Troubleshooting Problems with PDF Files

Many of the library's online databases and ebooks provide full-text in PDF format. PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format that preserves the original format of the document. PDF documents have the appearance of a photocopy or scan of the original. If you are unable to open/view documents in PDF format, here are some helpful tips.

• Use Adobe Reader. Problems have been reported when using other PDF viewers to open/view some PDF documents. If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download here. Adobe will automatically check your operating system and offer the latest compatible version for download. Once installed, you should still check for updates.
  
  
• Check your version and update number. To check which version and update number you have installed, open Adobe Reader, click on the Help menu, then click on About Adobe Reader. See example.
  
  
• Check for updates. If you have Adobe Reader 6 or 7, you can automatically check for and install updates. To update, open Adobe Reader, click on the Help menu, then click on "Updates..." or "Check for updates now...". Then select desired updates, click "Add" button, and click the "Update" button. See example.
  
  Adobe Reader 6 should be updated to 6.0.4.
  Adobe Reader 7 should be updated to 7.0.3.
  
  If you have Adobe Reader 5, you must manually download updates. Adobe Reader 5 should be updated to 5.0.5. See: http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=1439

Still having problems with PDF?

If you are still having problems opening/viewing PDF documents, here are a few more things to check which can cause problems:

Multiple versions of Adobe Reader on your computer. Uninstall all versions of Adobe Reader on your computer and reinstall the latest compatible version of Adobe Reader as directed above. One word of caution: do not uninstall Adobe Reader if is part of the full Adobe Acrobat application. That might have unintended consequences. Contact Adobe Support for assistance with upgrading Adobe Reader with Adobe Acrobat installed.

Firewalls, filters, and other security measures. Several databases house their documents on a server separate from the actual search interface. Your firewall/filter settings may prevent the database from retrieving documents from a different server. In that case, you may need to create an exception per your firewall instructions, or disable the firewall while using that database. Please note: Disabling the firewall may make your computer or network vulnerable to intrusions. If you are part of a network (school or company), then you should contact your Systems Administrator about possible firewall issues.

Conflicts between Adobe Reader and other security measures such as Zone Alarm have also been reported.

Browser incompatibilities. Older versions of MS Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator may be incompatible with newer versions of Adobe Reader. Issues have also been reported with browsers such as Firefox. Download a recent browser from our Toolbox.

Insufficient memory/RAM. If you are unable to view very large documents (check the file size or number of pages before downloading), then you may have insufficient memory to download and open.

Slow connection. If you have a dial-up connection and are unable to view very large documents (check the file size or number of pages before downloading), then your connection speed may be too slow.

Needed computer ports closed. If you are accessing the internet from outside the U.S. mainland, problems may result due to certain computer ports being closed or turned off.

Still Need Help?

If you are unable to resolve problems, please contact the Reference Desk for further assistance.