Skip to main content
J
jjdneves
Participant
April 22, 2021
Answered

Can't open Acrobat DC

  • April 22, 2021
  • 1 reply
  • 5412 views

Lately, whenever I try to open a pdf file, the following error appears:

"The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail."

and then open in Acrobat DC reader. However when I need to edit the pdf file, I'm requested to use the DC version, which I can't open.

Help is appreciated.

Jose Neves

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer jjdneves

Hi,

Thanks for your help.

Reinstalling Acrobat DC solved my issue.

Regards,

Jose Neves

1 reply

Amal.
Amal.
Legend
April 22, 2021

Hi Jose

 

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble.  As described, you are unable to open Acrobat DC and getting the error 'The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail.'

 

What is the version of the Adobe Acrobat DCand the OS you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the latest version installed. Go to Help > Check for Updates. Reboot the computer once and restart the application and check if that helps.

 

If you are a Microsoft Visual C++ user, then do the following steps:

1. Install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 runtime.

2. Reboot the machine

3. Relaunch the application

 

Hope this information will help

 

Regards

Amal

ls_rbls
Community Expert
ls_rblsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 22, 2021

++Adding to Amal's guidance,

 

I would uninstall Acrobat Pro DC and Adobe Reader DC altogether first before you update any runtime environment or redistributables for your operating system.

 

Then use the Acrobat Cleaner and Repair tool to ensure that old traces of the software are completely removed.

 

Additionally, you may want to run this Micrososft Troubleshooter tool before you reinstall Acrobat and Reader:

 

 

Here's an additional Microsoft guidance to complement this topic:

 

 

 

 

Last, you didn't specified if you're using other Adobe programs in that computer that were installed via the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app.

 

Sometimes users install Adobe Acrobat Pro DC via the desktop app and fail to perform the appropriate updates with the CC desktop app.

 

 

J
jjdnevesAuthorCorrect answer
Participant
April 24, 2021

Hi,

Thanks for your help.

Reinstalling Acrobat DC solved my issue.

Regards,

Jose Neves

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices