Software Deployment

I've done some testing with this and have found that creating the MMS.CFG file with the AutoUpdateDisable=1 as detailed in the Adobe documentation does work to disable auto-update. The confusing part is that their method for testing it with a packet sniffer is not quite right. Even if you create the MMS.CFG file (with the setting AutoUpdateDisable=1) and put it in the correct folder, the first time you launch a Flash enabled website it will still make contact with the "Macromedia fpdownload" server (FYI - I'm using "Ultra Network Sniffer" to monitor this). Subsequent launches of Flash enabled websites do not seem to initiate any contact with "Macromedia fpdownload".
I did my testing with an early build of Flash v9 that I had confirmed would prompt for an update if I didn't have the MMS.CFG file with AutoUpdateDisable=1. As a reverse test I was able to set AutoUpdateDisable=0, access a Flash website, reboot my PC and Flash would prompt me that there was a newer version available. If you do want to test this be sure to also include the setting AutoUpdateInterval=0 so that Flash will immediately check for updates not 30 days from now.

I'm not 100% sure if the mms.cfg works or not.. The only way I found to adequately test it was to do a capture using ethereal to see if when to open a Flash document from a site other than the macromedia or adobe websites it does try to request information from one of these sites when run for the first time.

If it doesn't request information from adobe or macromedia then I found the mms.cfg file was working and if it did request information from adobe or macromedia then it wasn't... Unfortuntely I found out soon after trying this method that I'm not allowed to use Ethereal in my environment so I am unable to test it anymore...

So... I came up with an alernate option...

Deleting the following files from the File table:
getflash.exe.52442A12_0334_40E2_BC90_E3BE2AD2E349
getflash.exe.manifes.52442A12_0334_40E2_BC90_E3BE2AD2E349

I'm not 100% sure this works as an update hasn't been released, but if you run the application manually you will find that it is the same application that is run when the taskbar icon appears letting you know an update is available.

Flash runs normally without these files.

According to IT Administration: Configuring Flash Player auto-update notification mms.cfg can be used to configure auto-update notification settings for version 9.

According to the documentation it should work. However the dircetory for the mms.cfg is now %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\Macromed\Flash\

Unfortunately, it does not seem to work. I have an mms.cfg with "AutoUpdateDisable=1" in it, but it has no effect, no matter in what directory I place it.

Have anybody made this to work?

According to the documentation it should work. However the dircetory for the mms.cfg is now %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\Macromed\Flash\

Unfortunately, it does not seem to work. I have an mms.cfg with "AutoUpdateDisable=1" in it, but it has no effect, no matter in what directory I place it.

Have anybody made this to work?

I have tried, and apparently I do not know how to test it successfully. It appears to act the same way whether MMS.CFG is there or not.

How are you testing this feature?

Hi Bob,
read the 2. post above. It explains how to test it.
Regards, Nick

Hi Bob,
read the 2. post above. It explains how to test it.
Regards, Nick


I had read it already and I have never used ethereal or a packet sniffer or capture. IMO it should not be required to use a packet sniffer! I have an older version installed and it should auto-update but I can't get it to kick off, even after opening flash documents from non-adobe website as suggested. The Adobe technotes are not much help either.

read the 2. post above. It explains how to test it.
I used the Flash Settings Manager to check autoupdate, and my problem is that I cannot ensure that it is switched off!

Steen

ORIGINAL: MicrosoftBob
IMO it should not be required to use a packet sniffer! Bob, that's the only way you'll be able to see whether or not the EXE is talking to the update host. Without using a sniffer, you'll have to, er, guess/pray/hope.

Hi Bob,
IMO it should not be required to use a packet sniffer!
OK, tell that Adobe.
But it changes nothing on the fact, that the mentioned procedure is the only one, to get a reliable test scenario.
Adobe suggests that them self in this Technote.
Regards, Nick

An easy simple sniffer would be tcpdump which you can download from http://www.tcpdump.org.
There is no install required for this and if I remember correct it does not need libpcap.

Some helpful links:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1. original tcpdump home page
http://www.tcpdump.org/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2. microOLAP tcpdump for windows home page
http://www.microolap.com/products/network/tcpdump/
current version 3.9 ( 2005.05.24 )
---------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Article: "Making a Connection with tcpdump, Part I"
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6446
---------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Article: "Making a Connection with tcpdump, Part II"
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6447
---------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Article: "Tutorial on the use of tcpdump and BPF's"
http://www.whitehats.ca/main/members/Malik/malik_tcpdump_filters/malik_tcpdump_filters.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Article: "Understanding tcpdump"
http://www.aei.ca/~pmatulis/pub/tcpdump.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Article: "TCPDUMP: The Spanner Wrench of Network Monitoring"
http://www.usenix.org/publications/login/1998-8/tcpdump.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Article: "How to use TCPDump"
http://www.erg.abdn.ac.uk/users/alastair/tcpdump.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Article: "Exploring TCP/IP with TCPdump and Tethereal"
http://www.linux.org.tw/CLDP/LG/2003/01/vinayak.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick/Ian,
I know Adobe suggests the packet sniffer as well, thus, my comment regarding Adobe not being much help. If I had the latest version installed, this would make sense because no other changes would occur. However, since I have an older version installed, it should try to update it, even if silently, and I would see the file/registry changes after the update. If I am able to find the motivation, I may try some of the links that Kim generously posted, but I would expect no traffic to be there since it is not updating.

Steen,
This is a section from the Adobe technote that Nick posted:

Note: Settings in mms.cfg override the end-user's settings
and cannot be changed by the end-user through Settings Manager.
Settings Manager, as viewed by the end-user, will not reflect
configuration settings set by mms.cfg.

[:-] Ridiculous, IMO. Settings Manager should reflect what is in mms.cfg, if present, and disable changing it. Yet another reason why Adobe is no help.

[:-] Ridiculous, IMO. Settings Manager should reflect what is in mms.cfg, if present, and disable changing it. Yet another reason why Adobe is no help.
Thanks, this explains a lot! You are right: Adobe is no help at all.

Steen

As a reverse test I was able to set AutoUpdateDisable=0, access a Flash website, reboot my PC and Flash would prompt me that there was a newer version available.

Thanks! I didn't realize I had to reboot to get prompted for the update. I am able to reproduce what you have stated, so I am confident that the mms.cfg file works as intended.

I can't for the life of me imagine why a reboot would make any difference. Closing down and restarting Internet Explorer, though, makes sense.

ORIGINAL: VBScab

I can't for the life of me imagine why a reboot would make any difference. Closing down and restarting Internet Explorer, though, makes sense.


mms.cfg is parsed when flash.ocx is registered by the system?

also, Thanks for the post cranky1

ORIGINAL: dariussquared
mms.cfg is parsed when flash.ocx is registered by the system? That's useful information. Developers get more dumb by the day, don't they? A config file which is only ever read (normally) once. Superb...

However, that doesn't explain why a reboot is required. If the above is the case, though - and I have no reason to doubt you - a reboot could still be avoided by un-registering and re-registering the OCX. Given the pitfalls around that exercise which we counsel against here (missing dependencies, etc.), I'd advise doing that in script, wrapped round with tons of error-trapping.

Ok, just to clarify everything, this is what I did:

Started a VM session and installed Flash 9.0.47 (latest is 9.0.115). Added MMS.CFG to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MACROMED\FLASH with AutoUpdateDisable=1. Visited a website with Flash, verified that Flash loaded by right clicking and seeing the Flash 9 pop up menu. Rebooted VM session. No update prompt as expected.

Edited MMS.CFG and changed AutoUpdateDisable to 0 and AutoUpdateInterval=0. Visited website with Flash, verified that Flash loaded and closed IE. Checked registry and the following entry was added:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
"FlashPlayerUpdate"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\Macromed\\Flash\\FlashUtil9d.exe"

Rebooted and of course, received an update prompt telling the user that an update is available and asking to install now or remind later or don't install.

[8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|][8|]

I noticed the documentation provided by Adobe states that mms.cfg file needs to be saved with UTF-8 encoding. Was this done?

ORIGINAL: MicrosoftBob
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
"FlashPlayerUpdate"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\Macromed\\Flash\\FlashUtil9d.exe" Excellent work, Bob. Have you added this gem to the 'Package KB' (that page isn't loading for me this morning...)?

Great work, Bob. Will you be updaing the 'Package KB' with this gem?


Thanks, and I just submitted an entry to the package kb.

Here how I did it :

Go to http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager05.html

Uncheck "Notify me..."

Close IE/Firefox

A config file is now saved under : C:\Documents and Settings\<Username>\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\support\flashplayer\sys\settings.sol

After that, you can copy this file under all profiles.

How to verify Adobe Flash Player AutoUpdateDisable feature

ENVIRONMENT

Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP3
Adobe Flash Player 10.0.32.18
[/align]
SUMMARY

Adobe Flash Player includes a feature for prompting when a new version of the product is available. Notifications for automatic updating can be controlled per-user or per-machine. This document describes how to disable automatic updates notifications per-machine.
[/align]
MORE INFORMATION

To use this information Adobe Flash Player must be installed.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.

For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

[/align]322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows[/align][/align]

Create an MMS.CFG file
[/align]

1. Open Windows Explorer, browse to:
   
   %windir%\system32\Macromed\Flash (x86)
   %windir%\sysWOW64\Macromed\Flash (x64)
   
   
2. Create a text document named MMS.CFG.
   

[/align]Definition of settings used in the following sections
[/align]
[/align][/align]AutoUpdateDisable = [ 0, 1 ] (0 = false, 1 = true)

If this value is set to 0 (the default), Flash Player lets the user enable or disable auto-update in the Settings Manager. If this value is set to 1, Flash Player disables auto-update, which prevents Flash Player from automatically checking for and installing updated versions. You can’t use this option to prevent the user from disabling auto-update. If this value is set to 1, or if the user disables auto-update, the remaining options in this section are ignored.

If AutoUpdateDisable is 0, per-user settings in the %appdata%\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\support\flashplayer\sys\settings.sol file are used.

AutoUpdateInterval = [ number of days ]

If this is a negative value (the default), Flash Player uses the auto-update interval value specified in the Settings Manager. (If users don't make any changes with the Settings Manager, the default is every 30 days.) If this value is set to 0, Flash Player checks for an update every time it starts. If this is a positive value, the value specifies the minimum number of days between update checks.
[/align][/align]
Enable Per-User Automatic Updating Notifications

1. Edit the file using Notepad and add the following lines:
   
   AutoUpdateDisable=0
   AutoUpdateInterval=0
   
   
2. Save the file using either ANSI (aka. Windows 1252: Western European) or UTF-8 encoding.
   

Enable Per-Machine Automatic Updating Notifications

1. Edit the file using Notepad and add the following lines: (The AutoUpdateInterval setting can be removed, but is not necessary.)
   
   AutoUpdateDisable=1
   AutoUpdateInterval=0
   
   
2. Save the file using either ANSI (aka. Windows 1252: Western European) or UTF-8 encoding.

Test Automatic Updating Notifications

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce[/align]
4. If a FlashPlayerUpdate value exists, delete the value.
5. Open Internet Explorer to http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager05.html. This is the Adobe Flash Player Settings Manager, Global Notification Settings tab.
   
   While the checkbox value is held in memory, Settings Manager does not validate the existence of registry value on loading. It only writes the value on exit.
   
   
6. Check or uncheck the Notify me when an update to Adobe Flash Player is available checkbox.
7. Click another tab in Settings Manager (it doesn't matter which).
   
   
8. Refresh the view in regedit.
   
   See the following chart for results:
   
   FlashPlayerUpdate Value Exists Before Change | AutoUpdateDisable | Checkbox | FlashPlayerUpdate Value Exists After Change
   Yes 0 Checked Yes
   Yes 0 Unchecked Yes
   No 0 Checked Yes
   No 0 Unchecked No
   Yes 1 Checked Yes
   Yes 1 Unchecked Yes
   No 1 Checked No
   No 1 Unchecked No
   

[/align]REFERENCES

Adobe Flash Player is available for download at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/.[/align]
APPLIES TO

Adobe Flash Player 10.0.32.18
[/align]

Ochtinlea, I got this message on Windows 7 x64:[Window Title]
Location is not available

[Content]
C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\ refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this computer, or on a network. Check to make sure that the disk is properly inserted, or that you are connected to the Internet or your network, and then try again. If it still cannot be located, the information might have been moved to a different location.

[OK]On 64-bit operating systems, the correct path for 32-bit plugins is "%WINDIR%\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\".

ORIGINAL: Ochtinlea

How to verify Adobe Flash Player AutoUpdateDisable feature




Excellent work, thanks!

Daz.

Thank you XP1. I added the path to my post as well.