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scubaraven
Participating Frequently
October 18, 2019
Question

AdobeCollabSync.exe preventing deletion of empty folders

  • October 18, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 1536 views

I am sooo frusterated with this problem. I have folders that can't be deleted without first going into task manager (each and eevery time) searching for, and disabling Adobe Collaborative Synce. AdobeCollabSync.exe is keeping folders open for some reason, even if they are completely empty.I'm attaching a screenshot for reference. Any help would be soooo appreciated. I have been having this problem for almost a year now!

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    1 reply

    Known Participant
    May 15, 2020

    Unfortunately, AdobeCollabSync.exe is one of Adobe's worst bits of junkware. At work, we use software that regenerates PDFs frequently. However, on the second attempt at generation, the program says it cannot access the folder. This is despite the fact the PDF file was closed in Acrobat DC, and even Acrobat DC itself has been closed! A quick check in Windows Resource Monitor shows that AdobeCollabSync still has a handle on the file or folder [in the CPU tab, search for your file/folder name in the Associated Handles "Search Handles" box]. Killing the AdobeCollabSync process in Windows Task Manager instantly allows our program to rewrite its PDF files again. The semi-permanent solution is simple:
    1) Kill the AdobeCollabSync processs in the Details pane of Windows Task Manager.
    2) Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\ and rename AdobeCollabSync.exe to AdobeCollabSync-JUNK.exe. 
    3) Click the Windows Start button, type Startup, and select Startup Apps. Turn off AdobeCollabSync.
    Note that if Acrobat DC receives an update, it will reinstate a new copy of AdobeCollabSync.exe, so you'll need to go back to that folder and rename it to ...JUNK.exe again.
    We have had no ill effects from killling this ridiculous program, so we can now happily generate our PDFs without Adobe Acrobat's historically poor file handling interfering with our work.

    Inspiring
    July 21, 2021

    There is another thread titled "How do I permanently delete AdobeCollabSync?" (Sep 21, 2020).
    Before proceeding as per above, I wonder what AdobeCollabSync.exe is being used for. Same as AcroCEF.exe. 


    Like above I too was facing a problem deleting an empty folder. That folder contained a PDF but I moved it to another folder. Deleting the empty left over folder was not possible. I wonder how 'less experienced' users are supposed to handle such things. Actually, except two persons (who are indeed IT-guys), I am sure none of my friends ever heard of  'Task manager' 'Processes' 'Killing a task' .

     

    Note: only quite some time later the AcroCEF disappeared, after closing a number of  applications (that had nothing to do with that folder, by the way...)  I then killed the AdobeCollabSync and only then I could delete the folder.