It seems like Adobe is releasing new Flash Players on a regular basis to deal with security issues. It’s important to remove old versions of Flash Player prior to installing the new version. Otherwise, you’ll keep remnants of the vulnerable versions on your system.
Here’s a very simple way to uninstall your previous version of Flash Player:
1) Download the most recent Flash uninstaller.
2) Close all browsers and applications that may use Flash Player, including AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, or other Messengers.
3) Run the uninstaller with the /silent option:
uninstall_flash_player.exe /silent
You can also test to verify Flash Player has been uninstalled.
Note: Internet Explorer users may have to reboot to clear all uninstalled Flash Player ActiveX control files
June 13, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I also cleanup the few versions of Flash 8 we used around here, using the GUID in a batch script (some lines wrap):
:: Macromedia Flash Player 8 8.0.22.0
MsiExec.exe /X {6815FCDD-401D-481E-BA88-31B4754C2B46} /qn /le+* c:\Flash8Removal.log
reg.exe DELETE HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{6815FCDD-401D-481E-BA88-31B4754C2B46} /f
:: Macromedia Flash Player 8 8.0.24.0
MsiExec.exe /X {5E8A1B08-0FBD-4543-9646-F2C2D0D05750} /qn /le+* c:\Flash8Removal.log
reg.exe DELETE HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{5E8A1B08-0FBD-4543-9646-F2C2D0D05750} /f
BTW, I like your blog. Keep up the good work.
-Rob
June 17, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Thanks for the tip, time to do some housecleaning!
June 22, 2008 at 1:19 am
Here’s a script that I use in a GPO Startup Script. I copied it from here: http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/tm.asp?m=27228
I don’t know if the checks for Flash1, Flash2, etc are needed but I included them in the script anyway. My updated script checks everything from Flash to Flash9f.
I just noticed that I’m never calling the uninstall_activeX.exe program. I’m also not doing anything with the GUIDs like Rob D. is in the previous post. Research into these might be beneficial. In any case, I want to post my script in case it’s helpful to someone.
The benefit of checking for each version is so no old version is left installed. If, at any point during the script, an old version is detected, all versions are uninstalled and then the new version is (re)installed.
—————–[ START HERE
:CHECKFLASHLEGACY
if exist “%windir%\system32\Macromed\Flash\flash.ocx” (goto DELETEFLASH) ELSE (goto CHECKFLASH1)
:CHECKFLASH1
if exist “%windir%\system32\Macromed\Flash\flash1.ocx” (goto DELETEFLASH) ELSE (goto CHECKFLASH2)
— This goes on all the way to Flash8, 8a, 8b, 9, 9a – 9e —
:CHECKFLASH9f
if exist “%windir%\system32\Macromed\Flash\flash9f.ocx” (goto EOF) ELSE (goto INSTALLFLASH)
REM This will remove ALL versions of Adobe Flash
echo Removing all versions of Adobe Flash
“\\SERVER\SHARE\Applications\Adobe\Adobe Flash\uninstall_flash_player.exe” /s
:INSTALLFLASH
REM this installs the latest version of Flash.
echo Installing the latest Adobe Flash Player, please wait…
msiexec /i “\\SERVER\SHARE\Applications\Adobe\Adobe Flash\install_flash_player_active_x.msi” /qn
:EOF
—————–[ STOP HERE
April 9, 2009 at 7:27 pm
[...] sorry…… —————————————– 1. Download flash uninstaller from here: Howto: Uninstall Adobe Flash Player from the command line the back room tech (read instructions) 2. Close all browsers and applications that may use Flash Player. 3. Run the [...]