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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > NEVER EVER install Flash!!

NEVER EVER install Flash!!
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mindwaves
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Dec 27, 2014, 09:08 AM
 
My MacBook Pro was working perfectly the last two years and was Flash free. I wanted to download some videos, so I downloaded a Firefox extension that let me download any video, as long as it was playing. To play the videos, I needed to download Flash. I went to download Flash and installed it (stupid that I had to download an installer to install Flash) and all was well. A couple of days later when watching YouTube (which went from playing HTML 5 videos to Flash upon installation of Flash), my Mac froze solid and I rebootted.

My Mac was never the same after that. The Mac would boot but with the Finder would be totally non-responsive. Resetting PRAM and others did not work. Going into diagnostic mode and safe boot mode didn't work. Safe boot mode would load (but strangely when loading showed this mini blind effect of the blinds opening?), the Finder would freeze solid and I couldn't do anything. Stuff in the background would load as I could see wifi connecting and Dropbox connecting through the menu bar, but the finder was frozen solid and I couldn't click on anything. Since I am at a hotel for an extended period, I only had my Mac and no secondary Mac to ssh into since the GUI was frozen solid but it seemed to be working internally, but strategy, enough, I had my Time Machine in my suitcase (I was moving and temporarily staying in a hotel), so I am currently recovering from my Time Machine). To do that, I had to run to the nearest electronic parts store and buy a $3 adapter for my Time Machine to work with the plugs here)

Unfortunately, due to the nature of my moving, my Time Machine was only up to date until December 6, 2014 (back when it was Flash free) so I am losing about two weeks of data. The good thing is that I lost nothing mission critical for my work and everything can be found with some searching and redowloading.

The key takeaway from this is to not download Flash and always have backups. I will never trust my data with cloud backups. I am eight hours away from restoring my Mac.
( Last edited by mindwaves; Dec 27, 2014 at 12:00 PM. )
     
subego
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Dec 27, 2014, 09:37 AM
 
While I'll certainly concede Flash sucks devil cock, I've never had it do that.

I like Pandora. I'm stuck with it.
     
mindwaves  (op)
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Dec 27, 2014, 11:51 AM
 
Posting from my Mac now. Mail.app unexpectedly quits upon second opening (I had to reboot because somehow Filevault needed to turn on again and begin encrypting), but I solved it by pressing the shift key as I clicked on the Mail icon.

Things seem to be well. Will install updates after FV finishes and will begin trying to find my lost 2 weeks of data.

edit: Quite happy about iCloud bookmark sharing for Safari. I wouldn't know what to do if I had lost those bookmarks for those new cooking recipes!
( Last edited by mindwaves; Dec 27, 2014 at 12:02 PM. )
     
Waragainstsleep
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Dec 27, 2014, 01:47 PM
 
Flash does suck but that is an extreme fail. On my Late 2008 MBP it will freeze totally while running flash games or video but thats in conjunction with a failing GPU.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
jmiddel
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Dec 27, 2014, 05:10 PM
 
What Flash once did to me was fill up my HD with virtual memory files, each over 1 gig, and 80 or more files. Of course nothing worked anymore, so I had to boot from external and use Omnisweeper to find and get rid of those files. No Flash on my computer!
     
el chupacabra
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Dec 29, 2014, 12:29 PM
 
I absolutely despise flash. But those Firefox extensions that allow you to dl youtube vids open up all kinds of vulnerabilities to your computer; well at least on my windows machine they do. They're free and I imagine there's some kind of spyware catch because after installing them my puter wont be back to normal till after reinstalling the OS.
     
The Final Dakar
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Dec 29, 2014, 01:03 PM
 
I'll count myself lucky then.

I did use youtube's HTML 5 viewer when I didn't feel like updating flash for a month, but the interface and experience is far inferior.
     
Ham Sandwich
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Dec 29, 2014, 01:19 PM
 
Wow, that's bizarre. I've had issues with flash (CPU load, talking flash ads, browser/computer crashing just once) before I decided to go without it, but nothing ever that permanent.
     
angelmb
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Dec 31, 2014, 03:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by mindwaves View Post
I wanted to download some videos, so I downloaded a Firefox extension that let me download any video, as long as it was playing. To play the videos, I needed to download Flash.
Is there any Chrome extension that works like that.? If so, you could get rid of Flash.
     
mindwaves  (op)
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Dec 31, 2014, 04:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by angelmb View Post
Is there any Chrome extension that works like that.? If so, you could get rid of Flash.
I actually use Safari most of the times (98%). I used Firefox that time because of the extension I wanted was only available for FF. I will never use Chrome because I like my privacy.
     
mindwaves  (op)
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Dec 31, 2014, 04:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by And.reg View Post
Wow, that's bizarre. I've had issues with flash (CPU load, talking flash ads, browser/computer crashing just once) before I decided to go without it, but nothing ever that permanent.
Yes, it was a weird and unusual situation. I have since recovered most of my data so all is well.
     
angelmb
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Dec 31, 2014, 12:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by mindwaves View Post
I actually use Safari most of the times (98%). I used Firefox that time because of the extension I wanted was only available for FF. I will never use Chrome because I like my privacy.
I understand, and I had that dilemma not so long time ago where I needed to access a website for educational purposes where you need Flash installed to play the videos. So, I would either had Flash installed, hence crippling my whole MacBook Pro; or Chrome installed, hence crippling my privacy. Then I realized that I have had a gmail account for ten years, so not installing Chrome because of privacy issues, was kind of fighting a battle long time lost.

BTW, I only use Chrome for that particular website, and only when the video is not available anywhere else as MP4 or any other format I could easily download from the browser (iCab) or the Videobox app.
     
Chongo
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Dec 31, 2014, 05:53 PM
 
So how does one play FB games? My mom has my old 20" mid 2007 iMac and mine is a late 2013 27"
45/47
     
   
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