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"Help, I've Received a Flash Player Error Message!"

Don't panic, it happens to the best of us.  We've all been there: working happily, listening to some music, perhaps browsing Facebook when suddenly the video we were trying to watch crashes and a random error message pops up.  Something broke, but we have no idea what it was or how severe it will be.  When Flash breaks, as it sometimes does, it can disable functionality for instant messaging clients, streaming video, website menus, and online games.

Most of the time it can be fixed with little fuss.  Occassionally it may put up a bit of a fight, but by and large it is something that can be done quickly and easily by simply uninstalling and reinstalling flash (see below for instructions).  Other times the flash player error message is simply a warning, letting us know that something isn't going exactly like it should be.

What to Do Once You See the Flash Player Error Message:

Once the message pops up there are a couple of things that you can do to make troubleshooting and solving the problem a little easier.

• Make a note of what you were doing at the time - As soon as the flash player error message displays make a note of everything that you were doing.  See what websites you were browsing, what windows were open, and what applications were running in the background.  This will help you diagnose the cause, be it Flash itself or perhaps a problem within Windows.

• Write down any error messages/codes displayed - There are hundreds of different errors that you could experience with Macromedia Flash.  If you aren't sure of which one you experienced it can be hard to diagnose and solve the underlying cause.

• Attempt to recreate the error - Many people will freak out about an error and then never experience it again.  Sometimes errors happen completely randomly, and it's impossible to predict if they will occur again.  It is best to try to recreate the error by loading up the same windows and applications that were running before.  If it happens again you can start to remove background applications, windows, and other conditions until you isolate the source of the error.

Possible Flash Error Solutions:

A Flash player error message isn't the end of the world, but rather a warning that something isn't working correctly.  If you experience one you can rectify the problem and make sure that everything is running as it should be.

• Completely uninstall and reinstall Flash - If the flash player error message becomes a common thing your best option is to completely remove Flash and then reinstall it.  This will ensure that there are no missing or corrupt files causing the error.
  
  To completely remove Flash you have to use Adobe's uninstall tool, found at http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html.  Make sure you choose the version that is compatible with your operating system.  Once you have uninstalled Flash visit http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/ to install it again.

• Ensure your browser is installed properly - Many times errors with Flash are due to the browser not being configured properly.  Make sure that your web browser has JavaScript enabled, clear the cookies, and ensure that no components are corrupt or missing.  You can do this by updating the browsers to their latest versions.
  
  Download the latest version of Internet Explorer, FireFox, or Google Chrome.  We recommend that you use FireFox or Internet Explorer 8.  Please note that you may have to reinstall Flash after installing the updated version of your web browser in order for Flash to function properly.

• Upgrade your computer - Flash can be a very hardware dependant application.  If your computer is old, run down, or clogged up with spyware/malware it may be a good idea to simply upgrade your computer to newer, faster hardware.  This will ensure that Flash runs smoothly, reducing the chances of errors occurring due to freezing or locking up.