Adobe Reader DC automatic updates not working - user have to click Help to update

[AlexBethlehem]

I know that Adobe states that "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is set up for automatic updates by default. It does not provide any UI option in the preferences to control this setting."  But when checking computers, we're finding they are not automatically updating.  If I do Help - About, I get an older version number.  One has to manually click on Help - Check for Updates and follow the prompts to get Reader updated.  This is NOT going to fly for about 95% of our users, they will not take the initiative to do this nor will they care, thereby leaving their PCs vulnerable for security reasons.  Our users do not have Administrator privileges on their computers.  This is occurring on both Windows 7 and Windows 10 clients.  Why is it not working?

[LeoUpdaterX]

Reason 1 - bUpdater policy is set (this is unlikely; you mentioned that manual check for updates is enabled in the application menu)

Reason 2 - Reader was deployed from Admin Install Point patched by old Patch (more on this here - Acrobat DC Pro will not update beyond 15.9.20069.15942

If you enable Updater verbose logging and provide log file, I can help to identify the exact cause. Do not post file here; send it to me directly.

Enable Updater verbose logging-

Set iLogLevel REG_DWORD value to 1 in the registry below

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Adobe\Adobe ARM\1.0\ARM on 64 bit OS

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe ARM\1.0\ARM on 32 bit OS

Log file called AdobeARM.log and can be found in the User Temp folder.

[AlexBethlehem]

I should have noted that our Win 7 and Win 10 PCs are all 64 bit.

bUpdater is not set

My question was in regards to Adobe Reader DC, not Pro but this is occurring on our "old" Windows 7 PCs that have been in use for several years as well as our brand new Windows 10 PCs that we are in the process of rolling out.  The Windows 10 computers were configured with the latest Adobe Reader DC within the past 2-3 weeks at most.

I was looking at Windows Updates

Checking the registry on my new Win 10 PC, Mode = 3 (automatically download and install updates) and Check = 72 (hex 48).  These values are the same on my old Win 7 computer, too.

I'll try to find a PC or two that I can enable logging.  I don't want to use my PCs because I have administrator privileges.

[AlexBethlehem]

The documentation at Windows Updates states that the registry value for Check is in days.  72 days seems like an awfully long time interval.  Is their web page in error - should that be the value in HOURS not DAYS?

Check

Data type	integer: DWORD value > REG_DWORD
Default	3
Version #	DC
HKLM Path	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Adobe\Adobe ARM\Legacy\(product name)\(product code)
Summary	Specifies the default time interval in days to check for updates.

[LeoUpdaterX · Accepted solution]

Web page likely references older versions.

If you have not touched these values in Registry, they should be correct.

Please enable logging,

delete tLastT_Reader registry value from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe ARM\1.0\ARM,

launch AdobeARM.exe from C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0

wait  a few minutes,

provide AdobeARM.log file from User\Temp folder