Win 10 pro 21H1 unable to save PDF files

Re title also using Webroot AV

I can only use save as, save option greyed out using latest version of Adobe Reader DC.

I have seen this as a known issue, resolved by using the windows security manage settings in virus & threat protection (v&tp). However this option is not present - only Webroot is shown in v&tp - ie no windows security protection options.

I have also gone into gpedit to check if v&tp is turned off - however it is set to not hidden.

I have tried to re-install Adobe Reader, tried to repair it.

I can see nothing in Webroot which gives any indication that it is overriding Windows Security.

Any suggestions?

robmar0se said:

Re title also using Webroot AV

I can only use save as, save option greyed out using latest version of Adobe Reader DC.

I have seen this as a known issue, resolved by using the windows security manage settings in virus & threat protection (v&tp). However this option is not present - only Webroot is shown in v&tp - ie no windows security protection options.

I have also gone into gpedit to check if v&tp is turned off - however it is set to not hidden.

I have tried to re-install Adobe Reader, tried to repair it.

I can see nothing in Webroot which gives any indication that it is overriding Windows Security.

Any suggestions?

Hi,

I once got this and Giving full control permission to the user on the directory where the PDF where saved, fixed the problem.

Thank you for yr suggestion re permissions - have double checked this - for example the user Documents folder has standrad permissions, nothing out of the ordinary, however note the issue only affects saving PDF files.

Problem remains............

robmar0se said:

Thank you for yr suggestion re permissions - have double checked this - for example the user Documents folder has standrad permissions, nothing out of the ordinary, however note the issue only affects saving PDF files.

Problem remains............

And If you do "save as" and use the same name... what does it do ?

MaloK said:

And If you do "save as" and use the same name... what does it do ?

Thank you.

The option is given to select a folder, & change file name if required,, defaulting to "documents" and is saved without fuuuurther interruption to that folder. There is no other query re duplicate file names, ie acting the same as the usual save function. To clarify, when opening the email attachment, the pdf file is not saved at that time.

Further this doesn't answer the question, where the Windows Security settings has disappeared to?

- - - Updated - - -

spunk said:

When you click on a PDF to view it in Reader, it downloads automatically and is saved to your Download location. This is usually in C:\Users\UserName\Downloads. So, clicking on Save is greyed out because it is already Saved. You can go to the Download folder and cut or copy the file and paste it into the folder you want it to be in.

Thanks.

As above, no, the file is not saved automatically on opening. so this reasoning isn't the cause/answer.

spunk said:

Please try the following steps:
1. Launch Acrobat Reader DC.
2. Navigate to Edit>Preferences>Security(Enhanced)>and select OFF option for Protected view and also uncheck the option " Enable protected view at startup".
3. Click OK

Your computer may only have one active Anti-Virus software running on it. Because they will conflict. Malware Removal programs can live side by side with AV programs. When a 3rd party AV program, like Webroot, or any 3rd party Anti-Virus software is installed, it disables Windows Security (Defender), Web root is not Overriding it, it Disables it. It can be reinstated once any 3rd party AV product is uninstalled.

Thanks great thinking!

Tried yr suggestion re Adobe, but doesn't change the greyed out "save" option

I have discovered that Webroot does disable Windows Security real time protection which means that the option to manage controlled folder access is also greyed out; hence can't change how Windows handles PDF files.

The user (not me), had also installed Restoro (now removed) which as you may know has the ability to "optimise" the system registry - my best guess is that this may have resulted in this behaviour?

spunk said:

It is suggested to download ADWCleaner scan and delete any residual files, then download and run Malwarebytes, scan and Quarantine any residual files.
If there are still residual Restoro files left over, then download Revo Uninstaller in Hunter Mode select the residual file or folder and it will remove all of the Registry files associated with this app too. See if that helps

Thanks again for yr wise words.

I removed Restoro with malwarebytes, further adwcleaner removed some leftovers.

I do appreciate yr sticking with this. However as the Adobe save as option works as the save option should, at least there is a work-around; annoying but the law of diminishing returmns comes to mind