Adobe reader changing itself to 64bit when we need 32bit for the preview handler in outlook.

[Pete_____]

Due to other software 32bit office is a necessity.
Adobe seem to think if you manually install 32bit office that means you want it to automatically change to 32bit 5 mins later.

Anybody know how to stop this since it breaks compatability with 32bit apps.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Pete,

Thank you for reaching out and sorry for the trouble.

Please download the 32 bit installer for Reader DC from this following link: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/index.html

Then try to install the application. 

If the issue persists, please share the exact workflow and te video of the issue occuring at your end.

Let us know if that helps.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

[dipit15D5]

Hi 

We are having the same issue - can you advise which version needs to be downloaded from the link above.

is it the DC base that needs to be downloaded and installed for the 32-bit version 

[Pete_____]

I'll give that a go and update back here.

Noticed a mistake in my original discussion, the 32bit installer from the normal methods to get it will install fine then update itself to 64bit automatically (not change from 32bit to 32bit) but it looks like the issue was understood fine.

Many thanks,
Pete

[Ravi Gour]

Hi,

Apologies for the trouble and thanks to reaching to us.

In our effort to move to 64-bit app architecture, we have started migrating users from 32-bit Reader to 64-bit versio of Reader. We would like to understand why 64-bit Reader is not working for you. Could you please provide more details regarding your workflow.

And to revert back to 32-bit version of Reader, please uninstall 64-bit Reader, install 32-bit Reader from https://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/ (select 32-bit version to download from dropdown).

Create following registry key to block automatic upgrade

Key:  bUpdateToSingleApp  , Value = 0 , type = dword

Location : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown

[defaultj8a3j976c1yp]

I am praying this FeatureLockDown key actually works for preventing the update - I've got at least 6 different customers having all sorts of problems due to Reader automatically forcing itself to upgrade every time I return it to the 32 bit version. Every other method previously published on preventing updates has failed spectacularly.

There are multiple reasons your deployment last week has destroyed us:

1) Outlook 32 bit is needed due to other 3rd party Line Of Business applications with 32 bit plugins and macros and whatnot that will not work on Outlook 64 or with mapi64.dll. However, now that you've forced 64bit Adobe Reader down our throats, Reader cannot act as the Outlook PDF previewer due to the 64/32bit mismatch, so we've gone from having a working Outlook with PDF preview to no PDF preview unless we attempt to setup a completely different PDF reader product...

2) The same update seems to have some major problem with an updater error that repeatedly pops up upon closing a PDF or seemingly whenever Reader is invoked for previewing in any application where it may be integrated. I don't think this is necessarily a 64bit issue, but it's a big issue introduced in the same forced update.

3) I have many reports of File Associations for .pdf disappearing and users having PDFs open in their default web browser instead after the 64bit upgrade. Can be modified manually afterwards, but this is also a problem we didn't need due to an enforced upgrade we didn't ask for and have been having major problems preventing.

Sorry for being terse, but this has been an absolute nightmare for 5 business days and can't even speak to suport about it because Adobe Reader has no official support... just community support.

[defaultj8a3j976c1yp]

Whomever made the decision to force upgrade 32bit to 64bit rather than make it opt in by administrators and users needs to rethink their decisions in future, please. This reeks of cowboy.

[Pete_____]

Hi Ravi,

Unfortunately doing this hasn't worked

I also added the key here as this already exsisted but I also made keys to your location - Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown

Any other ideas, this is causing a lot of issues for multiple customers of ours.

Many thanks,

Peter

[defaultj8a3j976c1yp]

Can confirm this regkey alone does not prevent the 32bit to 64bit conversion upgrade, we just had our guinea pig customer upgrade itself this morning.

Ravi - Please advise a step by step method to accurately prevent this upgrade from happening. Currently it's impossible to stay on 32bit.

[LeoUpdaterX]

Can you please export this registry below and send me in the private message?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown

You might need to rename it to .txt or just copy\paste content of the .reg file exported.

Also, would it be possible for you to reinstall 32 bit Reader and set bUpdateToSingleApp DWORD value to 0 in the key below?

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown

Please note that this registry path has WOW6432Node in it.

[ravinderg62643219 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Steps to revert to 32-bit Reader are as follows

1. Uninstall 64-bit Reader installed on the machine.

2. Restart the machine (optional step)

3. Create the key to block the upgrade

• [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown]
  "bUpdateToSingleApp"=dword:00000000
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown]
  "bUpdateToSingleApp"=dword:00000000

4. Install 32-bit Reader from https://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/ 

• select OS  & langage from drop down
• select 32-bit Reader from drop down and then install 32-bit Reader.

Regards

Ravi

[Pete_____]

Hi Ravi,

Both these reg keys are already in place.

Many thanks,

Peter

[dipit15D5]

We have applied these registry keys and still finding Adobe Acrobat Reader updated to the 64 Bit version.  Also when it has updated to the 64 bit version it removes the registry keys 

[Pete_____]

Hi Leo,

I've reponded to your PM and that reg key is already in place.

Many thanks,

Peter

[Ravi Gour]

Hi Peter,

Please let me know if you are available for a call to debug the issue on your machine. This will help in quick resolution.

Regards

Ravi

[Acora One]

If you get this resolved please can you let us know here as well what fixes it as we are also being plagued by the 32-bit 'upgrades' as wells as the RdrUpdateServices error on a lot of our clients.

[AaronB831]

I too would like to know the outcome - given there are reports that the registry keys do not work. We have a number of clients for whom this has broken their ability to use PDF from 3rd Party applications. 

[Bo Hansen]

Is there an update on the issue?

We are having multiple issues after 32-bit version is upgraded to 64-bit, and would like to have a way to block automatic update to 64-bit version.

[Ian Withington]

Hi ,

Yes please can someone provide an update on the fix for this as its been going on for a number of weeks now?

[Elliott Chandler]

Excatly the same issue. Added the registry keys and it has still changed to 64bit! It is insane.

[Ravi Gour]

Hi All,

1. Please create the below key 

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown]
"bUpdateToSingleApp"=dword:00000000

2. And  delete the following registry hive for all users logged into the machine

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\ARMReqManager

3. Restart the machine

Please perform all these steps to block Reader upgrading to 64-bit.

Regards

Ravi

Please perform both these steps,this should 

[Jeff275439722tpg]

It's becuase we all are using other software that REQUIRES 32 bit adobe reader. Wish the other software would move to 64 bit, but the fact of the matter is, they have not. This automatic updating has put adobe in a battle with the software that keeps my business running.I have tried making registry keys, tried the task scheduler fix, and we can't stop adobe reader from updating. GD. stop the updating.

[Pete_____ · Accepted solution]

Looks like the PDF preview at least has been fixed in the latest update.

If you just need the pdf preview on 32bit outlook the new update will fix this even though it's 64 bit.
If you need it for other things I'm not sure if this will hlep or not.

https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/continuous/dccontinuousoct2021.htm...

"Viewer

• 4341634: PDF preview is not visible on 32bit outlook"

[default92fsf6q28rou]

Hello, I know most of you in this thread want to prevent 64bit from happening, but is there a registry key that accelerated the 64bit update from 32bit?  We would like all our users to upgrade to 64bit but want the adobe updater service to handle it if possible?  Thanks for the info

[DrBob]

How can I make 32 bit reader update to ONLY 32 bit, not 64 bit?

My version of Office 365 is 32 bit, not 64 bit so I need the 32 bit version of Reader.

BUT, it keeps updating to the 64 bit version.

How can I stop this behaviour?

This is not unique to me.

Thanks.