Reader Error 1500, CPSID_83708, Please Help!

Question

I have a most difficult problem with Reader. I currently have version 8.2.4 installed on my computer, and have for years now Reader updated itself automatically. An icon would appear in my system tray, I would click it, and the update took place no problem. Not this time however.
My computer is an HP Pavillion, A250E, bought in 2003. It runs Windows XP Home Edition, version 2002. It has Service Pack 3 installed. My problem began today, 10/7. I noticed the update icon in my tray, so I clicked on it. When I did, I noticed it said "Installing Update" and "Patching files". It also said "File: Updater.api Size: 224355 bytes". I let this run for a while, then noticed that nothing seemed to be hapoening after about 5 minutes. I waited another 5 minutes, and nothing had yet happened. Now, all that is going on is that I have this icon just sitting in my tray, and when I click it, I see a window open with the information that I indicated above.
I then went online to search for solutions. Probably the best was to download the Windows Installer Clean-up utility. So I did that...Microsoft does not seem to support the utility anymore, so I downloaded it from Majorgeeks.com. However, when I try to install it, I get a message saying "Error 1500: Another installation is in process". I then have an opportunity to retry or cancel the installation of the clean-up utility. When I choose Retry, nothing happens. I continue to hit Retry, but nothing happens. I am then forced to abort the install of the clean-up utility.
I have seen that using the clean-up utility has worked for some people. However, I cannot even install it on my computer. I'm not seeing the error 1402 that a lot of people are having along with the error 1500.
I have tried to uninstall Reader from my conputer using Add/Remove programs from within Windows, but when I do, I get this message: "Another installation is already in progress. Complete that installation before proceeding with this install."
As you can see, I am in a vicious Catch-22 here. I can't install the clean-up utility to uninstall the update, and I can't uninstall Reader itself.
Could someone please help me? I would like to uninstall the update or uninstall Reader and do a fresh installation. By the way, according to Add/Remove programs within Windows, there is this listed under Adobe Reader 8.2.4: "Adobe Reader 8.2.4 - CPSID_83708". I believe that is the update giving me these problems.
All seems well with my system except for this issue. I am concerned about system safety though...unless I can update Reader, I could get a nasty virus or who knows what the next time I look at a PDF.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to one and all for any help.
Thank you
Dave K.

Answer 1

Here are the steps that should help-
1. Start Reader application, open Edit\Preferences menu and select Updater
2. Disable automatic updates
3. Reboot the system
4. Install Cleanup tool and get rid of Reader
5. Install new Reader from Adobe.com
Good luck