Flash!
April 19, 2009 9:41 AM Subscribe
I can't view flash content on my aging ibook! Firefox and Safari both quit rendering any flash sites for me (ex. onion video.) I can't upgrade to the newest version as I'm running 10.3.9 and don't have the specs to run anything higher.
Response by poster: 800 MHz PowerPC G4.
384 MB DDR SDRAM
posted by elwoodwiles at 9:58 AM on April 19, 2009
384 MB DDR SDRAM
posted by elwoodwiles at 9:58 AM on April 19, 2009
It sounds like you are talking about the OS version. Can you upgrade to the latest Flash player version? That is the most likely reason for sites which were working previously to stop.
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:24 AM on April 19, 2009
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:24 AM on April 19, 2009
Response by poster: I can't update to flash 10, as it requires OS 10.4 and higher. I'm not sure of the system requirements for 10.4, as it doesn't appear to be available anymore.
posted by elwoodwiles at 10:38 AM on April 19, 2009
posted by elwoodwiles at 10:38 AM on April 19, 2009
What version of Flash do you currently have installed?
Flash is such a screwy platform. Several websites which I used to visit quit working when I did the most recent Flash update, because too many Flash developers put a equals sign in to the version sniffer rather than putting in equals/greater-than. I'm waiting patiently for them to figure it out, but I may have to downgrade one of these days if it isn't fixed soon.
Sadly, none of the newest versions of Flash can be installed readily on machines which aren't running 10.4.x, probably having to do with the revamp of graphics handling at that upgrade point.
If you lament not having Leopard, you might take a look at this thread of suggestions on how to make it happen for your machine, even though Apple says "no".
Your computer is starving for RAM, imo. Adding more might help, might not.
posted by hippybear at 10:44 AM on April 19, 2009
Flash is such a screwy platform. Several websites which I used to visit quit working when I did the most recent Flash update, because too many Flash developers put a equals sign in to the version sniffer rather than putting in equals/greater-than. I'm waiting patiently for them to figure it out, but I may have to downgrade one of these days if it isn't fixed soon.
Sadly, none of the newest versions of Flash can be installed readily on machines which aren't running 10.4.x, probably having to do with the revamp of graphics handling at that upgrade point.
If you lament not having Leopard, you might take a look at this thread of suggestions on how to make it happen for your machine, even though Apple says "no".
Your computer is starving for RAM, imo. Adding more might help, might not.
posted by hippybear at 10:44 AM on April 19, 2009
From Apple's support page:
To use Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, your Macintosh needs:
* A PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor
* Built-in FireWire
* At least 256 MB of RAM
* DVD drive (DVD-ROM), Combo (CD-RW/DVD-ROM) or SuperDrive (DVD-R) for installation
* At least 3 GB of free disk space; 4 GB if you install the XCode 2 Developer Tools
Available on Amazon and probably elsewhere.
From there you can run browsers that will render Flash just fine.
posted by itsatrap at 10:46 AM on April 19, 2009
To use Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, your Macintosh needs:
* A PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor
* Built-in FireWire
* At least 256 MB of RAM
* DVD drive (DVD-ROM), Combo (CD-RW/DVD-ROM) or SuperDrive (DVD-R) for installation
* At least 3 GB of free disk space; 4 GB if you install the XCode 2 Developer Tools
Available on Amazon and probably elsewhere.
From there you can run browsers that will render Flash just fine.
posted by itsatrap at 10:46 AM on April 19, 2009
itsatrap: Apple limited the install of OSX 10.5 to machines of 867MHz or faster. Tiger apparently will install on machines running at 333MHz clock speed, but the machine must have a firewire port.
Apple's install specs can be a bit maddening at times.
posted by hippybear at 10:52 AM on April 19, 2009
Apple's install specs can be a bit maddening at times.
posted by hippybear at 10:52 AM on April 19, 2009
I know that, but from what I can tell from the OP's description of his/her machine, Tiger should install and run with no issue. An 800MHz G4 iBook boasts far better specs than the minimum requirements for the system (10.4), and definitely has built-in Firewire. Was just linking to Apple's support page so the OP would have something to go on. :)
posted by itsatrap at 11:00 AM on April 19, 2009
posted by itsatrap at 11:00 AM on April 19, 2009
Response by poster: So, I'm getting that I should track down and install a version of Tiger. I'll go look around...
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:07 AM on April 19, 2009
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:07 AM on April 19, 2009
There seems to be a program which will let you skip Tiger and install Leopard on your iBook, despite it being "incompatible". That might be a more appealing upgrade for you if you're going to get an OS update.
posted by hippybear at 11:12 AM on April 19, 2009
posted by hippybear at 11:12 AM on April 19, 2009
No matter what else you do, please max out the RAM. You'll need it.
posted by unclejeffy at 12:37 PM on April 19, 2009
posted by unclejeffy at 12:37 PM on April 19, 2009
You don't need Flash-10 to view any Onion videos. I have Flash-9 on 10.3.9 and Onion videos play fine. The only places I've run into issues from not having Flash-10 have been a tiny handful of game site.
Are you experiencing this problem with ALL Flash content? For instance, can you view YouTube videos?
Just to make sure you're updated, go to the Adobe Flash Download page, and select the option for Flash-9 to install. See if that doesn't help you out.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:43 PM on April 19, 2009
Are you experiencing this problem with ALL Flash content? For instance, can you view YouTube videos?
Just to make sure you're updated, go to the Adobe Flash Download page, and select the option for Flash-9 to install. See if that doesn't help you out.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:43 PM on April 19, 2009
Response by poster: Thorzad, I tried that. For some reason my system sees Flash 9 as being a classic application, so I can't get it to install.
But no, not all flash content. Youtube works fine.
posted by elwoodwiles at 10:33 AM on April 20, 2009
But no, not all flash content. Youtube works fine.
posted by elwoodwiles at 10:33 AM on April 20, 2009
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posted by now i'm piste at 9:44 AM on April 19, 2009