Recently upgraded Adobe Reader - now everything tries to open using it

This includes starting lots of executables - such as iexplore.exe and items in Control Panel e.g. <add/remove pgms>. This, naturally, gives rise to the error message

"Adobe Reader could not open 'rundll32.exe' beause it is either not a supported file type or because the file has been damaged (for example, it was sent as an email attachement and wasn't correctly decoded). "

You can substitute the named EXE with lots of other names - e.g. "firefox.exe ", "iexplore.exe ", "Mozart32.exe ", "midi_converter.exe" and many others.

Only way to run things at present is to open the exe I want directly (which makes "rundll32.exe hard ;-{ ).

Any ideas how I can reverse the situation i.e. not have Adobe Reader opening everything. If I go into Folder Options (Window-E will open explorer) EXE is not assigned to anything.

I can't find any uninst*** files for Adobe Reader in C:\Program Files\Adobe area.

 

Not wishing to offend, but I think you mis-read the initial post -

1. [Like you] I dont see any entry for EXE ..

2. a. Uninstalling is hard when add/remove pgms control panel entry fails because Adobe Rdr opens up and tries to interpret "rundll32.exe" as a PDF!

Further information since my iniital posting:
I can't find an "unin..." file in any folder under C:\Program Files\Adobe\
Any ideas where it might get written, and with what name? I seem to remember there's a folder in C:\Windows somewhere where some get put, just can't remember nor find it at present.

Any regedit fiddle that might fix it?
PS I have to use "Runas" as another Admin account to get regedit to run ;-{ Even Runas myself causes Adobe Rdr to open!
And when I first log in, I get heaps and heaps of AcroRd32.exe's showing in Task Manager - a lot of system startup files that Adobe Rdr wants to 'read' which also evidence as failed Rdr files. eg my Dlink wireless driver (a name like AirCFG.exe).

What I have on most the right-click menus is Read, followed by Open, Run As, Scan with Norton AV, SendTo, cut, copy, etc etc. It should be Open (I assume). Read should only appear if filetype is PDF.

 

Semi-solved .. though still have problem

Yes, I realise (now) that the wording could have been clearer.

Thanks for the alternative way to open Add/Remove Pgms. I've done that now & things are working okay once I removed Adobe Reader.

But wait, there's more ... if I then install Acrobat Rdr [8.1.2] again the problem comes back, so I assume there's something left over in the registry to cause things to stuff up when I re-install. Even having reboots between every step doesn't help. Even a couple of reboots with no AcroRdr installed & the problem still comes back once I do install.

I'll run a full virus scan next, and post a question on Adobe website in case someone knows what's in the registry to clean out before I can re-install it. OTOH: I could try one of the freebie "lite" readers around.

 

Semi-solved .. though still have problem

Have now posted question on Adobe site. Will post reply back if/when I get a solution.

A Virus Scan found no problem (so far).

 

I can't say enough good things about FoxIt Reader

It's much smaller and less invasive than Adobe Acrobat, and faster to boot. I dumped Acrobat years ago and have been well served with FoxIt.

 

I think I've fixed it .. here's how

Virus Scan found no problems at all.

After running jv16PowerTools as suggested by PeteC & then comparing to another machine, I have found is a set of keys in the HKCU registry that shouldn't be there -

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe]
"Application "= "AcroRD32.exe "

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe\OpenWithList]
"a "= "AcroRd32.exe "
"MRUList "= "a "

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe\OpenWithProgids]
"exefile "=hex(0):

Having now removed them using REGEDIT (& I remembered to back up my registry first) I have now re-installed Acrobat Reader without experiencing problems (haven't rebooted yet, but I'm pretty sure it's fixed) - e.g. I can still access Add/Remove Pgms from CtlPnl; run REGEDIT; launch IE7, Firefox, Mozart32.exe, etc from icons that didn't work earlier.

I have no idea how those keys got there, but they're gone now ;-} I've also updated my post on the Adobe forum in case someone else experiences it.

 

Thanks, I'll try that even though I think I've probably fixed the problem. I like 'lite' too

 

probable fix for your problem

Start-control panel=add/remove. Click on Adobe Reader and use the repair option.