Acrobat XI Pro Setup Interrupted

[RickRothstein]

When I try to install Adobe Acrobat XI Pro, it goes through almost the entire process, but does not complete. The first time I tried installing it, it stopped with 17 seconds to go and then just stopped... nothing happened for an hour or so... I had to use Task Manager to end the process. I have tried several times since then and always get to within a few seconds of being done, but now, instead of stopping, the setup program rolls everthing back and then displays the following message...

Setup Interrupted
---------------------
The wizard was intertrupted before Adobe Acrobat XI Pro could be completely installed. Your system has not been modified. To complete installation at another time, please run setup again.

What should I do to get this to complete its installation? Just so you know, I had installed this once on this computer, but deactivated the installation because the people I bought the computer from needed me to reinstall Windows 8 Pro from scratch (I had RAID problems and the removed and then recreated the RAID which required a completely new install of Windows 8).

[Rave]

Hi Rick,

Please try to install the program in selective startup mode of Windows 8. Might be possible that the installer is geting interrupted by an external installed application.

[RickRothstein]

Okay, I rebooted into safe mode (I selected with Network thinking that the installer had to communicate with Adobe's server... was that the correct choice?) and it took much longer than Windows 7 used to take to open up the login screen to my copy of (Safe Mode) Windows... and I found out something I did not know... apparently a wireless keyboard and mouse (both Logitech connected by their multi-connect dongle) cannot be used for Safe Mode. Typing on the keyboard did nothing. I found an old USB keyboard in the cellar and plug that in and I was able to type away with no trouble using it. Unfortunate, once I entered the Windows program itself, the mouse did not work and I could not find a USB mouse anywhere in the house. Tomorrow, I will try to pick up a cheap wired mouse at Best Buy or Radio Shack so I can have something to use in Safe Mode when I try your suggestion (and, of course, for future possible needs of Safe Mode). I will let you know if your suggestion helps or not after I pick up the mouse.

[RickRothstein]

When you said "selective startup mode of Windows 8", did you mean "Safe Mode"? I ask because now that I have a working mouse, I tried to install Acrobat XI Pro inside of Safe Mode with Network and received the following message...

"The Windows installer service is not accessible in Safe Mod. Please try again when your computer is not in Safe Mode or you can use System Restor to return your machine to a previous good state."

So, did you mean "Safe Mode" or is there some other "selective startup mode" that I am unaware of?

[Bill12]

Sorry the anti-virus solution did not work. There is still a chance that something like MS Defender is running in the background. Logging in as the administrator is also typically needed. You may have to remove any Acrobat folder and run the Acrobat-cleanup tool (http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/acrobatcleaner.html), then reboot before the install.

[RickRothstein]

@Bill,

I am about to go to sleep so I'll try your suggestion in the morning when I have more time (just in case something goes wrong and I have to do a Restore to an earlier point in time). By the way... Defender is off because when I installed Norton 360, it turned it off... I know this because the Message Center (looks like a waving pointed flag in the System Tray) warned me it was off.

[RickRothstein]

@Bill,

A stumbling block? I downloaded the Acrobat Cleaner Zip file and when I expanded the Zip, there was a FAQ file and this is what the first item said...

"What products and versions work with the cleaner tool?

The tool supports both Acrobat and Reader versions 9 and 10."

Unfortunately, I am working with Acrobat 11. Do you know (for sure) that the Acrobat Cleaner program is safe to use with it or not?

[Bill12]

The link at Download Adobe Reader and Acrobat Cleaner Tool - Adobe Labs indicates it will clean up 10.x and later (mentioning 11.x). Whether it works for DC is a different issue, but you have XI.

The typical problems are sometimes resolved by logging in as the Administrator and disabling anti-virus. In one case (not normal), I actually had to activate the Administrator account and use that to do the install. My regular account with administrator privileges would not do the job. That used to be the norm with older versions, but is typically not the issue today. It may still be worth the effort. Here is a link on the activation: Enable the (Hidden) Administrator Account on Windows 7, 8, or Vista. The link also indicates you normally should not use this account on a daily basis.

[LeoUpdaterX]

Hi Rick,

The best way to find out what prevents installation to finish is to let Windows Installer Service create log file.

Please enable MSI logging using instructions from

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223300

Try to install again and whenever installation gets interrupted go into User Temp folder and grab latest file that has a name similar to MSIxxxxx.LOG

This file should be pretty big, at least several MB in size.

Send me private message when you are ready.

[RickRothstein]

@Leo,

When I ran the Fix It program behind the button at the link you provided, I received this message...

"This Microsoft Fix it does not apply to your operating system or application version."

A subsequent webpage said the incompatibiltiy was due to Windows 8. Because of that, I was afraid to try the manual fix in case something has changed between Win7 (what the program was apparently design for) and Win8.

[LeoUpdaterX]

Rick,

I did not provide the link to fix anything - it was suppose to help you to enable MSI logging.

From the article-

To enable Windows Installer logging

To enable Windows Installer logging yourself, open the registry with Regedit.exe and create the following path and keys: 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer

Reg_SZ: Logging
Value: voicewarmupx

[RickRothstein]

The link you provided, besides the instructions you repeated above, included two buttons... the first runs a routine that changes the registry automatically to implement logging for you (and the other button reverses that change to remove the logging). When I clicked the one that was supposed to set the registry up for logging, it failed to run with a notice about incompatibitlity with Windows 8. Because the program could not do the registry fix on Windows 8 (but apparently would work fine for earlier versions), I became concerned that the registry locations may have changed when Microsoft introduced that new interface for Windows 8 along with the other modifications it did to the Desktop itself. So, I was hesitant to make the manual change given the program could not do it automatically. Are you saying that, making the registry changes manually will, in fact, work fine in Windows 8 (even though Microsoft's program is unable to do it automatically)?

[LeoUpdaterX]

Should work fine if you set it manually.

After the issue is resolved (hopefully), you can delete new value "Logging" so that subsequent installations do not create logs.

[RickRothstein]

@Leo,

Okay, I have not done any changes to the registry before, so I have a question (before I screw something up). I should maneuver to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows" and then create a "New Key" named "Installer" so that the list under "...\Windows" will show the following...

Crytography

Peernet

SystemCertificates

Windows

Windows NT

Installer

with the last entry being the one I create. Okay, then I should select Installer. When I do, the right-hand panel shows this...

Name         Type     Data

ab(Default)  REG_SZ   (value not set)

It is at this point I am unsure how to continue. Do I change the Data field for this automatic "Default" entry that was created from "(value not set)" to "Logging"? Then what... create a "New Key"? If so, what do I put for the "New Value #1" under the "Name" column... "Value"? And if so, where do the letters "voicewarmupx" go... in the "Value data" field when I click "Modify" for that new key? I really do not want to screw this new installation of Windows up, so full instructions would be welcome. Perhaps a "picture" of what the right-hand panel should look like for the new path item "Installer" would be helpful. Thank you.

[LeoUpdaterX]

Hear is the easier way-

Create a file called Logging.reg

Right click on it and select Edit.

Copy text below and paste into this file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer]
@=""
"Logging"="iwearucmpvo"

Save the file and double click on it.

Confirm the messages.

You are all set

[RickRothstein]

Okay, that worked. The file is 16Megs big... how do I get it to you? Can I attach something that big to a PM?

[LeoUpdaterX]

Good,

I sent you my private e-mail -

please e-mail me this log.

[LeoUpdaterX · Accepted solution]

Rick,

Based on the provided installation log file the issue is that special action that does serial number registration and other related stuff is failing.

I cannot help you further except bringing this particular topic to the attention of the proper folks at Adobe.

You will probably be asked to provide few more log file(s) related to licensing.

Let me know if this is something you would like.

[RickRothstein]

I am sure this will lead to a solution to my problem. Thank you. See my direct email to you for needed information from me.

[LeoUpdaterX]

OK,

I'll pass it.

[RickRothstein]

Thank you for passing both of my emails on. I just want to say, though, now that I think I may have narrowed the problem down (to the activation server thinking the serial number is in use), if the person you passed this all on to would normally not handle such matters, I do not want him to feel obligated to take on the responsibility of fixing things for me just because you were nice enough to pass my problem on to him (especially when we thought at the time that the problem was more “technical” in nature). I am more than willing to try to dig up a tech support or customer support number at Adobe and call this in myself. Please tell him that for me so that he can choose how he wants to proceed with this... and, of course, let me know of his decision. Thank you again for everything.

Rick

[Melissa808]

I'm having this same issue on a windows 10 desktop.  Any solution?

[Bill12]

Did you have anti-virus deactivated?

[RickRothstein]

No, I did not, so I went back and disabled my Norton 360 and tried again. Unfortunately, it still did not install... it got to 5 seconds to go and then froze. I thought it had frozen like the very first time, but I waited and maybe 30 to 45 seconds later it rolled everything back and displayed that message again. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[silvasilva3]

- Start and type CMD (run as Administrator)

- Type CHKDSK/F

- It will ask to schedule the scan on the next computer restart, type Y and restart your computer and let the chkdsk finish - it will take time

Now try to install it again.

I love PORTUGAL !