Adobe Reader DC v2018.011.20036 - Protected Mode - Crashes

[Qloud]

Question; How do you properly configure Adobe Reader DC when protected mode is enabled?

I've been through the helpx.adobe site and forums. The main consensus online is to disabled this feature. However, our environment requires this feature to be enabled. None of the reasonably possible solutions work. Such as trusted folders/trusted sites or whitelist cfg. I need to a solution where protected mode is enabled and personnel are able to properly use Adobe Reader DC.

Currently when protected mode is enabled, it crashes when opening a pdf.

I've went through all the relevant registry and policy settings under

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

HKLU\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\TrustManager

local and group computer/user policy settings

I've tried multiple configurations with protected mode enabled. As long as protected mode is enabled, Adobe Reader DC crashes. No matter what other settings are set.

[Qloud]

Also enabled Create Protected Mode log file. This log didn't provide any relevant information either

[Test Screen Name]

Crashing isn't a normal part of its response in Protected Mode, so you won't find a log entry telling you what is the problem, nor setup options to stop it. This needs to be approached in the normal way for a crash, such as looking at a crash report. Let's check the version first though, what is your version?

[Qloud]

Continuous release version is in title of original post. File version is 18.011.20036.3123

[Test Screen Name]

You're right of course, I missed that. So, it's probably at least worth trying 18.011.20040 which has been out since May and includes critical security fixes. Can't find a mention of this issue though.

[Qloud]

Thanks for the suggestion, however, the issue is not specific to this version. You can find sites with post dated back to 2015 with similar issues in regard to protective mode. More specifically what I'm looking for is the correct method to have protective mode enabled and the proper configuration to allow users access to files in specific folders (i.e. %userprofile%documents). This way it would work properly as long as they opened their file from this location. Or at least that's how I picture it in my head...

I followed the guidance provided on

Trust Manager

But I'm not able to get it to properly work. As long as protected mode is enabled, Reader DC soon crashes after opening. If opening directly from file, it won't open at all. Nothing relevant in event viewer or adobe logs. Unless there's another place for logs where I could get more detail to troubleshoot.

[Test Screen Name]

If there was a simple fix Adobe would have done it. Reader is CRASHING, not rejecting attempts to use the sandbox. Not a problem with trust or the trust manager. Are you saying you won't test the latest fix?

[Qloud]

I will test. But, with the issue being so old and still relevant does not make me hopefull

[Qloud]

Update complete. Issue still exist...

[Test Screen Name]

Ok, then as I said you need to focus on the crash in the normal way, crash reports etc.

[Qloud]

Please elaborate on crash reports etc. I viewed event viewer logs and protected mode logs. Neither were of use.

[Test Screen Name]

I mean the normal tools an administrator would use to analyse crashes, not Adobe's own logs because an app doesn't log "I am about to crash due to a bug". What do you currently see on the crash?

[Test Screen Name]

By the way I'd expect something in the Event Log for a crash, see Customer Support - How do I find event logs when a program crashes? | CyberLink

[Qloud]

Yea, I already looked through this... Some of the information that was in the link is not on my event log.

Faulting application name: AcroRd32.exe, version: 18.11.20040.19174, time stamp: 0x5af4c57c

Faulting module name: unknown, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000

Exception code: 0xc0000008

Fault offset: 0xcd8e917a

Faulting process id: 0x1434

Faulting application start time: 0x01d412e2de157bd2

Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe

Faulting module path: unknown

Report Id: 99c7338c-e28a-4651-8144-f911148dcb59

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

[Test Screen Name]

Thanks for that. I was hoping that the faulting module name would take us to a driver. Instead we see it's crashing at an unknown address, perhaps in a system module, with the system code 8 "double fault". That's as far as we or anyone can take that crash report, that's one for Adobe. You can report it here, and you should: Feature Request/Bug Report Form  however this does not raise an official case and typically there is no feedback whatever.

In parallel I suggest working on an isolated machine to see if there is a secondary cause.  I imagine you have an imaged system with various utilities on it. See if you get the error on a brand new vanilla Windows with no additions, drivers or anything. If not, add things until it breaks.