Opening PDFs via double-click on DFS shares on Windows 10 does not work if Reader is already running

[admin135]

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Version: 2019.021.20047
Workstation operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit 1903 (Build 18362.388)
Fileserver operating system: Windows Server 2019 DC 1809 (Build 17763.678)

Hello,

eversince we upgraded to Windows 10, we have been seeing this issue: When trying to open a PDF file from a DFS network share via double-click in Windows Explorer and Reader DC already running, the file does not open (no error message or other reaction).

This problem does not occur if:

• "Enable Protected Mode at startup" under "Security (Enhanced)" is disabled (not a solution).
• Additional PDF files are instead drag & dropped into Reader DC.
• Additional PDF files are opened via "File > Open" or the file history.
• Reader DC is not already running. The first PDF on a DFS share opens successfully via double-click.
• the workstation operating system is Windows 7 (Pro 64bit in my case).
• the network share is mapped with the fileserver name instead of the DFS-path.

[Amal.]

Hi There,

Thanks for highlighting this issue. Could you please share the process monitor log files for the affected machine. Please download the process monitor tool using the link https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon run the application and share the log files with us so that we can assist you better.

Also could you please share some sample files with us in private message for testing. Please click on the message icon on the top right corner to send the private message.

Regards

Amal

[Linki303]

Hello, we having the same issue. A lot´s of user haveing now trouble. Why can you not provide a solution. I can see, that this issue is there sinces years, if you are searching google with DFS and adobe Reader.

[Linki303]

When somebody from Adobe will help us. It is a big Problem for us!

[SysAdminSAI]

We are experiencing the exact same issue.  It has been frankly maddening, particularly to see similar threads dating back to 2015 indicating similar problems.

Disabling Protected Mode is not an option.

[Linki303]

Hello, we having the same issue. A lot´s of user haveing now trouble. Why can you not provide a solution. I can see, that this issue is there sinces years, if you are searching google with DFS and adobe Reader.

[Pudong]

Problem still exists in Version 2019.021.20049

DFS Share on Windows Server 2019

Clients Windows 10 1809

[Pudong]

Just tested version 19.021.20056. Unfortunately not fixed yet.

I have sent the procmon logfiles to Amal. Hopefully this will help with the analysis.

(Problem exists since DFS is running on Windows Server 2019)

[Amal.]

Hey there,

Thanks for sharing the log files this will certainly help in further investigation of the issue. 

Please provide us time, will share the update soon.

Regards

Amal

[Linki303]

Hi Amal, 

thanks for the information, that you are working on that topic. Please inform us regularly about the actual status. That would be great.

 Martin

[IB-Rahn]

We have the same problem. We already sent over some process monitor log files months ago. It seems that there isn't a simple solution for this. See the other threads as well:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/can-only-open-1-pdf-at-a-time-from-dfs-server/td-p/105...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/open-two-pdfs-from-dfs-server-2019/td-p/10332133

Since disabling protected mode isn't really a solution for us, we will switch to other software till this is fixed.

[Amal.]

Hi there 

We are sorry for the experience and the trouble caused.

A new version of Adobe Acrobat / Reader DC got rolled out recently, version 19.21.20058. Please update the application to the latest version available. Go to Help > Check for Updates. 

You may also manually download the patch from the link here (https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/index.html)

Let us know how it goes

Regards

Amal

[Pudong]

Hi Amal

Thank you for the update. I have installed version 19.21.20058 but still no luck.
Same problem as befor. When protected mode is avtivated, its not possible to open a second pdf (via double-click)

[IB-Rahn]

Hello Amal,

unfortunately the update doesn't solve the issue. As Pudong said, there are the same problems as before.

Regards

IB-Rahn

[MORAIMA29965466ddzj]

Hi

I am having the same problem. My version acrobat reader is 23.001.20174.0 and only can open the pdf files if Enable Protected Mode at startup" under "Security (Enhanced)" is disabled. When trying to open a PDF file from a DFS network share via double-click in Windows Explorer and Reader DC already running, the file does not open, the error is "Error to open the document. The file doesn't find". I have introduced in the acrobat preferences the route of my shared dfs, but the problem continue. Please, could you help me?. Thanks

[Amal.]

Hi there

Please go through the help page https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/protected-mode-troubleshooting-reader.html ad see if that works.

Regards

Amal

[MORAIMA29965466ddzj]

Hi

But I have get that it works "Disabling Protected Mode at startup", so I can open the pdf files in my shared dfs folders.

You haven't solution to this problem?

Thanks

[ls_rbls]

Hi,

I am going to post here the same info that I shared in a similar thread.

After much reading, I thinks the following references might be useful.

It seems like the DFS is preventing access to the  namespace when a client tries to hit a folder target with Acrobat in protected mode .

Verify if when  you add the absolute path for a priviledged location ,   

that the  namespace is not configured to issue referrals with the "insite" option.

See here  for troubleshooting: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/975440/how-to-troubleshoot-distributed-file-system-namespac... 

Enable the cross domain troubleshooting log  in Reader / Acrobat and confirm if the messages that you get are not suggesting to "allow any" type of access which is the least restricted access policy, which would also defeat the purpose of using Enhanced Security and  Protected Mode .

See here too: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AppSec/xdomain.html#policy-file-configuration  

See here : https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/enhanced-security-setting-pdfs.html#bypass_enhanced_security_r... 

Since this seems to be not entirely related to Adobe Reader/Acrobat, there are a few more things that need to  be observed:

• Review on namespacing: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/naming-a-file 
• Review on how DFS works: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2003/cc782417(v=ws.... 

• targetting you r applications for windows:  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/targeting-your-application-at-windows-8-1 
• How to configure fully qualified domains in referrals: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/244380/how-to-configure-dfs-to-use-fully-qualified-domain-n... 
• Configuring indicators in MS Windows Defender  Advanced Threat Protection https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/microsoft-defender-atp/manage-in... 
• Configuring Defender AntiVirus exclusions:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-defender-antivirus/confi... 
• Controlled Folder Access: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/microsoft-defender-atp/enable-co... 
• Turning off scaning of DFS files: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/822158/virus-scanning-recommendations-for-enterprise-comput... 
• Enhanced Security: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AppSec/enhanced.html#trust-overrides 
• Trusting documents with valid certification:https://helpx.adobe.com/reader/using/protected-mode-windows.html  
• Bypassing protected view restrictions: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/protected-view-feature-pdfs-windows.html 
• See Application Security Guide in Troubleshooting Protected View: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/protected-mode-troubleshooting-reader.html  and see Application security libraries customization section in the Application Security Guide.
• Sandboxing : https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AppSec/index.html 
• Desired Access and Shared Access to enable opening of shared files using  nNtCreateFile: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winternl/nf-winternl-ntcreatefile  
• Operating system version API helper function: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/operating-system-version 
• Adding users to an encrypted file: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/adding-users-to-an-encrypted-file 
• See Workflow section -Actions for Shared Folders : https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/PrefRef/Windows/index.html 
• Creating file functions: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-createfilea  
• Access based enumeration: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/dfs-namespaces/enable-access-based-enumerati...  and using inherited permissions on access bases enumeration: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2008-R2-and-2008/dd... 

I hope these references help.

[ls_rbls]

Hi,

NEW UPDATE WITH ASSUMED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

Please refere to this thread: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/can-only-open-1-pdf-at-a-time-from-dfs-server/m-p/1088... 

[Amal.]

Hi there

A new version of Adobe Acrobat/Reader DC is now available v20.009.20063. Please update the application to the new version and see if that works. Go to Help > Check for Updates.

Let us know how it goes

Regards

Amal

[Amal.]

Hi there

A new version of Adobe Acrobat/Reader DC is now available v20.009.20063. Please update the application to the new version and see if that works. Go to Help > Check for Updates.

Let us know how it goes

Regards

Amal

[ls_rbls]

Hi,

As Amal suggested try updating, if that update didn't work , Just today another optional update was released : 

https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/index.html

Some known issues were addressed, specifically:

Sandbox Problem: Acces

•  Denied error when trying to open PDF file from symbolic link via UNC path. [3844582]

See if this actually finally resolves this problem.