Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

[patfla]

I had to wipe out my previous Kunbuntu 10.04 installation. Upon boot, I'd get a

DRDY ERR

(still don't know what that is) which would loop endlessly. Tried e2fsck and fsck but to no avail.

Reintall Kubuntu from a Live CD - at some point Firefox reinstalls itself. 3.6.6. For some reason I just can't get flash to work. You go to a page like www.nytimes.com; there's some flash embedded into it; and Firefox asks you if you want to install a 'missing plugin' (flash). Yes. A dialog pops up with 3 choices: Adobe's and two open source versions (I think one was named gnash).

Since nsplugin had been a huge memory hog previously, I tried the two open source versions but neither worked. Eventually reinstalled the Adobe version.

Except that it keeps installing (have tried multiple times) version 9.0 r999 when I know the lastest Adobe flash version are 10+. And 9.0 r999 doesn't work. Flickering, random colors - that is, it doesn't play properly.

Then I happened to notice: this is a 64 bit version of Firefox. x86_64. Uh oh, I don't think there's a 64 bit version of Adobe Flash even available.

My machine is an ideapad y550p which has a core i7 and I'm running the amd64 version of Kubuntu.

The only thing I can think of doing at the moment is to back up to a 32 bit version of Firefox but, between apt-get, Synaptic package manger; Kpackagekit; et. al. I can't find how I back up to an earlier version of something like Firefox?

[dibl]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

Adobe has withdrawn their 64-bit flash plugin, due to security vulnerabilities:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3112507.0

However you can still get it here:

http://linux.softpedia.com/get/Inter...ux-42958.shtml

[patfla]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

thanx dibl.

I found that the instructions here:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AM...efoxAndPlugins

worked for putting a 64 bit version of flash into the 64 bit version of Firefox.

The links may be the same as what you recommended - I haven't looked yet.

I should read the security-related link as well to understand what to avoid.

[patfla]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

I see that there's a 10.1 release here, including linux.

Except how do I translate this string so that I can actually install or download it:

apt:adobe-flashplugin?channel=$distro-partner
(from here: http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/ )

I have apturl installed, and lucid partner exposed, except every time I click for apturl to handle the above, I get a dialog to the effect of:

Unknown channel 'lucid-partner'

I thought this is what was necessary but it isn't doing the trick. And I've also done an apt-get update

myid@myid-laptop:/etc/apt$ grep -i partner sources.list
## 'partner' repository.
deb [url]http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu[/url] lucid partner
# deb-src [url]http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu[/url] lucid partner
myid@myid-laptop:/etc/apt$

[dibl]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

No, you can't add a source that way.

The format of sources in the file /etc/apt/sources.list is very strict -- they have to look a lot like this:

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner

I would not advise adding an Adobe site to your standard sources -- I'm not trying to be political, but they are not famous for giving a fig about Linux users, and I'm not buying the theory that they've suddenly seen the light. If they have a .deb package for your 64-bit architecture, then download the package and install it using dpkg. But don't try to set up a source that way -- you'll bring yourself and your system to grief that way.


p.s. my quick review of the adobe link suggests that 10.1 download is not a 64-bit package. I'd steer clear of it. If you don't want to use gnash, and don't mind whatever security risk exists, get the 64-bit download from the site I gave you.

[patfla]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

Actually I'd like to use some open source alternative to adobe, but neither gnash nor the other one (don't remember its name) worked.

I can give them a try again though.

To get gnash or its companion to work, do I need a 32 bit firefox?

[dibl]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

Did you follow this guide already?: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=766683

[patfla]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

No. Thanx - I will.

[Detonate]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

I am still using the 64 bit flash despite the security warnings as it is the only version that works well on my machine. I have the flashblock extension installed and I only allow trusted sites to run flash. I have had no problems. However, I have never tested it on the NYTimes web site and probably never will.

[Yuri sss]

Re: Firefox and Flash (64 bits).

Using Flash with 64-bit Firefox is simple. Close Firefox (if running), then uninstall nspluginwrapper and any flash-related stuff (just enter "flash" in Synaptic and uninstall any flash-realted stuff).
Then download the 64-bit Flash from here and place the .so file in .mozilla/plugins. Done. Works much better than nspluginwrapper.
I went to that New York Times site and tried playing Flash videos, and it worked fine.

As there's a security hole in the last Flash 10.0 build which Adobe is refusing to fix for 64-bit, you should use Adblock or Flashblock to only allow Flash on trustworthy sites (I'm feeling ever more sympathy for Apple and their decision to not allow Flash on the iPhone/iPad).