For a couple of months now I have had problems getting my FlashPlayer to play videos at times. Some videos will play, but I think the ones that will play are using Windows Media Player. Occasionally SBC DSL Browser tells me I need JavaScript enabled, too, and I have to end my connection and go back in and connect again. But when I check Internet Options, Security,Custom, all scripting items are enabled, including Java. Lately the Video radio button on my SBC Yahoo Toolbar no longer will play the ABC News video like it used to. I just don't understand. There have been no major changes to my system other than installing Avast AV mid-March, but this problem, I think, predates that event. I also turned on Spybot Teatimer last week, but again, this problem predates that event as well.

For example, yesterday went to http://youtube.com/watch?v=QcpcgdTzqjA to watch a doggie video and got this message:

You either have JavaScript turned off or or do not have the latest FlashPlayer. Click to download latest player. (took me to Macromedia download screen & I downloaded/installed the latest version) Still no luck playing the video.

Checked McAfee FW and nothing Java or Flashplayer related is being blocked by the FW. Checked related add-ins/plug-ins and all are enabled. Not sure what to try next. I assume that something may be corrupt in the player and/or Java software and completely uninstalled both packages yesterday via add/remove programs and downloaded/installed directly from Macromedia and Sun websites, TWICE!!!! All went OK and download screens indicated installs completed successfully. I then enabled Java in my browser and did everything Sun said to do to set it up again. When I tried the Sun "Test your installation" button, I did see the mini-movie one time, and didn't the next.

HELP! What do you think is going on????? Here are my system specs:

System Hardware/Software:

Dell Dimension 4700 Desktop Intel Pentium4 2.80 GHz
512MB DDR2 SDRAM
160GB Serial ATI Hard Drive - NTFS
17" Flat Panel E173FP Monitor
Radeon X300 Video Card
128 MB PCI Express x 16
48x SONY CRXX216E CD-RW drive
Dell 922 AIO Photo Printer/Copier/Scanner
SBC DSL 2 Wire Home Portal External Modem w/built-in hardwire firewall
Windows XP SP2 V5.1.2600 with Internet Explorer v6.0.2900
SBC Yahoo DSL Browser (modified IE)
Yahoo mail client
Java JRE v1.5.0 (build 1.5.0_06-b05)
FlashPlayer (latest as of 4/12/06)
SpywareBlaster v3.5.1
SpywareGuard v2.2.0
Spybot Search & Destroy (Teatimer on)
IE-Spyad
Ewido 3.5 Free (EwidoGuard still running)
Adaware SE 1.06r1 Free (on demand)
CCleaner v1.27.260
MVPS Hosts File
McAfee Personal Firewall Plus v7.1.113 (WinXP Firewall OFF!)
Avast!4.6 Free Home Edition Build: 4.6.763

Edit: I feel certain I have no malware. Ran all scanners shown yesterday and nothing found. No odd behaviors noted otherwise.

I notice you have Spywareblaster installed.
There is a setting in it, that will disable Macromedia Flash.

Open Spywareblaster, and click on Tools.
Click the Flash Killer tab, at the top.
If present, remove the check from Disable and block Macromedia Flash in Internet Explorer.
Close, and reopen IE.

I checked, but it's already unchecked. So that's not our problem. Any other thoughts?

BTW, thanks for the quick response. Appreciate you guys & all the help you provide.

I'll tell ya. I really think the problem is Javascript related. I just now went to a site to order some free bag of doggie treats friend told me about and the text entering area for ordering was blank (red x upper left corner). When I right clicked the screen, clicked properties, I saw javascript was indicated therein, no video involved at all!

I just uninstalled/installed Java from scratch yesterday!! This should correct any corrupt/damaged java files or plug-ins, no? I even went into IE Options and updated the plug-ins. Still no change. I don't think it's the SBC DSL Browser (modified IE) I use, because I used to be able to see their ABC News videos on their home page with their browser just fine, and order free doggie treats on many sites, too. I really think the conflict lies elsewhere in my many software settings. I just don't know where to begin looking, beyond what I've already checked. Websites think Javascript is turned off (which it isn't) or don't recognize that I have it (if that's possible).

The Add-Ons for Sun Microsystems I have (all are enabled):

Java Plug-in ssv.dll
Java Plug-in ssv.dll
Java Plug-in ssv.dll
Java Plug-in 1.5.0.06 njpi150_06.dll
Jscript Language jscript.dll
BrowserHelperObj ssv.dll
BrowserExtension ssv.dll
Browser Helper Obj ssv.dll
Browser Extension ssv.dll

Does this look like the usual setup for java plug-ins? Or is something missing?

Food for thought............Could I still have a plug-in sitting on my system that is for an older version of Java? For recently published security issues, I removed some time ago all older versions of Java via Add/Remove Programs. But I didn't remove anything in the Add-On screen when I did so. Could an older plug-in still be there and conflicting? How can I see what the three at the head of the list really are, like their version numbers or something? I'll try doing a search and see what comes up while i await your reply.

Good news, Bad news.

GOOD NEWS: I did a search on ssv.dll and low and behold, one of them IS for an older version 1.4.0. So I deleted it. WOOHOO! I can now watch the ABC news video on SBC DSL browser home page, I can see the doggie video and the text box to order the doggie treats!

BAD NEWS: I still cannot go to the YouTube link in my original post and see THAT video. FWIW, I can's see it on either user account, Admin Priviledge or Limited Priviledge, so this issue doesn't seem to be user profile related. I'm still getting the same message from YouTube about "either Javascript is turned off or you need the newest FlashPlayer". Well, yesterday I completely uninstalled my FlashPlayer and reinstalled the latest player and it tells me it is successful every time I do this (just did again few minutes ago). My Add-On screen shows these two Macromedia items:

ShockWave Flash Object Active X Control Flash8a.ocx (enabled)
Shockwave Active X Control Active X Control SwDir.dll (enabled)

Is this what it should show? Or is some plug-in missing? Where should I turn next? Would this leftover activeX for version 1.4.0 I just deleted indicate there may also be remainders of the old version in the registry that are causing problems? I know how to backup/export my registry to CD and do so regularly. I am familiar with regedit, as well, but I'm not knowledgeable (or stupid) enough to delete anything in the registry without expert guidance (or Macromedia listing) telling me exactly which keys/values need to be deleted.

Well, I've been tinkering with this problem all day now. Finally got it resolved and thought I'd share with you what all I've done. First, I backed up my registry and got rid of a slew of registry entries relating to older Java versions. But still not able to watch the video.

Then I did a Search on "Java", finding beaucoup entries. Started taking a look at some. Deleted any that obviously were related to older versions. Got to c:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files to discover the three entries listed there for Java Runtime Environment showed Status=damaged. These are apparently the activeX controls from my 3/6/06 Java security update/patch, apparently. So I deleted them off the listing. Then I went and reinstalled Java 1.5.0_06. Thought that would fix it. When I revisited the Downloaded Program Files list, it showed them as "installed" (not damaged) but the file size was "none"!!! Figure that one out!

From there, I went to IE Options, Manage Add-Ons and did the Update Add-On thing at the bottom for all three and that went successfully. Now the file sizes are showing 76kb!

Then I went to the YouTube site and was able to watch the doggie video, FINALLY!!!!!!

Can't fault me for lack of persistence! Apparently was not a FlashPlayer problem at all. Thanks for your initial response and hope this will help other readers with similar problem.

Hi Peggy, I was looking at this to as I once had something similar. Anyway was going to recommend you dump all prior refs to it ,but then saw you post that you just did that. So Thanks for posting your solution as I'm sure it will help others.

That's good news, Peggy.
Glad you were able to get your problem resolved.
Thanks for posting back, and letting us know what worked.
I'm sure, it'll prove to be helpful, to someone.

Well, I learn from my mistakes and through trial and error. Others may as well take advantage. So I always post what I did that resolved my problem. Readers can decide if it matches their situation.

Oh, and.............



HAPPY EASTER!

thank you buttoni I've been having Java problems and couldn't for the life of me figure it out *not very comp savy* but turns out I had the exact same problem, now it's fixed so thanks!!!!

You're welcome. Glad my frustration dealing with this was able to help someone else.