Error code 1402: Could not open key

Error "1402: Could not open key ..." or "1406: Could not write...to key..." -- Acrobat and Adobe Reader
Issue

When you install Adobe Acrobat 6.x or higher, Professional or Standard, Acrobat returns one of the following error messages, and then the installation terminates:
· "Error 1402: Could not open key [key name] ."
· "Error 1406: Could not write value Folders to key [key name] ."
Solution
Solution 1: Remove all previous versions of Acrobat, and then reinstall.
1. Choose Start > Control Panel (Windows XP) or Start > Settings > Control Panel (Windows 2000).
2. Double-click Add Or Remove Programs.
3. Select Adobe Acrobat [version] and click Remove.
4. When prompted, confirm that you want to remove Acrobat.
5. Repeat the above procedure for all installed versions of Acrobat.
6. Restart the computer, and then reinstall Acrobat.
Solution 2: Set permissions to their defaults in the registry.
Perform the steps below during Acrobat or Adobe Reader installation. The Administrators group listed below is the default local administrative group for Windows 2000 and XP.

Disclaimer: This procedure involves editing the Windows registry. Adobe doesn't provide support for editing the registry, which contains critical system and application information. Make sure to back up the registry before editing it. For more information about the registry, see the Windows documentation or contact Microsoft.

For Windows XP:
1. Write down the path to the key referred to in the error message and leave the installation running. For example: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.pdf\PersistentHandler.
2. Choose Start > Run, type regedit in the Open text field of the Run dialog box, and then click OK.
3. Back up your current Registry file:
1. In the Registry Editor dialog box, choose File > Export.
2. Type a name for the file and choose the location.
3. For Export Range, choose All.
4. Click Save.
4. Navigate to the parent of the key referenced in the error message. For example, for the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.pdf\PersistentHandler, open (double-click) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE >SOFTWARE > Classes > .pdf.

Note: These steps may vary slightly depending on the path in the error message

5. Right-click on the parent key and select Permissions (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.pdf).
6. Verify that the Administrators and SYSTEM is present and that Full Control is selected under the Allow column.
7. In the Permissions dialog box, click Advanced.

8. Select the Administrators group (1) and "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" (2).

Note: Select the current administrator account if the Administrators group is unavailable.


9. Select both "Allow inheritable permissions from parent to propagate to this object" and "Reset permissions on all child objects and enable propagation of inheritable permissions," (1) and then click the Owner tab (2).

10. Click OK (3) in the "Advanced Security Settings" dialog box. Windows will now reset the permissions for each child object to correspond with its parent.
11. Minimize the Registry Editor and click Retry.
o If the error reoccurs with the same key proceed to Solution 4.
o If the error occurs with another registry key repeat Steps 1-12 using the new registry key without backing up the registry.
o If the error does not occur finish the installation following the on screen instructions and exit the Registry Editor.

For Windows 2000:
1. Write down the path to the key referenced in the error message. For example: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.pdf\PersistentHandler.
2. Choose Start > Run, type regedit in the Open text field of the Run dialog box, and then click OK.
3. Back up your current Registry file:
a. In the Registry Editor dialog box, choose File > Export
b. Type a name for the file and choose the location.
c. For Export Range, choose All.
d. Click Save.
e. Close Regedit.
4. Choose Start > Run, type regedt32 in the Open text field of the Run dialog box, and then click OK.
5. Navigate to the parent of the key referenced in the error message. For example, for the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.pdf\PersistentHandler, choose Window > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE then open (double-click) SOFTWARE > Classes > .pdf.
6. Note: These steps may vary slightly depending on the path in the error message.
7. Select the parent key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.pdf), and then choose Security Menu > Permissions.
8. Verify that the Administrators and SYSTEM is present and that Full Control is selected under the Allow column.
9. In the Permissions dialog box, click Advanced.

10. Select both "Allow inheritable permissions from parent to propagate to this object" and "Reset permissions on all child objects and enable propagation of inheritable permissions," (1) and then click Owner (2).

11. Select the Administrators group (1) and "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" (2).

Note: Select the current administrator account if the Administrators group is unavaliable.


12. Click OK (3) in the Permissions dialog box. Windows will now reset the permissions for each child object to correspond with its parent. Click yes on any prompts.
13. Minimize the Registry Editor and click Retry.
o If the error reoccurs with the same key proceed to Solution 4.
o If the error occurs with another registry key repeat Steps 4-12 using the new registry key without backing up the registry.
o If the error does not occur finish the installation following the on screen instructions and exit the Registry Editor.
If Acrobat still displays an error message, you may need to investigate permissions on the particular registry key in question. Occasionally, renaming the key allows the installer to re-create the key and reset the permissions if the key is corrupted. If you can't change permissions or rename that key, contact Microsoft or your hardware vendor for assistance.

Solution 4: Remove spyware.
Note: Adobe provides this information as a courtesy only. Adobe Technical Support does not support third-party applications. Users are encouraged to read the release notes for these applications before installing.
Some programs can install software that can be damaging to your Operating System. Scan for these programs with an anti-spyware utility such as Ad-Aware, available at www.lavasoftusa.com or with anti-spyware software provided by Microsoft at www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx.

Solution 5: Check your system for viruses.
System viruses can cause erratic behavior and prevent Acrobat from installing. Use current anti-virus software, such as McAfee VirusScan, to check your system for viruses. Make sure that you have the latest virus definitions for the anti-virus software you use. Although virus infections are rare, they can cause strange system behavior, including system errors. Running virus-detection software regularly prevents viruses from damaging software on your system. For instructions, see the documentation for the anti-virus software.

Solution 6: Disable Webroot Spy Sweeper.
For more information or help disabling Spy Sweeper, contact Webroot Corporation. Adobe technical support does not support third-party applications.

Additional Information

The 1402 Windows Installer error occurs when the Windows Installer is unable to read a particular registry key. Installation may fail because the Acrobat installer attempts to clean up registry keys of previous versions of Acrobat to avoid conflicts with Acrobat plug-ins and add-ins for third-party software. Error 1406 occurs when the installer cannot successfully write a registry key essential for installation.

Time Server configuration

How to configure Windows Time Server to use an external time source on a Windows 2003/2008

To Windows Time Server to use an external time source on a Windows 2003/2008, please follow these steps:
1. Change the server type to NTP. To do this, follow these steps: a. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
b. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\Type
c. In the right pane, right-click Type, and then click Modify.
d. In Edit Value, type NTP in the Value data box, and then click OK.

2. Set AnnounceFlags to 5. To do this, follow these steps: a. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags
b. In the right pane, right-click AnnounceFlags, and then click Modify.
c. In Edit DWORD Value, type 5 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

3. Enable NTPServer. To do this, follow these steps: a. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer
b. In the right pane, right-click Enabled, and then click Modify.
c. In Edit DWORD Value, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

4. Specify the time sources. To do this, follow these steps: a. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\NtpServer
b. In the right pane, right-click NtpServer, and then click Modify.
c. In Edit Value, type Peers in the Value data box, for example time.windows.com, and then click OK. Note: each DNS must be unique and you must append 0x1 to the end of each DNS name otherwise changes will not take effect

5. Select the poll interval. To do this, follow these steps: a. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient\SpecialPollInterval
b. In the right pane, right-click SpecialPollInterval, and then click Modify.
c. In Edit DWORD Value, type TimeInSeconds in the Value data box, for example 3600 Decimal (60 minutes) and then click OK.

6. Configure the time correction settings. To do this, follow these steps: a. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\MaxPosPhaseCorrection
b. In the right pane, right-click MaxPosPhaseCorrection, and then click Modify.
c. In Edit DWORD Value, click to select Decimal in the Base box.
d. In Edit DWORD Value, type TimeInSeconds in the Value data box, for example 3600 (1 hour) and then click OK.
e. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\MaxNegPhaseCorrection
f. In the right pane, right-click MaxNegPhaseCorrection, and then click Modify.
g. In Edit DWORD Value, click to select Decimal in the Base box.
h. In Edit DWORD Value, type TimeInSeconds in the Value data box, for example, 3600 (1 hour) and then click OK.

7. Quit Registry Editor.
8. At the command prompt, type the following command to restart the Windows Time service, and then press ENTER: net stop w32time && net start w32time
Note: to test it, execute this command: net time /querysntp

Bridgehead Server and Global Catalog Server configuration

Enabling or disabling a Global Catalog (GC)

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2. Expand the console tree for Sites, and then double-click the domain controller you want to work with in the Server folder for your desired site:
o Active Directory Sites and Services
o Sites
o Site that contains the domain controller that is hosting the global catalog
o Servers
o Domain controller that is hosting a global catalog
3. Right-click NTDS Settings, and then click Properties.
4. Click to select the Global Catalog check box to make this computer a Global Catalog server, or click to clear the check box to remove the global catalog.

WARNING Global catalog servers are required for user logons in any domain that is running Windows 2000 in native mode or a later version. The servers also required for Exchange address lookups and for searching Active Directory. Most of the time, we recommend that you configure all domain controllers in the forest as global catalog servers. This configuration makes sure that sufficient global catalog servers exist to respond to logon requests and to Exchange address lookups.

Note Clients must have access to a global catalog to log on, so at least one global catalog in every site is optimum to receive the benefits of containing network traffic that is provided by using sites.

Designating a preferred bridgehead server

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2. In the console tree, right-click the domain controller that you want to make a preferred bridgehead server, and then click Properties:
o Active Directory Sites and Services
o Sites
o Site that contains the domain controller that you want to make a preferred bridgehead server
o Servers
o The domain controller that you want to make a preferred bridgehead server
3. Click the intersite transport or transports for which this computer will be a preferred bridgehead server, and then click Add.

Note We recommend that you do not configure preferred bridgehead servers unless you have a specific and compelling requirement to do this. If you configure preferred bridgehead servers, you limit the ability of the Active Directory Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) to automatically configure a fault-tolerant intersite replication topology. If the server or servers in the preferred bridgehead list for a particular site are offline or unavailable, the KCC will not select a new bridgehead server for that site until the list is cleared or until one or more of the preferred servers are brought back online. During the interim, that site will be orphaned with regard to Active Directory replication. Additionally, domain controllers in that site will not replicate changes with domain controllers in any other sites.

Moving a domain controller between sites

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2. In the console tree, right-click the domain controller that you want to move to a different site, and then click Move:
o Active Directory Sites and Services
o Sites
o Site that contains the domain controller you want to move
o Servers
o Domain controller to be moved
3. In the Move Server dialog box, click the site to which you want to move the domain controller.

Note You can use this procedure to move servers and domain controllers between sites.

Checking the replication topology
1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2. In the console tree, double-click the server you want to use to check replication topology:
o Active Directory Sites and Services
o Sites
o Site that contains the domain controller whose replication topology you want to check
o Servers
o Server you want to use to check replication topology
3. Right-click NTDS Settings, point to All Tasks, and then click Check Replication Topology.

Note Active Directory runs a process that considers the cost of inter-site connections, checks if any previously-available domain controllers are no longer available, checks if new domain controllers have been added, and then uses this information to add or remove Connection objects to create an efficient replication topology. This process does not affect manually-created Connection objects.

Connecting to a forest

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2. Right-click Active Directory Sites and Services, and then click Connect to Forest.
3. In Root domain, type the root domain of the forest. This is the root domain of the first domain tree that was created in the forest.

Note Active Directory Sites and Services views a single forest. Change forests to view and configure Active Directory Sites and Services settings for the forest you want to view.

Connecting to a domain controller
1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
2. Right-click Active Directory Sites and Services, and then click Connect to Domain Controller.
3. In Domain, type the domain name, or click Browse to select from the list of available domains.

Note Active Directory Sites and Services views and configures a single copy of the directory data. Change the domain controller to select an alternate domain controller whose directory data Active Directory Sites and Services will read and modify.