SERIOUS ADOBE ACROBAT PROFESSIONAL 8 ERROR

I have experienced this issue as well. I was able to get everything working again after following the steps mentioned in posts 136 and 139 above.

What baffles me is why this happened in the first place. [??] The only thing out of the ordinary that I did was allow Adobe Update Manager to apply updates before I opened any applications for the first time. Then, I opened Acrobat first, and it asked me to close and open any other app first for activation. It was all downhill from there.

Adobe should fix the bug in Acrobat's activation routine rather than require 10,000 or more users to spend hours on the phone with Tech Support.

if you're having the problem which started the forum where acrobat crashes w/ "serious error" then it's most likely a fix as simple as this: create a new user account w/ administrative rights. log into the new user account. Launch Acrobat. Agree to the EULA and activate. Restart your PC, open up your usual user account, launch acrobat. Problem should be fixed.

If NOT, then call adobe's tech support. they'll fix the problem as long as the problem is caused by an adobe product, and a lot of times, even if it isn't, they'll still fix the incompatibility, it only costs about $40 for a volume license and it's FREE for single user versions and the case stays open an active for 2 weeks after you last talk to them, so as long as you don't give up on it, they'll stay in touch and fix the issue on a call back on the off chance that they can't get it resolved in the first call. I've had GREAT luck w/ adobe's technicians and $39 is nothing compared to what most software companies charge. Besides, if we're able to shell out thousands for volume license editions, what's an extra $39 for support if it fixes the problems our other software caused?

If you have Acrobat installed, Adobe recommends that you should not have Acrobat Reader installed as well.

Ken Friedman

As noted previously, this is not an isolated Vista issue (version matters not). The problem exists on XP and Vista. Those of you who are suggesting otherwise are simply confusing the matter. We need to be as clear and precise as possible in giving Adobe information so they can continue to work on this issue (or work with Macrovision to correct this issue, depending on whose fault it is.)

Well, I had a very interesting experience yesterday. I have the Acrobat Reader 8.1, Acrobat Pro 8.1 and PrimoPDF installed. The reader works just fine and, for the current AP 8.1/Vista problems, PrimoPDF works great when I want to print a PDF file from within another application.

I had to complete a fill-in PDF form and decided to try AP 8.1. Given all I've read, I did not use the scroll bar. I was amazed. I opened and closed the form and had other PDF files open at the same time and I had no problems.

Personally, I think this was luck given my prior experience. Who knows what will happen the next time I reboot ... ?

I changed my operating system from Windows XP (SP2) to Vista Ultimate starting about a month ago. That in itself is a tale for a separate thread in an appropriate forum. Acrobat 8.0 worked fine under Windows XP. I have not been able to get either Acrobat 8.0 or 8.0 "upgraded" to 8.1 to work under Vista. The program starts, displays the opening screen, attempts to run the activation process, and then "stops working". I have uninstalled, deleted all references to Acrobat from my computer and from the registry and reinstalled a number of times. Nothing fixes this problem. I have an application program that uses the Acrobat Distiller to create PDF files. When it accesses Distiller a message pops up saying that Acrobat is not activated. I have again removed Acrobat from my computer and cannot afford to waste any more time because of this defect. In the meantime I am using another PDF solution which works flawlessly under Vista. I hope Adobe finally gets its collective act together and addresses this problem before I become too endeared to my other PDF solution. As it stands I will not spend another moment on Acrobat unless and until I "know" that this defect has been repaired. This is an Adobe issue. It cannot be pawned off on other vendors.

The problem solely lies within the Macrovision licensing program that Adobe is using. Personally I have found that the DRM is the root cause. Despite having allowed and excluded the ALL Adobe folders from scans and blocks within Windows Live One Care it still has issues unless I turn them completely off.

Adobe, you guys need to go to Macrovision and have them fix your problem. It is apparent that is the problem for the crashes and messages to reactivate.

Granted you can turn them off EVERY time you want to use an Adobe product and compromise your online security but you should not have too. For the money spent on quality products like these you would think they would work correctly.

Bottom line, turn off firewall, anti-spam and virus before you open ANY adobe product to avoid the crashing problems. I know, I have it working that way for quite some time now after 100+ hours of fighting with it.

Cheers!

Wolfie

Al,

The download I received today from Adobe was version 8.1 so I started there...

Darryl,

Did you also install the 8.1 upgrade or just stay at 8.0?

- Al