adobe acrobat DC will not open. A message comes up that said Woindows cannot find it

[conawaydesign]

I have tried several fixes from the forum.  So far nothing works.  All my other apps are fine.  Please see attachment to see what message comes up.  Thank you.

LP

[Amal.]

Hi there,

We are sorry to hear about the issue you are experiencing. Please try to reboot the computer once and check for any missing/pending updates for the computer OS.

If it still doesn't work, please try to create a new test user profile on Windows with full admin rights and try using the application there and check.

If it still doesn't work, please try the following steps
1. Remove the application using the Acrobat Cleaner Tool https://labs.adobe.com/downloads/acrobatcleaner.html
2. Reboot the computer
3. Reinstall the application using the link https://helpx.adobe.com/in/download-install/kb/acrobat-downloads.html

Keep us posted with the results.

Regards

Amal

[bhagmal]

I followed these instructions and am still getting this message:

What the heck is going on here?  I have been messing with this problem for a couple hours now.  I have used this product for years with zero issue.  What is up?

[Andeancrux]

Never had an issue with Acrobat DC until this morning, I have the exact same issue and same message also.

Have followed Amal's instructions with no success. Have updated windows 10, created a new admin profile, have run the cleaner and reinstalled still no success.

Decided to download and run the Reader to see if that works - yes that works.

Please advise further.

[mvscs]

Interesting, I am having the exact same issue and same message.

I did do updates and then uninstalled and reestalled Acrobat DC Pro, and it still exists.  Do I have to run the cleaner first?  

[frypanman]

"Windows10 62bit ver1903" from Japan
-------Message-----
"Windows cannot find 'C:\Program Files(x86)\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again."
-------------------
I have exactly the same symptoms.
Even if I delete it with "Acrobat Cleaner Tool" and reinstall it, it doesn't recover.
"Acrobat Reader" can be used.
To my surprise, it starts up from "acrobat.exe" in another drive of 32bit version that I used.
I'm suspicious of administrator privileges or "Creative Cloud Desktop tool".

I'm worried that it went wrong after I tried to install the "zoom" app. Is there anything to do with it?

frypanman

[Amal. · Accepted solution]

Hi All

We are sorry to keep you waiting. Please try the steps below and see if that works for you.

1.Close the Adobe Acrobat DC

2. Hold down Windows key and press R on your keyboard, this will bring up Run dialogue box.

3. Type regedit in the run dialogue box and hit Enter

4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options, delete the key Acrobat.exe

5. Relaunch the application and check.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards

Amal

[Andeancrux]

Acrobat DC is working again.

Thanks you Amal for the fix.

Thank you frypanman for the potential cause.

Have disabled sleep mode for Acrobat DC to prevent any further issues with software updates.

[leannes25197813]

It is fixed for me as well, thank you all involved

[alanc13199052]

Problem solved. Many thanks.

[frypanman]

Thank you for your answer, Amal.
solved.
"Avast Cleanup Premium" was the cause in my case.
It seems that the data remains in the registry you pointed out because the software was deleted (updated?) in the "Sleep" state in "Speed Up" of "Avast Cleanup Premium".
It was a sleep state forever.

[leannes25197813]

I am having the same problems 

[Arvanitakis.anthony@gmail.com]

I had the same problem, this seems to be working so far

[Marty5F98]

Dear Amal,

Your fix worked perfectly - THANKS

[Amal.]

Hi Marty

We are glad to hear that the solution worked for you and the application is up and running.

Feel free to contact us for any assistance required in the future.

Regards

Amal

[ls_rbls]

++Adding to the current solution,

This doesn't look at all like a problem related to  Adobe Acrobat.

Unless, there is something that Acrobat does during an initial install or during updates that we are not aware of, anything that you do to a Microsoft Windows registry is basically too advanced for the average computer user, specially if you don't even have a clue of what is the root of an error message, and where to start looking for clues in your own computer.

Before self-proclaiming yourself as a victorious registry "hacker", always consult with additional official Microsoft guidance.

I suspect this issue is not exactly an error, but a security layer that was added with newer versions of Windows 10, in which the operating system will only allow to install or find programs to handle specific files and documents, but ONLY if such programs are trusted and  offered through the Microsoft Store.

If this would be the case, and before you decide to fool around  with registry hives, also check if your version of Windows 10 has S mode enabled.

To disable S mode, refer to the steps described in the following link:

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/switching-out-of-s-mode-in-windows-10-4f56d9be-99ec-6983...

[gottplans]

Amal,

I tried your recommended fix through regedit and got all the way to CurrentVersion but there was no Image File Execution Options where I could delete Acrobat.exe.  Please advise.

Alex

[Amal.]

Hi there

Please paste the address ' HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options' in the address bar as shown in the screenshot below:  and delete the Acrobat.exe and relaunch the application.

[gottplans]

Amal,

Thank you.  I got further but Acrobat.exe is not in the list.  

I have AcroRd32.exe and AcroRd32Info.exe as the first two folders.  

What next?  

Alex

[gottplans]

Hi Amal,

I appreciate your responsiveness but I am waiting on a next step since your suggestion didn't reveal the Acrobat.exe you want me to delete.  Please help.

Thanks.

Alex

[ls_rbls]

++Adding to the discussion,

Hi @gottplans ,

I wonder if you have Acrobat Reader only and not Acrobat Pro DC (just curious).

If you do have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, which version is it, and on which version of Microsoft Windows are you on?

[gottplans]

Thank you for getting back to me.

I have Windows 11.  

I don't have Acrobat Pro DC.  I think I just have the reader although I think I used to have the premium version a while ago. 

This is a new problem.  I can use my pdfs just fine but when I click on them if I click twice or for some reason can't get the pdf to open immediately I get this error message.  It's just very annoying and shouldn't be this way.  

I hope you can help.

Thanks again.

[ls_rbls]

I see.

If you had a premium version before, it is possible that old traces of the software  weren't fully removed when it was uninstall.

I've seen this happen on my computers, say, for example,  if you had Adobe Reader installed on a Windows 10 machine before it was upgraded to Windows 11, OR, if you had both Adobe Reader and  Adobe Acrobat Pro DC installed in parallel on the same machine before it was uninstalled.

Back a few years ago, the installation package didn't care if you had Acrobat Pro DC, together with Adobe Reader. Nowadays, the installer package can detect if you already have a version of Adobe Acrobat installed.

This is to avoid both versions of Acrobat (Reader and Pro DC), installed together, in which case, you probably might've notice that each program share many directories and also use the same entries for various Adobe Creative Cloud services (to include other essential background services and processes).

But anyway, What I would do in your case, is to First do a backup of  all important documents Then manually uninstall Adobe Reader completely.

That said, the best way to properly uninstall Adobe Acrobat is using the installation package (*.msi) itself, not the Windows Control Panel => Programs => Uninstall a Program. That method is discussed here:

• https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/problems-uninstalling-reader.html

However, I've discovered (the hard way), that on Microsoft Windows, only the installation package that was used to install a program, it knows how to uninstall itself. Additionally the link above is a contradiction.

• If you continue to read on that page, where it recommends "Uninstall Acrobat Reader using the cleaner tool ==>> Visit the Cleaner tool page   , and as you open that page, it has a very clear note that clearly disclaims that the Tool The AcroCleaner is not an uninstaller and should NOT be used as such. Adobe provides the utility as a least resort to repair machines after a failed or partial uninstall. Always uninstall products via standard, supported methods.

So, the standard supported method, in accordance with Microsoft support guidance is to perform a full uninstall with the .msi package  (MSI = Microsoft Software Installer file). 

That said, an MSI file includes a wizard that allows you to re-install the software, repair it, or uninstall it.

In the case of Adobe Reader you must find where the Acrobat Reader *.msi executable is located.

For greater context, it is worth mentioning that,  both Adobe Reader and Acrobat Pro DC, the MSI name may be the same: AcroPro.msi .  It should be found in a directory similar to my example below:

• C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\Setup Files\{DE97CD94-1122-EEEE-2240-AD15014BF400}

Something like that...

Double-clicking on AcroPro will execute a windows installer setup, and it will open up the Adobe Acrobat Application Maintenance wizard;  clicking next on that dialog box will give you the options to Modify, Repair, or Remove => select Remove and click Next and follow the rest of the wizard to complete the uninstall.

Moreover, for the urpose of supporting my observations, after you uninstall it, make sure to go to this page: https://get.adobe.com/reader/

• Uncheck the option "Included with your download => "Install McAfee Security Scan Plus" = > More Options
• Manually select the Adobe Acrobat Reader version for your Windows Platform (Windows 11, English (for Language), Version => Reader 2025.001.20467 English Windows(64Bit)
• Uncheck again "Install McAfee Security Scan Plus"
• Click on "Download Acrobat Reader
• Additional insights from older discusions here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/acrobat-reader-installation-will-terminate/m-p/11...
  

There you have it.

You should be able to produce a fully working version of AdobeReader DC following the steps above.