Windows 10 - cannot open pdf files in Reader DC

[Guest]

     Hello, I have recently upgraded my company notebook to Windows 10 from Windows 7. I have been using Acrobat Reader XI without problems. Since I upraded, opening PDF files always ends with no response. After opening pdf file, there is only busy icon for few seconds and then nothing (not even a blink of a new window / frame). I have already tried several methods:

• Uninstalling Reader XI with advanced uninstaller application. Reinstalling it with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
• Complete uninstall of Reader DC with AdobeAcroCleaner_DC2015. Then reinstallation > unsuccessful
• I have also tried updating Reader DC to latest version, then using itself repair mechanism (Help > repair installation) >  same result

     When I open directly Reader DC (either shortcut or *.exe), it executes normally and it allows me to open probably almost any PDF file as in the past. But if I trie to open any PDF file, it does nothing. After checking processes table via task manager I found out that there are two processes running in the background "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (32 bit)". It is +2 after trying to open another PDF file / Reader DC.

     I have also experienced this same problem on different machines. It is quite annoying, given the fact I do not want to use native Windows reader...

My current state:

HP ZBook 15, i7-4800MQ, 16GB RAM

MS Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC - Czech (15.008.20082)

[AadeshSingh]

Hi tomasnav,

What exactly happens when you try to open the PDF file in Reader, do you get any error code or error message?

Check if you are able to open the PDF in web browser, just drag & drop the PDF on the web browser.

Regards,
Aadesh

[Guest]

Hi Aadesh,

As I have written before. When I try to open PDF file in Reader, nothing happens - neither error message nor any other information. Only the "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (32 bit)" process running in the background (info from windows task manager). No interaction with user from Reader.

To second question - yes, PDF files are normally opening in web browsers (Edge, IE 11, Opera, Firefox tested)

It was just yesterday when I had exactly the same issue on another laptop with MS Windows 10 x64.

Regards,

Tomas

[AadeshSingh]

Hey tomasnav,

Please close all the Adobe process from the task manager & then again try to open it in Reader.

Also, try opening the same PDF files on some other computer, maybe on your fiends computer to check if its opening.

Regards,

Aadesh

[Guest]

All Adobe processes were closed (even the one for auto update) and same behaviour - ends up with 2 frozen processes in the background.

I also tried to open same PDF files on other computer - working perfectly on Windows 7 with Reader XI. It is not a problem of corrupted file, believe me (I am software engineer). It is generally with every PDF file.

Tomas

[AadeshSingh · Accepted solution]

Hey tomasnav,

Open Reader, navigate to Edit menu -> Preferences -> Security Enhances & disable the Protected mode.

Check f it brings any change.

Regards,
Aadesh

[Guest]

Hey Aadesh,

As you suggested, I have opened Edit -> Preferences -> Security (Enhanced) and disabled checkbox Enable Protected Mode at startup. Enable Enhanced Security remains checked.

It has SOLVED this issue.

Many thanks !!!

Tomas

[dannyg61]

Great fix. Wrestled with this for quite a while. Thanks!

[w_pc70746774]

Hi, I face the same issue but my is worst because I cannot even open the reader dc itself, so I cannot make changes to the setting as suggested. I have stop all the background processes of reader dc at the task manager but still cannot run the application or open any file. Is there anyway I can go round to at least get the application running?

[doncline77]

The issue of opening pdf files with Adobe Reader DC in Win 10 x64 is not solved.  I have tried the : disabled checkbox Enable Protected Mode at startup and it does not work.  These pdf files will open using Adobe Reader on my XP pro system and Win7 system using the supported/latest readers on those systems. So i know the pdf's are good. I tried to copy the pdf's to the C drive and that did not help. There are some pdf files on my D drive that will open. So I know that Reader DC is installed correctly. It appears that my older pdf files will not open in Firefox either. But other pdf files will. Something is wrong with Adobe Reader DC in its inability to read some but not other pdf files. Is Adobe reading this forum ?

[nikhilg83599090]

I have the same issue. Error 109 pdf files downloaded from mail client does not open. Tried Deleting Acrobat DC Reader, used acro removal tool, Reinstalled Acrobat 11. Finally downloaded Foxit and it could open all files. Being an old user for Acrobat I want this software to work however it seems the company is going downhill.

The same files I downloaded in my collegues laptop it opens there. I copy and bring in USB and viola it does not open on my laptop.

I use windows 10. Note even Edge does not open while Chrome can but if one saves as and opens again the same issue.

Perish or improve. If FOXIT can open and save why cant you.

[mikey86]

Hi adesh, 

I am similar issue but protected mode isn't running. My subject title is "adobe file reader issue". Please read and have a look as I need to print my phone bills from 02 but it's not working... 

Thanks

Mike

[Guest]

I have disabled checkbox Enable Protected Mode at startup but it does not help at all. The pdf still do not want to open. But, when I copy the file to other directory, (local disk C: in this case), voila, it open.

.

What should I do actually, to really solve the problem w/o copying it to other directory. p.s there are others pdf file too, but some of them are just O.K, while others are getting the problem I stated above.

.

Anyone please? Thankyouu...

[vishnu]

I cannot open acrobat reader dc at all so I cannot do the recommended steps: Open Reader, navigate to Edit menu -> Preferences -> Security Enhances & disable the Protected mode. How do I get Acrobat DC to operate?  I have called Adobe but they do not provide live technical support for Acrobat Reader. The best I could do with them was email a query to one of their communities, which a manager told me was Adobe employee technical support. They are supposed to reply by email but it has been 1.5 hours with no reply. If you can help I'd appreciate it.

Ann

[zerozero1]

If your inm this situation if you FIRST go to task manager and delete all running instances of Adobe, THEN try to open a PDF, it will, or at least it does here, open. BUT, you must change the preferences (above) to ensure adobe can work in the future, without goiung to task manager each time

[richardo3359015]

I have the same problem and the security and protection didn't work along with the task manager either.

[egipps]

Me too.  I've tried everything I can. Uninstalled, reinstalled.  Get 'Acrobat failed to load Core DLL' message.

[beverley2112]

me too, have spent 4 hours on live chat with microsoft who remote accessed my laptop, the problem is with Adobe, I cannot even open it to amend preferences 😞

[keiths34062406]

I was intermittently having problems opening PDF files and getting the following error message (Windows Application Error 0xc0000022) after the last major Windows 10 update to level 1709.  Tried falling back to the previous level without success.  Also was having problems with slow system and slow internet access using my Firefox browser.  Using Task manager found that system performance was in the tank with disk utilization intermittently saturated at or near 100% for long periods.

Finally resolved the issue using Microsoft Utilities built into Window 10.  Apparently I had some "System Driver" database corruption that was corrected when the Drivers were reloaded.  To run the troubleshooter and reload the corrupted Driver(s) and other issues, do the following:

Start>Settings>Update & Security>Troubleshoot>Hardware and Devices>Run the troubleshooter>Apply this fix

This process fixed both of my PDF and system performance issues.

[Ike_Perez1]

I had similar problem and running the troubleshooter option fixed it.  Thanks!

[RussCP1]

Got the same problem but I don't have a Hardware and Devices option under Troubleshoot.  I am in Win 10 and says I'm up to date. Any thoughts?

[dleuri]

Ok, So we experienced exactly the same problem (Spinning Icon and No reader opening)

Renaming the file:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" into anything actually solves the issue.

I renamed it to AcroRD321.exe for example

When choosing the default program to open PDF with, browse to the new .exe and it keeps working fine.

[valeriiap66263601]

I had the same issue for a few months now - could not open any .pdf file at all, only in the browser. It was enough for me until now, but I needed to put my signature so I had to find out a way. Renaming the file surprisingly helped! Thanks for the suggestion!

[mamoonas79816993]

Hello,

I have windows 8 operating system. I have the similar issues as others. I am not able to open the reader nor the file. I tried closing all the adobe processes from task manager still no change. When I click on the reader or the document nothing happen.

I tried uninstalling and then reinstalling. It worked the first time after restarting the computer and then stopped working again.

Any suggestions or solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time out to read this.

[erice41308866]

I am getting this error message when trying to open in outlook.

Please wait... If this message is not eventually replaced by the proper contents of the document, your PDF viewer may not be able to display this type of document. You can upgrade to the latest version of Adobe Reader for Windows®, Mac, or Linux® by visiting http://www.adobe.com/go/reader_download. For more assistance with Adobe Reader visit http://www.adobe.com/go/acrreader.

I tried deleting adobe from task manager that did not help. It did say 32 bit in task manager and I have 64 bit. I went to adobe and it automatically installed so I do not know why it said 32 bit in task manager.