Deploying package "Adobe Reader XI 11.0.4" and automatic updates
Hi,
After upgrading to PDQInventory Pro, I downloaded and tried to deploy Acrobat Reader XI 11.0.4 package in my LAN.
Used a couple of computers for testing. Installation was fine but steps 4 and 5 (no x64 systems in my scenario) seems not to be working, and Acrobat Reader tries to reach the Internet looking for updates from time to time.
After searching in Adobe's forums, I've changed step 4 of the package in order to create the following new key in the register:
HKLM\Software\Policies\Adobe\AcrobatReader\11.0\FeatureLockDown\ new DWORD bUpdater = 0
Same result: Acrobat tries to connect to the Internet.
I guess that the "Adobe Acrobat Update Service" is the guilty one, so once I manually stopped this service and marked it as "Disable", Acrobat Reader stopped triying to connect to the Internet (which is my primary goal)
My questions are:
- How can I add a step in the package in order to disable that service ? Another posibilities I gues: uninstalling the service, deleting the armsvc.exe, ...
- Any other has experienced same problem ?
Thanks in advance!!
Comments
If you open Adobe Reader and go to Edit > Preferences > Updater you should see the Check for updates panel. When the iCheckReader value in the registry is set to 0 the Check for updates option "Do not download or install updates automatically" is set. If you change this setting (for example select the "Notify me, but let me choose when to download and install updates" option) you will notice that the iCheckReader value is set to 4. If you select the "Do not download..." option this value is set to 0. As you noted the Adobe Reader packages downloaded from the Package Library set this value to "Do not download...". The Adobe Acrobat Update Service (AdobeARMService) is left on the target. You can delete it but Adobe will still attempt to download or notify the user about an update if the iCheckReader value is not set to 0 and the user opens Adobe Reader.
I can think of two reasons why Adobe Reader is still trying to access the internet when the iCheckReader value is set to 0. I'm not certain about these but it is possible that a check for updates is still going on but no notification is being displayed and no update is being applied. Another possibility could be that the "Adobe Product Improvement Program" feature is enabled. Go to Help > Improvement Program Options and see if any this feature is enabled.
Hi Shane,
The 'iCheckReader' regkey seems to work as you said. If I skip the step in the package where this regkey is modified, the option "Edit->Preferences->Updater" disappears from the menu and Acrobat Reader tries to connect to the Internet, so this step is needed.
Also, the "Adobe Product Improvement Program" feature is disabled in my test computer.
However, I added two more steps in order to stop and confgure as "disabled" the "Adobe Acrobat Update Service" (armsvc.exe) and seems it's working ok but need some more testing.
I'll post my results.
Thanks!!
Hi again,
I've been able to stop Adobe Acrobat Update Service from connecting to the Internet but no way about Acrobat Reader.
It stills tries to connect to the Internet. My users's firewall pops up asking for permission so I had to deploy a firewall rule on all my users allowing Acrobat Raeder to reach the LAN (por printing purposes) and blocking it from reaching the Internet.
I don't understand this "fashion" where every app. tries to connect to the Internet looking for whatever.
Anyway, thanks for your support Shane.