Problem with Flash Player Video Playback on webpages as well as unable to access Settings Manager

I use Windows 7 and am having video playback issues on certain websites  regardless of using Mozilla or IE.

I went to the webpage: 

http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-games-video-or.htm l#main_3__Enable_Flash_Player_Add_ons__if_you_are_using_Internet_Explo rer_8_   , 

and it states at the top of the page:

"If Flash Player is installed  on your computer, the following box displays the version of Flash Player  and your operating system. If Flash Player is not installed, an error  message appears. Test",

however there is nothing  there at all - no box  nor any error message.

I followed all the other steps reflected on that  page - 

I checked and do already have the latest correct Ver  11.7.700.224 installed. 

I went and disabled Active X Filtering thru IE  tools.  (Subsequent closing of IE browser and re-opening didn't help).

I have checked to ensure that the Shockwave Flash Player object Add-on  is enabled.

I have deleted all Flash Player browsing data as well as  removed the Flash Player cache.

I then tried to disable the flash  player hardware acceleration , but I can't do this since there is no  Flash Player version box appearing in order for me to click on any  settings. 

I then went to the website for the Storage Settings Panel at

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/se ttings_manager07.html  ,

and there is also no Settings Manager panel showing up, only a blank  space where it would normally be. 

How do I go about disabling the  hardware acceleration if I can't access the settings manager box/panel? 

Also,  I checked the webpage:

http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/video-playback-issues.html#html 5_video  , 

and was able to view a html5 video, but was unable to view a  non-html5 video. 

What would be causing this issue and what should  I  now do at this point? 

Please help.

Thanks very much in advance,

LIslander