How do you apply Flash updates?

[spgsitsupport]

Just wonder which way admins update clients Flash versions?

Via SCUP?

 

Thanks

 

Seb

[Peter van der Woude]

For Adobe updates SCUP is a good method, as Adobe delivers the CAB files for SCUP. In case you're also thinking about deploying other third-party updates, you also might want to look at addons to ConfigMgr for deploying third-party updates.

[HotdogSCCM]

SCUP always seemed like overkill for Adobe Flash. It's a dead-simple app to package and deploy.

 

We typically just use Collections to detect old versions, and an Application to deploy + drop the mms.cfg file to disable updates.

 

You're going to have to deploy the mms.cfg anyways, whether you use SCUP or manually updating, so it's just an extra step if you don't use an App/Package each time.

[spgsitsupport]

And you detect older version by what?

 

 

C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe does not present version no (like ie. FlashUtil64_18_0_0_232_Plugin.exe does)

 

Seb

[BryanP]

I do it with a collection that queries for computers running Flash older than the one I'm currently deploying. The query below looks for any computer running Adobe Flash ActiveX below 18.0.0.209, for example:

 

select SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_SYSTEM.SMSUniqueIdentifier,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceDomainORWorkgroup,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Client from SMS_R_System inner join SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS on SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.ResourceID = SMS_R_System.ResourceId where SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.DisplayName like "%Adobe Flash%" and SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.DisplayName like "%ActiveX%" and SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.Version < "18.0.0.209"

 

Then I use Orca to make any changes to the flash .msi, drop it in a folder with the current flash uninstaller (ever since I had couple of rounds of flash that wouldn't consistently install over the previous version I've been uninstalling it myself first), and package it up with the .bat shown below. I know it can be done more elegantly, but this works pretty well for me.

 

@echo off

taskkill /F /IM iexplore.exe /T
taskkill /F /IM firefox.exe /T
taskkill /F /IM chrome.exe /T

uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall activex

msiexec.exe /q /i "install_flash_player_18_active_x.msi"

[spgsitsupport]

Nice one, thanks a lot!

 

Seb

[h4x0r]

In our environment, we had issues with Java and Flash updates getting installed on a regular basis...we eventually scheduled a task sequence to run at certain times that would do a few things in addition to install the latest versions of those plugins (such as close browsers, mms.cfg, uninstall old plugins, etc). At that point, I basically just keep the application updated.

[surfincow]

I deploy the initial install as an Application so the mms.cfg gets included. Subsequent updates are pushed via SCUP. I've noticed that updates show up in SCUP a day or two sooner than on the public download site. Considering how many issues there are with Flash, getting updates out ASAP is a good thing