Many of our users can't open PDFs.  We have to select Reader as the Default PDF Handler once a day.

What was once an infrequent problem, has become a chronic issue since some changes were made to Group Policy by an AD admin.  We've disabled all the GPs that pertain to Acrobat, but we're still having to log into users' workstations to remind Acrobat Reader that it is the Default PDF Handler (as found under Edit>Preferences>General.)
As I mentioned above, this used to happen occassionally, and I'm not really sure why.  We use versions 9.5, X and XI, and all of them have exhibited this problem in the past and currently.  If we could find a network-wide solution to this issue (rather than having to log into scores of individual workstations every day), we would be really happy.
Any ideas?
Thanks!

We think we've found the answer.  Apparently, an admin from six years ago had created an ironically named batch file called "Adobe Fix.bat" which called a login script to put the following registry key on every computer:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Reader 8.0\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe\""
Since C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Reader 8.0\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe doesn't exist on any computer anymore, no PDFs would load until you told Acrobat what software to use to open them.
Removing this script should fix the problem.

Similar Messages

  • How do I disable Adobe Reader as the default PDF viewer?

    I have already set the default application to open PDFs to Preview by using the "Open with..." and "Change All" option.
    Now PDFs open in Preview, but I have a weird side effect:  when I create a PDF (from Microsoft Word, etc.) the document is created with an Adobe Reader ICON, it then quickly changes to a Preview ICON (and opens in Preview).
    PDFs are doing what I want, but the flash of Adobe Reader ICON (pun intended) is quite annoying.  I have searched through the Adobe Reader Preferences and can find nothing that seems related. Any ideas?

    Instead of saving as a PDF thru Work do a Print ➙ PDF ➙ Save as PDF and it will be saved the first time with the Preview icon.

  • How can I/Can I make Firefox the default .PDF viewer in Windows 7?

    For the basic PDF viewing I do, Adobe Reader is just slow and annoying. I love using Firefox, but unfortunately I cannot set it as the default program to open PDF files. Even when I select Firefox after right clicking and select open with, Windows does not comply. Is there a config option I can change that will allow me to set Firefox as the default PDF reader.
    Thank you for your help.

    You can not make Firefox the default for viewing PDF files for the entire Windows Operating System, only the default viewer from within Firefox. Like when PDF files that are downloaded from websites and displayed in Firefox; you can try using '''File > Open File''' from within Firefox to view PDF file that are already saved on that PC, but I'm not sure that will work - I haven't tried doing that.

  • Hi! Windows 7 users can´t open the pdfs and jpegs that I have included into sent e-mails. How shall I resolve the problem?

    Hi!
    Prolems started after uploading the Lion in March. Now at least Windows 7 users can´t open any pdfs or jpegs that I have included into sent e-mails. They can see that they are included but can´t open them. What can I do?

    It's a bug in Outlook. Each version of Outlook has its own unique bug that prevents it form displaying email that didn't come from another Outlook user. Apple has attempted to dumb-down Mail and make it more complex in order to work around these issues, but Microsoft keeps changing the bugs in each version of Outlook instead of making an Internet Email standard compliant email client.
    Are they able to right-click on the image and save it from the contextual menu?
    Otherwise, make sure Send windows friendly, attachments at end of message are checked and send plain text.
    Or, zip the attachments and send that way.
    There is also a program called Attachment Tamer that many people have found useful.

  • Some users can't open PDFs

    Hello
    We have an issue with some users not being able to open or save PDFs.
    This is only happing with a few users.
    It happens through the browser AND through SharePoint views in our CRM (Dynamics), so not a browser issue.
    They can open the document by using the contextual menu on the document.
    They can't open it by clicking directly on the document link.
    Any ideas much appreciated!
    *UPDATE*
    One user also can't open emails that have been uploaded.

    First thing would be to update and repair Adobe Reader on the users affected. 
    Check which version of Reader they've got and compare it to yours/others whom got it working.
    Disable addons/plugins (even if they're sharepoint related)

  • PC users can't open iMovie .m4v file

    my son made a really cute movie in iMovie, and saved it as an iTunes file, which put it in the .m4v format. i emailed the .m4v file to all our family and friends ... and the PC users can't open the file. can i do something about this (ie. save it in a different format)? please explain it to me in real simple terms ... i am a Luddite. thanks!

    can i do something about this (ie. save it in a different format)? please explain it to me in real simple terms ... i am a Luddite.
    You could always point out that anyone whould really wants to watch it could download and install the free QT 7 Player in much the same way that many Mac users would have to download and install either a WMV Player or a WMV component for their QT Player.
    You realize, of course, things will likely get worse once you start "customizing" your exports of each recipient? My Sister only wants WMV 9 ($50 for Microsoft "approved" bi-directional components), my brother-in-law "prefers" DivX 6 minimum ($20 for the components), my nieces are into YouTube (posted directly from iMovie '08 for the price of iLife '08) and want everything posted there, and my Aunt (whose computer is more than a decade old) only wants MPEG-1 (which I used to make with iVCD (don't remember what that used to cost or Ti Toast 9 at $80) and of course there is always Visual Hub (at just under $24) for all of the others who will settle for older AVI or WMV files. You can also try exporting some of the "less recent" or "older" codecs like MPEG-4/AAC, Sorenson Video, Sorenson 3 Video, H.263, Cinepak, etc. There are dozens of audio and video codecs that can be combined in in hundreds of combination and placed in various file containers but the problem is you will probably never find a single compression format that really satisfies everyone all of the time. So before anyone can "draw you a map," you will have to make a decision as to "down which road you wish to travel."

  • Some users can't open Excel files. It is trying to open it in Internet Explorer "An error has occurred. Please try again."

    I have some users in my company that can't open Excel files from any document libraries on SharePoint 2010. The receive the error message "An error occurred. Please try again."  We don't currently use the Excel calculations services. When
    a user opens an excel file they are prompted to either Read Only or Edit.
    This affects less than 5 people in a large company.  They have the Full Control permissions and have been able to open the files previously.  There has been no changes made to the server either.  I can't find anything that points to this in the
    event viewer. 
    It doesn't matter if which computer that they try to open this up from either.   All computers are Windows 7 Professional with IE 9 and Office 2010 x64.   
    I can't find anything that points specifically to this exact error. None of the excel files contain pivot tables.    This one has me stumped.

    I would make sure no one has open on machine / locked on machine (Would assume you checked this, but wanted to add)
    Also would have assumed you restarted the machines (:))
    Make sure the file security did not change (check to ensure no one changed the sercuity of the excel)
    Make sure the version of excel is the same (Changing from 2010 back to 2007 affects the file, etc.. on convert) that no one converted and saved thus causing error in file.
    Can they open other excel files?
    It sounds like the excel file it self has changed if you cannot see issue in SharePoint logs.
    If it is all SharePoint excel files - try deleting one persons access and readding them to see if that helps.
    SharePoint has issues ;)

  • I can not open my Safari. It quits unexpectedly. The issue happens with a single user account. It does not happen to anyone else in my family. Please help.

    I can not open my Safari. It quits unexpectedly. The issue only happens to a single user account. It does not happen to anyone else in my family. Please help!

    Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the page that opens.
    Step 1
    Enter the name of the crashed application or process in the Filter text field. Post the messages from the time of the last crash, if any — the text, please, not a screenshot.
    Important: Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Edit it out by search-and-replace in a text editor before posting.
    Step 2
    Still in the Console window, look under User Diagnostic Reports for crash reports related to the process. The report name starts with the name of the crashed process, and ends with ".crash". Select the most recent report and post the contents — again, the text, not a screenshot. In the interest of privacy, I suggest that, before posting, you edit out the “Anonymous UUID,” a long string of letters, numbers, and dashes in the header of the report, if it’s present (it may not be.) Please don’t post shutdownStall or hang logs — they're very long and not helpful.

  • Since I updated I can't open anything that comes in a pop upwindow i.e. pdf or mail window. How can I solve or go back to the previous version - it worked just fine.

    Since I updated I can't open anything that comes in a pop upwindow i.e. pdf or mail window. How can I solve or go back to the previous version - it worked just fine.

    I am not sure what your problem is, can you give more details.
    One possibility is you may be in full screen mode, for details on fixing that see the [[menu bar is missing]] article.
    If you are missing various toolbar items, see the [[back and forward or other toolbar items are missing]] article.
    If your problem is something else please give more details.

  • Help PC users can't open my iwebsite-is this a browser problem?

    I created a password secured page with 3 films for a jury to vote on. All PC users can't open the page. They do not get access to the server.
    The window to open the page with the username and password does not even pop up.
    All Mac users have been able to access the site.
    Is this a browser problem? Is there a problem with Internet Explorer?
    thanks for your advice
    NFrano
    MAC Book Pro Intel Core 2 Duo   Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

    When burning a CD from within iPhoto, it includes the iPhoto folder structure with thumbnails, originals, etc.
    To burn a CD with images only, insert a blank disc, create a burn folder in Finder and drag the photos from iPhoto into the Finder burn folder. (Burn...)

  • Pc user can't open my zip file

    Just today I sent my zip files to my co-worker, using a pc and she can't open them.  I've been sending them the same way for years and all the sudden this happens.  I'm using mac os x version 10.5.8, I would appreciate any ideas or help, could the problem be on the pc end of things?

    Stuffit is the only app I know of which can decompress its own format. Your Windows clients must use the free Expander to open them. Otherwise, use OS X's built in zip compression and they'll be able to open the files without the need of third party software. Right click on any item, or group of items and choose, "Compress xxx Items" (how it will read if more than one item is chosen).

  • I downloaded newest itunes version and it would not install properly and now i can't open it. i have removed and reinstalled several times. i get error 7 (windows error 126) something about apple mobile device failed to start. anybody having this problem.

    i downloaded newest itunes version and it would not install properly and now i can't open itunes. i have removed and reinstalled several times. i get error 7 (windows error 126) something about apple mobile device failed to start. what can i do to fix this problem besides restoring system to an earlier date

    Try the following user tip:
    Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates

  • How can I change the default pdf reader from the installed (but not yet registered) Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro to Adobe Reader XI?

    How can I change the default pdf reader from the installed (but not yet registered) Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro to Adobe Reader XI? I'm having some hiccups getting Adobe to register the software, but since I set it as the default .pdf reader during setup, things try (and fail) to open in the as yet unregistered software. How can I change it temporariiy to the Acrobat Reader XI that I have installed?

    Anubha,
    It worked! Thank you so much.
    I'd opened file with the 'Open with' feature then clicking Adobe Reader,
    but that didn't do it. When I used 'Open with', then 'Choose default
    program...', it worked like a charm.
    Again, thank you!
    Jonathan
    On Wed, Mar 18, 2015 at 10:16 PM, Anubha Goel <[email protected]>

  • Can`t open document on Illustrator but adobe reader and photoshop opens it, why?

    Can`t open document on Illustrator but adobe reader and photoshop opens it, it is a problem with the text font Futura T-Bold. How to open it on Illustrator?

    I downloaded the file, and:
    It is not a Photoshop PDF.
    I get the same result attempting to open in Illustrator; mangled font substitution. That's because I don't have one or more of the exact fonts used in the document installed on my computer, and I suspect the same is true of yours.
    The fact that it opens without issue in Reader and Photoshop is essentally meaningless, (or at least it's not an inidication that it also should open without issue in Illustrator, which is what your original post seems to imply). Reader displays the correct fonts because subsets of them are embedded in the PDF for use by Reader. Photohop just rasterises the whole page, so there is no font data needed.
    If you had the fonts, you wouldn't get the substitution in Illustrator. It works that way for any PDF.

  • I have been given a 28 page Pdf and have been asked to optimize the item to reduce the file size. Can this be done in Photoshop Elements? if so how?

    I am using a Mac and just bought Photoshop Elements 13. I have been given a 28 page Pdf and have been asked to optimize the item to reduce the file size. Can this be done in Photoshop Elements? if so how?

    No the pages will open as separate documents in Expert Mode. You really need Acrobat or possibly you could copy and paste the contents into MS word. Then re-save as PDF.

Maybe you are looking for

  • Since iOS 8 my purchases disappeared and I cannot re-download them!

    Since iOS 8 my purchases disappeared and I cannot re-download them!  I have tried going to purchased items and hitting the download from icloud icon.  It just says downloading, then goes back to the download icon. I have tried syncing from my Mac - s

  • Solaris Hangs on Cold Boot

    My IDE machine hangs just after Configuration Assistant (Initializing System\Please Wait...) on a cold boot. When I press the reset button it comes up every time. This is a bit concerning - if I have a power outage, my machine won't reboot. Has anyon

  • InDesign style sheets?

    I'm wondering if there is a way in cs6 to create an external styles doc in indesign? Similar to how linking images works and are alerted when the image is missing, is there a way to link a style sheet to any type of style? I aware that you can load c

  • Top 10 Condition and Zero Suppression

    I have a query that has a zero suppression turned on, so that rows/columns that have no values are suppressed. I have added a condition to the query such that only the top 10 are displayed. The problem is that the condition appears to be applied afte

  • I backup my phone to my mac and heaps of my old photos came back and now i can't delete them HELP?!

    i can't delete my photos after contacting to my mac