Shows flash player is installing, but then can't find it and it won't work. Help please

Question

Hello. My flash playe worked just fine until this morning. I turned my computer on, went to a facebook app., and got a message "if doesn't load in the next 10 seconds, upgrade flash by clicking here" which brought me to adobe I have an Acer laptop, and am running Internet Explorer 7.
I've done everything I can, but can't get flash player to work. I've uninstalled, re-booted, re-installed, re-booted. I've made sure my security zones are on medium, I've temporarity disabled my virus protection program while uninstalling and installing. I've went under tools, manage add ons, to enable it, but the only adobe add-on listed is adobe PDF link helper and it's enabled. I've checked to make sure Java script is enabled, I've made sure I have the 32 bit browser, I've done everything I could find to do (I've worked on this for hours today).
When I click to download from adobe site, it shows it installing without a problem, goes all the way through, shows done, then shows to close download manager. If I go through control panel to 'uninstall programs' adobe flash is listed. If I go through start, adobe flash is not listed in my programs and does not come up when I search under start.
So, from I can find, I can download and install it, but then it's not there and doesn't work. Please Help. I've struggled with this all day, and it's very frustrating, and the only way to reach adobe is to pay $39 for a phone call. I really need help on this, it would be very much appreciated. Please, and thank you.

Answer 1

Hi, and thanks again for taking the time to help me with this, I sure appreciate it. I ran a disc cleanup, then I went in under internet options and deleted the cookies and such. I got rid of the uninstall and install programs I had in the download folder but still have the ones on the desktop.
I went to Windows/System32-  but I don't have a Macromed folder there. I have one under the SysWOW64 folder though, a Macromed folder, with a Flash folder under it, with files uner it:
Flash10l.ocx-  ActiveX control,
FlashInstall-   Text document,
FlashUtil10l_ActiveX.dll- Application extension,
FlashUtil10l_ActiveX-  Application (with a red file by it, and it opens the uninstall program),  and
install-  Text Document.
The two text documents say they were created last year, but the other three say they were created today.
And like I said, these are under the SysWOW64 folder.  The System32 folder does not have a Macromed folder under it at all, and instead of being in alphabetical order from top to bottom, they start with Z and the A's are at the bottom, if that means anything. I called my frienfd and had her check her computer step by step as I did mine, and hers doesn't have a Macromed under the System32 folder either, but does the SysWOW64 file, and it has the same files I do, except two of the first one, the Flash10l.ocx, but with different dates on it.
I ran my virus scan, avast, and it didn't find anything. I did close the browsers to run the Window Defender and Malwarebytes, and tried it again a few minutes ago, and they are still saying they find nothing. The malwarebytes found 7 things this morning when I ran it, but hasn't found anything since.