Adobe Reader DC says it is installed when it isn't. Can't find download or access download for Reader DC Cleaner

[rockdoc3]

Right now I am very frustrated.  I have for several days tried to install Adobe Reader DC.  I did this successfully today and it worked one time then crashed completely and I received an error message that a component was missing.  So I attempted to uninstall the product and got another error message that it could not be installed.  I then resorted for brute force removal.  I suspect there are hidden components and registry entries that haven't been removed and the installer is seeing those as an installed product.

OK, so I go to the DC cleaner page and try to find the download for the cleaner...nope, nothing there works or provides me any means of downloading the cleaner to rid myself of this mess and attempt to re-install.

Any suggestions?  How do I obtain the cleaner????  I've been all over the Adobe Labs page for same, click the box to accept EULA and then zip, dead no download link.

Rockdoc

[AkanchhaS]

Hi there!

Thanks for going an extra-mile and trying to troubleshoot the problem on your own. I guess you are getting "Newer version already installed error"? Since you were unable to find the cleaner tool, I suspect you might haven not landed on right web page.

• Here is the cleaner tool link: Download Adobe Reader and Acrobat Cleaner Tool - Adobe Labs  select the terms & condition. You would get the download link for Windows and Mac.
• Once clicked, it will download the installer in Zip format. Extract the Zip file and proceed further.
• Check out the steps given for "Newer version already installed" error: Error 1722 while installing/updating Acrobat DC/Acrobat Reader DC on Windows  this should help further.

Do share the result, whether its successful or not.

Thanks,

Akanchha

[rockdoc3 · Accepted solution]

Thanks Akanchha!

After two hours of struggle (and I am not computer illiterate!) I was able to download the cleaner.  I ran it and still got the same error message.  Found more garbage from Reader DC residing in Trash Bin and that my Windows OS was out of date.  After an hour of downloading and installing all Windows updates I re-ran the cleaner once more. I continued to receive the error that "a newer version of Reader DC was installed (which it wasn't)  I found more garbage in Trash Bin for a second time, deleted that and ran Cleaner for a fourth time, then attempted to install Reader DC.  Install failed two times before I finally got a successful install.

Really! Adobe needs to do something about its install package (they admit online that it has a bunch of problems).  This seems to be a problem not only with the freebies but with purchased products and updates too!  It really is a major time waster when I'm trying to install software on several machines.  BTW, I was on the correct download page for the Cleaner over the weekend, but it would not show me the link to click to download.  Today it did.  So even the Cleaner download page works "whenever".

Anyway, thanks for all your help and the links to trouble shoot the error, it was most helpful.

Best regards,

Rockdoc

[AkanchhaS]

Hey Rockdoc,

I really appreciate the time and efforts you have put into it. You have really gone an extra-mile to figure out the root cause of the problem.

Thanks for writing back and sharing your findings.

Let us know if there's anything we can help you with in future.

Thanks,

Akanchha

[JoeWolfe223138849oz3]

I have the same issue, and I notice this link is broken. Is there a new link?

[Marcelio_NL]

https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html

It doens't solve the problem though in my case. There is no installation of Acrobat Reader on the PC. I runthe installation, it finishes without error and the application is nowehere to be found. Not in the default path or anywhere. 

THe clearer fixed some registry entries but even after that the installer does the same thing: installs but doesn't...