can't read swf files?

[Lone Wolf]

There are some sites I go to where the files are swf and all I get is a broken icon, I have tried downloading flash several times and it seems to load ok but I still can't read the files. There are also swf files I receive on outlook email and the same thing happens.
I have gone to macomedia and followed all the troubleshooting suggestions but still nothing, I even went into tools and checked everything there, still nothing, unless I am missing something.
I am using IE6 most recent updates and XP home with sp2, these seem to be the only files I cannot open? Any ideas??
Thanks in advance

[degsy]

Welcome :)

Where did you install from?
Try this http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

[Lone Wolf]

Thanks for the quick response, that is the site I downloaded from. It seems to download ok, I did not have a problem with blocking of any kind. However, when I try to open anything with swf files all I get is the broken icon. I tried all the remedies they suggest.

[renegade600]

behind a firewall or router? What about your security settings. Try changing to medium.

[Miz]

In Internet Explorer, go to Tools>Manage Add-ons. Make sure "Shockwave Flash Player" is listed there, it's enabled and it's not corrupted.

If it's corrupted, delete it in that window and reinstall it.

This is what I found on the Macromedia Flash support page:
"Pop-up blockers blocking Flash
The most common cause of Flash movies failing to display is the presence of a pop-up/ad blocker software that specifically targets Flash content. To find out more about this please see Flash movies do not appear after installing the Flash Player (TN 19091).

Internet utilities blocking ActiveX
Some Internet Utilities, such as Norton Internet Utilities, perform functions similar to a firewall and may restrict viewing of ActiveX controls. You need to ensure that your firewall or utility settings are set to allow ActiveX controls or you will not be able to view Flash movies in Internet Explorer."

Assuming this is the information you've already seen, and if uninstalling and reinstalling Flash through IE's Add-ons doesn't work, here's how I finally fixed the same problem on a Windows 98 computer.

I uninstalled Macromedia Shockwave Player in Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs.

Rather than letting it do a web install, I downloaded Shockwave Player and Flash Player to the harddrive, closed all browser windows and reinstalled Shockwave Player first, then Flash.

I had to do some searching around to find the downloadable versions but they are available on Macromedia's web site...somewhere.

I fought the problem for a couple of hours before it ocurred to me to try that method.

[Lone Wolf]

:wave:
Thank you all so much for your help, I finally went and deleted flash both 6 & 7 (just in case I had 2 sitting there) then I downloaded the stand alon installer and reinstalled flash 7, tested it on all the sites I could not read and it works.
Again thank you all-your great.