I've been unable to install Adobe Reader on my Windows Vista (SP1) 32-bit Toshiba laptop, and would really appreciate some help.

Here's the error message I get:

Error 1402. Could not open key: UNKNOWN\.api\AcroExch.Plugin\ShellNew. Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel.

Here's a brief history of what I've already tried:

# 1 - Downloaded AdbeRdr1014_en_US.exe as a stand alone file multiple times from different servers and sites.

# 2 - Uninstalled Adobe Reader 9.0

# 3 - Ran AdbeArCleaner.exe multiple times to remove ANY perious verions of Acrobat and/or Reader.

# 4 - Opened each of my 4 browsers, latest verions of IE, Opera, Firefox, and Chrome, searched for Plugins and/or Add Ons and removed ANY Adobe related apps except Flash.

# 5 - Opened the Control Panel, Programs, searched for and removed ANY versions of Acro Quick Reader or Quick Writer.

# 6 - Ran Norton Utilities Clean Registry multiple times.

# 7 - When trying to install Reader 10.1.04 I had PREVIOUSLY received this error message:

Error 1402.Could not open key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\AcroExch.Document\Shell\Open\Comm and. Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel.

However, after using Adobe Cleaning Tool, I no longer got this error.

# 8 - I also disabled my A-V Program during all installation attempts, Kaspersky PURE 2.0.

The reason that I wanted to update to Adobe Reader 10 was that Kaspersky did a vulnerability check which indicated:

"Adobe Reader/Acrobat Multiple Vulnerabilities"

See: http://www.securelist.com/en/advisories/47133/?function=advisories&VN= 47133

Solution was to update to version 10.1.2 (or higher).

Now I can't open any .PDF files. I can't find the so-called Plugin which is causing the installation to stop. The installation of Reader 10.1.04 gets to around 96% complete, then fails and rolls back.

# 9 - Is there an easy fix, such as a tool that will autyomatically remove any relevant registry key, or apply the correct administrative attributes to the registry keys? If not, can you please talk me through this step by step. I've never been so stumped or frustrated performing a software upgrade, what I thought would be a simple task.

THANKS in advance for your help which is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ecto