Can't download plug in for windows media player. Have used download site and it says it worked, but plug in is not showing up on my list of plug ins.

Question

I tried to hear a conference call on a website. Got a message, needed windows media plug in. Checked my plug ins, no windows media. Read tutorial on firefox support. Clicked on download. Got a window that asked for repair or change. Tried repair, then change. Need better directions on how to finish download. Got message download successful, but after closing firefox and reopening, still no plug in for windows media in list of plug ins. Went to site and could not hear conference.
Read support forum. Message about using about:config. Tried this, typed in about: config in start menu, but didn't see anything that looked like I could change to true like message said.
solved by opening internet explorer and going to website and listening to conference call on windows media player. There was a message saying click here if you want to enable media player. Did so, heard conference.
Tried using chrome. Got to hear conference yesterday. Today, there was same message about needing plug in when I tried to follow instructions to get plug in, it was as confusing and useless as firefox. The bottom line is I tried to do everything set forth in firefox's forum suggestions and can't get the windown media plug in to show up in my list of plug ins and can't hear conference calls on firefox.
Chrome did say they were working on getting plug in available at chrome store.
I agree with comments that I was able to go to web sites and hear calls before firefox made an update that removed my windows media plug in. The simple download fix, presumeably from windows, does not work, apparently because firefox can't find the fix. That is not the user's fault, and it looks like windows tried to provide a fix, and firefox won't recognize it.
Bottom line, it is easier to use another browser, than try and get the windows media player plug in installed on firefox. What good is a browser, if you can't hear a call on the website that the browser takes you to? Please make it easy to install the windows media plug in on firefox. Thank you..

Answer 1

Firefox can find plugins in several locations, but Firefox 21 changed the location of the "shared" plugin folder so older installers like the Microsoft Windows Media Plugin no longer drop the DLL file in the correct location.
There apparently are two ways to address this:
(1) Change a Firefox preference so that Firefox checks the old location. Here's how:
(i) In a new tab, type or paste '''about:config''' in the address bar and press Enter. Click the button promising to be careful.
(ii) In the filter box, type or paste '''plugins''' and pause while the list is filtered
(iii) Double-click '''plugins.load_appdir_plugins''' to switch its value from false to true.
This will take effect after you restart Firefox.
(2) Copy the plugins folder to the new location. Here's how on Win 7 64-bit:
Open a Windows Explorer window to:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
Right-click and copy the '''Plugins''' folder
Double-click the '''browser''' folder to open it
Right-click and paste
Right-click the new copy of '''Plugins''' and rename it to '''plugins'''
After restarting Firefox, the plugins in that folder should now be available.
''Edit: I suggest just doing #1.''