Alternative to Disabling Adobe Flash Player in IE, on Windows 7 machines with October update

Sometimes, updated will do more than just fix problems, but create new ones. This was the case for Internet Explorer and its relation with Flash Player, after the installation of the October 2017 update from Microsoft. Windows 7 users claim that the browser would crash when visiting different sites, and this lead to a helpful workaround being found. Users have been finding moderate success with disabling the Shockwave Flash Object service from the browser. While it does solve the problem of Internet Explorer crashing frequently, it creates another problem in the fact that sites with content which requires Flash will not be that responsive.

Working around the problem

It is understandable how this “fix” could be seen as inconvenient since users fix the problem but have to give something else up in exchange. The good news is that a new solution has been found for those dealing with this problem. To be more specific, it has been found that the issue can be stomped completely by rolling back to a previous version of Adobe Flash Player.

It looks like users that either have the 27.0.0.159 version of Adobe Flash Player or the 27.0.0.170 version can roll back to the previous, 27.0.0.130 version of the system. Doing this will take care of the issue with Internet Explorer crashing, not to mention that websites with Flash content will also be fully functional again since users don’t have to disable the Shockwave Flash Object service from their browser.

The alternate solution

Sure, it might solve the problem, but it would still be inconvenient since it would mean that users have to use an outdated version of the service. Putting security at risk just so the service doesn’t crash altogether can be considered a pretty bad deal for users. Luckily, a very helpful discovery has been made and it looks like there is another option. Users can also install the latest version of the software, which is the 27.0.0.180 BETA version. This is taking it to the completely opposite extreme, going from an outdated version to what’s considered beyond current date versions.

It sure sounds strange but it has been found that the aforementioned Beta version is more stable than the current Live version. While it’s weird, it works. Those that use this version of Adobe Flash Player claim that they have no problems with crashes or system instability. Users that want to be able to fully use Flash as well as their browser while they navigate online are recommended to give the 27.0.0.180 Beta version a try

It is not currently known whether Adobe is working to solve the problem for the current version, or if they’re just going to sweep it under the rug and release 27.0.0.180 as a Live iteration. It remains to be seen how the Flash Player developer chooses to deal with this problem.