Manually Remove Adobe Reader8.0 from Windows XP and 2000
Note: Your system may not contain all of the files and folders listed in this document. If so, you should skip and go to the next one. Hidden files and hidden folders and files with their full file including extensions names are necessary to be located, which can not be shown by the Windows Explorer by default. You should print the instructions before you start the following steps.
I. BACK UP YOUR PC — Make sure you have restore points in case you really mess up and have to roll back.
II. To show hidden files, hidden folders, and all file name extensions in Windows Explorer:
1. In Windows Explorer, choose Tools > Folder Options.
2. Click the View tab in the Folder Options dialog box.
3. In Advanced Settings, select Show Hidden Files And Folders.
4. Deselect Hide Extensions For Known File Types.
5. Click OK.
III. To uninstall Adobe Reader 8.0:
1.Click Start > select Control Panel.
2. Open Add/Remove Programs.
3. Do one of the following:
Ø If you installed Adobe Reader 8.0 from the Adobe Reader 8.0 CD/DVD, then select Adobe Reader 8.0 and click Remove. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove Adobe Reader 8.0.
Ø If you installed Adobe Reader 8.0 from the Creative Suite CD/DVDs, then select Creative Suite and click Remove. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the Adobe Reader 8.0 component.
4. Delete Adobe Reader Speed Launcher.lnk from Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
IV. To enable diagnostic mode for Windows XP:
1. Quit all applications.
2. Choose Start > Run, type msconfig in the Open text box, and click OK.
3. Click the Startup tab and Services tab. Record all unselected items.
4. Click the General tab, and choose Diagnostic startup.
5. Click OK, and restart Windows.
6. Right-click icons in the Notification Area (called the System Tray in earlier versions of Windows) to close or disable any startup items that are still active.
V. To reenable startup items and services for Windows XP:
After completed all of the steps in this document reenabled startup items for Windows XP.
1. Choose Start> Run.
2. Type msconfig in the Run dialog box, and click OK.
3. Click the General tab, and choose Normal Startup.
4. Deselect any items that you wrote down in Step 3 of the previous section.
5. Click Apply, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
VI. To enable safe mode for Windows 2000:
Note: Windows 2000 does not have the MSConfig utility for disabling start items. You can manually disable the items or obtain the MSConfig utility for Windows XP.
1. Click Start, and then click Shut Down.
2. Click Restart, and then click OK.
3. When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press F8.
4. Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press Enter.
5. Use the arrow keys to highlight an operating system, and then press Enter.
6. Restart the computer.
Note: Please refer to the Microsoft website for additional information about this process.
VII. Remove Adobe Reader 8.0 registry files using the command prompt
1. Registry files must be removed from the operating system with the shell is not running, in order to successfully remove the application.
2. Press Control-Alt-Delete to show Task Manager, which should remain open during this process.
3. On the Processes tab, select explorer.exe and choose End Process (this will make items on your desktop disappear)
4. Click Yes in the warning box.
5. Choose File > New Task.
6. Under Open, type cmd and click OK.
7. Minimize the Task Manager.
8. Type cd “C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX” and press Enter.
9. Type del AcroIEHelper.dll and press Enter.
10. Type del AcroPDF.dll and press Enter.
11. Type del pdfshell.dll and press Enter.
12. Type exit and press Enter.
13. Maximize the Task Manager.
14. In Task Manager, choose File > New Task.
15. Type explorer.exe and click OK. (Your desktop should reappear.)
16. Close the Task Manager.
VIII. Remove folders and files of Adobe Reader 8.0
Back up any personal files you want to keep, and then remove the listed folders and files:
Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0
Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat
Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Adobe\Acrobat
Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Acrobat
Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\Adobe Reader 8.lnk
Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Adobe Reader 8.lnk
Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\nppdf32.dll
Program Files\Netscape\Netscape Browser\plugins\nppdf32.dll
IX. Remove registry entries of Adobe Reader 8.0
Note: You must be logged into the computer as an Administrator to modify your registry. Backup the registry before you edit it.
Disclaimer: This procedure involves editing the Windows registry, which contains critical system and application information. For information on the Windows Registry Editor, see the documentation for Windows or contact Microsoft Technical Support. You may not have all of these files.
1. Click Start > Run, and type regedit in the Open text box; click OK.
2. Navigate to one of the registry keys listed below and select it in the left panel; it will appear in the registry editor as a folder.
3. Click Edit > Delete. Click Yes in the Confirm Key Delete dialog box.
4. You can repeat steps 1-3 to remove more registry entries.
Remove the following registry entries
>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Reader
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Adobe\Adobe Reader
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Adobe\Repair\Adobe Reader
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData
\S-1-5-18\Products\68AB67CA7DA73301B7448A0000000020
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A80000000002}
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\68AB67CA7DA73301B7448A0000000020
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Features\68AB67CA7DA73301B7448A0000000020
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{358E6F10-DE8A-4602-8424-179CA217F8EE}
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{9C6A861C-B233-4994-AFB1-C158EE4FC578}
X. Complete the removal
Empty your Recycle Bin and restart your computer to complete manually remove Adobe Reader8.0 .
