Remove all previous versions of Acrobat or Reader, and then reinstall

Adobe does not support multiple versions of Acrobat or Reader on the same machine. Because
Acrobat and Reader work with many products, multiple versions simultaneously installed can
lead to software conflicts and errors.

You must have administrator privileges to complete these steps. For more information on
administrator privileges, see the Windows documentation or contact Microsoft.

1. Do one of the following, depending on your version of Windows:

o (Windows 7) Choose Start > Control Panel > Programs > Programs And Features.
o (Windows Vista) Choose Start > Control Panel > Programs > Programs And
Features.
o (Windows XP) Choose Start > Control Panel, and double-click Add Or Remove
Programs.

1. Select Acrobat or Reader, and then click the option to remove or uninstall the program.
2. Repeat the procedure for all installed versions of the program.
3. Restart your computer and reinstall Acrobat or Reader.

Note: For Acrobat, reinstall the program from the Acrobat disk, or download the
program from adobe.com. For Reader, download the program from the Reader
Download Center. If installing on Vista, right-click the Acrobat or Reader installer and
select Run As Administrator.

More solutions
1. (Advanced) Check the registry path for Acrobat or Reader

Disclaimer: The registry contains system-related information that is critical to your computer
and applications. Before modifying the registry, be sure to make a backup copy of it. Adobe
doesn't provide support for problems that can arise from improperly modifying the registry.
Adobe strongly recommends that you have experience editing system files before you modify the
registry. For information on the Windows Registry Editor, see the documentation for Windows
or contact Microsoft Technical Support.

1. Choose Start > Run.

2. Type regedit and click OK.
3. Browse to the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe.
4. Make sure that the (Default) value is set for the path where Acrobat or Reader is
installed.

The default path for Reader is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe."

The default path for Acrobat is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 9.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe."
Note: If Acrobat or Reader is installed in a different location than the default path, make sure
that the key's (Default) value points to the actual location.

For a video demonstration of the procedure, go to kb2.adobe.com/cps/515/cpsid_51501.html.

If the above registry item doesn't exist on the system, do the following:

1. Choose Start > Run.

2. Type regedit and click OK.
3. Go to Edit > New > Key and create the
missing HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe.
4. Go to Edit > New > String Value and name this key (Default).
5. Select (Default), and then go to Edit > Modify. Type the default path (listed above) in the
"Value data" for your product.
6. Restart your computer.

2. Configure Acrobat or Reader as a helper application

With Acrobat or Reader configured as a helper application, the browser starts the helper
application in a separate window and displays PDFs within that window.

1. Start Acrobat or Reader.

2. Choose Edit > Preferences.
3. Select Internet on the left.
4. Deselect Display PDF In Browser Using [Acrobat application], and then click OK.
5. Quit Acrobat or Reader.

3. Run Acrobat or Reader in a new local administrator account

Create a user account that has the same permissions as the account you use when the problem
occurs. Or, create a new local administrator account. If the problem doesn't recur when you log
on to the new account, then the original user account could be damaged.

For information on setting up a user account, see "Create a user account" in Windows Help And
Support, or contact your network administrator. For information on setting up a new local
administrator account, see Create new local administrator account (Windows Vista).

4. Visit the forums

See if other users are experiencing similar problems by visiting the forums for Acrobat, Reader,
or AcrobatUsers.com. If you don't see your issue listed, post it on the forums for interactive
troubleshooting. When posting on forums, include your operating system and your product's
version number.

Additional information
This error can occur when the folder that contains Acrobat or Reader or one of its parent or
subfolders has been renamed or moved. This error can also occur if Acrobat or Reader is not
defined as the helper application within the browser.

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