Ok. I use Norton Anti virus...

[Lyrima]

And I think it is keeping me from seeing the Chatroom.  What do I need to turn on or off to see our chat?

TX!

[Namae Nai]

First off, are you sure you have Macromedia/Adobe Flash?

If you aren't sure, get it here:  http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash
You don't need the Yahoo or whatever toolbar, and in fact, I recommend you don't get it.

Now, try to get into Chat. If it works, stop there because that was all you needed to do.

If not, there should be an option to disable your Norton/Microsoft Firewall. That could be doing it as well. If it works, it's the firewall that's doing it, and I'd have to get the exact sockets and stuff from our web admins. Until then, just turn off your firewall when you want to chat.

If *that* doesn't work, you will want to make sure you are allowing cookies. Let me know if you get this far, because we're starting to get to the point of mucking up things with your system, and we'd have to do that carefully and step by step.

You could also upgrade your Explorer Browser to 7.0, or try using Firefox.

[Namae Nai]

for anyone else researching this issue, a link to FlashChat's source.

http://www.tufat.com/s_flash_chat_chatroom.htm

[Lyrima]

First off, are you sure you have Macromedia/Adobe Flash?

I can't get that to d/l properly.  I miss out on fun stuff all the time because I can't get that on my computer.  I d/l it allll the time and literally nothing happens.

I'll try again tomorrow and let you know exactly what goes wrong.

/stretches, yawns

I gotta sleep...

xo, Namae!

[Namae Nai]

Is the problem downloading it, or installing it?

I can find a different link if downloading is the problem.

If it gives an error during installation, I can figure a way around that as well.

If it does give an error code, if you could copy and paste exactly what it says here, it would be very helpful.

[Gwenae]

Norton Antivirus won't stop you from seeing things.  Make sure that if you're using a firewall you've allowed some things to work.  Remember when I was at your house, how I customized things so that you could use stuff?  You might have to do some of that.

Make sure that you have Flash and you allow it to work.  If you're still using Zonealarm, keep the programs in Learning Mode and it should work.  If you're using Norton, you may have to do something similar.

[Lyrima]

Gwennie, after months of effort and frustration, I have finally and absolutely removed ZA from my desktop and I will not be returning to it.

I'm going to try to d/l flash player now, Namae, and I'll post exactly what happens.

[Lyrima]

Namae, I'm surprised to find an error message! It is as follows:

Error

You do not have access to make the required systen configuration modifications.  Please rerun this installation from an administrator's account.

Of course my account IS the admin for the system.  I never realized flash media player is from adobe. I haven't updated my adobe in forever. I wonder if that is the issue.

Gonna give that a try

[Lyrima]

Ok. no error message, nothing at all when I click to d/l the flashplayer.  In fact, I click 'install' and that's it..no hour glass, nothing. The little box disappears and nothing happens.

/sigh

I"ve been trying to fix this for months..I've missed some fun links because of it

[Namae Nai]

Try getting it from here.
http://www.soft32.com/download_500.html

Save it someplace on your harddrive, then run it. If it tells you you have to be an admin again, let me know!

[PinkRose]

Don't get frustrated for months.
Just ask.
Namae and others are here to fix it.

[Lyrima]

Namae, have it on my desktop; same thing.  I click 'install' and it goes through the little zippy thing showing it has installed, but it hasn't and the installer helper thingy never finishes or closes..just disappears.

[Imeriel]

As Flashplayer uses an Active X control, it is ~possible~ that anti-virus software is interfering ... Depends upon the settings of the antivirus software and if you allow Active X Controls to run on your machine or not.

As far as Not being able to install Macromedia Flash, well, that's another thing entirely.

Personally, and this is simply my recommendation, I would advise against attempting to install Flash players / plugins  from any other source other than Macromedia's (now Adobe).  For right now, remove whatever executable you've downloaded, and don't worry about feeling you have to update anything else with Adobe's name on it.    http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer

Now, one thing to keep in mind is ~how~ a flashplayer works.  Without getting too technical, it is your ~browser~ that runs / plays flash files.  To "know" how to do this, it requires what is called a "Plugin".  Basically, its you giving your browser a primer to speak a new language.  Knowing this, the first important thing to know is:  What browser do you use to access the site / browse the web / attempt to access chat with?

Once we have that info, we can troubleshoot it out.

Some other things to keep in mind.  Quicktime will often "take over" the Flash plugin.  If you see a Quicktime symbol with a question mark where the Flash content should be, it means that Quicktime has taken over handling of Flash files.  And we can handle that, if that is the case.

As far as starting this fresh, well, first thing to do is log out of your personal account and log into the Account that is "Administrator".  I know your personal account has admin rights.  But you'll still need/want to be "administrator" when you do install the plugin

More in a second ... Am working

[Imeriel]

Ok, so yeah ... Windows XP and admin stuff and making sure Flash works.  The plugin needs to make changes to some registry files as well as add some files into core system folders.

This is why your system is requiring "Administrator" to do the installing. 

The "Administrator" account is created by default when XP is first installed.  There is also an Administrator "group".  A group is really just a template that the system uses to determine permissions.

Once you have created regular user accounts, though, the default Administrator account vanishes from the Welcome screen, which you see when the computer starts up. Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice at the Welcome screen to retrieve the standard logon dialog. You can log on as Administrator from here.

[Lyrima]

*reads intently*

Oh!

Goodness Ime. THANK you.

I'll get right on that.

/cuts out the wisdom and pastes into Word Doc

/prints

/disapp--

Um. I use Internet explorer to access the internet /nod

/disappears to give suggestions a try

[Lyrima]

Thank you Ime. I have tried to log on using the 'admin' account using your tip.  It logged me into my 'Mommy' account, which is the one I use.  When I go to the Control Panel and 'Accounts' it lists the Mommy account as the admin account.

I've uninstalled the Quicktime I found on my computer. I never use it.  I've run a registry fix and defragged it.  I've tried more than once to d/l flashplayer.  Do you know every time I log into EQ2 I have to decline d/ling flashplayer before it will launch me ig?

help? What else can I do?  I access the internet using IE.

Thank you!

[Imeriel]

So I'm going to hazard a guess that the account "Administrator" was renamed to "Mommy" ?

That "might" be the crux of the problem.  Not to say for sure, but the Flash installer might specifically be looking for the account ~named~ Administrator.  And instinct is telling me this is the case ... in the newer flash versions anywho. 

The Mommy account might ~be~ the Administrator account by system identification, but its still named "Mommy", not Administrator.

I'm not going to get into the ages long debate over whether its wise to delete or rename the Installed by Default Administrator account.

Just rename it back to Administrator for right now, to get Flash installed.  Or see if you can.  While on the Mommy account do:

   1. Click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools.
   2. Double-click Computer Management. In the console tree, expand Local Users and Groups, then click Users.
   3. Right-click the Administrator account, and click Rename.
   4. Rename the account (in this case, rename to "Administrator" without the quotation marks). The change will take effect the next time you log on to that account, so log off, then log back on.

Then go to http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer and follow the instructions.

If this is not working, or you don't feel comfy, we'll arrange a time I can talk to you on phone and walk you through things.  Far far easier   If I remember correctly, Tan still has your number.

[Namae Nai]

Have you thought about getting Firefox? If it's a problem with Internet Explorer not wanting to load Flash correctly, Firefox might be able to load it.

If it's a problem with the latest generation of Flash installers, Ime's solution should work fine.

[Lyrima]

Hm. Followed Ime's directions and this is what I saw:

Name: Administrator
Full name:
Description: Built in account for administering the computer/domain

then several accounts for kids

then:

Name: My name
Full Name: Mommy
Description: Administrator

OK so, let's pretend there IS an admin account. What if I forgot the password then? What do I do about that?

[Imeriel]

Hm. Followed Ime's directions and this is what I saw:

Name: Administrator
Full name:
Description: Built in account for administering the computer/domain

then several accounts for kids

then:

Name: My name
Full Name: Mommy
Description: Administrator

OK so, let's pretend there IS an admin account. What if I forgot the password then? What do I do about that?

Ooo ... so there ~is~ an Administrator account.  Windows XP (both Home and Professional versions) have a "hidden" administrator account. By default, it does not have a password set.  So, if you've never logged onto it, I'm going to guess a password was never set.  So you're good.

Ok.  So.  We going to see if your IE Security Options are preventing this first. 

To view your Security Level do the following:

   1. Open Internet Explorer.
   2. Choose Tools then Internet Options.
   3. Select the Security tab.
   4. Choose Internet.
   5. Ensure that "Download Signed ActiveX controls" and "Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins" are not disabled.

Then go to http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer and follow the instructions.  You will want to make sure that any anti-virus software you have running is Not Running whilst this is being done.  You will also want to make sure that in Norton's Settings do not disable or prevent Active  X xontrols / plugins.  I don't run Norton, so am not ~quite~ sure where you'd find that, but can find out  if needed.

If that does not work, or if they already weren't disabled, then we'll want to try to get onto the Administrator account.

Log out.
Ctrl Alt Delete twice in a row
This should bring you onto "classic" logon screen, where you can actually type a name in where it says Name
Type Administrator in Name area
In Password Area, leave it blank
Log On

You are now in as Administrator. 

Once you're in there, you will want to give this account a password.

Click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools.
Double-click Computer Management. In the console tree, expand Local Users and Groups, then click Users.
Choose "Administrator" account
Should be an option button to Create a Password


After that is done, then go to http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer and follow the instructions.  If it asks you at any point Just for Self or All Users, choose All Users.  Then log out of Administrator account and log in to your own.




Have I said yet I Hate XP?   Its my own personal soapbox, heh.