Howto Install 32 bit Firefox with Flash w/sound and Java for AMD64

[Kilz]

Ok i just tried the automated script on Kubuntu Edgy. This is what it does.


Edit Ok a manual install worked but it looks like......... Anyone know how i can make it look the same as my 64 bit Firefox? Im guessing its a theme but which one? For now it looks poor so ill only use it to play java games. Im now trying to find where to whing to sun that they dont have a 64 bit Linux Java plugin or .debs and should have. I think we should all complain its not like Ubuntu is that rare a distro and 64bit is starting to come into use more widely and much faster than 64 bit 'doze which im certain they support

You are correct, its the theme you are using. Try changing it.

[Thene]

Hi Kilz,

Was just wondering - do you have 32bit Firefox working with Feisty?

I am using Feisty but Firefox does not connect; however my 64bit Firefox is fine.


Thanks Kindly.

[lame_dude]

The 64bit browser is built off the same code as the 32bit browser. So security should be the same. If we use your logic, the 64bit version will be less secure because fewer people are looking at it.

No, there is another story.There is very few hackers familiar with x64 asm and fewer users so it is not so interesting target as x86-32, so there is very little chance someone will craft exploit for x64 even if bug known.Not a case for x86-32 though.

Once problem is discovered, in theory, any (?) architecture is hackable of course (but some architectures like "classic" x86 lacks "No Execute" setting are more hackable though).The practice however differs.Dozen of hackers familiar with x86-32 code (there is looooooooots of them) will craft exploit for x86-32 quite quickly, often in few days.Also because majority users running x86-32 so it is interesting target.x64 is another story: there is slightly fewer users up to date so hacker's "reward" is small.As well as there is very few people capable writing on x64 asm and even fewer can craft exploits.Of course this not makes things more secure in theory but gives much more time to apply updates in practice before bug is really getting exploited so YOU can be hacked.

Funny example: compare how many bugs were found in Mac OS when it existed on PowerPC only. Now, compare with x86 Mac OS.Do you really thinking Apple code quality dropped so low?I'm thinking that it remained exactly same but x86 is just more familiar to bunch of hackers so it has been much more carefully "tested"

There is one problem with nspluginwrapper (other than its hard to install, hard to get it to work,

Hmm, I seen things harder than that.But not very user-friendly solution, yes.I wonder why Masters of Universe will not put this into repository.If someone wanna to give a try, it is up to him, right?Maybe display warning it is beta quality solution.

and can crash the browser on some sites)

Did not noticed so far. Now I have opened 250+ tabs and there is some sites using flash.Well, let's see what happens.

The lack of java plugin support.

I'm personally do not need this right now.Under Windows or 32-bit Linux I'm always switched it off in browser.It is quite hard to keep up to date, and there is regular security issues (like sandbox bypassing) - this makes it a poor choise for web.Additionally it can be abused to track your real IP even if you using proxy, etc.And there is really very few sites where it really needed.Flash is another story due to video for example.

[Kilz]

No, there is another story.There is very few hackers familiar with x64 asm and fewer users so it is not so interesting target as x86-32, so there is very little chance someone will craft exploit for x64 even if bug known.Not a case for x86-32 though.

Once problem is discovered, in theory, any (?) architecture is hackable of course (but some architectures like "classic" x86 lacks "No Execute" setting are more hackable though).The practice however differs.Dozen of hackers familiar with x86-32 code (there is looooooooots of them) will craft exploit for x86-32 quite quickly, often in few days.Also because majority users running x86-32 so it is interesting target.x64 is another story: there is slightly fewer users up to date so hacker's "reward" is small.As well as there is very few people capable writing on x64 asm and even fewer can craft exploits.Of course this not makes things more secure in theory but gives much more time to apply updates in practice before bug is really getting exploited so YOU can be hacked.

Funny example: compare how many bugs were found in Mac OS when it existed on PowerPC only. Now, compare with x86 Mac OS.Do you really thinking Apple code quality dropped so low?I'm thinking that it remained exactly same but x86 is just more familiar to bunch of hackers so it has been much more carefully "tested"

You are comparing 2 different code bases in the mac os for intel and ppc. There are actual differences in the code. Not so in firefox for 32 bit and 64bit. It is the exact same code with no changes. The only changes are the processor flags used when compiling.
Same code = same bugs = same flaws.

[Kilz]

Hi Kilz,

Was just wondering - do you have 32bit Firefox working with Feisty?

I am using Feisty but Firefox does not connect; however my 64bit Firefox is fine.


Thanks Kindly.

Take a look at the main page again, look for the Feisty section.

[Thene]

I must've missed that, thanks Kilz.

Incidentally I am still having java issues. When I vist some sites the browser just poof, disappears.

You wouldn't happen to have any ideas on what is causing this?

[Kilz]

I must've missed that, thanks Kilz.

Incidentally I am still having java issues. When I vist some sites the browser just poof, disappears.

You wouldn't happen to have any ideas on what is causing this?

Im still working on a Feisty script, I will release one when Feisty is released. The reason Im holding off is things change so fast. But I have found that the Java that is installed (jre1.42 blackdown) has problems on Feisty. I went to the java site and was able to download the 1.5.0 or java5 software version 11. This seems to work much better. The manual instructions on the front page should be all you need to install it to replace the existing install. But remove it first with

sudo rm -rfd /usr/lib32/java32

To be safe.

[Thene]

Thank you for that, I actually got it working.

Funnily enough I was using 1.5.0 or java5 software version 11. The problem was that I had this all working with Dapper and when I installed Edgy that was when I first encountered the Java problem and I was never able to fix it.

Just going back over the installation, I think something went awry with the symbolic link. When I looked at the file in firefox32/plugins, it was locked. I simply removed it and reinstalled the Java and now it's all working again.

Thank you so much for your help.

(The problem was so unbearably frustrating! Especially when a browser full of open tabs disappears. I am over the moon!)

[wncben]

Hey Kilz,

Thanks for all your hard work helping us relative noobs tackle the 64bit juggernaut I got 32bit ff and flash up and running with no problems under edgy, but ran into the problem you mentioned trying to install it in feisty.
I saw your comment on the opening page, but was just wondering what ipv6 support is, and what the possible effects might be of blacklisting it, what other programs might depend on it? I ran into dependency hell under edgy, what with the kernel change I needed to do to get my 4318 wifi card working on my 64bit system etc etc... so I am trying to be a little careful to at least somewhat understand what I am doing
another question, about the flash 9 installer... it looks like all the installer does is drop the plugin into your firefox plugins folder... so I tried dropping it into my 64bit firefox folder manually, no joy, so I went and looked at the installer script, which mentions that the .so file is just a symbolic link and that the data would be installed by the script, but could not find the data, which I assume is that other file that got installed... anyhow, is there any way to make 64 bit ff use the 32 bit plugin? you mentioned that the 32 and 64 bit ff code is the same... any insight would be much appreciated...
Cheers~ Ben

[Kilz]

Hey Kilz,

Thanks for all your hard work helping us relative noobs tackle the 64bit juggernaut I got 32bit ff and flash up and running with no problems under edgy, but ran into the problem you mentioned trying to install it in feisty.
I saw your comment on the opening page, but was just wondering what ipv6 support is, and what the possible effects might be of blacklisting it, what other programs might depend on it? I ran into dependency hell under edgy, what with the kernel change I needed to do to get my 4318 wifi card working on my 64bit system etc etc... so I am trying to be a little careful to at least somewhat understand what I am doing
another question, about the flash 9 installer... it looks like all the installer does is drop the plugin into your firefox plugins folder... so I tried dropping it into my 64bit firefox folder manually, no joy, so I went and looked at the installer script, which mentions that the .so file is just a symbolic link and that the data would be installed by the script, but could not find the data, which I assume is that other file that got installed... anyhow, is there any way to make 64 bit ff use the 32 bit plugin? you mentioned that the 32 and 64 bit ff code is the same... any insight would be much appreciated...
Cheers~ Ben

ipv6 is mostly a pain in the rear. It isnt used all over, and ipv4 is still in use if you disable ipv6. While I havent tried all 20k applications in Ubuntu, what I have tried worked. In any event if something you rely on stops accessing the internet, it is easy to just reverse the instructions since nothing is deleted.
There is one way of making 64bit firefox use 32bit plugins, or at least some of them. Its called nspluginwrapper. It is hard to install , hard to make work (read almost impossible), and doesnt offer any java support. Secondly if you try it, it will make 32bit firefox plugins stop working.
There is no way other of making 64bit firefox use 32bit plugins, because of the way they are compiled. If you are thinking you are missing out on performance, dont, since it is based on the 32bit code, any performance improvements will not be humanly noticeable. There will have to be a 64bit rewrite of the firefox code before 64bit users notice any difference.