PnPDriverImportError for Adobe CS5.5 "Adobe PDF Printer"

MoxieMomma · 22 Sep 2011

Hi:

Mods - if this belongs in "software", rather than "drivers", please feel free to move.

Problem: "Adobe PDF Printer" in CS4 disappeared and issue not resolved after clean uninstall/cleanup/clean install of CS 5.5. Adobe TS (up to Tier2) no help.

History:

Had been running CS4 (fully patched) without issues for >1 year.
Noticed 1 day in 3/2011 that "PDF Printer" had disappeared from installed printers, and I could not "print to PDF" from web browser or other apps.
NUMEROUS TS calls/remote assists with Adobe TS --> no resolution. They tried all manner of multiple manual PDF printer reinstalls, copying dll files from other computer, deleting OEM driver files from elevated command prompt (!), etc.
Computer, physical printer, and entire CS4 worked fine, but I had no "PDF Printer", even though the add-in for MS Office worked fine and I could "save as > adobe pdf".
They said a clean reinstall of CS4 would resolve it, but since CS 5.5 was imminent, I opted to wait, getting by without PDF Printer.
Today, with Adobe TS assist, I performed a clean uninstall of CS4 > reboot > run Adobe CS cleanup tool > reboot > clean install of CS 5.5 from DVD > reboot > update > reboot. NO errors, no problems.
BUT, of course, "PDF Printer" is still missing. The Office Add-In seems to be working, though, as I can "save as > Adobe pdf".
EVERYTHING ELSE in CS 5.5 seems to be working fine, as does the computer and my physical printer.
NEW round of Adobe TS: same troubleshooting as last time > no joy.
So, although I now have CS 5.5 instead of CS 4, I have the SAME "PDF Printer" problem.
FiNALLY: got someone on phone who found a relevant event in the Windows log - he took the entire txt file and escalated to next Tier.
I am awaiting an outbound call back from them sometime MONDAY!!!
Deidentified (user name removed) info from that event is below -- please let me know if you need a more complete excerpt or the entire txt file.

Log Name: Application
Source: Windows Error Reporting
Date: 9/22/2011 12:40:39 PM
Event ID: 1001
Task Category: None
Level: Information
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: <username>-PC
Description:
Fault bucket 2348186669, type 5
Event Name: PnPDriverImportError
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:
P1: x64
P2: 00000005
P3: adobepdfct.inf
P4: 34e7d4c8b56429c85e0c7f2d0bbb29c4697543e0
P5:
P6:
P7:
P8:
P9:
P10:

After all the horror stories of folks having to reinstall Windows or worse b/c of Adobe issues, I am pretty annoyed (especially for $600).

I've not found their forum folks entirely helpful in the past, so I hope you wise and kind folks have some suggestions, especially if this somehow points back to a Win7 issue???

alphanumeric · 27 Sep 2011

My advice is "if you haven't already" do a clean install of Windows and start all over from scratch. I've spent days trying to clean up left overs from CS# installs and all I ended up doing was banging my head against a wall. Even the Adobe cleanup utility doesn't seem to get it all, especially if it is a licensing error or failure. After doing a clean install of Windows and a last clean install of CS# everything works. Well at least until you hit the next glitch that is. Then its back to the head banging.