How do I download and install Flash Player on a new MacBook?

April 28, 2007 5:47 PM

No matter how many times I try to download and install Flash Player on my new MacBook, it won't work and I get conflicting messages. If you have a Mac running OSX, can you please try to view this page and see if it works for you?

When I try to go to this page to find my local gym, it redirects me here and says that I need to download Flash Player. When I go to this page, a little box says, "Adobe Flash Player Is Installed. Version 9,0,45,0 Installed Successfully."

I downloaded the .dmg file for the Flash Player from this page to my desktop. I ran the file and the installer said that the Flash Player will be installed in the appropriate location automatically. Then I went back to the original page I was trying to view and I got a little graphic telling me to install Flash Player. What gives? I have shut down and restarted but that doesn't do anything.

I use the latest version of Firefox for most web browsing, though the same situation happens when I use Safari.

Here's a weird little hitch: I am able to view the Flash stuff on this site (at least I think it's using Flash). Perhaps the problem is with the site I am trying so hard to view and not with my computer? If I download Flash Player, how can I really know if it was installed successfully? Is there a way I can manually put the Flash file into the correct folder since it obviously is not putting in the correct folder via the automatic installation process?

I am brand new to Macs and I have bare bones knowledge of PCs, so I need really clear step-by-step instructions. If you say, "go to folder x" I won't be able to. I need to know how to find folder x. Any jargon-y computer language will be way too advanced for me to understand.

posted by HotPatatta to Computers & Internet (18 answers total)

Best answer: I look at Flash pages nearly every day using OS X, and haven't had any problem with any of them, but that fitness page doesn't work for me. I'd bet n cookies that the problem is with LA Fitness's site, not your installation.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 5:56 PM on April 28, 2007

I'm running Tiger (OSX 10.4.6) on a Macbook and everything worked fine.
posted by mdonley at 5:58 PM on April 28, 2007

Best answer: What do you see here? This is a Flash test site.

I also cannot see the Flash on your fitness site. It's buggered.
posted by barnone at 6:00 PM on April 28, 2007

Only the "find a club" page seems to be borked. You can see the main site right? That moving image at the top is Flash.
posted by vacapinta at 6:10 PM on April 28, 2007

Best answer: I can't see it either. I did the same installation you did, with the same results. So it isn't you, and it isn't your computer.
posted by AgentRocket at 6:26 PM on April 28, 2007

Nope. Doesn't work. (Using the latest builds of OS X and Safari on a PowerBook.)
posted by cribcage at 6:44 PM on April 28, 2007

Best answer: I do get a redirect, but the problem looks to be in one of the javascripts, not the flash thing itself. If the actual flash content isn't what you need, you might try running the "noscript" extension in firefox, which prevents it from redirecting you unless you allow scripts on that site.
posted by advil at 6:44 PM on April 28, 2007

Best answer: Uh yeah, maybe I'm not giving your post a proper reading, but this is a problem with LA Fitness's website. They are obviously morons.

Many javascript flash-detect scripts will not be able to tell you are running flash, because you are on a mac. This is a well-known issue, and websites are supposed to offer you a "Are you sure you have Flash installed? If so, click here to continue" option. Which these retards, from a quick glance on my part, do not do.

If you can see youtube videos, for example, you know your flash is working. If you can't, then there must be something wrong with the particular build you are trying to install.
posted by phaedon at 6:55 PM on April 28, 2007

In other words, I develop and test in flash, and i get an "update flash player" notice from la fitness as well.
posted by phaedon at 6:57 PM on April 28, 2007

Best answer: I see the update flash player as well. Their code is sadly out of date and therefore, as others have said, the problem is on their side, not yours.

When I use Flash on web sites I use either UFO or deconcept's SWFObject and they seem to work like a charm and are much preferable to Adobe's or out of date methods.
posted by juiceCake at 7:33 PM on April 28, 2007

Phaedon has nailed it. It's not you, it's not your Macbook: it's stupid web designers.
posted by Mo Nickels at 7:36 PM on April 28, 2007

The.latest.Java.5.update.borked.a.lot.of.pages.(Stillneedanewkeyboard).
posted by Gungho at 7:54 PM on April 28, 2007 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. I'm glad it's not just my computer. And now I have a legitimate excuse to not exercise at the gym!
posted by HotPatatta at 8:02 PM on April 28, 2007

The problem is that the site is checking the version of your browser and assumes that a mac doesn't have a working flash. The solution is to use a user agent switcher extension to lie to the website. If you use a supported user agent, it should work find. Look here for a user agent switcher:

User Agent Switcher
posted by MasterShake at 10:33 PM on April 28, 2007 [1 favorite]

Sorry. Link is

User Agent Switcher
posted by MasterShake at 10:34 PM on April 28, 2007

As an additional point of data that page doesn't work on my Ubuntu machine w/Firefox either.
posted by 6550 at 8:37 AM on April 29, 2007

It works on my Ubuntu/Firefox machine, but not when I tell NoScript to let it run scripts. Using User Agent Switcher to claim to be IE6 doesn't help either.
posted by flabdablet at 9:40 AM on April 29, 2007

Doesn't work on firefox w/ XP either, just fyi. (Adobe flash test site worked fine)
posted by defcom1 at 1:01 PM on April 29, 2007