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Participant
February 19, 2012
Answered

Adobe Reader freezes after opening a document

  • February 19, 2012
  • 9 replies
  • 126754 views

It's a recurrent problem with Adobe Reader.

Shortly after opening a document, Reader freezes for several seconds. Who knows why, it probably accesses the network, or tries to do something smart, which results in the user being unable to read the document for a while.

I have tried to disable as many "smart" options as I could, but without success. Could anyone work around this endless Adobe Reader bug?

I must admit I'm tired of this monster of a program, why can't Adobe keep the Reader a light application, instead of throwing all those unnecessary functions, ads and other uglinesses ... ?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Knote

Good day folks,

Here is how I solved the issue for myself.

Background:

I have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC running on Windows 10 Pro (Enterprise) and I am connected to a corporate Network.  After starting Acrobat (whether with or without opening a Document) it would run for around 15 seconds apparently normally.  It would then hang / freeze / crash.  If I tried to click on anything more than a few times then Windows would report that Acrobat is "Not Responding".  It would recover on its own within around another 15 seconds.  This is a common complaint from what I can see.  I tried the following things without any success:

Things that didn't work:

Setting Recently Used Documents to only 1

Toggling Enhanced Security, Protected Views settings, etc.

Plug-Ins attempts:  Holding Shift when Acrobat starts keeps the problems from happening (but I need many of the Plug-Ins).

Graphics (Multimedia) Settings changes:  No effect for me.

Trying all kinds of permutations of settings in the Preferences settings had no effect for me.

My solution (works for me):

1)     Close down Acrobat. 

2)     Fire up regedit (follow the usually cautions for dealing with the Registry)

3)     Navigate to:  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\2015\FeatureLockDown

4)     You should see Key folders with names like cDefaultExecMenuItemscDefaultFindAttachmentPerms, cDefaultLaunchAttachmentPerms, cDefaultLaunchURLPerms 

5)     If a key name named cServices does not yet exist, then create it (right click on FeatureLockDown and select New -> Key and name it cServices).

6) Left Click to Select the cServices Key you just created. 

7)     Right click in the white space in the right side pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value and name this new Value bToggleAdobeDocumentServices

8)     Double Click on the newly created bToggleAdobeDocumentServices and enter 1 (Hexadecimal) for the Value data.  Click OK. 

9)     Continue creating new Key names within the cServices Key folder until you have the following: 

               Name Type                                                                           Data

               bToggleAdobeDocumentServices      REG_DWORD       0x00000001 (1)

               bToggleAdobeSign                              REG_DWORD       0x00000001 (1)

               bTogglePrefSync                                  REG_DWORD       0x00000001 (1)

               bUpdater                                               REG_DWORD        0x00000000 (0)

          Note: The value of bUpdater is 0 while the values of the first three are 1). 

          Note: When you create the cServices Key folder a Key named (Default) may be automatically create, this is OK.  Just ignore it (don't try to delete it). 

10. Close the regedit, and restart Acrobat.  You may need to restart your PC. 

 

More Info:

 

An explanation of these Registry fields can be found here: 

Services integration

I looked for this when I discovered that the problem had to do with one the Plug-Ins (as I mention above).  I traced it to IA32.api.  But, removing this Plug-In file crippled Acrobat in addition to keeping it from crashing.  Adobe Support tried to help me but they couldn't figure it out and I couldn't spend any more time with them.  These registry changes will stop Acrobat from going out to "the Cloud".  This keeps it from hanging while it tries to get through the corporate firewall.  My opinion is that it it very poor design and maybe insufficient testing that would cause this unresponsiveness to happen and go undetected.  I have been unable to find a non-registry way to get this result. 

Good luck! :-)

9 replies

Participant
January 10, 2024

Same problem.

With Adobe open. Go to Menu, then Help. I tried a Repair which didn't work. I did the Re-Install which worked. (maybe vice-versa.

Participant
January 4, 2024

So here we are, 11 years later and I'm having to search for exactly the same problem that is STILL there in Jan 2024!!

...... and I'm paying a lot of money to be frustrated every time I open a PDF.

Once I get time, I'll try out the solution that so many people seem to have had success with.

Participant
January 4, 2024

I just came here looking for a solution as well. This seems to have done the trick on my machine. Will try on others.

 

The only thing we changed recently is a switch to MS Server exchange for emails. I may be a bit premature on this one, but I've only had complaints from Win 11 users so far.

iteese
Inspiring
December 22, 2023

This still seems to be a problem in 2023! And the registry keys still seem to fix it!
Come on Adobe. Surely this needs some support.

Participant
November 8, 2019

Thank you Keynote for your workaround which does work for me at least when doubleclicking on a PDF file in file explorer, but not when opening Acrobat alone.

I have your same sw/PC/network configuration but the latest Acrobat DC version (2019.021.20049).

In my case I've had to add the new cService key under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown

I agree with you that Acrobat DC is a "monster of a program" and this bug is still there after more than 7 years since when nofb1 opened this tread.

If you consider that, as average, I open 50 PDF files per day waiting 15 seconds each time before to be able to do anyting with them, I waste more than 40 hours per year just for this bug!

Participant
June 12, 2023

I have the same problem but on MacOS. I've tried the suggestions here but nothing seems to help.

Participant
June 21, 2013

I only experienced this *very frustrating* issue with Adobe Reader XI on Windows 7 (64-bit).

The solution for me was to disable Protected mode at startup:

  Edit -> Preferences -> Security (Enhanced)

then remove the tick from "Enable Protected Mode at startup"

I don't know what this feature does, so you had better check with Adobe before disabling it yourselves.

KnoteCorrect answer
Participating Frequently
June 13, 2016

Good day folks,

Here is how I solved the issue for myself.

Background:

I have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC running on Windows 10 Pro (Enterprise) and I am connected to a corporate Network.  After starting Acrobat (whether with or without opening a Document) it would run for around 15 seconds apparently normally.  It would then hang / freeze / crash.  If I tried to click on anything more than a few times then Windows would report that Acrobat is "Not Responding".  It would recover on its own within around another 15 seconds.  This is a common complaint from what I can see.  I tried the following things without any success:

Things that didn't work:

Setting Recently Used Documents to only 1

Toggling Enhanced Security, Protected Views settings, etc.

Plug-Ins attempts:  Holding Shift when Acrobat starts keeps the problems from happening (but I need many of the Plug-Ins).

Graphics (Multimedia) Settings changes:  No effect for me.

Trying all kinds of permutations of settings in the Preferences settings had no effect for me.

My solution (works for me):

1)     Close down Acrobat. 

2)     Fire up regedit (follow the usually cautions for dealing with the Registry)

3)     Navigate to:  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\2015\FeatureLockDown

4)     You should see Key folders with names like cDefaultExecMenuItemscDefaultFindAttachmentPerms, cDefaultLaunchAttachmentPerms, cDefaultLaunchURLPerms 

5)     If a key name named cServices does not yet exist, then create it (right click on FeatureLockDown and select New -> Key and name it cServices).

6) Left Click to Select the cServices Key you just created. 

7)     Right click in the white space in the right side pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value and name this new Value bToggleAdobeDocumentServices

8)     Double Click on the newly created bToggleAdobeDocumentServices and enter 1 (Hexadecimal) for the Value data.  Click OK. 

9)     Continue creating new Key names within the cServices Key folder until you have the following: 

               Name Type                                                                           Data

               bToggleAdobeDocumentServices      REG_DWORD       0x00000001 (1)

               bToggleAdobeSign                              REG_DWORD       0x00000001 (1)

               bTogglePrefSync                                  REG_DWORD       0x00000001 (1)

               bUpdater                                               REG_DWORD        0x00000000 (0)

          Note: The value of bUpdater is 0 while the values of the first three are 1). 

          Note: When you create the cServices Key folder a Key named (Default) may be automatically create, this is OK.  Just ignore it (don't try to delete it). 

10. Close the regedit, and restart Acrobat.  You may need to restart your PC. 

 

More Info:

 

An explanation of these Registry fields can be found here: 

Services integration

I looked for this when I discovered that the problem had to do with one the Plug-Ins (as I mention above).  I traced it to IA32.api.  But, removing this Plug-In file crippled Acrobat in addition to keeping it from crashing.  Adobe Support tried to help me but they couldn't figure it out and I couldn't spend any more time with them.  These registry changes will stop Acrobat from going out to "the Cloud".  This keeps it from hanging while it tries to get through the corporate firewall.  My opinion is that it it very poor design and maybe insufficient testing that would cause this unresponsiveness to happen and go undetected.  I have been unable to find a non-registry way to get this result. 

Good luck! :-)

Participant
March 29, 2018

Knote, Thank you!  This seems to have fixed it for me.  I noticed that when it froze the lsass.exe Windows process was using 100% of one processor.  It now intermittently uses just a few percent.  Thanks again!

UPDATE!  It did work fine until I did a search and then lsass.exe went to 100% again.  Oh well.

nofb1Author
Participant
April 23, 2012

The best solution really was to discard Adobe Acrobat Reader and install Foxit Reader instead. Thanks anyway.

April 23, 2012

I am having the same problem as other have experienced in this forum.  I've uninstalled/reinstalled the latest version - Reader 10.1.3 - several times without the problem getting resolved.  I'm using Windows 7 home on a new desktop computer with McAfee protection.  Every time I attempt to open a .pdf it opens for a few seconds, freezes, and windows closes the program.  I'm getting frustrated because I don't want to pay $39 for personalized support, and so much these days requires use of Adobe Reader.

Participant
April 18, 2012

I have the same problem!

Adobe Employee
April 18, 2012

Hi Kefayati,

What version of Reader are you using?

Also does the issue exist with some specific PDF's or all PDF's?

Does the problem occur while opening the PDF in browser or Reader itself?

Please try opening the following PDF:

http://helpx.adobe.com/content/dam/help/attachments/Acrobat_Reader_ReleaseNote_10.1.3.pdf

Participant
April 21, 2012

I have the same problem.  The document if opened locally (i.e. through the adobe application or direct from a pdf file saved on the computer) opens but after a few seconds the screen freezes the stops responding.  I can close adobe down but cannot do anything else.  When opening through the brower (I tried with the file in your message above) the file does not open, also a tab appears in the applications taskbar at the bottom of the screen which has a windows icon but no description.

Any help in resolving this issue appreciated.

Adobe Employee
February 20, 2012

Adobe Reader does not display any AD of any sort. Are you sure that you are using Adobe Reader and not any other program?