Embedded pdfs with Reader X and Internet Explorer 8 sporadicly have error "103:103"

Report · Dec 29, 2010

After upgrading to Acrobate Reader X I am having trouble viewing embedded pdfs in Internet Explorer 8. It seems to happen spordicly but I can get the error to happen consistently after viewing at most 20ish pdfs. I have reproduced the problem on 3 computers so far.

A gray square shows where the pdf should be and internet freezes. After 30-60 seconds a error dialog shows up saying "There is a problem with Adobe Acrobat/Reader. If it is running, please exit and try again (103:103)".

I haven't found any refrences to this on the internet yet, has anyone exprienced this and had any luck dealing with it?

Adobe Reader Version: 10.0.0

Internet Explorer Version: 8.0.6001.18702C0

Report · Dec 29, 2010

Couple more details I should have included:

I don't have any toolbars installed besides the web developer one
IE freezes so bad I need to go into the task manager to kill it
Using the repair option in the control panel doesn't seem to make a difference
We've never had problems like this with Reader 9
I can't reproduce the problem using Firefox or Chrome

Report · Jan 02, 2011

I've got the same problem with FF 3.6.13, Adobe X 10.0.0

The same document is downloaded and opened in IE8 without any problems on the same computer.

FF does not freeze, bet the tab is constantly loading, black and nothing else happens.

That is not an embedded pdf, it's direct pdf link

Report · Jan 03, 2011

have same problem.Can't fix

Report · Jan 04, 2011

I met the same problem, but i found the way to solve it.

You could open the Reader X (desktop not browser) and it will ask you to set something.

You can choose one of items and then make the desktop Reader X works OK.

after that when you open brower again, it will be OK.

i think it's the problem with initial setting of Reader X.

i hope that can help you.

good luck

Report · Jan 04, 2011

What niko described works for me! However, I find that a bit complicated. What exactly are those initial settings with need to set with X? Also, I'm thinking this is a problem with Windows 7 only?

Report · Jan 04, 2011

I just saw it on a system with windows XP.

I'm not certain I understand Nikos post as far as the fix goes. Is he saying to just save the pdf file and then open it in reader?

Report · Jan 04, 2011

In another word, you have installed Reader X, but the desktop app never be used so that the new security settings is not been initialized.

and so when you read a PDF document in browser by using Reader X plug-in, it will show the error message "103:103".

Report · Jan 05, 2011

I see the same problem with Firefox 3.6.13 and Reader X under Windows XP SP3. I get a black space where the PDF should be displaying and get that error. I have to actually kill the Firefox task in Task Manager to get Adobe working correctly since if this happens and I try to exit Firefox, the firefox.exe task never ends. It's really annoying since Reader 9 never had this problem.

Note I've opened the desktop version many times so that's not a fix. The only fix I've found is to restart the browser. That's not a fix though, only a work around since the problem keeps happening periodically. The other work around is to save the PDF file and open it with the Adobe Reader Application.

I find it most annoying with financial sites that open a popup window with nothing but the PDF file in it since there's no way to save PDF file since the menu bar is missing.

I've also had saving a PDF file break in Firefox as well, which also requires a restart. Basically Reader X is buggy.

Report · Jan 05, 2011

My IE and chrome is OK.

I think this is not the same problem with 103:103.

when the PDF file is sent by server to FireFox and Safari browser client, the PDF file will not be download collectly.

I have made a iframe demo which a PDF file is send out in the form of stream by using the method "Response.BinaryWrite()" in ASP.NET

The result is something like your problem, Firefox 3.6.13 get a black space and safari get a white space, it seems the PDF file is not download collectly.

But if a file is exist at server and download it by Url directly , and it will be OK.

I don't know why. it seems a bug.

Reader X has a new toolbar at the bottom center of the PDF plug-in control when your mouse is moveover it.

the last button in new toolbar can switch mode between new bar and old bar.

if you access the PDF file in the old mode and can't see the toobar, you can add "#toobar=1" at the end of .pdf (such www.abc.com/a.pdf#toolbar=1)

Report · Jan 11, 2011

I'm having the same issue.

We've deployed it in on citrix xenapp and it won't open in IE. Not very good at all.

Sadly users are unable to just open the program seperately as it's not a published app, and it is quite a hack.

Waiting on a fix from Adobe... don't really know how you would miss this kind of large bug Adobe but there you go...

Report · Jan 11, 2011

Just a note for users experiencing this, Adobe took a look at one our machines experiencing the issue and was able reproduce it on their own. I'm still not sure what the cause is or why only some computers have trouble but it seems like progress is being made on their part.

Report · Jan 16, 2011

I fixed it. Open reader, go Edit > preferences > internet. Uncheck everything but display pdf in browser.

I will not be responding to any comments, I'm not part of this community, I just feel obligated to post my fix. I'm not sure which of these settings is the problem, but one of them is, and I'm not looking further into it as it fixed my problem. Hope adobe has an actual fix for this sometime soon.

Cheers

Report · Jan 17, 2011

I am having this same problem. 12,000 machines upgraded to X and all having the same issue.

Report · Jan 22, 2011

I have fixed my issue!!!

I had the same 103 103 error when opening a embedded PDF file in IE8...

I opened Adobe X unchecked the options listed above but my error still occurred...

I then opened Adobe X and selected the option 'always open with protected mode disabled' and then went back to my embedded document in IE8 and it opened!

I also managed to recreate the problem by going to 'edit --> preferences --> general and check the box 'Enable protected mode startup' - closed adobe and got the 103103 error in IE8 again...

Hope this helps someone....

Tez

Report · Jan 22, 2011

If your a visitor to a web page then disabling protected mode might be an acceptable option. I don't feel comfortable asking the users of my web site to do that though. It looks like web developers can avoid this error by using the <iframe> tag instead of the <object> tag, no clue why but apparently IE handles them differently. Before you use the iframe you'll want to read this forum thread first, http://forums.adobe.com/thread/763863, it caught me for a while.

Report · Feb 14, 2011

I had a user with this same issue and I had tried changing numerous settings in Adobe Reader, but it ended up being an Internet Explorer Issue. I was able to fix the error by resetting IE.

Open IE, go to Tools> Internet Options> Select the Advanced Tab> Click Reset.

Report · Apr 28, 2011

Hi All,

We have had a few bug reports related to Adobe Reader X protected mode coming in from you in this forum. We have addressed a large number of them in our upcoming Reader update and we would like to hear your feedback.

To that extent, we would like to invite you to the Adobe Reader Prerelease program and try out the latest build. To participate, please fill in the form available at https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=reader_prerelease_ interest and indicate Adobe Reader as the product of your interest.

We look forward to your active participation, feedback and help towards making Reader a better product.

Thanks and regards,

Adobe Prerelease Team

Report · May 12, 2011

Thanks Disha. Would you have an estimated timeframe for the update that will resolve this issue? Will that update be 10.0.2?

Does Adobe have a comment on the suggested 'helpful' answer above (On the Preferences/General Screen, uncheck the 'Enable Protected Mode at Startup' box)? Are there any disadvantages to doing this in the meantime?

Report · Aug 13, 2011

I'm having this (103:103) error too. with adobe reader 10. However I am not able to even open adobe reader form the application icon!

Report · May 18, 2011

I tried what Sk13rX suggested, resetting IE8. Didn't work. I'm having the problem when trying to access a PDF via an embedded IE browser in an Access 2000 project. Works on at least one other Windows 7 / IE8 installation. Guess I'll try the Beta suggested by Disha next...

Report · Dec 30, 2011

I had the same problem. Actually I had both versions acrobat and reader, What I did was to unistall readaer 10.1.1 and it worked well again. I guess it's some kind of problem between reader and Win7.

Greetings from Mexico, have a happy new year!!!

Report · Dec 30, 2011

Thanks! So far this error has not recurred for my clients in a while.

Stu Brandel | Vice President | Product Delivery and Support

Harris Private Bank, a part of BMO Financial Group

111 W. Monroe Street, 6E | Chicago, IL 60603

(312) 461-3290 | Fax: (312) 461-3944

Visit Harris Private Bank online at: www.harrisprivatebank.com<http://www.harrisprivatebank.com/>

This e-mail and any attachments contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, delete this e-mail and destroy any copies.

Report · Oct 22, 2015

FINALLY FOUND A FIX!

Open reader, go Edit > preferences > internet. Uncheck everything but display pdf in browser.