Installing Adobe Reader 8.0 on Windows Vista

The issue:

Downloading and installing Adobe reader 8 on Windows Vista:

What happens:

When attempting to download and install Adobe reader 8.0 from IE7 you will have two options, either to run or save the file. Regardless of which option you choose the same error will appear. In Firefox you will only have the option to save the file, typically to the desktop.

This issue is not browser related or even Vista related but has to do with the Adobe reader 8.0 installation process. If for instance the end user download’s the file to their desktop and then runs it, the Adobe Reader extraction process begins after which they will be prompted to install. Once they select install they will receive an error message stating:

“The Temp folder is on a drive that is full or is inaccessible. Free up space on the drive or verify that you have write permission on the Temp folder”
Of course neither of these items is true as this will happen even if the user has full admin rights, secondly the files are being extracted to the local hard drive. This is due to the fact that Adobe reader installer is trying to pull the Adobe bootstrapper for single installation file which will not run.

The solution:

It seems the only way around this for the time being until Adobe fixes this is to physically browse to where the Adobe Reader extracted files are located and run the Windows installer file. It’s important to keep the error popup open while doing this or otherwise the installation cancels and deletes the extracted files.

Because of where Adobe is extracting the files to on the hard drive the end user will have to change the folder options so they’re able to view hidden files and folders. To do this right click on the Vista Pearl and select explore, at the top left of the new window select “Organize”, from the drop down menu select “Folder and Search options”, on the “View” tab select the radio button to show hidden folders and files.

Once they have done this they have to browse to the user account folder to locate the extracted Adobe files. To do this left click on the Vista Pearl and select the user account folder at the top right. In the Window that opens a hidden folder named AppData will now be visible, doubleclick this folder.

You will now have the following three options:

Local
LocalLow
Roaming

Double click LocalLow and you will now have these options:

Apple Computer
Microsoft
Netopsystems
Sun

These options vary slightly but the one we’re concerned with is Netopsystems. Double click NetopSystems and then open up the subsequent “temp” folder and then Adobe Reader 8.0 folder. You will now see the files that have been extracted by Adobe. If you select view at the top of the folder and choose details it will show you the type of file each listing is. The file you want to run is the second one in the list which is the Windows Installer Package. The fourth file is the one that Adobe attempts to run and which gives the error. The user can run the second file which will proceed with a successful installation of Adobe Reader 8.0. The last step would be to close the error popup window.

That’s it, you’re done!