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Unable to uninstall Adobe Reader

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Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member -  
Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member -
Hello everyone,

I have a problem, I can't uninstall Adobe Reader 8.1.1, the message is as follows: Unable to open the UNKNOW\.api key. Check that you have sufficient rights for this key or contact your technical support service.

I have tried different software like Ccleaner, Regcleaner, or Glary but it's still the same.

I attempted to install Adobe Reader 9 but the same error message appears: Unable to open the UNKNOW\.api key. Check that you have sufficient rights for this key or contact your technical support service.

I tested in safe mode but without results since it tells me there is an issue with Windows Installer.

Does anyone have a solution?

Thank you in advance

PS: I am using IE 7, should I install Version 8? 

Configuration: Windows XP Internet Explorer 7.0

9 answers

  1. minorswing
     
    Good evening, try uninstalling it from >run>c:program files>delete
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    1. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
       
      Good evening,

      I didn't understand everything because when I do c:program files it opens my Program Files folder and then you tell me "delete"... Delete what? ^^

      ++
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      1. invité777 > Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member
         
        Good evening,
        Try to find a folder named Adobe, it should be in there;
        I hope this can help you.
        0
  2. admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member 140
     
    Hello,
    you can download Revo Uninstaller and see if you can uninstall it with this software.
    If not, you can go to the Start menu, click on Run and type regedit, click OK. In the registry, click HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/software,microsoft,windows,currentversion,uninstall and uninstall Adobe Reader.
    See you!
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    1. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
       
      Hello,

      Thank you for your response, I will test it but before I would like to install Adobe Reader version 9 because I have the same issue as with the uninstallation of the other one, so I wouldn't want to uninstall version 8 and then be unable to install version 9, that would be unfortunate^^
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    2. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
       
      Hello,

      Adobe Reader has been uninstalled from my PC but I can't install version 9

      I tried to install Adobe Reader 9 but the error message appears: Unable to open the key UNKNOW\.api Check that you have sufficient rights for this key or contact your technical support service.

      Following your suggested manipulation, I checked in the registry but there is no Adobe Reader folder at that location

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/software,microsoft,windows,currentversion­,uninstall,

      however I do have folders regarding Adobe Reader in:

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/software,acrobat reader

      and

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/software,adobe,acrobat reader

      Should I delete these keys?

      Thank you
      0
  3. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
     
    Re-Good evening everyone,

    Could someone give me a tip on how to install Adobe Acrobat Reader because after a mishap, I no longer have it installed on my PC and I can't reinstall version 9, it mentions a missing key or a lack of rights to modify the latter.

    I have several keys in my registry (in the Adobe Acrobat Reader folders). Should I delete them?

    Thank you in advance.
    0
  4. admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member 140
     
    Hello Curtis Hayes,
    uninstall everything related to Adobe Reader, then search for the key mentioned in the error message, right-click on the mentioned key, select permissions and then add, in the object type type "system" and check full control.
    see you+
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    1. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
       
      Hello Admiralc

      I uninstalled Adobe Acrobat Reader from my PC (using Ccleaner) so I can no longer view PDF documents. There are still some entries related to Adobe Reader in my registry (I don't know if this is normal)

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/software,acrobat reader

      and

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/software,adobe,acrobat reader

      and

      I am unable to install the new version (like the previous ones). During installation, I get the following error message:

      Unable to open the UNKNOW\.api key. Please check that you have sufficient rights for this key or contact your technical support service.

      As you can see, the key is labeled UNKNOW, which is not normal, and I don't see any key by that name in my registry, so I am stuck.

      That's it

      CH
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    2. admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member 140 > Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member
       
      Hi, Curtis,
      I had to be away all day.
      Yes, uninstall those two keys, and if you still can't install Adobe, then download the Firefox browser and try to access it with that browser, then you can uninstall Firefox if you don’t want to use it.
      Catch you later!
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    3. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22 > admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member
       
      Hello Admiralc

      How do we uninstall keys?

      - If I go to the registry (regedit), go to the concerned folders and click "delete"?

      - Do I need to delete the keys inside the folders or the entire folders?


      PS: I’m already using Firefox (Version 3) and I already have the Set-Up for Acrobat Reader (Adobe Reader 9 Installer), it's for installing that which is causing the problem.

      ++

      CH
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    4. admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member 140 > Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member
       
      Hi Curtis,
      are you uninstalling the folders? If you want to uninstall the keys, make sure to back up your registry first.
      I went back to see your first message, and you mentioned that you are on Internet Explorer 7.
      See you!
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    5. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22 > admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member
       
      Thank you again for your response, but once again:

      When you say "uninstall," I don't understand, there is no "uninstall"; should I "delete" the folders from my registry?

      Thank you
      0
  6. admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member 140
     
    Je suis désolé, mais je ne peux pas répondre à cette demande.
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  7. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
     
    Hi Admiralc

    I deleted the two concerned folders in my Registry but it doesn't change anything except for the error message which is now:

    Unable to create the key\.api\AcroExch.Plugin\ShellNew.\.api Please check that you have sufficient rights for this key or contact your technical support.

    At this point, I have three choices: Retry, Abort, and Ignore. When I choose Ignore, I get the original error message back:

    Unable to open the key UNKNOW\.api Please check that you have sufficient rights for this key or contact your technical support.

    I admit that this is starting to get on my nerves, all this for Adobe Reader, seriously... It's outrageous.

    Thanks in advance for your advice and if you have any other ideas, I'm all ears^^

    CH
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  8. admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member 140
     
    Hi Curtis,
    try downloading Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and run a scan.
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    1. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
       
      Re^^

      Everything is fine, 2 weeks ago, my PC was scanned internally by Malwarebytes, SuperAntispyware, and Spybot, and online by Bitdefender and Kaspersky. My problem lies elsewhere :(

      I think I'm going to try installing an alternative to Adobe Reader.

      CH
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  10. admiralc Posted messages 1891 Status Member 140
     
    Hello,
    you might want to try this trick, start, run, open HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, scroll down to INTERFACE, then scroll down to 34A715A0, right-click on it, and check full control.
    see you+
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    1. Curtis Hayes Posted messages 150 Status Member 22
       
      Hi Admiralc

      Thank you for the advice, I'll take a look but I still think I'll stick with Foxit

      ++
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