Acrobat Distiller error message on Windows startup - another instance of Distiller busy....

[tarac55223970]

An Acrobat Distiller error window pops up on Windows Startup with the message " Another instance of Distiller is busy starting up. This instance cannot continue". See image below. Several windows will popup. Any asistance on why this keeps happening is appreciated. Thanks!

[DanZam]

I have the same problem and I don't see any solution, is that mean that no ones can fix it ?

[S. S]

Hi @DanZam,

Hope you are doing well. Sorry for your experience with Acrobat.

From the screenshot, it seems that there could be another copy of distiller lurking in the background unnoticed.

Try: Open the Start Menu-> search "RUN"-> type "MSCONFIG" and clicking on the start-up tab. If in your startup list is  "acrobat assistant" and "acrotray" , they both start up instances of distiller. It is also possible to have multiple listings of either of these programs. Try unchecking all but one, click ok and restart the system.

Hope this helps.

-Souvik

[pamelam1231]

I have the same problem and I believe this could be why it takes my machine 10+ minutes to start up each day. I have had anything "Adobe" or "Acrobat" disabled from startup for ages, so this suggestion doesn't fix the issue for me. Also, your instruction to access startup is out of date. It is now in the Task Manager. 

[pamelam1231]

I have been plagued by this problem for quite some time. It has tied my machine up each startup by 10 minutes or more. I uninstalled and reinstalled Adobe Creative Cloud and Adobe Acrobat (via ACC). Now it appears the problem is worse. Not only do I get the "Another instance of Distiller is busy starting up" pop-up windows, but now I have multiple background processes of Distiller, Acrobat Collaboration Synchronizer, and Acrobat Licensing Service. What is going on and why is there no solution??? I have found multiple posts about this same issue going back to 2018!!! My subscription renews in October. Maybe it is time for me to find an alternative which works. 

*please note I ended the Distiller tasks before I thought to take a screenshot. There were three of them. 

[Carefree_Skyline16B8]

I have had the same problem, multiple times. Whilst it may be possible to see the problem on Task Manager (i.e. more than one showing of something Acrobaty so you can delete one) it just reoccurs somewhat randomly.

Strange how unresponsive Adobe are. Maybe there are better products and companies out there?

[S. S · Accepted solution]

Hi @Carefree_Skyline16B8,

Sorry for the trouble.

Would you mind trying out the below steps when you see this:

1. Go to Start-> search "Services;"

2. Locate Windows Installer;

3. Right click-> select "Restart;"

4. In case the service does not show the status as running, right-click to select "Start;"

If this does not work, you can re-register the Windows Installer Service. To do so:

1. Go to Start-> search "CMD;"

2. Right-click to Run as Administrator;

3. Type the command:

•  %windir%\system32\msiexec.exe /unregister and press Enter;
•  %windir%\system32\msiexec.exe /regserver and press Enter;
•  %windir%\syswow64\msiexec.exe /unregister and press Enter;
•  %windir%\syswow64\msiexec.exe /regserver and press Enter;

4. Now, restart your computer once.

Hope this helps.

-Souvik

[wellsgbw]

This "Another instance of Distiller is busy starting up. This instance cannot continue." error message after Windows startup or reboot affected my computer since about July 2024.  My computer runs Acrobat Pro DC (Continuous Release, Version 2024.005.20307, 64-bit).  The Distiller-related error message seems to have started after installing an Acrobat update to correct the Windows Application Error Referenced Memory could not be written error and persisted across several updates.  Today, S. S.'s suggested steps for Windows Installer (i.e., manually starting Windows Installer, the 2 unregister commands, and the 2 regserver commands) eliminated the Distiller-related error message on my computer after one reboot.  More rebooting tests are ahead. Thank you, S. S.!

[S. S]

Hi @wellsgbw,

Thanks for letting us know that it worked.

-Souvik