I foolishly installed CAD-KAS' PDF Editor 2.6 (http://www.download.com/PDF-Editor/3000-6676_4-10208394.html). After installing the program, I could no longer print any .pdf document. Instead of printing, it asks you if you want to save a .pdf as a tiff file and then simply won't print. I uninstalled the program, but my system no longer prints .pdf files. This software incapacitated my system as far as .pdfs are concerned. There is no tech support whatsoever. My OS is XP; I imagine there may be a registry entry for how .pdfs are to be printed, but I can't find it.

Sounds like file association for PDF is messed up. Did you already have a PDF Reader installed before installing the editor? If so, you might try reinstalling to fix the association--if your Reader is out of date this would be a good time to upgrade or switch to another. Older version of Adobe are known to be vulnerable to attack. And since they've switched to online installation only, which doesn't agree with my system, I've switched to the less bloated Foxit Reader.

You could also try fixing the associations on your own in Windows Explorer. A pretty nice article on how to do that can be found here: http://www.pcmech.com/article/how-to-repai...e-associations/ --if you need more details just ask.

If those don't help, let us know. We can then try the old hair of the dog method. At this point though I don't recommend rooting around in your registry.

Yes, Adobe Acrobat was already installed. I forgot to mention, I already tried re-installing Acrobat Reader 8. Double-clicking on a .pdf file opens it up in Adobe Acrobat Reader, so I think the file associations are still intact; it's just no longer possible to print.

OK, this brings up some more questions.

1. Did you try using System Restore?
2. Had you tried printing to Adobe Reader 8 (BTW, they've dropped Acrobat from the title of the program) before installing the editor program? I bring this up becuase there is some evidence that Adobe Reader itself has problems with printing. At least two people at the Adobe Reader forum are having problems with printing with version 8.1: http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.59b59c32

So this could be a version specific problem with Adobe that was co-incidental to the editor install or a combination--both programs have issues or conflicted. If you had just upgraded your version of Adobe Reader and not tried printing before installing the editor program, then it could be a problem with Adobe--if you printed successfully then we can rule that out.

3. In your first post:
That sounds like more than just a printing problem. How else was your PDF system incapacitated and what was resolved when you uninstalled the product?


That makes sense, but many times it is beneficial to double check such things. Did you look at your settings in Folder Options? If not, please do. See if there is any other file association with the CAD-KAS PDF Editor. Click on the .pdf file extension listing to select it. Even if it says pdf's are associated with Adobe Reader, you might try toggling this off and on again by clicking the Change button, set it to open with Notepad or whatever, then change it back to Adobe.

Also, as I was perusing my own File Types list, i noticed that other extensions have an Advanced button below the Change button. But only with pdf's is that button called Restore. Restore may be just the solution you are looking for, but I honestly don't know what that restore button will do, so try at your own risk.

One fairly easy way to tell if this is a problem with Adobe itself or not, and another possible solution in any event, is to uninstall Adobe Reader and install Foxit in its place. Then see if it will print. http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

You can always go back to Adobe if you want.

If that and a System Restore doesn't help, then you might have corrupted printer drivers. What is the make and model of your printer? Is it an all in one, and if not do you have a scanner also? You might try reinstalling your printer/scanner and associated software and drivers.

The hair of the dog possible solution I mentioned earlier is a variation of the tried and true technique of reinstalling the troublesome software then uninstalling it. It doesn't sound like a smart notion when you are angry with the software, but this often works with a failed uninstall as the install rewrites logged install information. You may be experiencing an incomplete uninstall--I would suspect part of the program ran as a service that wasn't removed completely. The variation would be to independently monitor the installation and then uninstall by reversing what has just occurred.

You can do this in two ways, use a complete uninstaller or a program that just monitors registry changes.

The most thorough would be to use a uninstaller program that will monitor both file and registry changes. Total Uninstall is popular but no longer free, so I recommend ZSoft. http://www.zsoft.dk/index/software_details/4

If you go this route, be forewarned.
1. First create a new Restore Point.
2. Do not do anything else on your computer while the ZSoft scans and installation process is in progress.

This program will scan your system before you install the software you want to monitor and then scan again after installation and compare the two change logs. If you have a lot of files the scans take a bit of time. You can then uninstall the program by reversing the change just made. If you make changes to other programs, that will also be recorded in the log and reversed, so reserve some time for this.

If you choose this route let me know if you need detailed instructions as I am short of time ATM.

RegShot works in the same way but monitors only the registry changes and so is a good deal quicker. http://www.majorgeeks.com/download965.html

It does not, however, undo changes. For that you will need it's companion, UNDOReg. http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=966

Let us know how it goes.

System Restore; I should have thought of that. Yep, that did it. Thanks a lot

You're welcome and glad the simplest solution worked out for you. Hehe, Just wish I had known that before I typed all of that last post out .