Flash Player for 64bit IE

Find this directory, and run the FlashUtil file. It may have more characters in the name, like FlashUtil10c.exe, or so.

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash

It will ask you if you want to install Flash. Close all IE windows, and then let it install, and then restart your computer. You shouldn't have anymore flash related issues, unless you have disabled the add-on manually.

By the way, IE x86 is the default browser on all MS OSes, so there shouldn't ever be an issue about not using IE x64. If you need to upgrade, such as to install IE8 on Vista, just do it through Windows Update, and you'll get the proper version. Until there's actually a reason to use an x64 browser, there probably won't be any reason to code plug-ins for one.

DeaconFrost said:

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Until there's actually a reason to use an x64 browser, there probably won't be any reason to code plug-ins for one.

Bit of a Catch 22 here:
Until some-one codes 64-bit plugins we cannot use a 64-bit browser (in Windows) anyway, even if we want to.

The reason for doing so is that IE8 and IE7 64-bit browsers are slightly quicker than their 32-bit counterparts, not much, but enough to make me want to use 64-bit IE8.

Try both on some sites that don't require 32-bit plugins such as Flash or Silverlight.

I did this ages ago but cannot remember which sites I used for the test, which was not very scientific.

I'd be interested if anyone else has done a more scientifically accurate comparison of 64-bit vs 32-bit IE speeds and other aspects such as security etc.

I agree that they are only as good as the plug-in support, but until that happens, there's still no reason to use the IE x64 version. It isn't any faster. It's a web browser, not a database application, or something complex that would truly benefit from the x64 extensions.

Simply opening a website with one and then the other isn't a valid comparison, considering the files could be cached already, network conditions could change, the load on the remote server could change, etc. Just because something is x64, doesn't automatically make it faster than it's x86 counterpart.

Besides, for the sake of argument, let's say it opens a web page one hundredth of a second faster. Is that really worth it over incompatibilities with plug-ins, and pages that don't load fully? Stick with the x86 version until there's a reason to switch.

DeaconFrost said:

run the FlashUtil file.

It did it. The file is FlashUtil10c.exe. Thank you, I am happy now (for now)

I have found that if you either don't install, or remove the installation of, the Silverlight update (KB974331) then Adobe Flash should still work (or at least, it does on my Windows 7 64-bit).

Thank you. I do not have this update installed and Adobe Flash works fine on my Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit. So, it looks that you are right! I will not be installing this update - thank for the warning.

Krout said:

Thank you. I do not have this update installed and Adobe Flash works fine on my Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit. So, it looks that you are right! I will not be installing this update - thank for the warning.

To clear any confusions or misunderstandings...

Adobe Flash works on the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer, not the 64-bit version. The fact that it's working under Windows 7 x64 just means it's working under IE 32-bit since W7 x64 has both 32 and 64-bit versions of IE installed. See my post here - Latest Version of Adobe Flash Player

Full thread - Latest Version of Adobe Flash Player

Microsoft's Silverlight has nothing to do with whether Adobe's Flash Player works or not. I have both installed and they work just fine.

Also note that there is still no 64-bit support for Adobe Flash player yet

next major update they said will include 64-bit.

swarfega said:

next major update they said will include 64-bit.

They've been saying this for about 2 years now. At least shortly after Vista (x64) was released.