Acrobat v9 Pro and Standard Runtime Error!

Report · Jul 15, 2008

My company recently got in the CD's from Adobe for Acrobat 9 Professional and Acrobat 9 Standard.

I installed Acrobat 9 Pro on one of our systems. The system got a runtime error every time Adobe Acrobat started citing "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 9.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusal way. Please contact the application's support team for more information."

Initially, I thought it was an issue with that system. So, I installed Acrobat Standard on two other systems. Both units get the same error.

Of the 3 units 2 are identical IBM workstations with some different software installed. 1 is an HP system. The OS is a fairly clean Windows XP SP2 otherwise very stable installation.

I searched Adobe forums and here but haven't come across much version 9 questions/comments.

Initially, I was going to fully uninstall Acrobat and try the installation again. However, now that 2 other systems are getting the same error, I feel it would be a waste of time.

Any ideas on what to look for to resolve this issue?

Previous version was the latest v8 which 9 uninstalled.

Thanks in advance!

-Dean

EDIT: I did come across this for version 8 and tried the same fix with 9, but to no effect:
================================================================================
C++ Runtime error after launching Acrobat or Adobe Reader 8 on Windows
Issue
When you launch Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard, Professional, or Adobe Reader 8 on Windows, an error occurs:

Runtime Error!
Program: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe

This application has requested the Runtime to terminate in an unusual way. Please contact the application's support team for more information.

Solution
Disable the Updater.api plug-in.

Navigate to where Acrobat or Adobe Reader is installed, usually
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\plug_ins
or C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\plug_ins
Rename the Updater.api plug-in to Updater.api.old
Relaunch Acrobat or Reader.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Report · Oct 04, 2008

Using Windows XP I attempted to download Acrobat9 (several times) but will not open giving message "The application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix the problem" It doesn't. The .exe file is in C/Program Files/Adobe/Reader9.0/Reader/ AcroRd32.exe. I've tried moving files into the Applications Folder with no change. I have advise Adobe but not expecting a response. Could anyone give me a simple work around. I am a senior, non expert user and not familiar with Drive Mapping.

Report · Oct 07, 2008

If you want updates, sorry forgot about this forum... There are other work arounds.

The one that is "more" correct but would suck to do manually on large user bases would be to give each user a hidden share ($ share).

So if before your absolute path to profile was:
\\servername\profile_directory\username\computername

Create the share \\servername\profile_directory\username$

so update folder redirection to:
\\servername\username$\%computername%

The trick here is MAKE SURE you disable EVERYONE from read on the share A DEFAULT setting, and ADD that user to read. THIS IS ONLY if your structure is like mine with computer name directory PAST username.

If its just username, READ/Write/full access.

This also works for me...

Also in my tinkering to look for more elegent solutions, and maybe I was tired, I even tried "subst" with hiding drive letters. Since a subst on a network drive, always sayd "disconnected" network drive.

This is all if you cannot use the HOMEDIRECTORY feature of active directory, and such a home directory also contains their profile.

My network is quite legacy in some regards, and we actually have a homedirectory that is linked to a personal storage place for computers, not allowing home profiles to be stored there.

Report · Oct 07, 2008

Keep in mind also no matter if you COPY files to the applications data folder that is IRREVELVENT! if the registry keys point somewhere else:

KEY:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]

OPTION:
APPDATA

VALUE:
\\SERVER\USERNAME$\COMPUTERNAME\Application Data

NEVER NEVER NEVER use %username% / %computername% in here, but you can REFERENCE it!

IN STARTUP SCRIPT (example):

-- THIS IS ONE COMMAND --
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" /v AppData /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d \\servername\%username%$\%computername%\"Application Data" /f
-- END COMMAND --

if that helps.

Report · Oct 07, 2008

EDIT / APOLOGIZES:

I was corrected also my terminology in my original post was incorrect, and I'm sorry I didnt realize it sooner.

It's NOT a Roaming profile glitch, but SPECIFICALLY a folder redirection problem, coupled with user access rights.

I have read some semi-horrid solutions such as people gave the EVERYONE GROUP "full control" over the root of their NASs... PLEASE care somewhat about security, DO NOT do that, it makes me die a little inside.

Report · Oct 08, 2008

I too am an admin, though for a smaller corporation and therefore do not have as much experience in registry editing. We previously had folder redirection, and I have run into this problem myself (side note: Acrobat 8.0 worked just fine). However, even after disabling the folder redirection, uninstalling Acrobat 9 and reinstalling, and checking every aspect short of the registry, the same problem keeps occurring. I spent an hour on the phone with tier 1 customer support, and all they could point me to was this forum. Does anyone have that batch file that Thomas Cieka mentioned? I hesitate to do registry edits myself as I don't want to accidentally turn a computer into an expensive paperweight. I can be reached for ANY ADVICE at josephbraun@reeferseal.com. Thanks in advance!!

Report · Oct 09, 2008

I'm cross-posting this answer here as well... Originally posted here:

http://www.adobeforums.com/webex?14@@.59b5bd75

This fix does not work when you redirect the Application Data directory with Group Policy. The folder redirection happens as part of the logon processor before the script processes... You simply do not use a drive letter with this option in group policy - and you can't change it (to the same location) later as it resets back to the GP applied UNC path immediately.

In other words - Adobe needs to fix this, these work around solutions are not acceptable, nor functional in many situations.

My fix is to go back to Acrobat Pro 8.0, and copy the Objects, Templates and Samples directories from '%ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Designer 8.0\EN' to '%APPDATA%\Adobe\Designer\8.0\EN' for the user with %APPDATA% redirected to a UNC path... Which gets the LiveCycle Designer 8.0 to run with out the same basic error.

Report · Oct 13, 2008

Thanks for the info. I was still totally unable to get Acrobat 9 working, so I downloaded READER from their website and got the SAME ERROR! I gave up...I had to call Adobe and get a downgrade license from them. My company will not be ordering anything else with version 9 on it until I know for sure that this issue has been repaired.

Report · Oct 13, 2008

Hi all
After I finished the workarround with changing the APPDATA path to a hidden network drive, Adobe Acrobat 9 is now working.

BUT now when I would like to create an new link on the desktop, he don't refresh. I have to klick on F5 to refresh. Does anybody has the same or a simular problem?

Report · Nov 07, 2008

Does Abode have a time frame for a fix? I cannot apply these hacks (and yes thats what they are - no reasonably good IT group would implement them in production) in my environment to get one buggy application to work. I called support and all they did was direct me here and not give my any information or time frame on a potential fix. Oh yeah, I can also submit a feature request. Awesome.

This is absolutely horrible customer service. There was nobody I could talk to besides a level 1 tech and this forum, there was nobody to even tell me if and when a fix may be released. How am I supposed to go back to the business and tell them I cant upgrade our terminal service environment because of Acrobat? That is ridiculous. I cant even go to back to 8.0, because the PDF printer doesnt work on x64 systems, which is what I am using.

All in all Adobe pinned me against a wall with no forseeable outcome. Thanks.

Report · Jan 06, 2009

I strongly suggest that everyone who has been impacted by this bug submit the Bug Report Form...

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

In fact; as juvenile as it sounds I think that this is going nowhere unless you have all your end users who are also impacted by this bug also fill out the bug form.

Report · Jan 07, 2009

We experienced the same problem in our company with only 1 user working on a Vista workstation. Other Vista-users did not have the problem.

After some research I found that for only this user the value App Data in the key:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\windows\Current Version\explorer\shell folders and User shell folders was set to %USERPROFILE%\Application Data. In Windows Vista the folder Apllication Data does not exist as a folder. the App data value should be set to %USERPROFILE%\App Data\Roaming.

After changing this value the runtime error was gone.

Report · Jan 28, 2009

Thanks to Ben for his fix...I set it as recommended and the program almost sat up and begged. I am definitely filling out the form for Bug Fix, however. This is ridiculous...a company as widespread as Adobe should know that enterprise-scaled domains often have their Application Data folders redirected, as either a Group Policy or directly in the registry.

Report · Feb 12, 2009

Same problem here. Reader and Acrobat Can't go anywhere.. and Foxit works but people complain. "I can't open my adobe files" GRRR ADOBE PLEASE RETURN MY CALL... LOL its worth a shot...

Report · Feb 18, 2009

*****IMportant Troubleshoot******

Yesterday I was messing around with NTFS file permissions. When I used my PC today I opened acrobat to view my pdf and it brought up the Visual C++ runtime error and closed right away. I rebooted, troubleshooted, did research, rebooted... I figured I could unistall it, I couldnt even do that..

Well to make a long story short... I denied my user to the C drive. Yes I actually allowed it on one NTFS permission and had deny on a special permission... Deny outweighs Allow... Well once I allowed the user access to the C drive.

Adobe works fine again!!! Check your NTFS permissions, make sure your user has access to the drive where Adobe is installed.

Report · Mar 18, 2009

So I was looking at the Acrobat 9.1 release notes and found this little nugget:
"Roaming Profiles on Windows and Networked Home Directory on Macintosh are not supported configurations for 9.0 or 9.1, however we have made several fixes in 9.1. We are looking at the possibility of supporting this for the next major release."

Not very promising. Has anyone who ran into this issue with roaming profiles before tried 9.1? Any differences in how it runs? It implies it may work better now. That said, I don't feel like messing with it if someone else has already tried it and it doesn't work.

I cannot believe for a "professional" level application that Adobe isn't supporting roaming profiles in Windows. That's only been a standard Windows way of doing business for what now, 10-15 years? And it worked fine as recently as Acrobat 8? I would hope they mean next major release as being 9.2, but I am afraid they mean 10.0.

Unacceptable. Unless this is fixed soon I don't see myself pushing my company to upgrade our Acrobat licenses again.

Report · Mar 20, 2009

This is particular roaming profile workflow is now working in Acrobat and Reader 9.1.

Report · Mar 20, 2009

If you are interested in bug numbers associated with the Roaming Profiles on Windows error. The issue of the error occurring on launch is bug number #1852759 and a secondary bug issue with signature signing related to Roaming Profiles on Windows is bug number #1926172.

Again, these issues have been addressed in Acrobat and Reader 9.1.

Report · Jul 31, 2009

I am not sure if my solution will work for everyone but it worked for me. I added the folder 'LocalLow' to the AppData folder in the Default profile and all is good. I did not need anything in the folder but just needed it to be there. I did not copy it from anywhere, just right clicked and chose new folder. Took me quite a while to figure out what would make it work and I am still doing testing. Hope this helps someone else!

Report · Jul 31, 2009

As for this working in 9.1, not exactly. I am using 9.1.2 and creating an image via Ghost and it was throwing up this error.