Adobe Reader????

My windows 7 laptop had Adobe reader on it when all of a sudden it did not work anymore and I can't even find the program om the computer.  I tried to download & install Adobe Reader 11 but it will not install getting error message "newer version already installed".  I cannot find any version on this machine.  Help, what do I try next?

Try this one.. Tracker software PDF X-change Viewer 

You will have to google for it.. But I use it..

It allows you to "Mark up" the PDF file by the way.. So it is more than PDF Reader.

tvman44 said:

My windows 7 laptop had Adobe reader on it when all of a sudden it did not work anymore and I can't even find the program om the computer.  I tried to download & install Adobe Reader 11 but it will not install getting error message "newer version already installed".  I cannot find any version on this machine.  Help, what do I try next?

Click to expand...

Although Adobe Reader doesn't work now, it doesn't mean it is not installed.  Try uninstalling it from the Control Panel and then install the latest version.

It does not show up in the control panel "uninstall a program".  Weird.

Just dump Adobe and install this:

https://www.foxitsoftware.com/products/pdf-reader/

Much more user friendly.

I have been using Foxit for a couple of months now since Adobe Reader will not work.  I just decided today to try again, I hate to give in.  Foxit is good, I just don't want to admit defeat.

tvman44 said:

I have been using Foxit for a couple of months now since Adobe Reader will not work.  I just decided today to try again, I hate to give in.  Foxit is good, I just don't want to admit defeat.

Click to expand...

Don't blame you. Consider this another vote for "something else", though. I like PDF X-change Viewer, too; better than Foxit, but either one is better than continuing to try to make anything by Adobe work when it won't.

tvman44 said:

My windows 7 laptop had Adobe reader on it when all of a sudden it did not work anymore and I can't even find the program om the computer.  I tried to download & install Adobe Reader 11 but it will not install getting error message "newer version already installed".  I cannot find any version on this machine.  Help, what do I try next?

Click to expand...

Windows tries to keep track of what is on the system with an on-disk database called The Registry. I have seen times when an application was no longer on the system but the registry thought it was and kept telling people that something was already installed. The mis-match can cause quite a problem and that is why you should not just remove an application by sending it to the trash. The registry does not know you did that.

I don't know if this is your problem but Windows also supplies a registry editor called regedit and you can search through the registry to see if it thinks the Adobe reader is installed. If you find an entry you will also find the location Windows thinks the application is at on your disc so you can then search that location and see if it is actually there.

If you are uncertain how to use regedit you can do a Google search and find lots of articles, but it is not difficult. Basically you start the app and ask it to search for what you want to find, in this case Adobe, and then check each "hit" to see if it is what you want. You can also remove registry entries if they are no longer valid, but be careful! Check the online articles on how to use regedit before you make any permanent changes to your system registry. It is very easy to mess your system up with an OS app like regedit.

I no longer use Windows machines (I changed to the Mac when I retired as I was tired of Windows systems) but you can find a lot of information on the registry and regedit online.

Rather than messing with the Registry and Regedit (risky if you aren't really careful), I've had good results using the Revo Uninstall tool. It finds remnants of old installs and cleans them out. There is a free trial version you can use for a one-time job like this.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/

Adobe Acrobat Reader doesn't show up at all in the Programs list, either the Start Menu or in Control Panel Installed Programs??  Also check the Default Program for the pdf file type and see what, if anything, is assigned.

Gary it does not show up in any of the items you mentioned.  I think I will try what you suggested.  Thanks everyone for the help.  If anyone has any other suggestions they will be appreciated.

Gary, unfortunately Revo Uninstall did not get it, still getting the same error"newer version already installed".  Appreciate the effort.

tvman44 said:

Gary, unfortunately Revo Uninstall did not get it, still getting the same error"newer version already installed".  Appreciate the effort.

Click to expand...

Did you try the Acrobat Cleaner in the link I provided earlier?

Sorry molaker, somehow I did not see that link you posted at 1st.  But I went back and saw it and gave it a try & after running that I was able to successfully install Adobe Reader.  Great tip, thank you.