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

Hi

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Hi

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

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:

1. Load chrome://settings/content in the Chrome address bar and hit enter.
2. Locate Plugins on the page that opens and check if "Detect and run important plugin content" is enabled.
3. The feature is active already if that is the case. If not, switch to it and hit done afterwards to enable it."

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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...;p

That.

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...;)

What gets me is that no one else is reporting this, at least on the forums.

It might have something to do with Chrome and WindowBlinds users versus just Chrome users.  Just a thought. 

Philly, I am sure that a large percentage of WB users also use Chrome.  Can I be the only one?

Still can't believe no one else is reporting this.  Why just me?

Wow.  Okay.  It must be something on my computer.  Find that hard to believe.  But, okay.

I think that about covers it...;)

It didn't start happening until Chrome 43.  Chrome 42 was fine.