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How do I enable Adome Primetime so as to be able to watch DRM content (e.g. Netflix) with Firefox?

  • 8 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by Simken

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I keep Firefox up to date, and have 44 installed. For the first time, Adobe's Primetime CDM will not install or load, although my add-ons page keeps telling me it will be installed shortly. The Mozilla support pages tell me how to disable it; but what can I do to make it work?

(While Firefox DRM viewing is not available to me, I use Chrome with no problem whatever; but I'd rather Firefox were my default browser.)

I keep Firefox up to date, and have 44 installed. For the first time, Adobe's Primetime CDM will not install or load, although my add-ons page keeps telling me it will be installed shortly. The Mozilla support pages tell me how to disable it; but what can I do to make it work? (While Firefox DRM viewing is not available to me, I use Chrome with no problem whatever; but I'd rather Firefox were my default browser.)

All Replies (8)

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Your system details show that you have a user.js file located in your Firefox profile. Sometimes this is a legitimate file, but other times it can be caused by malware and interfere with the update process.

You can try these free programs to scan for malware, which work with your existing antivirus software:

Microsoft Security Essentials is a good permanent antivirus for Windows 7/Vista/XP if you don't already have one. Windows 8 has antivirus built-in already.

Further information can be found in the Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware article.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!


For the meantime, you may be interested in downloading Microsoft Silverlight to view DRM content.

Modified by Wesley Branton

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On my Windows 10 system I have MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (Premium) and Hitman Pro and MS Silverlight installed and I keep them up-to-date.

No malware of any sort has been detected in a long time ... well before I encountered any problem trying to get Adobe's Primetime CDM updated ... a problem which only started with Firefox 44.

Silverlight does not serve as an alternative for viewing DRM. It offers no resolution to Firefox shortcomings.

Netflix simply stalls and browser says "Firefox is installing components needed ... Please try again later." So I switch to Chrome, and everything works just fine.

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Can you please try downloading Firefox again from the Mozilla website?

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Downloaded and updated from 44 to 44.0.1 to 44.0.2 over the past 36 hours ... but still nothing helps get Primetime CDM installed.

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I am still concerned that you have that user.js file on your Firefox, as it has been known to cause issues similar to this. Please try the following steps to remove the file:

  1. Enter about:support in the Firefox address bar
  2. Click the Show Folder button in the Profile Folder section of the Application Basics table
  3. Close Firefox
  4. Rename the user.js file to user.js.old

Once you rename the file, it will have the same effect as deleting if from your system. Then check to see if Adobe Primetime will install on your system.

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30 hours after this "fix" and Adobe Primetime still does not install. In contrast, Cisco's OpenH264 Video Codec was re-installed again; it happens after every Firefox update.

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We are very sorry for any inconvenience that this issue is causing you and we will work hard to find a solution for your issue.

Sometimes a corrupt pluginreg.dat file causes issues with installing and updating Firefox plugins. Using the steps listed in my recent message, please navigate to your profile folder and rename the pluginreg.dat file to pluginreg.dat.old.

When you restart Firefox, it will rebuild the database that tells Firefox what plugins you have installed. This may allow your computer to download Adobe Primetime.

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Nope ... seems to make no difference. Cisco's OpenH264 Video Codec re-installs with no apparent problem, but still no installation of Adobe's Primetime.