Distiller 8.1.3 Crashes on Startup, and Other Pro8 Woes

Question

I bought Adobe Acrobat Professional 8 a couple years ago, and Distiller 8.1.3 has never worked.  I have a Dual 2 GHz PowerPC G5, currently running 10.4.11.  Whenever I double-click Distiller, it doesn't even get as far as an opening screen before it crashes.  All it tells me is:
The application Distiller quit unexpectedly.
Mac OS X and other applications are not affected.
Meanwhile, I've never been able to create a PDF using the print function.  I make the settings, it goes through the motions, an icon of a laser printer or something appears down on the toolbar, and no file is created.
What I really need this for is to create a PDF of my book interiors from Quark XPress 7 for the print-on-demand printer.  Formerly, they've been able to work with exported PDFs, but now they claim they absolutely need it done with Distiller.
Any suggestions?

Answer 1

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ThrillingWonder wrote:
I bought Adobe Acrobat Professional 8 a couple years ago, and Distiller 8.1.3 has never worked.  I have a Dual 2 GHz PowerPC G5, currently running 10.4.11.  Whenever I double-click Distiller, it doesn't even get as far as an opening screen before it crashes.  All it tells me is:
The application Distiller quit unexpectedly.
Mac OS X and other applications are not affected.
Meanwhile, I've never been able to create a PDF using the print function.  I make the settings, it goes through the motions, an icon of a laser printer or something appears down on the toolbar, and no file is created.
What I really need this for is to create a PDF of my book interiors from Quark XPress 7 for the print-on-demand printer.  Formerly, they've been able to work with exported PDFs, but now they claim they absolutely need it done with Distiller.
Any suggestions?
Try the Following:
Go to Printer Setup Utility and remove AdobePDF from Printer list.
Choose either Acrobat or Reader from from help menu choose repair installation.
Click on AdobePDF.
Now try to create a PDF.
Open Disk Utilities and Try repair permissions.
since your using X.4 look for and download AppleJack.
Restart in SingleUser Mode (Command -S) and when B&W screen finishes loading Text info and there is a Blinking cursor.
At that point Type applejack.go through all the procedures do items 3 & four both for system and for each user. When finished type return then choose restart.
If that doesn't work you may have a problem with Print driver. It not be up to date.
Go to Printer's website and download the latest version.
Next go to Printer Setup and remove you printer from the printer list.
Next open and install the New Driver (even if exactly the same version as previous).
Now try to create a PDF either by Apple's print menu PDF button. Or by choosing AdobePDF in the print menu.
If that don't work try:
Gather up your Acrobat install Disk and download from Adobe Support > Udates , all items related to Acrobat 8.
Now open Acrobat Director (Folder) and choose uninstall.
Next from finder choose file menu > Find. When opens up type in first Acrobat and remove all items associated with Acrobat 8 to trash and empty. Make sure they are only related to acrobat.
Next Type Adobe and repeat. DO NOT REMOVE YOUR PDF'S.
Now run Disk Utility and repair permissions.
Install install Acrobat and  open. Close the run each updater in turn.
Now try to create a PDF. If none of this works then you might have some type of extension, control panel, or other item installed in your system interfering. Most ly you don't and one of the bove methods will get you running.
(Please note information is given by an Experienced User of Acrobat. I am not an employee of Adobe.)