Aargh, stupid frikkin Adobe Acrobat and Windows

[TnT]

I got fed up with Adobe popping up messages saying I needed to update, so I did that. Then, of course, it tells me I need to reboot.
* Why the F does any software now-a-days still require rebooting of the god damn OS!?! *
During the reboot I get a \windows\system32\config\system is missing or corrupt error... Recovery console, blah blah blah
So I get the XP cd stick it in and load up recovery console which isn't finding my windows installation... yikes. No commands really work (dir, md, copy). I finally realize I should try chkdsk which says I have errors and quits 25% of the way through. I then run it again and I get to 100% but it's reported that errors were found on the volume.
* Why the F does a software update on a non-system program F up the registry!?! *
I restart and this time I get a recovery console that works, but I can't copy some of those files listed in: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545. Still no luck though, can't even get into safe mode.

I have most of the important data backed up, but theres some stuff on there that isn't backed up because I don't need, I'd like to not delete. Does it look like I reinstall windows without formatting or is there another option before that? I might stick the drive onto another computer just to copy files off first.

Thanks,
Thien

[High_Jumbllama]

It is highly doubtful that Adobe caused the errors on your disk that chkdsk detected. It is almost certain that it simply tried to store something in a place on the hard disk that is wearing out.

It is excessively bloated but is not a machine slayer.

[rylan]

I wouldn't be too sure that Acrobat is not to blame. When I upgraded to Acrobat 7.0 at work and rebooted, one of my raid mirror disks somehow got corrupted while trying to boot into windows and totally hosed the OS. I think theres something suspicious about the Acrobat installer.

[Dr Mordrid]

This is news?

Premiere used to hose MSPro's MPEG plugin

[Rakido]

can't really help you with your current problem, but i would suggest to get rid of Acrobat completely (unless you need it to *create* PDF's). Just for reading PDF's go with Foxit PDF Reader: http://www.snapfiles.com/opinions/Fo...DF_Reader.html

Read the user reviews to be convinced

[TnT]

@High_Jumbllama: I like to blame all my computer woes on Adobe and MS though , but also mildly serious because as with Rylan and Doc, this isn't the first time I've had weird issues with Adobe products. The fact that it requires a reboot (not restart of program) means to me it is doing something to system files that it can't access normally.

@Rakido: I've actually installed Foxit on a friends computer when for some odd reason Acrobat would no longer run on it. Early yesterday before things went bad I was actually thinking of installing it after seeing the earlier thread about the 1MB PDF reader. I chose not to install and instead upgrade Acrobat. I guess the computer gods decided to smite me.

I'm going to run a LiveCD and pull off my files and then use a diagnostic CD to check the hard drive's integrity.

[Wombat]

can't really help you with your current problem, but i would suggest to get rid of Acrobat completely (unless you need it to *create* PDF's). Just for reading PDF's go with Foxit PDF Reader: http://www.snapfiles.com/opinions/Fo...DF_Reader.html

Read the user reviews to be convinced

Can Foxit print yet? When I last used it, it was small, fast, very accurate on screen, but couldn't print a document to save its life.

[The PIT]

Five minute fix that problem.

Boot up of a bartpe CD do a checkdsk and if that doesn't fix which 9/10 it won't just do a manual restore. Of course if you haven't got a restore point it'll get more interesting.

[TnT]

Yeah I tried BartPE to no avail. The hard drive is in the process of being hosed. I yanked out all my important data with a CentOS Live CD and ran Maxtor's drive test tool using http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ (highly recommended). I'm now without a dev environment at work... sigh.