Adobe Flash install information for AMD64 (December 2009 update)

[michael37]

To moderators: please make this post sticky. It's predecessor was sticky on the x86-64 forum, but that forum is now closed. Thank you.

NEWS! Adobe Flash 11 for 64-bit is finally released!

Designed for 64-bit versions of Ubuntu starting with Hardy 8.04.
Do NOT use this script on any 32-bit version of Ubuntu.

Why use these instructions?
Instructions on Adobe website in "download flash player" are actually inaccurate for Linux 64-bit and will make you install Flash version 10. You do not want that.
Instructions on a popular sevenmachines ppa give a beta version with known security holes. You don't want that either.

Which browser is supported?
The only supported browsers are 64-bit Firefox 3.6 and 64-bit Firefox 10 provided by Ubuntu team. Lucid 10.04 and Maverick 10.10 supply functional version of FF 3.6 browser; otherwise you must obtain updated one from firefox-stable PPA. Detailed instructions here: FirefoxNewVersion from ubuntu community wiki.
Binary 32-bit version from Mozilla site is NOT supported and will not work. You can tell a difference by observing your User Agent from http://whatsmyuseragent.com/. Important differences are highlighted below.

RIGHT 64-bit browser: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:7.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/7.0.1
WRONG 32-bit browser: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686 (x86_64); en-US; rv:1.9.1.6) Gecko/20091201 Firefox/3.5.6

Installation

1. Uninstall previous scripts by running
   

   sudo rm /usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins/libflashplayer.so
   sudo rm /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so

2. Enable partner repository:
   Select System->Administration->Software Sources
   Go to "Other Sources" tab
   Check "partner" line
   Close window
3. Install Adobe script from partner's repository:
   

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install adobe-flashplugin

4. Close all browsers.
5. Restart your browser.
6. Test by going to http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/. Version 11,1,102,62 should show up in "Version" box.

Troubleshooting

• Uninstall instructions
  

  sudo rm /usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins/libflashplayer.so
  sudo rm /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so

  If you get errors during uninstall, you probably didn't install it correctly.
  If you still have flash plugin in Firefox after uninstall, post the information related to the flash plugin provided by shown in about:plugins.
  
  
• Complete cleanup instructions.
  brainspank contributed a script in comment 72, direct link, which wipes all versions of Flash from your computer. Try running this script and then re-running Get64bitFlash.
  
  
• No sound?
  Sound on a clean installation of Karmic 9.10 or Lucid 10.04 should work out of box. However, if you upgraded your machine from older versions of Ubuntu, or if you customized your audio, you sound may not work. In this case, try following instructions in this thread.
  
  
• Compiz/Desktop Effects
  If you are experiencing stability issues or problems with full screen, temporarily disable desktop effects. Best strategy is to run command:
  

  metacity --replace &

  If flash suddenly starts working, consider turning off desktop effects permanently, or consult Compiz forums. The bug is not in flash.
  
  
• Instability and Crashing due to Adobe Air.
  By themselves, AIR and the Flash plugin in Firefox both work great. Though sometimes when I navigate to a page in Firefox with Flash on it while AIR is running, Firefox exits due to a segmentation fault. Examples of AIR apps are Pandora and tweetdeck. This bug is reported only for 64-bit Ubuntu. More info.
  
• If you are having problems with stability, go to System / Administration / Software Sources, click on Updates tab and select Backports and Proposed. Update and upgrade.
  
  
• Screensaver
  If you have issues with full screen mode popping back to actual size (like on Hulu), check your screensaver and power management settings (uncheck "Activate screensaver when computer is idle" and put sliders to the right).
  
• Firefox 3.5 on Jaunty
  If Flash works in Firefox 3.0.X but doesn't work in Firefox 3.5.X that you downloaded from Mozilla site or using Ubuntuzilla, then you are running 64-bit Firefox 3.0.X and 32-bit Firefox 3.5.X. This plugin is 64-bit and will not work in a 32-bit browser. Remove 32-bit browser and install supported 64-bit browser by following instructions at FirefoxNewVersion from ubuntu community wiki.
  
  
• Intel graphics driver bug
  If you have an Intel video card, you may experience a bug in Intrepid and Jaunty.
  Source: Performance optimizations, based on bug.
  

  2. Download Bartec's fixmtrr.sh script and make it executable:
  

  $ sudo wget http://launchpadlibrarian.net/26193373/fixmtrr.sh -O /usr/local/bin/fixmtrr.sh
  $ sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/fixmtrr.sh

  3. Create a symbolic link to ensure the fixmtrr.sh script is executed upon each login via GDM:
  

  $ sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/fixmtrr.sh /etc/gdm/PostLogin/Default

  N.B. This works only if you are using the GNOME Display Manager (GDM). KDE/other users need to execute this script manually - see the Important Note section.

• Flash crashes on older 64-bit CPUs
  If firefox crashes with "Illegal instruction", possibly on all sites except youtube:
  

  $ firefox
  Illegal instruction

  then read the following thread about CPUs lacking lahf_lm instruction. Users report this problem with old Xeons and old Athlon64 chips.
  
  
• How to install for 32-bit Adobe Flash installation on 64-bit systems
  Use this method IF AND ONLY IF you can't get 64-bit Adobe Flash working. You cannot run 32-bit and 64-bit simultaneously.
  
  1. Complete cleanup instructions.
     brainspank contributed a script in comment 72, direct link, which wipes all versions of Flash from your computer. Run this script.
  2. Run command

     sudo apt-get install flashplugin-installer

  3. Close all browsers.
  4. Test by going to http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/. Version 10,1,82,76 should show up in "Version" box.
  5. Youtube and some other sites will work. Many sites will not. Complaints here: http://www.adobe.com/support/flash/
  
  

Changelog
Version 1.0
Flash 11 RELEASE for 64-bit. FINALLY! Version 11,0,1,152.
Version 0.4.0b
Flash 11 Beta for 64-bit
Version 0.3.3
"Square" Preview 3 version 10,3,162,29.
Version 0.3.1
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/
September 27, 2010 — Flash Player "Square" has been updated to include the security enhancements described in Security Bulletin APSB10-22. In addition, 32-bit content debuggers are now available in this preview.
Updated version to 10,2,161,23
Version 0.3.0
Updated version to 10,2,161,22
Versions 0.2 and 0.3.
Adobe has murdered Flash for 64-bit Linux. At least for the moment.
Version 0.2.3
Updated version to 10.0.45.2
Added cleanup for ~/.mozilla/plugins
Version 0.2.2
Updated version to 10.0.42.34 alpha prerelease of Adobe Flash
Version 0.2.1
Adds a symlink to /usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins
Version 0.2
Updates for the version 10.0.32.18 of Adobe Flash

[neilius]

Many thanks for this, works perfectly upgrading Flash on my system, having previously used an earlier version of this script. Rock on! Works in Epiphany and Google Chrome (but not sure if Chrome is using its own plugin, although it reports the same version number).

[michael37]

Many thanks for this, works perfectly upgrading Flash on my system, having previously used an earlier version of this script. Rock on! Works in Epiphany and Google Chrome (but not sure if Chrome is using its own plugin, although it reports the same version number).

Google Chrome uses Firefox plugins.

[nanotube]

suggest you also link to the instructions for running 32bit flash with 32bit firefox (for those that want to use the latest mozilla release, which is not available in the repos for any but the very latest ubuntu release).

there are instructions on the ubuntuzilla project faq, but essentially boils down to doing what you're doing, but using the 32bit flash library.

[michael37]

suggest you also link to the instructions for running 32bit flash with 32bit firefox (for those that want to use the latest mozilla release, which is not available in the repos for any but the very latest ubuntu release).

there are instructions on the ubuntuzilla project faq, but essentially boils down to doing what you're doing, but using the 32bit flash library.

Nanotube, thanks for the suggestion. I will abstain from adding these instructions for two reasons. One, I don't run 32-bit Firefox so I can't really advise wisely on this point. Second, I think there are plenty of websites addressing 32-bit flash so I am not sure how much value I'll add.
If you want to write a set instructions for 32-bit Firefox users on 64-bit Ubuntu, I'll be glad to include it in this guide.

[Treeh]

Is there any advantage to do doing this over downloading the x64 Flash plug-in from Adobe Labs?

[michael37]

Is there any advantage to do doing this over downloading the x64 Flash plug-in from Adobe Labs?

Ease of use. Adobe Flash is only available in binary form and only from Adobe site. This script downloads and installs 64-bit version of Flash, while the flashplugin-installer package simply downloads and installs 32-bit version of Flash.

[neilius]

I wonder if Ubuntu will include the 64bit binary by default soon, as it's been quite stable, much MUCH more so than nspluginwrapper with the 32bit version!

[michael37]

I wonder if Ubuntu will include the 64bit binary by default soon, as it's been quite stable, much MUCH more so than nspluginwrapper with the 32bit version!

Ubuntu won't include it until Adobe releases the product. I hope everyone here understands that they are running an alpha prerelease version.

[neilius]

Interesting that it's still in alpha after all this time.