Acrobat Reader DC and 10.0 registry entries

[_Mr_Bones_]

Hi

We are rolling out new Windows 10 laptops and installing Adobe Reader DC. These are brand new builds with fresh installs of AcroRdrDC1901020069_en_US

The problem we have is that one of the applications we use accesses the registry entries in alphabetical order and once a user has opened Adobe Reader under the HKCU\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader are two folders 10.0 and DC, the software needs DC but it accesses 10.0 first. The software supplier advised us to rename the 10.0 to z10.0 which works until the laptop is rebooted. They seem to think we have old versions of Adobe installed which we don't, these are fresh new installs of DC.

My question are why is there a 10.0 folder and how could we prevent this from recreating itself. More importantly how could the software supplier overcome this, we do pay them support after all.

Thanks in advance.

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

Adobe may create any folder they please. It might be created for compatibility with other apps, or because they overlooked something. This is their privilege, and your other supplier needs to accommodate it. Why are they even looking in Adobe's registry keys? Whatever the problem is, they can easily fix it, since the DC key isn't changing every day, it has been the same for four years now, and some people DO have multiple versions installed.

That said, I have Reader DC and it does not create anything under HKCU\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\10.0, and I've been running it for years, through many releases. It may be worth checking whether you have any other plug-ins doing this. You could also post the specific keys created in 10.0, if it's only a few

However the very fact that it comes back on a reboot suggests something in your own system setup, profile management, etc. is adding this.

[_Mr_Bones_]

Thanks for the reply and I quite agree that Adobe can create whatever they want and the vendor should be able to overcome this, not in this case it seems. Having checked there is very little installed on these new builds, Office 2013, Java and a couple of other small apps that wouldn't need Adobe.

The 10.0 folder contains Privileged which has a "bProtectMode" key. Could this be something we are invoking via our AV or an Adobe setting we can change?

[Bernd Alheit]

Why does the application access the registry?

[_Mr_Bones_]

Thanks everyone for your help. Knowing that Adobe doesn't create this helped point us in the right direction.

Turns out that deep within GPO from many moons ago the 10.0 folder and "bProtectMode" key where being created.

We think this was done due to a possible vulnerability that was discovered. Trouble is we had no record of anyone adding it - tut tut, terrible change control! - but now this has been disabled all is good.

Thanks again.

[Test Screen Name]

The install package you are running. It looks as if it is an in house customised Reader install. This may include, either as the install or from other policy definitions, registry keys to set. Maybe something is hanging over from an earlier release.

Customisation docs here: Acrobat-Reader Enterprise Toolkit Home

[_Mr_Bones_]

Bog standard adobe download. Just tried it with the latest AcroRdrDC1901020091_en_US.exe and it still does it.

[Test Screen Name]

Are these available as raw machine builds? If so

- does the key appear on login before Reader was EVER installed?

- is there anything under HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader or HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Adobe\Acrobat Reader