I can't install application Adobe flash plug in an error occured and says i need to install this manually and i am not sure how to do this please help

This isn't a bug, but a question, so I am moving this to the question section.

Terri, just for clarification, did Firefox say that the plugin has to be installed manually or did the Software Center say that?

I believe it was firefox

I believe it was firefox

Terri, then you can use the Software Center or Synaptics to install the adobe-flashplugin package. The flash plugin should then work after you restart firefox.

"E:I wasn't able to locate file for the adobe-flashplugin package. This might mean you need to manually fix this package.: "

This is the error message i am getting installing the software from software centre.. And not just for Adobe flash plugin, but for all softwares.

Neerav, if you start the Synaptics Package Manager, you should see a "Reload" button. Click on that button.
After Synaptics finishes with refreshing the package lists, you can then exit that program, and start up Software Center again. I believe that should allow the programs to install.

Tried that.. Dint work.. The Synaptics Package Manager is not opening at all.. I am getting the same error message..
And another message i got while running the update menager.. It said "It is impossible to install or remove any software. Please use the package manager "Synaptic" or run "sudo apt-get install -f" in a terminal to fix this issue at first."
Please help me out as I am a first timer with Ubuntu.. Switched from windows a few hrs back..

Neerav, I just noticed that you are not the original reporter of this Question. Could you please run 'sudo synaptics' from the terminal application, and post the output that you see. Note, you may have to enter your password when doing this.

can you please tell me where i can find it.. As i told you, i am totally new to Ubuntu..

Often, it is available in Applications -> Accessories.

I am getting a message as "command not found"

Neerav, you need to be more detailed. Is the terminal saying "command not found"? If so, then please copy-n-paste exactly what you typed into the terminal and the output.

I typed "sudo synaptics" in the terminal. And after that i am getting a message as "command not found".

Neerav, note in the future, when I say to copy-n-paste the output, I mean to copy-n-paste all of the text in the terminal. Luckily, I noticed my mistake: it is synaptic, not synaptics (drop the 's').

Ok. So i typed sudo synaptic in the terminal window. It asked for the password and opened "synaptic package manager".
Over that there was a window with an error message stating "E: The package adobe-flashplugin needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.
E: Internal error opening cache (1). Please report."
When i close this error message, the synaptic package manager is closing as well. And i am not able to access it with the error message present.

Neerav, please try running the following command in the terminal: sudo dpkg --configure -a
This should force a reinstallation of the flash plugin package.

Ok, now what i done is that i started the pc through windows, inserted Ubuntu Cd and installed a fresh copy of Ubuntu after removing the previous one.. So now it seems to be working fine.. I installed the flash plugin from synaptic package manager and am now updating the system.. So hope it works fine now..

Thank you for all the help you provided..

Hi, my pc has the same problem as Weather God and I came all the way to type "sudo dpkg --configure -a" and the prompt is coming back again & again & nothing else happens...what should I do diferent to be able to un-install the infamous Adobe plug in? thank you for your help

maligato, it would be helpful if you copy and paste the text from your terminal showing the command you used and the output from the program.

HI, Weather God .....thank you, thank you for answering me...I 'm also new to Linux/Ubuntu and trying to get acquainted with it...I will need some classes :)..... this is the message that I get from the synaptic package manager
"E: The package adobe-flashplugin needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.
E: Internal error opening cache (1). Please report"
maligato

maligato, what was the output from the terminal command 'sudo dpkg --configure -a'?

Hi again ...just in case iis useful
...also when I click on red circle at the right top of the monitor is read the following
" an error occurred, please run Package Manager from the right click menu or apt-get in a terminal to see what is wrong.
The error message was: "unknown Error; '<type 'exceptions. System Error'> "(E: the package adobe-flashplugin needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it.) This usually means that your installed packages have unmet dependencies

  Hi, Weather God this is what I got when I typed the command 'sudo dpkg --configure -a'
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$ 'sudo dpkg --configure -a'
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$
yesterday i did get the command to type my password, but not today....help help please :(

maligato, the fact that sudo asked for your password yesterday, but not today is because sudo only occassionally needs to authenticate you. So I am not concerned about sudo not asking your password all the time.

With dpkg not returning any output means that the problem is not with your internal package cache and must be related to your particular repository mirror that you are using. If you can, go to System -> Administration -> Software Sources. From this program (hopefully it will load with no issues) you can change which server you are using for the repositories ("Download from:"). Once you do that, see how well Synaptics works then.

Thank you..I'm in software sources, and on the tab Ubuntu Software 'the download from' shows United States (and two more choices Main Server and Other. Now how I can find the server that is in use for the repositories?...hummm :)

Just choose "Main Server" for now. It might be a bit slower, but it will work. If you select "Other", you can choose a server that is closer to you geographically, but might not be as reliable.

...I did change server..at least three and still comming this note:
Package in inconsistent state

The package 'adobe-flashplugin' is in an inconsistent state and needs to be reinstalled, but no archive can be found for it. Please reinstall the package manually or remove it from the system....ay...ayayay this adobe is a pain... a big one

what else I should be trying?
thankssssss

...I did change server..at least three and still coming this note:
Package in inconsistent state

The package 'adobe-flashplugin' is in an inconsistent state and needs to be reinstalled, but no archive can be found for it. Please reinstall the package manually or remove it from the system....ay...ayayay this adobe is a pain... a big one

what else I should be trying?
thankssssss

...I did change server..at least three and still coming this note:
"Package in inconsistent state

The package 'adobe-flashplugin' is in an inconsistent state and needs to be reinstalled, but no archive can be found for it. Please reinstall the package manually or remove it from the system"....
ay...ayayay this adobe is a pain... a big one

what else I should be trying?
thankssssss

I am hesitant to give you this suggestion, but it is the only other thing I can think of. Please be careful with this command in the terminal.

sudo dpkg --purge --force-remove-reinstreq adobe-flashplugin

This should force the plugin to be removed from your system and allow for a re-installation. It should only be removing the flash plugin and nothing else. If it looks like it is removing anything else, then cancel the process when it asks you if you are sure.

When that is done, go back to the Synaptic package manager, hit "Refresh" to re-initialize your package lists. Then you should be able to install adobe-flashplugin again without issues.

dear...this is what I got after your advise:
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --purge --force-remove-reinstreq adobe-flashplugin
[sudo] password for malicat:
dpkg: warning: overriding problem because --force enabled:
 Package is in a very bad inconsistent state - you should
 reinstall it before attempting a removal.
(Reading database ... 134177 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing adobe-flashplugin ...
update-alternatives: error: no alternatives for iceape-flashplugin.
update-alternatives: error: no alternatives for iceape-flashplugin.
dpkg: error processing adobe-flashplugin (--purge):
 subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 2
postinst called with argument `abort-remove'
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 adobe-flashplugin
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$
--------------------------------------
Weather God...what about manually removing the idiot package of adobe....ay!! :)

...maybe my question may no sense..

hi....hi....? :(

maligato, your error message is interesting. It appears that you have installed a package called "iceape-flashplugin", maybe? It is possible that that package is preventing the adobe-plugin from being removed.

try this first:

sudo dpkg --remove iceape-flashplugin

If that is successful, then we will move on to the next step.

thank you for not given up....txs,
so this is what I got from the terminal:
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg --remove iceape-flashplugin
[sudo] password for malicat:
dpkg: warning: ignoring request to remove iceape-flashplugin which isn't installed.
malicat@malicat-desktop:~$
mali

ok...., then let's try:

sudo dpkg --remove adobe-flashplugin

Thank you....I did it and again is telling to unistall adobe:(....
BUT i finally got it.... somehow...som3where...and is working...I went to the ubuntu community and look into softwares and then read about adobe and play a little with "try and error' so finally got it...I will write the steps in order to remember and give it to other unfortunate user w/adobe problems.
thank you again....your help has been very appreciate and help to get familiar with linux
maligato