Flash (YouTube, etc.) broken under Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5): Fixes
Several users have reported loss of Flash functionality under Mac OS X 10.5. This issue is sometimes exemplified by a QuickTime logo with a question mark overlaid (as shown at below).
MacFixIt reader Mitch writes:
"After upgrading to Leopard, and reinstalling Flash, Safari no longer displays movies properly, and I get the QT logo covered by a question mark. I've repaired permissions, deleted prefs, even deleted (temporarily) the QuickTime Plugin.webplugin) but nothing at this point appears to correct the problem. Apple' support line is, as one might imagine, overloaded today."
We've noted this problem several times in the past. It has to do with a conflict between QuickTime Player attempting to playback Flash content, and Adobe's own Flash plug-in attempting to playback the same content. Apple's QuickTime has the ability to play Flash content embedded in QuickTime movies and in Web pages via the QuickTime plug-in but this option turned off by default, as it is not compatible with as many embedded Flash media types as the true Adobe plug-in. However, it may be inadvertently turned back on by the upgrade process.
The fix is generally to open the QuickTime pane in System Preferences, click on the Advanced tab, then click the MIME button and deselect "Flash" under "Miscellaneous File Formats." However, this option has been removed in Leopard. As such, the preference must be changed by manually modifying the file ~/Library/com.apple.quicktime.plugin.preferences.plist (this refers to the Library folder inside your user folder).
This fix was first posted to the Apple Discussion Boards by Andrea Turriziani, and is adapted below:
(Note: Before going through the process below, try simply deleting the file ~/Library/com.apple.quicktime.plugin.preferences.plist then restarting your browser).
If you have Apple's Developer Tools installed, use this process:
- Open the folder ~/Library/Preferences
- Control-click (or right-click) the file com.apple.quicktime.plugin.preferences.plist and open it with Property Lit Editor
- Click on the triangle near "root"
- Click on the triangle near "WebPluginMIMETypes"
- Click on the triangle near "application/x-shockwave-flash"
- In "WebPluginTypeEnabled" change the Value from "Yes" to "No"
- Save and close Property List Editor
- Relaunch Safari
If you don't have the Developer Tools installed, you can perform the same process with the shareware tool PlistEditPro (just open com.apple.quicktime.plugin.preferences.plist with PlistEditPro instead of Property List Editor in step 2).
You may have to download and install the latest version of the Adobe Flash plug-in, available from the Flash Player download center after performing the aformentioned steps.
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
For further coverage, see our Leopard product page and the Leopard Hot Topic Page.
Resources
%20broken%20under%20Leopard%20(Mac%20OS%20X%2010.5):%20Fixes%20%7C%20MacFixIt%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10329118-263.html){kind=small}
It's still there, but in a different place...
It's on the Advanced pane BEFORE you click into MIME settings
Thanks for the Perian fix. I had already used the moving Qt plug in to the disabled folder, and fixed all my browsers. But another problem I had, basically, my DV camera software downloaded my movies as mpegs, with a QT icon, but when I played them back in QT, there was no sound, so I had to export them to mp4 before I could get sound. Perian fixed this and now I get sound when I open the DV files in QT.
That fixed it for me.
Worked for me like a charm with all possible browsers I have tested:
Omniweb, Safari, Opera 9.5 beta, Camino, Seamonkeys and Firefox.
Of course, you must have the latest Adobe version .98 of Flash Player installed and having uninstalled the previous versions first.
Also, ensure that all browsers are closed when installing latest .98 Flash version from Adobe. You will find that version in Adobe Labs on Adobe website here:
http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer9.html
Hope this helps you all to not waste time like I did the whole weekend...trying everything under the Sun!!
Best regards from warm Africa!
Jean-Michel
Ps: It would be nice if I hear feedback to see if this also works for some of you.
Forgot to mention that you must also "untick" the box in QT preferences pane that says: "Enable Flash"
This will also ensure that there is no conflict between both plugins with QT and Adobe.
Good luck!
Jean-Michel
I moved the 2 files "QuickTime Plugin.webplugin" and "QuickTime Plugin.plugin" to the Disabled Plug-ins folder and it worked for me.
It looks like the side effect of this is not being able to play quicktime movies in the browser. The video just downloads instead.
Yes, you are right! I did notice this afterward.
This is a "side effect" to live with for now; at least until a permanent fix is found.
Adobe will soon release (hopefully!) a proper Flash version with many fixes, and I hope Apple will do the same on their side.
I have not been able so far to bypass this side effect, but I am working on it. If anyone has got a fix / Solution to this issue, I would be happy to hear it.
Thanks to bring this up; and good luck!
Jean-Michel
Thank you Jean-Michel. This fix was simple (for a new and unsophisticated Mac user, simple is very important) and worked beautifully. Several days of frustration are finally over. Thank you so much.
Stan (from snowy and cold Canada)
where is the "disabled-plugins" folder?
Worked like a charm!
Many thanks, saved my day. (and my hair)
joe
Yes, it works in all browsers. Unfortunately, it stops Quick Time movies, such as those on apple.com from playing. You get a message saying it tried to load Quick Time plug in but it wasn't found.
- by November 22, 2007 7:25 AM PST
- I had similar problems with the last tiger update in quicktime pro but the change in the plugin from yes to no worked fine,
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
(14 Comments)Thanks