The plugin uses the name "Shockwave Flash" which I do see in your "More System Details" so it must be set to either "Always Activate" or "Ask to Activate".

This is some standard guidance that addresses the most common issues with the Flash Player plugin. I'm sure you've seen some of it before, but just in case:

(1) If you have any recorders/downloaders that interact with Flash media make sure they are as up-to-date as possible, or disable them temporarily.

(2) Disable hardware acceleration in Firefox and in Flash

(A) In Firefox, un-check the box here:

"3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced > General > "Use hardware acceleration when available"

That takes effect the next time you exit and start Firefox up again.

(B) In Flash, right-click the media and choose Settings, then the first mini-tab and uncheck the box to use hardware acceleration. More information in this support article from Adobe: http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/video-playback-issues.html#main_Solve_video_playback_issues

(3) Disable protected mode (Windows Vista and higher)

The protected mode feature of the Flash player plugin has security benefits, but seems to have compatibility issues on some systems. You can disable it by creating or editing a settings file. The following pages/posts provide different approaches for that:

• Adobe support article under the heading "Last Resort": Adobe Forums: How do I troubleshoot Flash Player's protected mode for Firefox?

• Manual steps: https://support.mozilla.org/questions/968190?page=5#answer-509209

• Batch file to automate the manual steps: https://support.mozilla.org/questions/982093#answer-518078 (alternate version of Carm's batch file with a few changes by me: https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=f7d304d92388737d&id=F7D304D9238...)

Flash needs to completely unload from memory (exiting and starting Firefox up again might help) before this takes effect.

Any improvement?

Hello texasbill, first thank you for your clever choice between Firefox and Chrome. Now get into your problem.

• To manually install that plugin, follow these steps:

1. • First right click on this link: http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/xpi/current/flashplayer-win.xpi
   • Select Save link as
   • Go to desktop or any place you want and save that file with .xpi extension
   • Click on the Allow button
   • Once you have the file downloaded, rename the file with a .zip extension
   • Then unzip the file you'll get some files just select and copy flashplayer.xpt and NPSWF32.dll
   • Go to the directory where Firefox is installed. I assume your system directory is C drive. Then go to C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
   • Check if a folder named 'plugins' is already created if not create one.
   • Paste flashplayer.xpt and NPSWF32.dll ! You are done.

• Please Check that if your plugin folder has the flash plugin. To do so follow these steps:

1. • Type about:plugins in your browser's navigation bar
   • Scroll down to the bottom and search for Shockwave Flash

Hope it may work.

jscher2000 & Sashoto Seeam -

Thank you both for your suggestions & help.

One problem is I can not get to an Adobe Flash window that will allow me to right click to uncheck hardware acceleration. Every time I right click on a flash image, it freezes until I receive the message "Shockwave Flash may be busy or have stopped responding. You can stop the plugin now, or you can continue to see if the plugin will complete."

I have to click stop, or it just continues in an endless loop.

I did turn off use hardware accelerator when possible in Firefox.

This has to be an overall bug in the 36.0.4.

The one thing that is unusual is that when I installed the update for Adobe Shockwave, it also installed Shockwave for Director automatically.

Shockwave for Director does not appear in the Control Panel under Programs.

I just don't think the Mozilla team was ready for the Adobe Flash 17 NPAPI release, and it is an overall bug.

Any thoughts?

texasbill said

jscher2000 & Sashoto Seeam - Thank you both for your suggestions & help. One problem is I can not get to an Adobe Flash window that will allow me to right click to uncheck hardware acceleration. Every time I right click on a flash image, it freezes until I receive the message "Shockwave Flash may be busy or have stopped responding. You can stop the plugin now, or you can continue to see if the plugin will complete." I have to click stop, or it just continues in an endless loop. I did turn off use hardware accelerator when possible in Firefox. This has to be an overall bug in the 36.0.4. The one thing that is unusual is that when I installed the update for Adobe Shockwave, it also installed Shockwave for Director automatically. Shockwave for Director does not appear in the Control Panel under Programs. I just don't think the Mozilla team was ready for the Adobe Flash 17 NPAPI release, and it is an overall bug. Any thoughts?

Does the about:crashes page have a record of the plugin stopping? The information recorded there can be helpful in spotting issues. The last section of this article describes how to access that page: Troubleshoot Firefox crashes (closing or quitting unexpectedly).

Does anyone think unstalling Firefox, Adobe Flash, and Adobe Shockwave, then re-installng all three problems will help?

The normal release of the Flash plugin does not include Shockwave for Director. You can disable that one as hardly any websites use it. You would do that on the Add-ons page. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons

In the left column, click Plugins. Then on the right side, set Shockwave for Director to "Never Activate".

I am skeptical that a normal reinstall will help. You could try this:

Clean Reinstall

We use this name, but it's not about removing your data/settings, it's about making sure the program files are clean. As described below, this process does not disturb your existing settings. Do NOT uninstall Firefox, that's not needed.

(1) Download a fresh installer for Firefox 36.0.4 from https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/ to a convenient location. (Scroll down to your preferred language.)

(2) Exit out of Firefox.

(3) Rename the program folder

(32-bit Windows folder names)

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox

to

C:\Program Files\OldFirefox

(64-bit Windows folder names)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox

to

C:\Program Files (x86)\OldFirefox

(4) Run the installer you downloaded in #1. It should automatically connect to your existing settings.

Any improvement?

Note: Some plugins may exist only in that OldFirefox folder. If something essential is missing, look in these folders:

• \OldFirefox\Plugins
• \OldFirefox\browser\plugins