I cannot open PDF files. I reinstalled Adobe and receive a message stating that it cannot download due to running in Safe Mode or improperly installed Windows. How do I check these problems?
Adobe Reader Troubleshooting
First, let’s make sure that your computer is NOT in Safe Mode and that no earlier versions of Adobe Reader are installed. Start by rebooting your computer. It should boot up into Normal mode if you shut it down properly and then power it back up. Any error messages upon startup? Any other indications that Windows is improperly installed other than the Adobe message?
If your computer starts normally and isn’t generating any errors, then go into Add and Remove Programs and remove any instances of Adobe Reader. While you can have several versions of Adobe Reader on your computer at once, they can conflict with each other, so it’s smart to remove the old ones.
Cleanup the Failed Installation
Since you’re having trouble with the installation, it’s also possible that your computer has leftover remnants of the failed installation. Use the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility to remove the installation files before trying a clean install.
Once all versions of Adobe Reader have been removed, download the latest version of Reader to your computer and save it to your desktop. Since you’ve been having problems with the installation, do not install just yet.
Start Computer in “Simplified” Mode
Starting your computer in “Simplified” mode is different than starting it in Safe Mode. Adobe recommends doing this when users encounter installation problems. Go to Start > Run and type in msconfig. Click the Startup Tab and click Disable All. Next, go to the Services tab and choose “Hide all Microsoft Services.” Once those are hidden, choose “Disable All.” Click OK to confirm your choices and reboot your computer.
This will reboot your computer with just its bare bones services running. Now, install Adobe Reader. Once installed, go back into msconfig and go to the General tab. Choose “Normal Startup,” click OK, and reboot your computer.
Hopefully, this will do the trick and Adobe Reader will work properly for you.
Celeste Stewart | June 29th, 2009
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