Zombie Adobe Reader 9.5.3 Updater will not die!
February 11, 2013 10:54 AM Subscribe
Zombie Adobe Reader 9.5.3 Updater will not die! Please help me kill it with fire. (Max OSX 10.6.8)
Unibody MacBook Pro w/Mac OSX 10.6.8.
I currently have Adobe Reader 10.1.5. I also have Adobe reader 9.5.3 -- don't want it but reinstalled in in an effort to solve this problem, but no joy...:(
Adobe Reader 9.5.x Updater continues to nag me that the update to Adobe Reader 9.5.3 is available. I've tried checking Reader 9.5.3 preference to not check for updates -- no avail. I've tried removing Adobe Reader 9.5.x completely -- no difference. I am sure there is a simple flag I need to toggle in a plist or preference file somewhere, but I don't know what that is, and my Google-fu is coming up short. Can someone hope me with a bullet proof approach to killing Adobe Reader 9.5.x update notifications for good? I'll happily edit a plist or delete a Preference. I. Just. Want. It. To. Stop. Nagging. Me!
By the way, actually running the 9.5.3 updater fails, and updating to 9.5.4 doesn't get me any further, either.
Unibody MacBook Pro w/Mac OSX 10.6.8.
I currently have Adobe Reader 10.1.5. I also have Adobe reader 9.5.3 -- don't want it but reinstalled in in an effort to solve this problem, but no joy...:(
Adobe Reader 9.5.x Updater continues to nag me that the update to Adobe Reader 9.5.3 is available. I've tried checking Reader 9.5.3 preference to not check for updates -- no avail. I've tried removing Adobe Reader 9.5.x completely -- no difference. I am sure there is a simple flag I need to toggle in a plist or preference file somewhere, but I don't know what that is, and my Google-fu is coming up short. Can someone hope me with a bullet proof approach to killing Adobe Reader 9.5.x update notifications for good? I'll happily edit a plist or delete a Preference. I. Just. Want. It. To. Stop. Nagging. Me!
By the way, actually running the 9.5.3 updater fails, and updating to 9.5.4 doesn't get me any further, either.
Response by poster: OK, downloaded CCleaner. Neat program, but none of the Adobe programs are set to run at startup. I do believe this is hidden deeper. Other ideas?
posted by mosk at 1:01 PM on February 11, 2013
posted by mosk at 1:01 PM on February 11, 2013
You don't mind re-installing Adobe 10.x, do you? And I'm guessing you don't want to futz with Terminal commands that edit your plists. So here's something to try:
1. Download AppZapper. It is nagware, but gives you five free zaps.
2. Use AppZapper to zap Adobe Reader. Zap Adobe Updater if you find it in Applications or Applications/Utilities. Also check the Applications folder in your home directory. (/Applications, /Applications/Utilities, and ~/Applications.)
3. Get an update prompt again? Reinstall 9.5.x as you did before, then zap it.
4. Swear never to use anything by Adobe again. Or, okay, download and reinstall Adobe 10.x.
5. Optionally, zap AppZapper itself.
No promises, but AppZapper does a good job hunting down the various bits and pieces of applications.
posted by RedOrGreen at 2:08 PM on February 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
1. Download AppZapper. It is nagware, but gives you five free zaps.
2. Use AppZapper to zap Adobe Reader. Zap Adobe Updater if you find it in Applications or Applications/Utilities. Also check the Applications folder in your home directory. (/Applications, /Applications/Utilities, and ~/Applications.)
3. Get an update prompt again? Reinstall 9.5.x as you did before, then zap it.
4. Swear never to use anything by Adobe again. Or, okay, download and reinstall Adobe 10.x.
5. Optionally, zap AppZapper itself.
No promises, but AppZapper does a good job hunting down the various bits and pieces of applications.
posted by RedOrGreen at 2:08 PM on February 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, doctor_negative! I think that did the trick. (Disclosure: doctor_negative is a friend IRL, but I hate to bother him with something petty like this...)
And thanks, too, woodman and RedOrGreen, those are both very useful apps and I'm going to grab them and use them going forward.
posted by mosk at 3:07 PM on February 11, 2013
And thanks, too, woodman and RedOrGreen, those are both very useful apps and I'm going to grab them and use them going forward.
posted by mosk at 3:07 PM on February 11, 2013
Best answer: For future reference: If you hold the command key, and click on the dock icon of an application, it will reveal that application's location in the Finder. So when an Annoying Updater App is open, you could do that, and then simply trash the updater app.
posted by vasi at 11:07 PM on February 11, 2013
posted by vasi at 11:07 PM on February 11, 2013
Response by poster: An update to the above solution: Turns out the source of the zombie Reader update request was actually an old copy of Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro, not Adobe Reader. Acrobat 9 Pro has it's own Check for Updates preference, and this needed to be disabled as well. I would never have discovered this without vasi's tip - thanks!
posted by mosk at 1:39 PM on February 14, 2013
posted by mosk at 1:39 PM on February 14, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by woodman at 11:46 AM on February 11, 2013 [2 favorites]