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Participant
July 3, 2018
Answered

Failed - Insufficient Permissions

  • July 3, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 13027 views

I have been using Adobe Reader for many years.  In the last week, a major problem has come up.  When I try to download and PDF file, my screen starts blinking every 2 seconds and this goes on for a couple of minutes, then I get the message "Failed - Insufficient Permissions".  I've tried un-installing and re-installing the software twice with the same results.  For some reason I now cannot open any PDF files.  Does anyone have a clue where I would start to fix this problem?  Thanks in advance for your help!

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Correct answer jeffd1800

Hey, something you said in your posts made me think of default apps.  So I checked and somehow GoogleChrome was set up as the default app for pdf files.  Don't ask me how that happened!  But once I changed it back to Acrobat Reader, I can now open all the pdf files correctly.  So, thank you for giving me the idea to check the default apps!  Really appreciate your help because it was driving me crazy!

2 replies

Legend
July 3, 2018

Please go to your Downloads folder and see if you can create a file there (in the official Downloads folder where Chrome puts stuff). Does it work?

jeffd1800AuthorCorrect answer
Participant
July 4, 2018

Hey, something you said in your posts made me think of default apps.  So I checked and somehow GoogleChrome was set up as the default app for pdf files.  Don't ask me how that happened!  But once I changed it back to Acrobat Reader, I can now open all the pdf files correctly.  So, thank you for giving me the idea to check the default apps!  Really appreciate your help because it was driving me crazy!

Legend
July 3, 2018

From which browser are you trying to download, and have you tried a different one?

jeffd1800Author
Participant
July 3, 2018

I am using Google Chrome.  And I have been using it for years and had no problems prior downloading PDF files.

jeffd1800Author
Participant
July 3, 2018

By the way, I just tried downloading using MS Edge browser with the same result.