Acrobat Reader not opening PDF files

Hi,
I have a friend who I help with the computer and she is quite ill will cancer and wants to do as much reading as possible about the different cancers and cures, etc.

Many of the sites that she does go on have Adobe Reader for her to open and print if necessary.

I have tried unsuccessfully to download a version of Adobe Reader that will work properly. I'm sure I downloaded a version for Windows ME but it still doesn't open the PDF files.

Can you help me fix this problem for her. I just don't know if I should try to uninstall what she has now and try to reinstall another version of Acrobat.

Do you know what version will work with her Windows ME.

Thank you for your help.

Jean

 

larsonjean--Go to
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
and fill out the info requested.
Assuming you can download OK, be sure to turn off at least your antivirus (and ideally all programs other than Windows) before starting the install.
If you cannot download post back, although you could read this first
http://www.valink.com/jeep/IE/Unable.to.Download.Files.htm

EDIT--The installation of Acrobat Reader should automatically associate it with .pdf files, but if you still have problems opening a .pdf file, hold down Shift and simultaneously right click any .pdf file. Click on "Open With... "|scroll to "Acroread "|highlight it|check the box at the bottom "Always use this program...|OK.

 

Thanks for your quick help Jim.

I would like to ask one more question though. I have cable here and running Windows XP. I did go to the site you told me to Go
(http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
and filled out the info requested). I then said to "Save to Disk." It put this file "psa2se_us.exe" (1 kb) on my system. When I closed everything down and double clicked the exe file, it saved the file "AdbeRdr60_60_en_full.exe (16,315 KB) and changed the first file "psa2se_us.exe" to (6,117 kb) .

The reason I downloaded at home here is because I do have cable and it is much faster than trying to download it at her house. Now my question is can I just copy these files to her computer if I put them on a CD first, and if so, do I open each exe file or only one of them. I don't understand how this works.

I did download this Adobe before at her house and it took over an hour to download so I want to save time if possible. Also should I remove whatever version of Acrobat she has on her computer now.

Thank you again for your help.

Jean

 

larsonjean--If you inputted that you wanted the version for WinME and downloaded that, everything should be fine. The psa2se_us.exe file sounds like a set up file. The AdbeRdr60_60_en_full.exe is the program file. I suspect you only need to click on it to install Acrobat Reader. However, you should note where the two files are on your PC and bring both over in their respective directories to your friend. If they are in the same folder, fine. If they are not, you must bring them over in their own separate directories and install them as such on her PC before you click on the installation file. (A hopefully minor consideration is that often when you burn files to a CD, they become Read Only files. So you have to change that attribution before you can use them. (Maybe that was the original problem?) You will just have to try and see.)
There is an outside chance that whatever you have burned on the CD will not work on a WinME PC, since directories will be different. If so, you must spend that hour and download directly to your friend's PC.
And do you have to uninstall the existing version of Acrobat Reader before you install the new one? Well, I have not gone into Adobe's FAQ's to get the official answer, but since the present version is not working, you have nothing to lose by uninstalling.

 

OK, I will try to get over to help her in a couple of days and I'll let you know how I make out.

 

pdfpp5 and fineprint allow you to create as well as read pdf files. With the new pdf software available now, I don't think I'll buy the full blown version of Acrobat anymore!

Johanna

 

Dear Jim,
I went over to my friend's house to try to install Acrobat and that is the least of my problems. She is on MSN and a window kept poping up even before the computer was fully loaded with windows trying to get her to sign on. We would try to close and it kept returning and it was a mess. I decided to take her computer home because I couldn't spend the whole day there.

All day I have been trying to work on her computer. I'm not getting that far as she had a lot of spyware on it (I installed SpyBot and removed entries). She also had 3 viruses so I cleaned them off with Norton.

Now I am trying to update the Windows ME program on her computer. I keep trying to Install "Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1" but it never completes It seems to go so far and then it tells me " A previuos installation has pending work requiring a reboot. I need to restart to complete the installation before running setup. " Then it tells me to restart the computer .
When I try to run setup again, it says, "Setup was unable to instal the components. Close all applications and try running Setup again.

I'm just so confused I don't know what to do.

Any help with this will be appreciated.

Jean

 

One more thing, now everytime again I restart the computer the MSN screen comes up and wants me to connect to the internet. When I click "close" it just pops up again and again and again. Then I try to shut down the computer and I get A program is not responding errror message, title "ccApp" and I click "End Task" and then the machine starts to reboot and when I do, MSN comes up again for me to sign on again and "Resume Windows Update, Internet Explorer, & Internet Tools,' then I start the whole process over again and it goes into a continuous loop.

It also says when I quit that to run it again go into C:\Windows\Windows Update Setup Files and run IE6setup.exe. When I try this it is just the same old stuff.

Apparently I have a bad Update. How can I get rid of it and start all over.

Thanks.

Jean

 

larsonjean--Possible help
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;221863&id=kb;en-us;221863
And then there is the IE Repair Tool, but I have no idea if WinMe has it. On Win98 it is a Start|Programs|Accessories|System Tools|System Information|Tools|Internet Explorer Repair Tool|Wait|Reboot.
As far as MSN wanting to connect, IE Tools|Internet Options|Connection tab|check "Never dial a connection "|Apply|OK. (You do not want "Always dial..." checked.)
Of course you know the universal solution--Reformat and reinstall Windows!!
If your friend has a stand alone copy of Windows (as opposed to a factory installed recovery disk), that might be the simplest.

 

" A previuos installation has pending work requiring a reboot. I need to restart to complete the installation before running setup. "

I was cleaning a friends computer that was seriously virus infected and got that message. Sure you got all the viruses?
You may try running HiJack This, and post the log. Couple of smart Hijack guys here.

 

Yes, that is a good point. Some people recommend at least two passes with the spyware detectors (AdAware and/or SpybotS&D).

 

Jim - I ran virus scan again, no viruses. I guess there is no IE restore in ME, at least I couldn't find one.

I've since deleted MSN on this computer because it kept coming up to sign on even though I had bulleted "Never Dial a Connection." Now I have no internet server so can't hook up to the internet until I reload MSN again.


aleekat - I did run HiJack This and here are the results:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 8:24:47 PM, on 1/11/2004
Platform: Windows ME (Win9x 4.90.3000)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v5.50 (5.50.4134.0100)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ATI2EVXX.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SSDPSRV.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\EPSON\EBAPI\SAGENT2.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCEVTMGR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DEVLDR16.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RPCSS.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\AUDIOHQ\AHQTB.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ATIPTAXX.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RESTORE\STMGR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\CREATIVE\SHAREDLL\AHQ\CTMIX32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADAPTEC\DIRECTCD\DIRECTCD.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH JUKEBOX\MM_TRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\LOADQM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\LTMSG.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT HARDWARE\KEYBOARD\SPEEDKEY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\SYMANTEC SHARED\CCAPP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\REAL\REALPLAYER\REALPLAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALSET\HELPEXPRESS\JEAN FOLEY\HXDL.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALSET\HELPEXPRESS\JEAN FOLEY\HXIUL.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALSET\HELPEXPRESS\JEAN FOLEY\CLIENT\HELPEXP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SPOOL32.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ALSET\HELPEXPRESS\JEAN FOLEY\CLIENT\PRINTMONITOR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EMSW.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\TD_0003.DIR\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.dell.com/search/index.htm
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://login.passport.net/uilogin.srf?id=2
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 6.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: @msdxmLC.dll,-1@1033,&Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AtiPTA] Atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCHealth] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\Support\PCHSchd.exe -s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WorksFUD] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\wkfud.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Portfolio] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WksSb.exe /AllUsers
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Speed racer] C:\Program Files\Creative\PlayCenter\CTSRReg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AudioHQ] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive\AudioHQ\AHQTB.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CreativeMixer] C:\Program Files\Creative\Sharedll\AHQ\CTMIX32.EXE /t
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdReg] C:\WINDOWS\Updreg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adaptec DirectCD] C:\PROGRA~1\ADAPTEC\DIRECTCD\DIRECTCD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MMTray] C:\Program Files\MusicMatch\MusicMatch Jukebox\mm_tray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LTWinModem1] ltmsg.exe 9
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft IntelliType Pro] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Hardware\Keyboard\speedkey.exe "
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe "
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccRegVfy] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccRegVfy.exe "
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RealTray] C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\RealPlay.exe SYSTEMBOOTHIDEPLAYER
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [emsw.exe] C:\WINDOWS\emsw.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [devldr16.exe] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\devldr16.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ATIPOLAB] ati2evxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SSDPSRV] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ssdpsrv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [*StateMgr] C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\StateMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SAgent2ExePath] C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ccEvtMgr] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe "
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [ScriptBlocking] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Script Blocking\SBServ.exe" -reg
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [emsw.exe] C:\WINDOWS\emsw.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [HXDL.EXE] C:\Program Files\Alset\HelpExpress\Jean Foley\HXDL.EXE -from= "MANIFEST.DAT" -to= "MANIFEST.DAT"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [HXIUL.EXE] C:\Program Files\Alset\HelpExpress\Jean Foley\HXIUL.EXE
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [HELPEXP.EXE] C:\Program Files\Alset\HelpExpress\Jean Foley\Client\HelpExp.exe
O4 - Startup: Resolution Assistant.lnk = C:\Program Files\Dell\Resolution Assistant\MotiveAssistant\bin\matcli.exe
O4 - Startup: PowerReg SchedulerV2.exe
O4 - Startup: EPSON Status Monitor 3 Environment Check 2.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\E_SRCV02.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Define - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_DEF.HTM
O8 - Extra context menu item: Look Up in &Encyclopedia - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_ENC.HTM
O9 - Extra button: Related (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Encarta Encyclopedia (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Encarta Encyclopedia (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Define (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Define (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Real.com (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Dell Home (HKCU)
O16 - DPF: {2FF18E20-DE11-11D1-8161-00A0C90DD90C} (MSNBC News Menu Control 3.01) - http://www.msnbc.com/download/nr1228.cab
O16 - DPF: {DED22F57-FEE2-11D0-953B-00C04FD9152D} (CarPoint Auto-Pricer Control) - http://carpoint.msn.com/components/ocx/autopricer/autopricer.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/ansi/iuctl.CAB?37996.8442361111

Also, I noticed every time I reboot the computer a little icon comes in the taskbar saying "matcli ". Then goes away. This is a Dell computer,. running Windows ME and it has a Pentium III Proc. with 128 RAM.

Jim - My friend does not have a stand alone copy of Windows (she has an Operating System Reinstallation CD WME from Dell). There is also a Dell Dimension Resource CD but I'm not sure how to reformat the computer.

Thanks again for all the help.

Jean

 

larsonjean--On my PC (not Dell), to reinstall the OS from the Recovery Disk, I turn off the PC, put the Recovery Disk in the CD ROM tray, start the PC and follow instructions. If this works the same on your friend's PC I would do this with the Operating System Reinstallation CD.
Now this will completely wipe out all other programs on the PC, but you should end up with a brand new OS installed and probably old, but newly installed, versions of other MS programs, like IE/OE, although these may be on the Resource CD. You will then need to reinstall all Windows Updates (Critical Updates), non-MS Programs now (on the PC) and peripherals like printers, etc..
You could try to back up some of the files with personal data for reinstallation after using the Recovery CD, but unless your friend has a CD/DVD burner, I do not know where she would back up to. Only a few things, like the OE Address Book (username.wab), are small enough to back up to a floppy.
It also occurs to me that WinME PC's should have a System Restore function. Since I do not run WinME, I do not know how to do this, but that restores the Registry to a point in the past which may predate the problems.
I am no expert and I have not researched each entry, but the HiJackThis log you have posted looks fairly good. I do not know why anyone would want their Home page to be http://login.passport.net/uilogin.srf?id=2 (the R0 entry). You might delete that, and set Home Page to something more mundane like about:blank. That gives you a blank page when you start IE. And some people think emsw.exe (O4) is malware and should be removed. (Don't know why AdAware or Spybot did not catch this.) But all this will not be needed if you use the recovery CD since you should be wiping everything out.
Good luck.

 

May want to consider the value of this application:
http://www.pestpatrol.com/pestinfo/h/helpexpress.asp

Looks like a likely suspect for autodialer/phone homer!

========
Matcli:

For Compaq PC's. "matcli.exe is a motive Assistant Command line interface that gathers information about your system's identity like your name email address, city, state, etc and gets written to a log file while silent.exe executes matcli.exe quietly in the background. Compaq Knowledge Center is required to run with the Help and Support program. If you uncheck Compaq Knowledge Center and and then run help and Support it will add another Compaq Knowledge Center in the startup menu. If you remove the Compaq Knowledge Center in the add/remove program some help menus in help and support will not be available like Fix my Presario, Preference, and Contact Technical Support ". You decide.

you may find this site helpful:
http://www.windowsstartup.com/wso/browse.php?l=19

Although this one is most used:
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php

==Personal Opinion=======
Adaptec Dirrect CD????? Is this an older version of easycd burner software? I thought dirrect CD was dropped. In any case this is a known utility component of easycd that does not work or play well with others. If you do not use cd read/writables I would get rid [uninstall this feature] of this component of EasyCD.

===========
loadqm.exe as in "windows automatic updating ".

Installed with MSN Explorer and loads the MSN Queue Manager. Required to enable the WU AutoUpdate feature. Note that disabling this can sometimes prevent internet sharing working on Win2K Pro SP2. Reports also suggest that removing it will re-enable internet access - hence the "users choice" recommendation. If you have problems leave it, otherwise I recommend you disable it

Do a study up on this. I believe defaults checks are timed and can be as small as five minutes apart. This will dialup if aloud, depending on options. The que manager, I assume is the guy thats tells you an update is available or has been downloaded and is waiting to be installed.

===========
Will add more as time permits.

 

Jim,
Thanks again for all your help.
I don't want to completely wipe out her system because I don't know what she needs so I will not reformat the computer.
I did use the System Restore function but it didn't restore anything so this did not work.
When I put the Dell Resourse CD in it doesn't just come up for a system restore as I've seen in the past, so this didn't work.
I will try to delete emsw.exe since you think this is spyware.

goddez1 - Thanks for your help also. I don't want to buy anything such as "Pest Control" since this is not my computer and I really didn't understand the site. I think it is too advanced for me.

I also looked at the other sites you sent and since I am not advanced they were a little too complicated for me.

This is a Dell computer not a compaq. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen that "matcli.exe" load so maybe somehow it is at least gone for now.

Since I am tired of trying to get IE 6.0 to load on this computer I think I will just let her use IE 5.5 and forget the whole thing and return the computer to her. It is working better but not great.

Thanks for all your help. At least I got rid of the spyware and viruses.

Jean

 

Thanks to all who helped me with this problem.

Today I talked to Dell and we reformatted the computer and re-installed all the software. I have Internet Explorer 6 again and all seems to be working fine.

Thanks again.

Jean