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I have had the All Apps plan for several years and Adobe Acrobat was installed. I did a fresh install of Windows and reinstalled Adobe desktop. I turn off all antivirus and the firewall and tried to install Acrobat. Installation failed. I did a clean uninstall of the desktop software, even removing registry keys, restarted my computer, downloaded a fresh install of the desktop software, and tried to install Acrobat again. Installation failed. I had previously installed all other apps I use, but Acrobat refused to install. I don't know what else to do.
By hmh smart square @RandyHJ1957
Hello,
Since you've already tried several common troubleshooting steps like disabling antivirus/firewall, clean uninstalls, and fresh downloads, the issue might be more deeply rooted. Here are some additional steps you can try to get Adobe Acrobat installed, along with explanations for why they might work:
1. Check for System Requirements and Compatibility:
Verify System Requirements: Even if it worked before, a fresh Windows install might have subtle differences. Double-check the minimum system requirements for the specific version of Adobe Acrobat you're trying to install.
Reasoning: If your current Windows build or hardware configuration falls short in any way, the installer might fail without a clear error message.
Windows Version and Updates: Ensure your Windows installation is fully updated. Missing critical updates can sometimes cause software installation failures.
Reasoning: Adobe software often relies on specific Windows components and libraries that are included in updates.
2. Investigate the Installer Logs:
Locate Installation Logs: Adobe installers usually generate log files that contain detailed information about why an installation failed. These logs are crucial for pinpointing the exact error.
Common Log Locations:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Installers\
C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Temp\ (look for files with "Adobe" or "Acrobat" in their name, often with .log or .tmp extensions)
What to Look For: Open the most recent log file after a failed installation and search for keywords like "Error," "Fail," "Return Code," or specific error codes. Google any error codes you find.
Reasoning: This is often the most direct path to understanding the problem. The log file will tell you exactly what went wrong during the installation process.
3. Run the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (Again, but thoroughly):
You mentioned a "clean uninstall," but the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool is specifically designed to remove stubborn Adobe files and registry entries that manual uninstalls might miss.
Steps:
Download the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool from Adobe's official website.
Run the tool and select the option to clean "All" or specifically "Adobe Acrobat."
Follow the on-screen instructions, which might involve restarting your computer.
Reasoning: This tool goes deeper than a standard uninstall, removing corrupted files, old preferences, and problematic registry entries that could be interfering with a fresh installation.
4. Check for Corrupted User Profile or Permissions:
Create a New Local Administrator Account: Sometimes, a corrupted user profile or insufficient permissions for your current user account can cause installation issues. Create a new local administrator account on your Windows machine and try installing Acrobat from that new account.
Steps: Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC. Make sure to set the account type to "Administrator."
Reasoning: This helps determine if the problem is specific to your user profile or a system-wide issue. If it installs successfully in the new account, you'll know your old profile is the culprit.
Run Installer as Administrator: Even if you're an administrator, right-click the Adobe installer executable and select "Run as administrator."
Reasoning: This ensures the installer has the necessary elevated privileges to make changes to the system.
5. Disable Background Processes and Services:
Clean Boot: Perform a "clean boot" to start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This can help identify if a third-party application1 or service is conflicting with the Adobe installer.
Steps: Search for "msconfig" in the Windows search bar, go to the "Services" tab, check "Hide all Microsoft services," and then click "Disable all." Go to the "Startup" tab and disable all startup items. Restart your computer.
Reasoning: Other software running in the background, even if not an antivirus, can interfere with installations by locking files or consuming resources.
6. Check Disk Health and System Files:
Run Disk Check (chkdsk): A corrupted hard drive can lead to installation failures.
Steps: Open Command Prompt as an administrator and type chkdsk /f /r. You'll likely be prompted to schedule it for the next restart.
Reasoning: This command checks for and attempts to fix errors on your hard drive.
Run System File Checker (sfc /scannow): Corrupted Windows system files can also cause issues.
Steps: Open Command Prompt as an administrator and type sfc /scannow.
Reasoning: This command scans for and repairs corrupted Windows system files.
7. Download a Different Installer (If Possible):
If you're using the Creative Cloud Desktop application to install, try downloading the direct offline installer for Adobe Acrobat from Adobe's website if available. Sometimes, the Creative Cloud app itself can have issues.
Reasoning: A direct installer might bypass any potential issues with the Creative Cloud desktop application's download or installation process.
Before trying these steps, ensure you have a backup of any important data. Good luck!
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