When will the local, win32, and x64 folders in the AdobeGCClient folder be restored?

Question

My laptop wasn't moved anywhere yesterday. I don't know why the AdobeGCClient win32 x64 local backup folder, dlls, dat files, etc., randomly appeared in the C:\Windows\Temp directory, and was recreated as AdobeGCClientDiscarded, containing local win32 x64 dll files. I deleted the temp archive because I was worried about problems when opening or updating the software.

Anand Sri Bhattacharya · Accepted Answer

@Flawless_Odyssey6941thanks for the details.Understood, and the behavior you are describing (the files that used to sit in the normal AdobeGCClient location now showing up in C:\Windows\Temp as an AdobeGCClientDiscarded folder) is consistent with the Adobe Genuine Service updating itself.Here is the most likely sequence of what happened:The Adobe Genuine Service has a built-in self-update mechanism that runs automatically at intervals when the machine is online. This is documented Adobe behavior.When it updates, it replaces its client files (the local, win32, x64 subfolders, the DLLs and .dat files) with a fresh set in its permanent location, C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\AdobeGCClient.The previous set is set aside as a discarded copy and moved to the system Temp folder, C:\Windows\Temp, which is exactly where Windows expects transient, throwaway files to go. The "Discarded" in the folder name is the clue: it is the old version being retired, not your working copy being taken away.So the files did not really vanish from where they belong. The current, active set should still be in the Program Files location above; what you saw in Temp was the leftover old copy on its way out. Deleting it was fine, and nothing needs to be put back.Quick way to confirm your install is intact: open C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\AdobeGCClient and check that AdobeGCClient.exe and its files are there. If they are, the service is healthy and there is nothing more to do. If that folder were somehow empty, the fix is simply to let the Adobe app update itself (Help then Check for updates, or the Creative Cloud desktop app), and it rebuilds that folder automatically. Either way, there is no manual restore step.If you ever see an actual "not genuine" pop-up from Adobe, that would be worth following up separately, but finding these leftover folders is expected and not a sign that anything is wrong.If this keeps happening or grows unexpectedly:Capture screenshots of the folder and timestampsNote your Windows version + Creative Cloud version + Acrobat versionGather machine logs, and share them with us. To collect logs, check this article:https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-diagnostics.htmlRegards,Anand Sri.

Flawless_Odyssey6941 · Answer

​@Anand Sri Bhattacharya1. Yes2. No3. I didn't move it. Its original backup, local, win32, x86 folders, multiple DLL files, and other AdobeGCClient-related files were moved to the C:\Windows\Temp directory, and a new AdobeGCClientDiscarded folder was created, containing the local win32 x64 DLL files.4. I didn't. It moved it inexplicably.The backup, local, win32, and x86 folders, multiple DLL files, and other AdobeGCClient-related files were moved to the C:\Windows\Temp directory. Only five executable files (AdobeCleanUpUtility, agssservice, agmservice, AdobeGCClient, and agcinvokerutility) remain in their original locations.

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