Can I delete files from earlier versions that contain multiple copies of AdobeARM, AdobeARMHelper, AcrobatUpdater, and ReaderUpdater

[Many_copies_Adobe_files]

Currently using Adobe Reader XI (11.0.08). I am checking my hard drive for a hard to find virus. When I searched for *.exe files, I discovered that I have 104 (one hundred and four) copies of the following *.exe files: AdobeARM, AdobeARMHelper, AcrobatUpdater, and ReaderUpdater. Copies of those files go back as far as Reader Version 9.4.

For example, in the following directory, I have 18 folders with numbers from 137 to 27270 and a 19th folder with my user name.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\Reader\9.4\ARM

(Actually, I only have 103 copies of ReaderUpdater, but that's hardly significant)

Each of these 19 folders contain copies of AdobeARM, AdobeARMHelper, AcrobatUpdater, and ReaderUpdater.

In addition, the 9.4/ARM folder contains a couple of files such as AdbeRdr950_en_US.exe, ARM.msi, and AdobeARM.bin.

I also have a directory: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\Reader\9.3 that is completely empty.

In this directory, I have 5 folders:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\ARM

The folders are:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\ARM\Reader_10.1.2      -    contains two *.msp and one *.msi file

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\ARM\Reader_11.0.00    -   contains 8 folders with numbers 459 to 29542

     .... Each of those 8 folders contains a copy of  AdobeARM, AdobeARMHelper, AcrobatUpdater, and ReaderUpdater.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\ARM\Reader_11.0.02   -  which contains 12 folders with number names and each of those folders contains  a copy of  AdobeARM, AdobeARMHelper, AcrobatUpdater, and ReaderUpdater. It also contains a *.bin and a couple of *.msi and *.msp files

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\ARM\Reader_11.0.05    -  contains 41 such files with the same contents

And

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Adobe\ARM\Reader_11.0.08    -   contains 29 such files with the same contents

It seems as if each time that I update Adobe Acrobat, the setup program fails to delete earlier obsolete updater files.If so, that looks like more than 300 Meg of useless files. Also, there are times when more than 1 identical Acrobat process is running in task manager.

1)  If these are files that should have been deleted with each update, is it safe to delete the files for Adobe updates prior to 11.0.08?

2)  In the directory for 11.0.08, do I need to keep all 29 folders or only the most recent one.

Thanks for your help.

[Sara_Forsberg]

Hi many copies,

I would recommend using the Acrobat Cleaner Tool to clean up all those older files: Download Adobe Reader and Acrobat Cleaner Tool - Adobe Labs

Best,

Sara

[benjamin261099116na4]

Hi Sara_Forsberg,

I am facing a similar issue with the the folder c:\users\all users\Adobe\ARM.

It is containing 31 old folders of previous Adobe Reader version. While looking for a good way to purge these folder on the Internet, I have found this page, but the link you posted is no more available.

Is there still a tool to properly purge the old versions of Adobe Reader ?

Or can i just delete all the folders except the last version who is installed on the computer ?

Thank you in advance.

Regards