PREVIEW 3.0.9 SUDDENLY STOPPED RENDERING PDF FILES PROPERLY.  How to fix?

I have been using Preview to open PDF files on the MacBook Pro since I bought it a little less than a year ago. Then just the other day, I opened a PDF file and it looked horrible. The color was missing. Part of the text was missing. Some of the text was present and in the right place. (I had not made any recent changes to my self. No software or hardware added or removed recently.)
I am fairly certain that the problem is with Preview or some other Apple program or utility that works with it. I sent by e-mail the PDF file to my wife's PC. I then opened the PDF file in the Adobe Reader on her machine that it was rendered perfectly.
One other thing: In my frustration I went to the Adobe site and downloaded Adobe PDF reader for Mac. And I think installed it. But when I try to open a PDF file, Preview opens it, regardless of whatever else I do. Even if I have Preview closed and Adobe PDF reader for Mac open, Preview jumps in and opens the PDF file. And it looks horrible.
So, in summary, what I'd like to do:
1) Get Preview running properly again; and
2) Learn how to control what program opens PDF files.
Thanks gang!
REG CROWDER
<Edited by Moderator>

Hi Reg,
Is this happening with all PDF files, or just this one that you mentioned in your post?
2) Learn how to control what program opens PDF files.
There's a few different ways to do this.
1. Open Adobe Reader and simply drag-n-drop the PDF file onto the Adobe Reader icon that appears in the Dock
2. Right-click (or hold the ctrl key and click on a single button mouse/trackpad) the PDF file and choose Open With... > Adobe Reader
3. Select the PDF file, then press command+i to bring up the information window and change the default application towards the bottom of that window.
Edit: Probably unrelated, but are you still on 10.4.10 as mentioned in your profile tag line? 10.4.11 is the latest version of Tiger available.

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