Adobe Reader X – 10.1 Update Fixes Sym Link Bugs

Adobe Reader X aims to solve many of the serious security flaws found in older versions of Reader by implementing ‘Protected Mode‘, a type of sandboxing. This is a serious attempt by Adobe to stop malware authors exploiting their software.

The first version of Abobe Reader 10 recreated an old bug, evident in the 9 release, where it failed to load on systems with remote or roaming profiles.

mklink C:Users /J D:Users

There is a patch pushed through the new update mechanism to version 10.0.1 which Adobe claim contains ‘Numerous security fixes as well as improvements to Protected Mode..’ However, the cause of the fault is now acknowledged in the Protected Mode Troubleshooting guide –

Launching Reader 10.0  via a user profile that has been moved to a different drive using a symbolic link; that is, profiles that have been copied from one drive to another cannot use Reader with Protected Mode enabled.

This is now resolved in a new 10.1 update, available from filehippo.com or Adobe directly.

Adobe Reader X - 10.1 Update

Adobe Reader X

The new version of Adobe Reader aims to solve many of the serious security flaws found in the older software by implementing a Protected Mode, or sandboxing. This is a serious attempt by Adobe to stop malware authors exploiting their software.

My system runs Windows 7 x64  and I boot from an SSD with Program Files and Profiles on another drive. Reader X installed but failed to run, instead opening a small window to inform me it had encountered a Runtime error and had to close. A quick google search revealed this problem was quite widespread.

I was able to counter the crash by running the exe in compatibility mode, which forced Reader to show options for running with protected mode disabled.

There is a patch pushed through the new update mechanism to version 10.0.1 which Adobe claim contains Numerous security fixes as well as improvements to Protected Mode..

Has it worked? There is no longer an app crash on lauch, but I get the Protected Mode options screen even when I disable the Compatibility Mode. However, the cause of the fault is now acknowledged in the Protected Mode Troubleshooting guide –

Launching Reader 10.0  via a user profile that has been moved to a different drive using a symbolic link; that is, profiles that have been copied from one drive to another cannot use Reader with Protected Mode enabled.

Now that’s progress..