thedoctor953

Join Date 01/2008

Win 8.0 + Chrome 43 + Flash + WindowBlinds 8.12 = Flash Problems

Since upgrading to Google Chrome 43, I have had this irritating problem with SOME Flash content making the interior of the Google Chrome window flash black and the Flash content not to work correctly. Mostly this affected videos that autoplay on Facebook (they would play with no video but the audio would play); but, I have seen other Flash issues too. I really thought it was a problem with the Flash included in this version of Chrome. I have looked on the net trying to find others having this same problem and couldn't find anyone. Firefox and Internet Explorer did not exhibit this issue; and, since they use different Flash versions I thought the problem was with the Chrome version of Flash. As a desperation, I finally decided to stop skinning Chrome with WindowBlinds. Now the problem has disappeared. So, I am now convinced the problem is with WindowBlinds. Can anyone confirm?

Thank you,

Jeff

windowblinds

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With all the views, I am surprised no one can confirm this. Is it just my computer?

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LightStar

Join Date 12/2002

+1607

Could I ask why you have not upgraded to Windows 8.1? It might solve your issue. I have the exact same setup as you but Windows 8.1, no flash issues.

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It has to do with my Wi-Fi card on the laptop. The newer driver is horrible (dropped connections, slow connections). So I have to use a driver that I can revert back to that is a very old driver provided by Microsoft in Windows 8.0 that is not available if you upgrade to Windows 8.1.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1846

Quoting thedoctor953,

reply 3

So I have to use a driver that I can revert back to that is a very old driver provided by Microsoft in Windows 8.0 that is not available if you upgrade to Windows 8.1.

Perhaps there's a simple 'hack' to convince 8.1 to revert to an earlier driver....namely the one from 8 ...

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Let me ask, if I upgrade to Windows 8.1, should I uninstall WindowBlinds, Start8, and Modern Mix before upgrading and then reinstall them after the upgrade?

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LightStar

Join Date 12/2002

+1607

Quoting thedoctor953,

reply 5

Let me ask, if I upgrade to Windows 8.1, should I uninstall WindowBlinds, Start8, and Modern Mix before upgrading and then reinstall them after the upgrade?

Personally, I would recommend uninstalling and reinstalling just to be on the safe side. Also, you might want to see if you can get the version of your Wi-Fi card driver that you need direct from the manufacturer, and then install it after upgrading.

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The_Gear

Join Date 10/2013

+98

I had a similar issue, though I did not have WindowBlinds installed. Chrome and Flash, where Facebook videos would not play, but once clicked, displayed a black screen where video should be. I had to change my global settings on Adobe's site to allow for cookies/content/ or some third party thing to be saved.

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Okay, three hours to update to Windows 8.1 Update 1, plus all the updates for the laptop to run 8.1 properly, plus all the updates from Microsoft since 8.1 was released. And no joy. Windows 8.1 with Update 1 + Chrome 43 + Flash + WindowBlinds 8.12... Still = Flash Problems

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DrJBHL

Join Date 04/2002

+4257

It might be Chrome that's doing it:

http://www.ghacks.net/2015/06/05/google-improves-chromes-power-efficiency-by-pausing-some-flash-contents/?_m=3n%2e0038%2e1630%2ehj0ao01hy5%2e1ox4

"The easiest way to enable or disable it (Chrome's new pausing Flash) is the following:

Load chrome://settings/content in the Chrome address bar and hit enter.

Locate Plugins on the page that opens and check if "Detect and run important plugin content" is enabled.

The feature is active already if that is the case. If not, switch to it and hit done afterwards to enable it."

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DrJBHL, thanks for the assist. But, it still doesn't fix the problem. Configuring WindowBlinds to not skin Chrome does fix it. Still think it's a WindowBlinds problem.

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DrJBHL

Join Date 04/2002

+4257

That's not a WB problem. That's Chrome's coding.

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Okay, it's a problem between GC and WB.

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I doubt it has anything to do with the video card. My laptop has both Intel HD4600 graphics and a Nvidia GeForce GTX 770M. I could choose to run the graphics for Google Chrome under either card. They both had issues when WindowBlinds is skinning Chrome (the Nvidia showed the driver crashing when it happened; so, I know the computer was using a different graphics card). They both ran fine when WindowBlinds does not skin Chrome.

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Okay, I have narrowed it down a bit more. If I allow WB to skin Chrome and turn off Chrome's use of hardware acceleration, it works fine. But it can't be the fault of the video cards or drivers because it is doing it on two different video cards and drivers from two different manufacturers.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1846

It'll be the fault of Chrome not conforming with the Microsoft/Windows/GUI-skinning standard.

It'd be nice if Microsoft 'legislated' to make it a condition-of-use that programs conformed...

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DrJBHL

Join Date 04/2002

+4257

Quoting Jafo,

reply 15

It'll be the fault of Chrome not conforming with the Microsoft/Windows/GUI-skinning standard.

That.

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If this is true, then why the heck does it work fine if WB is not skinning it?

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1846

Quoting thedoctor953,

reply 17

If this is true, then why the heck does it work fine if WB is not skinning it?

It works as it is designed....arguably badly...because it has not followed the 'rules' that other programs follow.

Microsoft likes to do things their way....it's their OS afterall. When 3rd party program writers follow their rules everyone is on the same page. Programs designed to alter/improve/append to the standard Windows GUI do so with total confidence they will do exactly that....but ONLY until some other third party program decides they think their way is better...and break those 'rules'.

It is the same reason you should never apply those 'patched' files to attempt to 'skin' Windows. You are breaking the 'rules' and thus are likely to break other programs as well.

Now Windowblinds skins just about every program exactly as intended. The only ones it will fail to apply correctly to [or appear to cause a bug] are those whose coders broke the rules that everyone else conforms to.

Yes, it is sometimes possible for Windowblinds to be 'adjusted' to compensate for others' bad practise... but that is actually not a Windowblinds 'bug' at all...

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