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Adobe Reader X (Disable check for Updates from content without using GUI)


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  • Contributor
  • 24 replies

Need Guidance,

For disabling the Check auto Updates for Adobe Reader X from contents.
I know i can using Adobe Reader >> Preferences >> Categories >> Updates >> Check for Updates.
I need to select Do not download and install updates automatically for all my users.
I dont wants to use this above path.
Is there a way to disable this from Contents or from other resources like Plits or from any inside script.

Regards,
Sonu W

Best answer by mm2270

This is a little tricky to do I think. That setting is inside the users com.adobe.Reader.plist file in their Preferences folder. There is a line in an array like this:

CheckForUpdatesAtStartup =             (
                0,
                1
            );

When its Off, that last line is a "0", and when its On, it shows "1". I'm just not sure how you'd programmatically write into that other than perhaps with PlistBuddy. I don't think the usual defaults command will work here.

You might be better off just packaging up the plist and deploying it to users with the FEU and FUT options checked. Course for that you have to use a .dmg, not a pkg.

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Forum|alt.badge.img+4
  • Author
  • Contributor
  • 24 replies
  • October 18, 2012

Experts !!!

Kindly help me finding path for disabling Updater (Adobe Reader X) using other methods, not from the preferences.


mm2270
Forum|alt.badge.img+24
  • Legendary Contributor
  • 7883 replies
  • Answer
  • October 18, 2012

This is a little tricky to do I think. That setting is inside the users com.adobe.Reader.plist file in their Preferences folder. There is a line in an array like this:

CheckForUpdatesAtStartup =             (
                0,
                1
            );

When its Off, that last line is a "0", and when its On, it shows "1". I'm just not sure how you'd programmatically write into that other than perhaps with PlistBuddy. I don't think the usual defaults command will work here.

You might be better off just packaging up the plist and deploying it to users with the FEU and FUT options checked. Course for that you have to use a .dmg, not a pkg.


bentoms
Forum|alt.badge.img+35
  • Hall of Fame
  • 4331 replies
  • October 19, 2012

This would be a perfect use for MCX.


Forum|alt.badge.img+13
  • Contributor
  • 400 replies
  • October 19, 2012

Disable auto-update system wide and lock it down
1. Navigate to /Library/Preferences/
2. Create a new file com.adobe.Reader.plist (Tip: This file does not exist by default)
3. Open the plist file you created with an editor (TextWrangler)
4. Add the entries shown in here.

<dict>
 <key>10</key>
  <dict>
   <key>FeatureLockdown</key>
    <dict>
     <key>bUpdater</key>
    <false/>
  </dict>
 </dict>
</dict>

http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/mac.html#disabling-updates

If it is version XI, please change the <key> value to 11.

You can create a MCX or custom Configuration Profile and push it to machines.


Forum|alt.badge.img+4
  • Author
  • Contributor
  • 24 replies
  • October 19, 2012

Thanks for Guidance @ mm2270 & @ Kumarasinghe


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • New Contributor
  • 1 reply
  • December 6, 2012

I have created this plist file. But how will I know whether the auto update is blocked or not. Please reply


Forum|alt.badge.img+4
  • Author
  • Contributor
  • 24 replies
  • December 6, 2012

@ Vipin.johney If is solution implemented successfully. You can find this out using 1. Adobe Reader >> Preferences >> Categories Look for Updater on left side if its there, it means that the solution is not implemented successfully.
If you can't find it on left side, it means Updater is removed / disabled. 2. Look for Adobe Reader >> Help >> check for Updates...
If you are able to see it, It means solution is not implemented.
If Implemented successfully you will not see Check for Updates from Adobe Reader >> Help.

Regards,
SonuW


Forum|alt.badge.img+12
  • Contributor
  • 24 replies
  • January 18, 2013

Why I don't check JamfNation first every time for anything Mac related is beyond me... this helped tremendously, thanks er'body!


Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • Honored Contributor
  • 970 replies
  • January 18, 2013

SonuW forum etiquette please, don't bust our balls if we don't reply to one of your posts within 30 seconds!

Ta


Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • Honored Contributor
  • 970 replies
  • January 23, 2013

@ Kumarasinghe

Unfortunately this doesnt work on Acrobat Pro 10.1.1 that got installed as part of CS6.

I cant use Acrobat Customization wizard because of this and Adobe do not provide updates to 11 on our CLP!


Mauricio11
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  • Valued Contributor
  • 173 replies
  • January 24, 2013

@ tkimpton Hi Tim
You can disable the updates for Acrobat Pro 10.1.1

From Adobe:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/mac.html
"
16.6.1 Disabling and locking the Updater

With version 10.1.1 and later, it is possible for IT to disable and lock the Updater settings so that 1) updates won’t happen and 2) users can’t change the setting.
"

Hope helps
Regards
Mauricio


donmontalvo
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  • Hall of Fame
  • 4293 replies
  • January 29, 2013

@tkimpton wrote:

SonuW forum etiquette please, don't bust our balls if we don't reply to one of your posts within 30 seconds! Ta

Makes you woder if SonuW is putting any effort into working through these issues? ;)


Forum|alt.badge.img+1
  • New Contributor
  • 3 replies
  • May 29, 2013

This may work. Throw this in a script and run after. It will loop through all existing user accounts and run a specified command.

for dir in `ls /Users`
do
defaults write /path/plist file
done

note: the ` is a backtick.


donmontalvo
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  • 4293 replies
  • May 29, 2013

nm


Forum|alt.badge.img+10
  • Contributor
  • 165 replies
  • May 1, 2015

I know this is an old thread but Ive been looking at the different ways to disable the Adobe Reader updater and the easiest way for me was to add the "Adobe Reader and Acrobat Updater" process to Restricted Software. Seems to be working fine.


donmontalvo
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  • 4293 replies
  • March 22, 2017

I wish Adobe Acrobat Reader XI would die...but until it does, this might help.

If the plist doesn't exist, can echo out the file using a simple script:

#!/bin/sh

# Echo out plist
echo "<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>11</key>
    <dict>
        <key>FeatureLockdown</key>
        <dict>
            <key>bUpdater</key>
            <false/>
        </dict>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>" > /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist

# Set owner:group and permissions.
/usr/sbin/chown root:wheel /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist
/bin/chmod 644 /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist

exit 0

To confirm:

$ defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Reader.plist 
{
    11 =     {
        FeatureLockdown =         {
            bUpdater = 0;
        };
    };
}

If the file exists, you'll stomp it with the above. But I'm not going to waste my time adding arrays to a file that should have been taken out back and buried along with it's application. :)

Switch the value to 10 if you're suppressing Reader X...although someone posted that it doesn't work with the earliest patch levels.

Don


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