TechNote

Adobe Shockwave Player will not install after updating Windows XP to Service Pack 2

Due to recent Microsoft updates to Internet Explorer (IE) in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Adobe Shockwave Player may not install properly if certain settings are enabled.

If you have problems installing the Adobe Shockwave Player, follow the troubleshooting steps below. If one step does not correct the problem, move on to the next step. After each step you may want to restart your machine to ensure your changes take effect before moving onto the next step.

Step 1: remove Adobe from the Untrusted Publishers list

If Adobe is listed in the Untrusted Publishers list, then the Adobe Shockwave Player cannot be installed on your machine.

To view your Untrusted Publishers in Internet Explorer choose Tools > Internet Options. In the IE properties dialog box, switch to the Content tab, then choose Publishers > Untrusted Publishers. If Adobe is in this list, remove the line by highlighting it and choosing Remove. After doing this you will be able to install the Adobe Shockwave Player by visiting the Adobe Download Center.

Step 2: Information Bar Requests download of the Shockwave Player

When viewing a website that requires an ActiveX control not currently installed, you see a gold bar just below the browser toolbars:

The information bar requires that you select it to proceed with the installation of the Shockwave Player.

Select the information bar and click "Install ActiveX control"
When the Internet Explorer - Security Warning dialog box titled appears, click the Install button.

Note: Please ensure that "Never install software from Adobe." is NOT checked.