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Question

ie8 does not allow download pdf

Apr 26, 2014 12:46PM PDT

I used to download pdf files from ie8. the past two days I was getting the message that the pdf file I am trying to download cannot be read in ie8. I used save target command. It did not download. I never had this problem before. Is this phenomenon a peculiarity to ie8 after 4/8?

I have xp professional on two laptop dell d620 and d630, and one dell desk top with xp home edition. The two laptop are not oem.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
(NT) An exact error message would be helpful
Apr 26, 2014 1:06PM PDT
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ie8 does not allow download pdf
Apr 26, 2014 3:04PM PDT

The message I got:

"There is a problem with Adobe Acrobat/Reader. If it is running, please exit and try again. (1014:1014)"

Neither was running, I checked windows task manager. I am concerned about people who use ie8 and could not open the pdf files I send to them just as I could not open/download the pdf from their websites. that has not been a problem before.

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Re: download
Apr 26, 2014 10:54PM PDT

To start with, I'd download it to my hard disk and then run my pdf reader to open it using File>Open. If that works, I'd see if I can open it with via Windows Explorer or My Computer by a double click. And if that works, I'd disable the integrated pdf-viewer in my browser.

Kees

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ie8 does not allow download pdf
Apr 27, 2014 12:54AM PDT

Kees, I said in the original post, it does not download. It download all kind of other files but pdf.

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Good. Now use any other browser to get along.
Apr 27, 2014 12:57AM PDT

XP's end of days has arrived so how to get around such issues is best done as I read here. Try something else when support is gone.
Bob

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It would also be advisable
Apr 27, 2014 1:30AM PDT

It would also be advisable to use a PDF viewing program other than Acrobat Reader. It was never the most secure program to begin with and now that XP has reached EOL Adobe is probably glad to have an excuse not to continue making sure Acrobat Reader works with XP. Just say it's no longer supported, upgrade to a newer version.

Even though I think it kind of jumped the shark with version 5, Foxit Reader is still probably one of the best alternative PDF viewers out there. Haven't come across a PDF file yet it can't read, it has a fairly extensive set of annotation tools and even if it has bloated rather significantly in it's later years, it still weighs in at probably under half of Acrobat Reader in every important metric.

Of course there's also Firefox, which now has its own integrated PDF viewer. It's fairly bare bones, but if all you need is the ability to view and print, it works a treat. I kind of like that it doesn't respect restrictions on copying and pasting text from the PDF. I have copies of some public records obtained via a FOIA request and they have that property set -- despite them being a matter of public record, meaning I should be free to do use extracts as I see fit -- but viewing them in Firefox allows me to copy and paste all I like, even if the text selection code is one of the rough edges on the PDF viewer still. I think Google Chrome has something similar.

How long either will be supported on XP is a bit of an open question, so migrating to Linux or any newer version of Windows would be very strongly advised.

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ie8 does not allow download pdf
Apr 27, 2014 3:02AM PDT

As I said in the original post, my concern is, in addition that I could not open pdf file, whether other users of ie8 could not open the pdf I created.

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IE8 has NEVER opened PDFs.
Apr 27, 2014 3:23AM PDT

We're going to have to split a lot of fine hairs here. IE8 has never had any PDF capability. That is added by installing some helper and even then we are at the end of days for XP. So why are you insisting on opening a PDF with IE8?

Is there more to this story?
Bob

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In addition
Apr 27, 2014 4:25AM PDT

In addition, IE8 is not a very secure browser. Better than IE6 which came with XP, but it is lacking several important security updates found in IE9-11, which will never be implemented. So using IE8 or XP individually would be bad enough, but using both at the same time is just asking for trouble. Adobe Acrobat Reader is also a program with well known security issues, so adding it into the mix is even worse.

This particular issue can be seen as something of a blessing in disguise, prompting the OP to ditch two of three toxic programs in favor of solutions that not only work, but are much safer for multiple reasons. There is little reason to even attempt fixing this problem because doing so would significantly increase the number of attack vectors for malicious software to infest the OP's computer.

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Let's split a few hairs. . .
Apr 27, 2014 1:23AM PDT

Jimmy asked that you supply any error messages.

You replied with "There is a problem with Adobe Acrobat/Reader. If it is running, please exit and try again. (1014:1014)"

Kees_B replied about 6a.m. with nothing more than you should download the program again.

You replied about 8a.m. with "Kees, I said in the original post, it does not download. It download all kind of other files but pdf."

So, the end result is that you want have a problem - if you statement is correct - downloading and installing Adobe Reader since it's extension is an .exe.

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Re: download the program
Apr 27, 2014 7:16AM PDT

I didn't say to download adobe reader. I said to just download the pdf-file to the hard disk without running or trying to run Adobe Reader as he apparently does.

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Re: does not download
Apr 27, 2014 7:14AM PDT

Downloading doesn't depend on the file type. It's just a copy of a file on the internet to your temporary internet files, then another copy to the destination folder you specified. Downloading doesn't open a program so it's impossible it gives an error with a program, like happens with you.

But:
- Some people use the integration option of the reader to read the pdf in a browser window. That fails if anything is wrong with the reader.
- Some people install pdf-helper-add-ons that interfere with the default download. That fails if anything is wrong with that pdf-helper-add-on/

That's why I said: just do the default download of the file to your hard disk.

Kees

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As we recall, Adobe did have trouble with IE integration.
Apr 27, 2014 1:00AM PDT
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ie8 does not allow download pdf
Apr 27, 2014 1:21AM PDT

I followed the link you provided. I don't have adove reader in the add-on. I will try to reinstall adobe reader and I will let you know what happens.

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Remember there were over 100 versions of Adobe Reader
Apr 27, 2014 1:38AM PDT

I only supplied a link to one of them. In the past there was an check box for web integration but you must know your apps. I can't guess which of the 100 versions you have installed.
Bob

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IE8 doesn't open PDF file
Apr 29, 2014 2:26AM PDT
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Answer
Get Firefox or Chrome
Apr 26, 2014 1:30PM PDT

Firefox & Chrome are free and run just fine on XP. You're going to find more and more things that don't work with XP though.