Unable to delete temporary files

[Guest]

I am running Acrobat Reader 11.0.0 in a XenApp 6.5 Environment on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.  We have recently started using Mandatory profiles and the option set to delete cached profiles on logoff.  We have started noticing that some of the profiles are not being deleted because of files that are locked by the system.  The files are named Z@*.tmp.  I have done some research into the issue and have found an article on your website that mentions this issue specifically:

http://blogs.adobe.com/dmcmahon/2011/11/08/acrobatreader-tmp-files-left-behind-in-temp-folder-after-...

Please note this article is dated 11/2011 and seems to refer only to XP, NT, and 2003 server.  Also at the bottom of the article it states the following:
Following our testing we have discovered that the issue does not occur in Windows 7, or Windows 2008 Server.  It seems that the updated versions of Windows provide a solution to this issue.  We would therefore recommend updating your OS if possible.

I have found that this is not that case and this issue seems to remain, at least in my configuration.

[MeNoLikey]

It's definitely a good idea if you don't want executives breathing down your neck or have to switch pdf software and retrain users on using it. I have at least 3 months free of temp files. It's a workaround and yes Adobe should fix this, but let's face it, they won't fix it being that this forum has been going on for how many years now?

[Guest]

We are running XenApp on 2008 R2 servers

As a work around until Adobe fix their program we have uninstalled and hidden the following updates:

KB2993651

KB3045171

KB3070102

KB3013455

KB3034344

KB3002885

KB3057839

KB3078601

Need to hide any updates to win32k.sys

Working versions of this file are

6.1.7601.18512

6.1.7601.22722

18/06/2014

We did try adding the acroct.ini to the Windows directory, but we had other files locked.  Don't know what was creating the other files.

[alex_heer]

I agree it's frustrating Adobe haven't resolved this.

For me, the fix was to uninstall KB3034344

If you don't have this update installed, I have a list of the KB's which superseeded this update and updates it replaces.  This list and full details of how I resolved it are in the below link

Alex Heer's IT Blog - Blog - Alex Heer's IT Blog

Thanks

Alex

[gdt_reddog]

Hello, I just want to add that I have to same problem with 2008 R2 SP1 and XenApp 7.6 with certain users.Please fix Adobe!

[Guest]

These files are locked by the SYSTEM process and so the underlying OS is more likely at fault, rather than the Reader application.

The cause identified by Adobe has been linked to the CreateScalableFontResource call, and Microsoft have just released patch KB3095649 with the following fix:

"Font files remain open by the system, and can't be deleted when they're used in a call to CreateScalableFontResource in Windows Server 2012 R2."

This patch is also applicable to Server 2008 R2, so this may (finally) be the silver bullet fix. Unfortunately, my affected customers are running 2008 R1 for which I can find no equivalent patch.

[philj18550711]

Has anyone found a definitive fix for this issue that does not involve removing critical security updates?

[cantorternary]

It seems to have disappeared with Adobe Acrobat V2105 on Windows 10 and Windows 10 Threshold 2.

[Guest]

I am having the same issue on Windows 2008R2 with Citrix, Windows 2008R2 with RDS and Windows 2012R2 with Citrix.

I have tried all the fixes provided, to be honest as we are a consultancy firm that looks after End User Computing I think the move to something like FoxIT Reader may happen for future customers as Adobe are not progressing this for anyone by the looks of it.

[tomharleman]

Cannot delete acrord32_sbx folder
12/31/2015
For many months 2 of our 24 Windows 2008 R2 servers have refused to delete roaming profile Users folders when a person logs off. TMP files in C:\Users\[LOGIN]\AppData\Local\Temp\acrord32_sbx were held open by SYSTEM and resisted all attempts to delete them. The only solution I found was to reboot the server and then delete the user's roaming folders.

One blog said to remove kb2993651. Which I did on both servers but the issue persisted.
These 2 servers had Microsoft Updates that the other 22 servers did not. So I uninstalled all of those updates. But the problem persisted.

Eventually I found this blog:
http://discussions.citrix.com/topic/355546-cannot-delete-acrord32-sbx-folder/
There I read:

Glen Bicking, on 16 Sept 2014 - 2:22 PM, said:
Ryan, this does seem to have corrected the issue.  I also I followed workaround 1 in the following:
http://blogs.adobe.com/dmcmahon/2011/11/08/acrobatreader-tmp-files-left-behind-in-temp-folder-after-... - however I don't believe that was the fix.
I would remove kb2993651 to start.  I think that will correct your issue.

Bas Nieuwenhuijse
Posted 13 October 2014 - 05:42 AM
After removing the MS hotfix it solved the problem on most of my servers.
One server kept the problem.
I did a check on the versions of the 2 files named in the MS KB.
The server with the problem had a newer version of the C:\windows\system32\win32k.sys
I replaced it with an older version (6.1.7601.22722) and the problem was solved.

So I compared win32k.sys on those 2 servers with some of the others. All of the others had a version of win32k.sys dated 6/11/2012. These 2 servers had newer versions dated 7/8/2014 and 11/3/2015. I replaced the win32k.sys on those 2 servers with the older version and the Adobe TMP file issue went away.

To replace the win32k.sys on a server, you must do the following as the local Administrator:
takeown /f C:\Windows\System32\win32k.sys
cacls C:\Windows\System32\win32k.sys /G Administrator:F
rename win32k.sys win32k.sys.OLD
copy \\GOODSERVER\c$\Windows\System\win32k.sys C:\Windows\System32
After rebooting the server the problem went away.

[Guest]

DuplicateFilesDeleter is a simple, but effective tool to locate duplicate files in one or more selected search paths. It scans the files and compares them based on Byte for Byte Comparison, which ensures 100% accuracy. You can then choose to delete the selected duplicate or original files. The program is multi-threaded and performs scans quickly.

[Guest]

Du­p­li­cate­File­sDel­ete­r is a simple, but effective tool to locate duplicate files in one or more selected search paths. It scans the files and compares them based on Byte for Byte Comparison, which ensures 100% accuracy. You can then choose to delete the selected duplicate or original files. The program is multi-threaded and performs scans quickly.

[Wild.E.Coyote]

Just seeing this in my firm and we are able to replicate the issue.  We only see this when printing to HP printers using  the universal drivers. If we print to a Canon printer there are no tmp files being created  to the temp folder and print job is fine. The profile unloads with properly upon logout. We see the same issues on Xenapp 6.5, windows 7 Pro,   whether using  Adobe pro 10  & standard 11. Has anyone looked at it from this angle. Comments welcome.Thanks.

[mrleeall · Accepted solution]

Attention all, the fix is finally here.  I opened a ticket with Adobe last week on this issue and they finally got back to me with an answer.  The issue was corrected in last month's (January 2016) release of Reader 11.0.14.  I already got the release and tested it thoroughly and it works as perscribed.  Hurray!

Thanks to everyone for their contributions to this thread.  I followed this thread miticulously in an effort to resolve my issues, obviously to on avail... it's a shame that this issue went uncorrected for so long (years..)  Thank God Adobe finally addressed it.

[Guest]

I have been patiently testing and waiting for a fix for this issue and this appears to be it.  The comment in their bug fixes mention it directly.  I have just rolled out to a small subset of our servers and will be pushing out to the remaining 130 servers for confirmation.  I am holding my breath.

[Guest]

We are currently using 11.0.16 in our environment without issue.

[mrleeall]

Unable to delete temporary files

Attention all, the fix is finally here.  I opened a ticket with Adobe last week on this issue and they finally got back to me with an answer.  The issue was corrected in last month's (January 2016) release of Adobe Reader 11.0.14.  I already got the release and tested it thoroughly and it works as perscribed.  Hurray!

Thanks to everyone for their contributions to this thread.  I followed thes thread miticulously in an effort to resolve my issues, obviously to on avail... it's a shame that this issue went uncorrected for so long (years..)  Thank God Adobe finally addressed it.

[Crescendas]

Since Acrobat Reader is so buggy, will uninstalling it and install alternative such as Foxit Reader resolve this?

[Test Screen Name]

According to the most recent replies, this is fixed in 11.0.14 and presumably DC too.

[Crescendas]

Obviously the problem is either not fixed, or it has returned.

FYI, I'm running Acrobat Reader DC edition on Windows Server 2008r2 and is currently having this problem only recently.

[Test Screen Name]

What exact version of Reader DC?

[Crescendas]

Version 15.017

[Test Screen Name]

That is not an exact version number or one I recognise at all. Please use Help > About. A full version number will be something like 2015.1234.92431.

[Crescendas]

I have checked just 3 of our Windows Server 2008r2 running as Terminal Servers. All have the same problems. The acrobat installed are:

1. XI (11.0.10)
2. XI (11.0.12)
3. DC (2015.0.17.20053)

With DC having the worst.

[Test Screen Name]

Clearly 1 and 2 will show this problem as you have not installed the fix released six months ago (11.0.14). DC seems up to date, but at least there is a strategy for the other two.

[Crescendas]

Did you mean the strategy shown here? Acrobat/Reader: Z@xxx.tmp files left behind in Temp folder after printing

I noted that this strategy was dated in 2011. Does this mean that the fix was only released almost 5 years later just six months ago? Or was there another update to fix it but the same problem resurface again?

I have updated 1 and 2 as DC is up-to-date as you have correctly pointed out. I have also implemented the strategy for all three just in case they resurface again (not to mention the latest version still have this bug) by manually copying the ini file into every single user profile. Took me a few hours to do this due to long processing time for Windows to grant the administrator the permission to access these user profiles to perform this operation.

FYI, in the Server with the XI reader, the users only start to encounter slow performance when there were over 5000 Z@xxx.tmp files in each profile. However, in the Server with the DC reader, the users already complain over slow performance when there are just 1000 Z@xxx.tmp files. That's why I said DC is worst. I may consider uninstalling DC and install XI reader instead despite I have already install the much faster and more reliable Foxit Reader, because some PDF files are not 100% compatible with it.