Unable to sign PDF getting Error code 105

[rarobertson2]

I need this answer broken down to a level a non-IT guy can do.  

I am trying to complete a telework document for the Navy.  I am required to sign it.  When I go to e-sign the document it states: "The document could not be saved.  There was a problem reading the document (105)." 

The file explorer was closed, I don't even know how to turn on the preview feature.  Other documents were JUST e-signed minutes before.  The customer support system for Adobe sucks, and if there was a competitor I would leave adobe's worthlessness in the dustbin of history, but alas I am stuck.  I need help with this now, as I can't work until this form is completed, and I can't complete this form due to this issue.

[ProlificUser · Accepted solution]

Please try the solutions metioned in these two community posts:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/the-document-could-not-be-saved-there-was-a-problem-reading-t...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/famous-error-there-was-a-problem-reading-this-document-8/td-p...

[Elizabeth5E33]

Thank you!!! This solution works as of May 2021.

[KariculaO]

Dear Adobe - these answers are ridiculously stupid - they do not answer the question WHY IS THIS HAPPENING - I don't want to continue to lose work because of a bug in the program - I complete the same forms over and over again and this error appears randomly.  I don't want a work-around; I want a fix.

[YESNT]

Edit: Please disregard the original comment ...  

[EllaDestin12 · Accepted solution]

I know this post was from back in March, but I was searching the web for help when I came across this inquiry.  The solutions below were not what I needed (I tried printing a PDF, which worked, but I lost all of the comments in the document I was trying to save).  What worked for me was to use the File --> "Save as other" option and choose "Optimized PDF."  It saved like a charm.  Hope this helps the rest of you out there with the same problem! 

[defaultfevkp3fkcaim]

File, Save a copy... works when Save as doesn't. 

These 2 options have been the ones that work for me but I would like to just get this fixed rather using work arounds.  

[default7b8tlafp91dd]

Optimized PDF worked for me, thanks!  What a frustrating error...

[M P22312848k0rv · Accepted solution]

Dec 18, 2021--    Error 105 when opening/saving XFA files embedded in PDF's (fillable forms):  I was able to "Save a Copy" of the PDF that preserved the filled in fields & digital signature.  "Save as Copy" is halfway down the FILE drop down menu.  [Separate from 'Save' and 'Save as...' ]  Adobe popup says it didn't save the copy, but the filled in copy was actually saved. 

[Madison Page Realty]

Hi!  Worked for me too.

[Ashish28820911lm12]

Thank you. Save a copy worked.

[MWACO2019]

THanks so far so good.

[paulb67243909]

NONE OF THE PREVIOUSLY POSTED FIXES WORKED. 

Background:  After spending hours on legal documents that are subject to a deadline (that will be passing today that will likely give me both and ulcer and a stroke if I miss that deadline -- and no, it is neither my client's nor my fault) , I get a 105 can't read the document error.    I agree with the original poster that Adobe customer support leaves a lot to be desired, and I agree with the other posters that even if there is an answer, I don't think, as a paid Adobe subsciber, that I should have to plan to spend hours researching and trying a variety of different fixes, and that Adobe should have allocated resources to fix this recurring issue. 

Specific Issues:  The original fillable PDF came from a California Superior Court's website and is apparently signed or certified in some way.  I have saved files from the Court previously, and have repeatedly saved, without problems, the particular file that is the subject of my post.   Following the suggestions in this and other treads, I attempted to organize the pages and extract, but extraction was not an option (the extraction button was faint and unavailable apparently because there is some signature/certification/restriction).  Again, saving the exact file that is the subject of my post was not a problem for at least four saves.  Nor did I have any success with printing to a PDF file. The program informed me that the program can't print a document which is either signed or certified (I forget which).  I tried a couple of the other proposed solutions in this thread and others as well.  Thus, at least with my document, I believe where a PDF is created and has a signature or a certificate, Adobe's program has what appears to be an intermittent glitch that is not resolvable -- at least as far as I can see after four hours of researching possible solitions. 

My thoughts and fix:  Frankly, while I am empathetic that nothing is perfect, and that glitches will happen which will need attention from time to time to be resolved, from reading the posts, this is neither a new nor infrequent problem.  After years of having this problem, Adobe has not offered any fix (at least as of the date of this writing).   I think I have the solution.  I know there are many programs that will convert a PDF to a Word or WordPerfect document.  By doing that, I can avoid using Adobe Acrobat and paying its subscription fee altogether.  (It should be noted that years ago, I bought Adobe Acrobat on CD for a pretty hefty price at the time.  After about one year of use, Acrobat would not let me reinstall the program on a new computer, nor would it update.  I called Adobe, and was informed that if I wanted to continue using Acrobat, I had to pay monthy for a subscription.  Thankfully, today, after the having the file-save problem that is the subject of this post, and after arriving at my solution of just converting all fillable PDF's to Word or Wordperfect with (which I have never had a saving problem, and in fact, both do automatic backups to prevent the loss of work if there is a problem), I have concluded I can cancel my Acrobat subscription and avoid Acrobat and its associated problems altogether.   The lesson here for Adobe, is that for all of the money it spent developing the program, and for all of the money it spent getting its customers to use and pay for Acrobat, it may have been a better choice for Adobe to have allocated more resources to fix longstanding known bugs, rather than lose customers who, like me, conclude it is easier and better, when dealing with a fillable PDF, just to convert it to a wordprocessing program and avoid using Acrobat altogether.  It may take a little time to make formatting adjustments after converting a PDF to a wordprocessing file, but after it is done, the file is fillable and problem free. Further, the little time, if any, that may be necessary to convert the file is minimal when compared to the many hours I have spend researching how to get Acrobat to work properly.

[FuzzyOnion01]

Years and years of the same bug still happening... no development company makes me pull my hair out like Adobe

[Dorothea272034579wuh]

I had the same problem.  I was unable to save a fillable form with all of the entries I had made and  received the same error message (adobe error message 105).  Then I tried 'Save a Copy to Microsoft' which worked and was easy.  It saved the form with all of the entries and the fillable feature remaining active so I can make further edits to the form.

[Preston28567804k9f9]

As of Feb 2023, Save A Copy worked well. 

[nephilim2038]

I kept getting this error, and gave up and went to an old copy and revised that one.

This is infuriating.

[Paul350302516j1c]

I received the same error when trying to sign a pdf. 
What work for me:
Obtain an original copy of the pdf , in this case someone had emailed me the form to sign. 
I deleted the copy that I had saved the first time, downloaded the original from the email and I was able to sign again.

Bottom line, try to find another copy, or create a copy and then try again. Good luck to anyone with the issue.

[FutBolBaba]

THIS WAS THE BEST ADIVICE! Just to go Google and type in your form number. Download a clean copy from another source. This worked for me. Of course, this assumes your PDF is available elsewhere. (we're using a goverment form). I guess the PDF sent to us was corupted or had the wrong security measures on it. Good luck. Wasted two hours on this.

[S. S]

Hi @FutBolBaba,

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for sharing the feedback.

I was going through the entire conversation and here are my observations:

Government forms or any forms that are of XFA architecture or using Adobe LiveCycle Designer have the below security properties:

What this means is, even though you are able to sign and fill in the form on the original copy, saving the document with the fields will not be allowed because it attributes to the "Changing the Document," which is "Not Allowed" as per the summary.

If you read below, the solution for the same issue has already been mentioned along with a star mark.

To assist further, here is the option you can use to save the file which allows filling the form and saving the file with the data.

[Screenshots for both the scenarios I mentioned above has been attached for reference]

Hope this helps.

-Souvik

[Kristine21972514mynb]

This error occured for me. What worked: after downloading, opening the document in a web browser rather than from my downloaded files. I was then able to fill things out and save it to my computer

[dave_1225]

This is ridiculous when people have been having this issue for years and still there is no available instructions to save a document due to this stupid error 105 messages. 

Also, I was able to save another document but then when I send it to the recipient it is blank

[S. S]

@dave_1225 The instructions are right there in the security tab if you go to the document properties.

-Souvik

[naomi_2957]

I started with the issue in quickbooks that I couldn't save a Pdf. This worked in Quickbooks and Adobe.

Allow your computer to print to your XPS printer

1. Go your Windows Control Panel and switch to Category View.
2. Select Programs.
3. In Programs and Features, select Turn Windows features on or off.
4. Check Microsoft XPS Document Writer in the list of services.
5. Select OK.