“Access Denied” to Adobe Reader

[broncoapache]

I have run into a very strange problem attempting to open a .pdf from a network location. This is a simple file sharing over a peer to peer XP home network. The shared folder is C/Shared folder with full permissions to that folder.
If you try to open a .pdf from another client from that folder it will open. However if the .pdf is in a sub folder of C/Shared folder it returns a message of “There was an error opening this document. Access denied” If you take a copy of a document in a sub folder and place that copy into C/Shared folder it will open.
If you go to the sub folder and turn on full sharing it will still not let you open it and anyway I thought that turning on sharing included the sub folders.
All four computers have Reader 8.1.1 as well as Acrobat Standard 6.0.6. This problem seemed to occur after updating to 8.1.1 on Reader. Reverting to Reader 7 still doesn’t open a document in a sub folder. It worked fine until 8.1.1 update.
When you open a .pdf from the “server” computer and check the properties there is no security on these documents that refuse to open.
I don’t know where to go next. Any ideas would be appreciated!

[mjc]

It sounds more like a path error than an Adobe error...

[yawningdog]

Weird. Do you have the problem with just .pdf documents, or do you have the same problems with .doc or .xls files?

[jlreich]

This may or may not help, but I recently had access denied issues with simple file sharing on XP. I unshared the folder, then shared it again and it took care of the problem.

I think the problem had something to do with a recent windows update.

Worth a shot for a 30 second fix if it works.

Good luck.

[Paul Komski]

Rather than use the "Shared Folder" (provided by default within the Documents and Settings Area) create you own MyShares folder (or whatever else you want to call it) in the root of the C: drive and then share that one. Under XP home I generally don't use the Wizard but simply share the folder when prompted. That should get rid of the complexities of child/parent folders and their inherited properties within the "special" Documents and Settings area.

[broncoapache]

Thanks for all of the help.
I have tried to share and un share and problem remains.
The Shared folder is already a created folder call c/ shared folder.
It applies only to pdf's and docs and xls open just fine.

This is loco. It won't open with either Reader 8 or Acrobat 6.

[Paul Komski]

Wonder if mapping a drive letter to the "\\pcname\shared folder\sub folder"
over the network and then using that drive letter would make any difference. If it worked it would make it look like a path problem indicated earlier by mjc.

[Paul Komski]

This is a really weird problem and you might like to know that you are not alone. The same or similar problems are reported (but sorry not solved) in the following three urls:
http://www.planetpdf.com/forumarchive/120455.asp
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-11192-0.html?forumID=52&threadID=194609&messageID=2247510
http://www.exp-systems.com/forum_exp/forum_posts.asp?TID=210

The only clues are that in one instance this only happened to files created after a certain date (with earlier ones still being accessible) and the odd feature of, as with you, not being to see any of the secuity settings under the file's properties. The latter makes it look as if Adobe has somehow "tampered" with the file or something else has a hook into it in some odd way. I know this doesn't help much but it could food for thought for other peeps.

[broncoapache]

Ya know mapping the folder might help so I will give it a try.

Do you think that exporting all of the data and installing the latest acrobat on all machine and reimporting to a mapped folder is the nuke option?

Thanks again

[Paul Komski]

Do you think that exporting all of the data and installing the latest acrobat on all machine and reimporting to a mapped folder is the nuke option?
Who knows. If I have understood correctly the files that won't load over the network have a blank security tab in the files' properties section but the same files moved to the parent folder then have a normal security tab. If correct then that is a bit weird when it doesnt happen with other file formats. One thing you might try is to rename one such .pdf file to say .doc or .txt and then see if no longer having a pdf file extension changes such "security accessibility".

Presumably the file's do load OK from the host computer itself and only exhibit this problem when tried over the network.

[broncoapache]

Correct. It opens fine from the host computer just not a networked one. The security says that there is no security on the document in both the parent and child folder.
It isn't that the security is blank it only says that there is no security on the document.
I will try the ext change.
Very odd problem.
The network isn't here so I will try it in the next few days and report in.

BA

[chriscurley]

Well that all seems to a bit crappy on someones behalf that this happens. I have a scenario where I had to copy staff folders from server a to b and like most people in the posting to my dismay I found the same 'access denied issue'. Since I have a large amount of this data it's imperative that I get it sorted with minimal disruption and effort. It's worth noting that all of the other file type were accessible without any modification. So here is what I have done and noticed...

The user permissions and shares are identical on both server a and b. I copied files from a to b and server b is now where there is an issue. It became apparent to me that if I raised the user permissions to include 'read permissions' that the issue went away. (The original permissions for the users were, Full Controll less, read permissions, Change ownership and Take ownership). I simply reapplied this at the top level folder and replaced permissions on sub-folders and files.

Still it's a pain in the A... I have a lot of this to do!

Hope it helps

Chris

[Fred_Flintstone]

Hi..

Not done much in this line, and haven't got a network (or much knowledge thereof) so, with that "disclaimer" in place...:D :D :D

Have you set permissions for child folders to "inherit" from parent..?

In the security tab, click "Advanced" button.
You should get a window with something like:
"Advanced Security Settings for <Folder Name>"..

See the "Permissions" tab there.

Check the settings are at the level required..
There are checkboxes at the bottom for:
Inherit from parent the permission entries... Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects..

Just my 10c worth thrown into the mix...worth a try maybe??
:p

[broncoapache]

I hate to show my ignorance but precisley where do I find the "Security tab" and the permissions tab etc? Do I need to download and use the Security Configuration Manager Tool from Microsoft? It sounds like this might be the breakthrough I have been looking for!

Thanks

[Paul Komski]

Displaying the security tab is different with Pro and Home (http://www.lockergnome.com/windows/2005/03/07/displaying-the-security-tab-in-xp-home-edition/).

[classicsoftware]

Please download and install Foxit Reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader_2/down_reader.htm) and see if you get the same error. If you do, it's the system and not the program. If it resolves the problem lies with Acrobat Reader

[broncoapache]

OK so I am in safe mode in XP home and I went to folder options and there is still no place to change simple file sharing. The tool from MS doesn't list XP as a supported operating system and it didn't want to download anyhow.

What is tghe trick to getting to the security/permissions tab in XP home so I can allow the child folders to inherit pwermission from the parent folders?

Thanks for all the patience guys

[Paul Komski]

There is no option regarding Simple File Sharing in XP home because only Simple File Sharing exists in Home.

http://i28.tinypic.com/16knwy0.jpg

Right Click on the Folder in Explorer and choose Properties and then Security. (This only pertains to folders in NTFS formatted partitions).

1. Hit Advanced
2. Check the box to Inherit from Parent (C:\dd\ in the example).
3. Hit Apply and the properties pertaining to C:\dd\ will replace Everyone which is the current permissions for C:\dd\New Folder\

To experiment just create a brand new folder and sub-folder and then play with the permissions in the sub-folder.

[broncoapache]

Bingo. That I pray will finally help.

I will post results.