acrobat reader won't start

Question

Level 1

8 points

acrobat reader won't start

Hi Everyone

After the last high sierra upgrade this week (to 10.13.3) pdfs just wouldn't open on my Mac Air (13 inch, mid 2012 so a bit old now!)

I just got an an adobe error message saying the file wasn't recognised.

I went to adobe website and checked for updates to make sure I had the latest version - but it still would not work

I then decided to uninstall adobe and reinstall. The Adobe site said there was no formal 'uninstall' for reader just find it in applications and move to trash so I did that, rebooted the mac and downloaded a new version of Acrobat Reader DC

Now when I try to install adobe reader it says it has found a higher version of the reader already in the computer and aborts installation. When I look in finder/applications there is no adobe reader that I can see

So I started with adobe reader DC that wouldn't work. Now I have no reader and can't download a new one. Help! David

MacBook Air, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Feb 27, 2018 3:02 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 5, 2018 3:48 PM in response to davcot

Acrobat Reader DC splatters stuff around the operating system, and does not just install within /Applications. Places to look and remove (you may not have every file or folder below, and some will require administrator privileges to remove):

/Users/yourname/Library/Caches/Acrobat/

/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/Adobe/c

/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.ARM.plist

/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.AdobeRdrCEFHelper.plist

/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist

/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Synchronizer.11.0.plist

/Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Synchronizer.DC.plist

/Users/Shared/Adobe/

/Library/Internet Plug-ins/AdobePDFViewer.plugin

/Library/Internet Plug-ins/AdobePDFViewerNPAPI.plugin

/Library/Application Support/Adobe/

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist

Once you have removed what you have found above, then boot into Safe boot mode, and then reboot normally. Then revisit the official Adobe Acrobat Reader DC download site, and proceed to reinstall.

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Answer 2

davcot Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 27, 2018 3:57 AM in response to CountryGirl56

That's the problem - as I said in my first post when I try to reinstall it aborts halfway through saying there is a higher version already found. But I can't find it and I thought I had deleted the version of Reader I had that won't work

So reinstalling doesn't work, David

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Answer 3

davcot Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 5, 2018 11:24 AM in response to CT

I'm sorry but this is not helping. I have already tried all the suggestions at Acrobat Reader help that you signposted.

I am stuck in a loop

If I try to instal any version of Reader it aborts half way through what looks like a normal installation. All seems to go well then I get a message saying 'found a higher version of reader at installation location' and the installation quits

If I try to uninstall reader using the acrobats cleaner ( I also posted on the adobe forum and this was the only suggestion) and it says it can't find a version of Reader on my machine

So I can't install as I allegedly have a higher version already than the latest version I am trying to install

And I cant delete that higher version as I apparently don't haver it on my machine after all. Very confusing and frustrating

All suggestions welcome and will be tried, David

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Answer 4

Mar 5, 2018 1:01 PM in response to davcot

Could try EasyFind or Find Any File apps to find adobe acrobat remnants on your system and delete them.

Or restore your App from time machine backup then use AppCleaner or AppDelete apps to remove app and all its "bits"

Then a reinstall may complete.

As always suggest have a minimum of a Time Machine Backup AND a Bootable clone (or two, NO three 🙂) using SuperDuper or CopyCatX apps of your current working setup before trying new installations etc.

Good luck! Mike

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Answer 5

ZintainUSA

Level 5

6,337 points

Mar 5, 2018 1:56 PM in response to davcot

I can give you an idea to try, but I'm not sure it's going to take care of your problem. If you to the "Apple" in the top corner of your desktop, then go to "About this Mac". Once that dialog box opens up, click on the storage tab at the top. This will now show you how much of your drive is being used. Next to the information there is a "Manage" button. This then brings up another dialog box that you can see everything is using up space on your drive. Click on the Applications list on the left hand side and you should see everything that is listed in there. See if you see the Adobe Reader in there and if you do, click the "X" that you see when you highlight over the app. If it's there, this should remove it for you so you can install it again.

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Answer 6

davcot Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 5, 2018 3:19 PM in response to Shock Doc

Easy find didn't work - found lots of remnants but deleting them all didn't solve the problem but I like the app - thanks. So I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and got for the restore option - or maybe just live without adobe reader!

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