Adobe Reader XI and Flash plugin

[meanoldman]

All,

Currently at PP 557. All computers are Win7 64bit.

Having trouble viewing flash enabled PDF in Reader XI. I had a policy configured to disable Java and updater. This is only applied to my users, not to me or the Administrator user.

A user received a PDF that had Flash content, so we installed the Flash plugin, but when we opened the file it would just show a blank white page, and the Tools tab would have the little wheel turning round and round. I went back to my computer and opened the file and it opened just fine. I went to a third computer that had only been logged into as me or the administrator and again the file opened just fine. I logged into that computer as the user and now the file only opens to a blank page and the little wheel goes round and round on the tools tab.

So I log back on as my user profile, to which the GP does not apply, and Reader is now not able to open the file correctly for me either. Hmm?

Can still log onto my own computer as me and everything is dandy.

I open the GPMC and unlinked the GPO, ran gpupdate /force on the test computer and still not working right. Tattooed? How to I clear that up? Really puzzling.

[jeremym]

1. It feels to me like.. PP delivered the settings and..
2. PP isn't "causing" the issue.

BUUUUttt.. just to be on the safe side.. on ONE test machine.. UN-install the CSE and reboot.

Is the problem still there? If yes.. then... it's safe to say the PP isn't involved in CAUSING the issue.. but it could have "delivered" the issue.. .(cause you told it to) :-)

You asked about "reverting".. reverting is a choice that occurs PER-SETTING when you're defining the pak settings.

In this example you can see I've selected Revert, and as such the item will go to Italics: http://screencast.com/t/B61cW1WV5nPR

(Note: You'll also see it in the report.)

Note about reverting: The CSE must be on the machine to perform revert when the GPO is unlinked.

[meanoldman]

Hey Jeremy,

I initially suspected something Adobe was the issue. Once I experienced this on a couple different computers I started thinking maybe PP. I'm only assuming PP is part of the issue due to the fact that my personal account does not belong to any OU that has a user level PP applied for Reader XI, or any reader. It is not until I log on as a user who does belong to an OU with a user level PP for Reader XI that I run into this issue. Once I do that it seems to affect a change to Reader no matter who logs on afterwards.

I got in the habit of setting Revert when I first started using PP, so it is set for the GP that I suspect applies this case.

Besides the default domain policy, for any OU in question I have very few GPOs in place, and only 3 PP GPs - 2 for Flash control (64 and 32bit) and one for Adobe Reader. The others are for Office 2010 direct booking, one to deploy Office 2010 using a startup script and one for Office 2010 security.

All computers belong to OUs that have the same computer level GPs applied, so I'm ruling that out for now.

It isn't patch Tuesday yet so not something Microsoft I think and McAfee isn't throwing any events either.

I'll try removing CSE and see what happens

[meanoldman]

Uninstalled CSE and still no love. Open Reader, click on the Tools tab and the little wheel keeps on turning. And PDFs with flash content will not open properly. So suggests no PP?

But now I can't get the CSE to reinstall. I try to install version 557 and it returns an error stating "this advertised application will not be installed because it might be unsafe..."

So I tried to reinstall an earlier version, 537, and got the message that it won't be installed because a later version is already installed. MS FixIT resolved this issue and now I have the CSE back on the test system.

[jeremym]

So, it seems like PP isn't related here.

But if you're having trouble uninstalling, try this from Microsoft: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9779673

I havent used it yet, but its the newer version of MSICUU or MSIZAP which can remove apps.

After that.. other things you can try:
-Leaving PP off.
-Uninstalling each of flash and Acrobat and re-installing
-Deleteing flash's config file.

Seeing if things magically come back working.

Then re-introduce PP and see if the SETTINGS you've said to deliver are causing the issue.

Again.. my working theory is that you've caused a "paper jam" based on the settings you're telling PP to configure on your behalf... but its just a working theory.

[meanoldman]

Removed CSE again and made sure it was cleanly removed using FixIT. disconnected the test computer from the network and rebooted. Made sure all temp folders for adobe and PolicyPak were gone. and reinstalled Reader and the flash plugin and still not working.

I'm restoring the test computer all the way back to factory and first thing I will try once it has finished running that process is to install Reader and test it. That should rule out everything but Reader itself and whatever goofy security stuff comes bundled on the HP EliteBooks.

UPDATE: So far it appears PP is not the issue. Started from a fresh PC and then added Reader and the Flash plug-in and it worked as expected. Then joined the domain as a user with no user level GPOs and still worked and progressively added all the programs that we typically run here (Office 2010, AutoCAD 2012, PDF Complete, McAfee VSE) and still works fine. Then logged on as a user who does belong to an OU with user level GPOs and all is still fine.

So now I'm more confused. Where is the issue coming from and why does cleaning off and then reinstalling Reader not fix it. And why on test computers did the issue not initially appear until I logged on as a user who belongs to an affect OU? Urgh!

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