Acrobat Reader X Disable Protection mode

Question

Hi All,
i need some help with this freaky Acrobat Reader X version.
We have currently  ~1000 computers with different old versions of AR (form 6 to 9)
We need to upgrade to 10.0.1 version all PC's
Will use SCCM for distributing the package.
OK... everything here seems good but ... a lot of problems and erros appear.
First we've installed on test group of 10 pc's the AR 10.0.0
all users start complainig that they can't open the pdf's from our file servers.
Solution - bring the patch 10.0.1
After that all users start complaining that they can't print - Windows Error - Acrobat need to be closed !
Solution - Protection mode disabled.
My questions :
1. How can I distribute both the Package of Acrobat and the update together with SCCM
All my tries and reaings failed !!!
i've try different methods and no success
msiexec /i /q \\server\d$\Workstation Baseline\AcrobatReaderX\AcroRead.msi TRANSFORMS="AcroRead.mst" PATCH=\\server\d$\Workstation Baseline\AcrobatReaderX\adbeRdrUpd1001_Tier1.msp
this do not work for me This is in SCCM program
2. How can i disable through Adobe Wizard the Protection Mode ?
I know how to do it manually but is not acceptable this way - i can't communicate with 1000 users to do this manually
I know how to disable it from registry with GPO , but i can't disable it before installation, also i can't disable it on all PC's after installation, because it will take several days to complete for all pc's and this "hole" of some days will stop the work of our end-users.
Any fresh ideia is wellcome. Also any help
Thanks

Answer 1

hey,
had similar issues with protection mode.
found we can do it 2 ways, 1. via registry entry, or 2. via an ADM.
sorry cannot remember the referenced posts for the fixes below...
we use the adm so that users cannot change it, and so that updates dont reset it.
note that the adm has only a few settings, and i dont know the code for any other settings.
1. - REG method:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\FeatureLockDown]
"bProtectedMode"=dword:00000000
REM: Above line Disables Protected Mode on startup
2. - ADM Template method
please note, just copy and paste into a text file and rename as .adm.
remember that on the last section of the code below, change the "YOUR HEADER HERE" bit to what you want to use to find it in the GPO manager once you add the template.
CLASS USER
CATEGORY !!YOUR_COMPANY_NAME_GOES_HEREHeader
CATEGORY "Adobe Reader 10"
CATEGORY "Preferences"
CATEGORY "General"
CATEGORY "Application Startup"
POLICY "Show splash screen"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Originals"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainNosplash
VALUENAME "bDisplayedSplash"
VALUEON NUMERIC 0
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 1
END POLICY
POLICY "Enable Protected Mode at startup"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Privileged"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainProtectedMode
VALUENAME "bProtectedMode"
VALUEON NUMERIC 1
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Identity"
POLICY "Organization Name"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Identity"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainOrgName
PART "Organization Name." EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "tCorporation"
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Internet"
CATEGORY "Internet Options"
POLICY "Connection speed"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\AVGeneral"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainConnection
PART "Connection speed." DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED
VALUENAME "iConnectionSpeed"
ITEMLIST
NAME "56kbps" VALUE NUMERIC 56000
NAME "LAN" VALUE NUMERIC 10000000 DEFAULT
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Spelling"
CATEGORY "Dictionaries"
POLICY "Dictionaries"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Spelling"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainDictionary
PART "Default Dictionary" DROPDOWNLIST
VALUENAME "tDictionaryName"
ITEMLIST
NAME "English (United Kingdom)" VALUE "English (United Kingdom)"
ACTIONLIST
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Spelling"
VALUENAME "iDictionaryDefaultID" VALUE NUMERIC 7
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrder"
VALUENAME "t0" VALUE "English (United Kingdom)"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrderID"
VALUENAME "i0" VALUE NUMERIC 7
END ACTIONLIST
NAME "English (United States)" VALUE "English (United States)"
ACTIONLIST
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Spelling"
VALUENAME "iDictionaryDefaultID" VALUE NUMERIC 2
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrder"
VALUENAME "t0" VALUE "English (United States)"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrderID"
VALUENAME "i0" VALUE NUMERIC 2
END ACTIONLIST
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Units"
POLICY "Page Units"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0\Originals"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainPageUnits
PART "Page unit" DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED
VALUENAME "iPageUnits"
ITEMLIST
NAME "Points" VALUE NUMERIC 0
NAME "Inches" VALUE NUMERIC 1
NAME "Millimeters" VALUE NUMERIC 2 DEFAULT
NAME "Centimeters" VALUE NUMERIC 3
NAME "Picas" VALUE NUMERIC 4
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Adobe Acrobat 10"
CATEGORY "Preferences"
CATEGORY "General"
CATEGORY "Application Startup"
POLICY "Show splash screen"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Originals"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainNosplash
VALUENAME "bDisplayedSplash"
VALUEON NUMERIC 0
VALUEOFF NUMERIC 1
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Identity"
POLICY "Organization Name"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Identity"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainOrgName
PART "Organization Name." EDITTEXT
VALUENAME "tCorporation"
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Internet"
CATEGORY "Internet Options"
POLICY "Connection speed"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\AVGeneral"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainConnection
PART "Connection speed." DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED
VALUENAME "iConnectionSpeed"
ITEMLIST
NAME "56kbps" VALUE NUMERIC 56000
NAME "LAN" VALUE NUMERIC 10000000 DEFAULT
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Spelling"
CATEGORY "Dictionaries"
POLICY "Dictionaries"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Spelling"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainDictionary
PART "Default Dictionary" DROPDOWNLIST
VALUENAME "tDictionaryName"
ITEMLIST
NAME "English (United Kingdom)" VALUE "English (United Kingdom)"
ACTIONLIST
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Spelling"
VALUENAME "iDictionaryDefaultID" VALUE NUMERIC 7
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrder"
VALUENAME "t0" VALUE "English (United Kingdom)"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrderID"
VALUENAME "i0" VALUE NUMERIC 7
END ACTIONLIST
NAME "English (United States)" VALUE "English (United States)"
ACTIONLIST
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Spelling"
VALUENAME "iDictionaryDefaultID" VALUE NUMERIC 2
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrder"
VALUENAME "t0" VALUE "English (United States)"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Spelling\cDictionaryOrderID"
VALUENAME "i0" VALUE NUMERIC 2
END ACTIONLIST
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
CATEGORY "Units"
POLICY "Page Units"
KEYNAME "Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Originals"
EXPLAIN !!ExplainPageUnits
PART "Page unit" DROPDOWNLIST REQUIRED
VALUENAME "iPageUnits"
ITEMLIST
NAME "Points" VALUE NUMERIC 0
NAME "Inches" VALUE NUMERIC 1
NAME "Millimeters" VALUE NUMERIC 2 DEFAULT
NAME "Centimeters" VALUE NUMERIC 3
NAME "Picas" VALUE NUMERIC 4
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
END CATEGORY
[strings]
YOUR_COMPANY_NAME_GOES_HEREHeader=YOUR HEADER HERE
ExplainNosplash="When disabled, the program will not display a splashscreen on startup.\n\nWhen enabled, the splashscreen will be displayed."
ExplainProtectedMode="When disabled, the program will not run in Protected Mode.\n\nWhen enabled, Protected Mode will run, and may cause compatibility errors.\n\nSee http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/860/cpsid_86063.html for more details."
ExplainOrgName="Enter the organization name by typing it in."
ExplainConnection="To specify LAN, set the connection speed to 10000000."
ExplainPageUnits="Set the page unit from the drop-down list.\n\nThe default is millimeters."
ExplainDictionary="Used to specify the default dictionary to spell checking."