something really simple with the external USB drive where every copy of Portable Apps crashes when Flash is invoked.
I opened Windows Explorer and right clicked Manage.
Then I clicked on Disk Management and changed the letter to which the external USB disk was mapped. (I had it set to be Z whenever I plug it in so that links are consistent).
With a different drive mapping, the same installation works fine!
****************************************
Finally I moved the external USB to a machine I had not used before, that could be important. Firefox works with the mapping automatically assigned or with if I change it to the letter that gives grief on my usual PCs.
I surrender.
The machines where this crash occurs are all machines owned by me so I was able to make the change suggested at http://www.ghacks.net/2012/06/10/flash-player-update-fix-freezes-crashes... and now Firefox Portable works for me with the original drive letter.
In my configurations the drive letter does not make any difference. The crash happens anyway!
Disabling the protected mode is a known workaround, but it does not solve the problem described in the posts before (using a "portable" flash player).
In the Adobe Flash Player FAQs are described some possible approaches to a solution, how you can troubleshoot Flash Player's protected mode for Firefox. Maybe someone find here a solution for the problems with the Adobe Flash Player version 11.3 or above.
Especially you should keep in mind the solution described under the point "Last resort". Here is my workaround for that special case:
@tapsklaps: Congratulations! You provided the 1st working solution!
Just 2 remarks to make it a bit more convenient:
- You only need 2 files: FlashPlayerPlugin_11_4_402_287.exe and NPSWF32_11_4_402_287.dll.
- There is no need to install/uninstall flash player. You just have to have those 2 files in your Data\plugins folder - wherever you grab them. The file mms.cfg (with "ProtectedMode=0") is also not needed.
I am not sure whether FF now really uses flash's protected mode - but it works! (at least with FF 16.0.1 under Win7 x64 and XP SP3)
Thanks goes to jsteam and tapsklaps
Working Solution v11.5.502.135 (and all newer versions i hope):
---------------------------------------------------------------
* Delete old plugin version' files from your "Data\plugins" folder:
flashplayer.xpt
FlashPlayerPlugin_*.exe
NPSWF*.dll
* Copy next files to your "Data\plugins" folder:
flashplayer.xpt
FlashPlayerPlugin_11_5_502_135.exe
NPSWF32_11_5_502_135.dll
NOTES:
- There is no need to install/uninstall flash player.
- The file mms.cfg (with "ProtectedMode=0") is also not needed.
- Plugin setting(including ProtectedMode status) are saved locally in file
"%APPDATA%\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\support\flashplayer\sys\settings.sol".
Enjoy
Sorry to break it to everybody, but it seems that this solution doesn't seem to work.
I disabled all the old flash files (I just slapped ".bak" extension on them, just in case I need to re-access them) & used the noted files above... & Firefox Portable still freezes on me.
After forcefully killed FireFox Portable, I re-enabled all the old Flash 11.2 files (which still work well).
Is there something that I've missed here?
~TStodden
Game Monkey Likes You!
Hi ~TStodden,
I am using the solution i post before yours "MRnikos - December 23, 2012 - 1:25am" for about one month now. FF portable had run from my usb-flash drive on more than 10 Windows XP and 7 systems with or without installed version of flash. I never had a problem yet! Sorry to read you have problem i wish to have a suggestion for you but i don't!
Regards
As there's another release of Flash, I'll give it another shot.
One thing I'd probably should check, so this might be causing the problems.
Should I UPX the files before moving to my thumbdrive or not?
I've been running Free-UPX on the files prior to moving them into place. I'm not sure if that could cause potential problems or not.
~TStodden
Game Monkey Likes You!
you can upx all except the launcher.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
I haven't gotten around to doing the UPX work, but it's working without problems now because I haven't done that.
I'd like to UPX the files to save some space & you said all but the launcher can be UPX'ed... so I have to ask the stupid question...
Which one is the launcher?
~TStodden
Game Monkey Likes You!
AppNamePortable.exe, so if you were talking about Firefox, it would be FirefoxPortable.exe.
I get error message:
"Msg: FlashPlayerPlugin_ll_9_900_152.exe - Corrupt File
The file or directory C:\Dit\AppData\Roaming\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\support\flashplayer\sys is corrupt and unreadable. Please run the Chkdsk utility."
Should I reinstall Flash or Firefox Portable and everything would be OK? I have latest of both. It's quicker for me to do a reinstall since I do not have much custom settings.