Unable to open an PDF file - Error: the document is damaged...

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
November 13, 2020
2 replies
1663 views

Hello,

I tried to open some old PDF files (0154.pdf) by trying different versions of Adobe reader DC and Adobe Acrobe DC on a laptop and desktop. But I cannot open them.

Here is the error:"Error: the document is damaged and cannot be repaired. Adobe Reader could not open because it is either not a supported file type or because the file has been damaged (for example, it was sent as an email attachment and wasn't correctly decoded)."

So I use a text editor app to open one file. See the picture below. Is it a valid PDF file? or what kind of the file is? My friend said he could open it before. How did the pdf file get damaged or...? Any advise? Thanks so much.

Andy

This topic has been closed for replies.

try67

Community Expert

Ask them to re-send it, but this time to place it in an archive file first. Or to share it via something like Google Drive or Adobe Document Cloud. Some email servers don't encode PDF files correctly, which can cause them to become corrupt, like this one.

radzmar

Community Expert

If you open a PDF in Notepad++ you fist should see a string such as %PDF-1.6. Your file shows nothing of this, so it either damaged or not PDF at all.

A

Andy5D25Author

Participant

Thanks Radzma and Try67 for your time and help. I have the pdf files on my computer.

I really wanted to find out how the files got damaged?? When I created or "save as" files from MS word documents to PDF files, I usaually would double check them and make sure them work before I put them on my computers. I may forget to check the files.

Would the Adobe Acrobe DC 2015's updates cause the files damage? or MS word, or Windows updates? It's possible if the Windows system got crash when the files on my computer. Any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

Andy

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