We downloaded Adobe Reader XI and our PC no longer works properly.

Question

We run Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 3, and use Internet Explorer 8.  We once were running a Trend Micro AntiVirus that seemed capable of producing some issues, but we believe it to be disabled.  Before downloading Reader XI, we were able to easily use PDF files in many ways.  When there was a web site we were using that offered us a look at a document, such as a statement, or a blank state government report form, we could click on it, and the pdf would pop up in a window associated with Explorer, where we could view it, and then decide whether to print it.  We can no longer do that.  We still can use some pdf's, but not pdf's that are made available to us via the Internet in that fashion.  A few weeks ago, upon startup, we saw a message on our desktop that we ought to download the latest Adobe Reader. We downloaded Adobe Reader XI. The problem immediately started. We uninstalled Reader XI. We reinstalled. The problem persisted immediately upon reinstall.  In between the uninstall and reinstall, we looked at our system attempting to find an older version of Reader we could reinstall in preference to XI, but we saw nothing under our Control Panel Install/Uninstall programs, and so nothing on our hard drive.  Now, when we attempt to click on a "View" hyperlink on many websites, the pop up window, that would have at one time showed us the document or pdf file, pops up blank, turns dark gray, and stays inert for 2 or 3 minutes, followed by the appearance of the error message stating that we have a problem with our programming, or, if the Reader is already running, shut it, and try again.  The reader is not already running.  We have tried rebooting and re-trying to view, but we get the same error message.  We have some old pdf's stored on our hard drive.  We can double click the file names and open and read and print the files in Reader XI.  We can also add new pdf's to our hard drive if they arrive as attachments to e-mails; or, if at a web site offering a view of a document we need, if the web site offers also an ALTERNATE hyperlink by which we may DOWNLOAD the file, then, we can get the file via download, and open it.  The Reader XI is not inoperable.  It will not work with various websites in Explorer 8 that offers a VIEW hyperlink rather than a DOWNLOAD hyperlink.  What can we do? If we download Google Chrome, will it work?

Answer 1

Internet Explorer is, as we in the web design world call it, "the problem child" of browsers. It seems as the rest of the world embraces HTML 5 and CSS 3, Microsoft has been throwing a tantrum and hoping everyone will go back to 1998 standards... "It ain't gonna happen."
Given that the view/download worked prior to installing the newest Reader, it's probably a matter of IE not working with the latest plugin. Since XP (which is just ten short months away from being "sunsetted" by Microsoft) won't work with IE9 or IE10, you're stuck with 8, and I'd recommend a "downgrade" to an older build, like 10 or even 9.
First, you'll want to run the Adobe Cleaner to remove all traces of Reader XI.
Then download the offline installer for 10 and reinstall.