Error 5 from Acrobat Distiller - Cannot print to PDF

[jlk2011]

I have Adobe Acrobat Pro X. At startup and when I try to print to pdf I get the following in an Acrobat Distiller window: "Unable to create the temporary folder. Error 5: Access is denied." What is this and how do I fix it?

[Allta Media]

Do you have write access to the location that Distiller is placing your file? You can see this location by opening Distiller and looking log information at the bottom of the dialog.

[jlk2011]

I cannot even open Distiller. When I attempt to I get the same error message. Is there another way I can find where it is looking for?

Using a %TEMP% search I found a temp folder for Acrobat Distiller 10 at C: > User > Jen > AppData > Local > Temp. The date on it is the day I reinstalled the program. This is a personal laptop so there shouldn't be any write access denial.

[Test Screen Name]

Is there a folder called Acrobat Distiller 10 there (in Temp)? If not, try making one (name includes spaces).

[jlk2011]

Yep, the folder is there "Acrobat Distiller 10", I can open it, there is nothing in it. There are no other temp folders with Acrobat Distiller in the name.

[Test Screen Name]

Ok, are you able to make a file in that Acrobat Distiller 10 folder, then delete it? Clutching at straws here, I'm afraid. What Windows is it?

[jlk2011 · Accepted solution]

You must be onto something... I opened the Acrobat Distiller 10 folder, clicked New folder, a window appeared titled Destination Folder Access Denied. Content states "You need to confirm this operation. Acrobat Distiller 10. Date created 11/8/2013 3:17PM"

I clicked Continue and it allowed me to create the folder and delete it. Maybe Distiller is getting jammed up because of this. Would it be possible to just delete this folder and create a new one?

Windows 7 Home 64 bit

[Test Screen Name]

I think that's worth a try, it's easier than fixing permissions. Do test the new folder too, make sure you can create stuff in that.

[jlk2011]

SUCCESS!!!! Thank you so much!

[Bill12]

I just noticed that you said 64-bit system. You need to be sure you do updates to Acrobat for that system.

[ISF_photography]

I had the same problem printing to PDF and cannot open the distiller folder.

creating a new folder with the same name fixed the problem

thank you ISF

[Carl5E1F]

I had this problem with Distiller not wanting to create a PDF of any Firefox webpage stating, "Distiller cannot open file C:\Program (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat\Acrobat 11.0\ " etc.

Allta_Media hit the nail on the head!! I went to my "C:\Program (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat\Acrobat 11.0" and pulled up the directory properties. "Read Only"! I deselected the Read Only and applied to all subfolders.

Problem Solved!!!

[PhilipCohen]

I have exactly the same error message!

I am running Acrobat Pro 11 (11.0.06) and Distiller 11 (11.0.0670) on Windows 7 Pro 64-bit (up to date) ...

Acrobat worked OK for a period after installation on 6 November 2013, but since some time after 19 January 2014 Acrobat will still read but won't create a PDF ...

Now, on starting Windows or attempting to "print" a Word file to the Adobe printer, I get ...

Acrobat Distiller:

Unable to create the temporary folder. Error: 5 - Access is denied.

I can load Distiller and view all the dialogs.

I have folder at "C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Temp\Acrobat Distiller 11" dated the installation date.

I can manually create a new folder therein

When I attempt to create a PDF, a "read only" sub folder with "dirlock" and "Temp.msg" therein is created and disappears when I close the "hung" Creating PDF dialog, but no further action other than the error message ...

Windows Startup loads "Adobe Gamma Loader.exe" (although I have no idea why).

Any other ideas?

[Bill12]

To print to the Adobe PDF printer, you need to have AcroTray active in the background. Is it running?

[PhilipCohen]

Thanks, yes, acrotray is a "Running Task" ...

[Bill12]

It sounds like a folder permissions issue has come up. I suggest you try to print to the Adobe PDF printer with the print-to-file selected. Then open that file in Distiller. Does that give you a PDF. If so, you at least have a method to get the PDF and we can then pursue the permissions issue (not that I am good at that).

[Bree28676067x128]

Over a decade later this is still an issue. Never encountered this error in all of my years using Adobe, but today I did. Adobe, please focus on making your product work versus new features or new products.

[AnandSri]

Hello @Bree28676067x128!

I hope you are doing well, and we are sorry for the trouble you had with the app.

The engineering team has already been informed of the issue and is working on a fix. Could you please collect the logs from the affected machine and share them with us for further investigation?

Please provide the following information: the current version of the operating system on your device, the current version of Acrobat installed, and the logs from the affected machine. To collect the logs, download and run the Log Collector tool. Make sure to select all log options and attempt to reproduce the issue. After that, close the Log Collector tool; it will generate the logs along with a log ID. Please share this log ID with us

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[bruce_1852]

Are you still needing logs?  We have user that has been experiencing this for about a week.  I can reach out to them and use the instructions from Log Collector tool website. If you are still actively working on this and try to provide you the logs. 

[bruce_1852]

@AnandSri 

[AnandSri]

Hi @bruce_1852!

Thanks for reaching out. Yes, if you could provide the logs, this would help us understand the different scenarios and the cause of the error message. 

Regards,

Anand Sri.

[bruce_1852]

@AnandSri Great, I'll try to make that happen.  They have been afk a for a bit, but Ill follow up and let you know.

[Tommy31295515rzn9]

@AnandSri are you still needing additional logs? I am having the same issue. I never had the issued on my Dell Laptop but have switched to a Dynabook and a few weeks after installing Adobe i started randomly getting the Acrobat Distiller error.

[AnandSri]

Hello @Tommy31295515rzn9

I hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out. The Product team is aware of the issue, and is working on a fix, we will update here once the fix is available. 

I have also shared additional details using the direct community message, please check the message section.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[Bruce5C96]

What is the status of the fix?