This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Mulongo oyo etiyamaki na archive. Tuna motuna mosusu soki osengeli na lisalisi

Does running an SWF file break your Flash plugin?

Offisdes
Offisdes
more options

This is a solution, not a problem. Sorry for the subterfuge.

I am running Windows 7

I browse the Net and occasionally play some SWF games locally on my computer.

For over a year I have not been able to run Flash from FireFox. No other browser had a problem. Each time I tried a FF update, it would work once or twice, then I'd get the Black Screen of Death at the Flash video window. After trying every solution I could find on the net, I finally I did this:

I uninstalled FireFox down to the lowest level I could find. Everything in AppData, too ( but there must be some hidey-holes that FF uses for profile data because my bookmarks returned). I also uninstalled Flash.

Then, I installed FF 37, reinstalled Flash, and at Control Panel/Programs/Default Programs/(Make a file type always open in a specific program), I SET THE .SWF EXTENSION to Internet Explorer, NOT FireFox. It worked. Success. Hooray! I tried an SWF game, went back to the browser, everything STILL worked.

Then I then set the default .SWF extension back to FireFox, played an SWF game, back to FF, and Flash crashed every time.

I have since gone through the re-install operation again and have regained complete use of FireFox. I'll leave the SWF files for Internet Explorer because if the FireFox Flash plug-in gets involved, Flash will crash.

I hope this is useful. Bill

This is a solution, not a problem. Sorry for the subterfuge. I am running Windows 7 I browse the Net and occasionally play some SWF games locally on my computer. For over a year I have not been able to run Flash from FireFox. No other browser had a problem. Each time I tried a FF update, it would work once or twice, then I'd get the Black Screen of Death at the Flash video window. After trying every solution I could find on the net, I finally I did this: I uninstalled FireFox down to the lowest level I could find. Everything in AppData, too ( but there must be some hidey-holes that FF uses for profile data because my bookmarks returned). I also uninstalled Flash. Then, I installed FF 37, reinstalled Flash, and at Control Panel/Programs/Default Programs/(Make a file type always open in a specific program), I SET THE .SWF EXTENSION to Internet Explorer, NOT FireFox. It worked. Success. Hooray! I tried an SWF game, went back to the browser, everything STILL worked. Then I then set the default .SWF extension back to FireFox, played an SWF game, back to FF, and Flash crashed every time. I have since gone through the re-install operation again and have regained complete use of FireFox. I'll leave the SWF files for Internet Explorer because if the FireFox Flash plug-in gets involved, Flash will crash. I hope this is useful. Bill

All Replies (2)

James
James
  • Top 25 Contributor
  • Moderator
more options

Mozilla nor the Firefox browser does not provide the Flash player Plugin.

The Flash player is made and maintained by Adobe and Firefox makes use of it installed on system for Flash.

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Hi Bill, you said:

I ... occasionally play some SWF games locally on my computer.

... at Control Panel/Programs/Default Programs/(Make a file type always open in a specific program), I SET THE .SWF EXTENSION to Internet Explorer, NOT FireFox. It worked. Success. Hooray! I tried an SWF game, went back to the browser, everything STILL worked.

Setting the Windows file association for .swf to Internet Explorer should not affect how Firefox handles web-based media in a page displayed in Firefox, so if that change helps with the local media, it sounds like a good solution.

I would note that on my Windows 7, .swf is shown as an unknown file type, so yours might have gotten set to Firefox by accident at some point -- I don't think Firefox tries to take over .swf files.