Get Adobe Flash and Reader without GetPlus in Firefox

September 11, 2009 Media, Software, Tech Solutions 10 Comments

Adobe seems to be rather insistent that you use their GetPlus software. Despite complaints that I’ve lodged in the past, GetPlus is a Big Minus, Adobe has spread GetPlus from Adobe Reader to also be used with Adobe Flash. Combined with the fact that Firefox is now prompting for Adobe Flash updates with its own updates, it seems a lot of people are stirred up and having problems with GetPlus. I fully agree with them. Why should I install a download manager for a 1.8MB download? It’s just additional junk in my browser and also creates a process at startup.

(Have the same problem in Internet Explorer? Read this article: Get Adobe Flash without the Adobe Download Manager For Internet Explorer)

I covered yesterday how to tell what version of browser plug-ins you’re running. Here is how to Keep your Adobe Flash and Reader up to date without the GetPlus garbage:

Adobe Flash

Update: Adobe has updated their site and you can get find the direct link to the installers on this more recent article. Continue reading below for how to get rid of GetPlus if you already have it.

Go to the Adobe page here: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

You can optionally choose to uncheck the ‘Free McAfee Security Scan.’ (I would recommend unchecking this.)

Click the ‘Agree and install now’ button to proceed to the next page.

Adobe will immediately try to install a plug-in (Adobe DLM(powered by GetPlus(R))) as soon as you get to the next page. By default, Firefox will prevent any website from being able to install and will pop-up a little alert below the Address Bar and Bookmarks Toolbar saying “Firefox prevented this site (get.adobe.com) from asking you to install software on your computer.” Normally, if this was software that you wanted you would click ‘Allow.’ In this case, Adobe will try to install its GetPlus software. DO NOT CLICK ALLOW.

Close the alert Firefox prompted you with by clicking the X to the right of the Allow button.

Next look down on the page below ‘Thank you!’ and find the line “If it does not start, click here to download”. Click on the link that is “Click here to download” to get the latest version of Adobe Flash.

This will download a 1.8MB installer that you’re used to. Close Firefox and run the executable. Wah-lah! Adobe Flash is updated and no Download Manager needed.

Adobe Reader

Adobe Reader behaves much the same way as the Adobe Flash instructions above. Visit the Adobe Reader Download page and click the ‘Download’ button.

This will take you to the next page where Firefox will again prompt you that a site is trying to install software to your computer. Close the alert and click the “If it does not start, click here to download.”

This will allow you to download Adobe Reader without GetPlus, but it still comes with Acrobat.com and Adobe Air. You can find the latest Adobe Reader without Acrobat.com or Adobe Air (or Yahoo! toolbar) from their FTP location. Start with major updates like 9.1 and then update internally using the Help, Check for Updates… menu inside Adobe Reader.

Getting rid of GetPlus

Whoops! Reading this article a little too late? To get rid of the GetPlus add-on from Firefox, go to Tools, Add-ons.

Scroll down to find Adobe DLM (powered by getPlus(R)). Click on it once to get the Extensions options. Then click on the Uninstall button. You’ll be prompted to restart Firefox at this point.

A plugin for Adobe DLM (getPlus) is still listed for Firefox however under the Plugins tab. Instead of restarting Firefox, close it down. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugins. There you’ll find a file called np_gp.dll. Delete that file to remove the Adobe GetPlus plugin and the last traces of this blahware.

plugins Get Adobe Flash and Reader without GetPlus in Firefox

“GetPlus? Adobe keeps finding new reasons for me to hate them.”

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Jason Hamilton is an IT Professional in his full-time job and operates 404 Tech Support LLC in his spare time from Central Illinois. Send us a story suggestion or inquire about advertising on 404TechSupport.com with the Contact Page.

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Pingback: Download the Latest Adobe Flash for Firefox and IE Without Any Extras - 404 Tech Support
rossella

thanks, you saved my life!
D

Found this POS hiding here:

C:/Users/USER NAME/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/sd70dfi0.default/extensions/{E2883E8F-472F-4fb0-9522-AC9BF37916A7}/plugins

Running Win7 64bit.
ross

it doesnt work for me because the \Thank you!’ and “If it does not start, click here to download” doesnt appear.
- http://www.404techsupport.com/ Jason
  
  @Ross: You’ll notice at the top of the article there is a link to an updated article with a way to get Adobe Flash or Adobe Reader with out the Adobe DLM. Here it is again:
  http://404ts.com/j
Geoff

I removed this but did not find traces of the plugin in the indicated directory. By the way, the article does not correctly list the directory for the plugins folder with the backslashes in it, it seems like something stripped those out when you wrote the article.
- http://www.404techsupport.com/ Jason
  
  Thanks. I fixed the missing slashes.
  
  The software could have updated its location or it may behave differently on other OSes. Fortunately, I haven’t encountered Adobe DLM/GetPlus for a while since I’ve been downloading Flash directly.
Rockr

It also installs as a service! This is unbelievable und absolutely unacceptable. Given the well-known bad programming skills of Adobe developers, there will be tons of security holes in all these constructs.

and your captcha only works with javascript…
Tim

CHOOSE – TOOLS – ADDONS- DISABLE ADOBE DLM ADDON OR REMOVE ALL TOGETHER. Get the latest version of Flash from filehippo.com. It doesnt go through that ridiculous Download manager.
- http://www.404techsupport.com/ Jason
  
  You assume FileHippo’s trustworthiness. If you follow the links in this updated article, you can get Flash directly from Adobe without the Adobe DLM. Always the latest version and straight from the source.
  
  http://www.404techsupport.com/2010/04/download-the-latest-adobe-flash-for-firefox-and-ie-without-any-extras/