How do I find preinstalled program's executable from the Start Menu

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  1. Posts : 109
    Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #1

    How do I find preinstalled program's executable from the Start Menu


    I have a new Windows 7 Professional machine, on which Adobe Reader is preinstalled. A program I'm using (called TeXnicCenter, if you must know), is calling some program called Nitro to view the PDF files it creates. I want to change that to Reader, which means I need to find its executable.

    Start Menu has a shortcut to Reader. I have opened that shortcut's properties box. However, it does not tell me where it's pointing to.

    I've had this type of problem in the past. I don't just want to know where Reader is installed (I do want to know that, though). How do I find where Reader is installed from the Start Menu's shortcut? Why is the location hidden?

    I have found the Program Files (x86)/Adobe directory. But I it is a rather large tree and I haven't found the correct executable. This is another reason I want to use the shortcut. It point me right to the correct executable. Why would MS even bother to hide this info?
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  2. Posts : 572
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #2

    a simple way to find the actual exe file is to click on start, start typing the programs name (in this case I would go with Adobe) right click on that listing and choose Open File location which will then show you exactly where the exe is.

    With that out of the way are you trying to set the default of PDF files back to adobe instead of nitro? If so go to where you saved a pdf right click and choose properties. click on the Change icon next to opens with. Adobe should be in that list. if not the browse to the file location you found from above.
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  3. Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #3

    On my Win 8 X64 system, Adobe Reader is in

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"

    Should be the same in Windows 7. If you have 32 bit then I think it would be:

    "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"

    One easy way to find it is to open a PDF with Adobe, then start Task Manager, right click on Adobe Reader and select Open file location.
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  4. Posts : 109
    Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Typing "Adobe" and "Reader" in the start menu did find the program (not sure why). In fact, Reader doesn't look like it's on the menu anymore. I installed a reader update in the 15 minutes between our posts and that seems to have taken it out of the Start Menu. And that seems to have removed the Reader icon from the Start Menu.

    But I do get your idea. I tried it with another program. It still took me to the shortcut in the start menu which, if it existed for Reader, would still not be showing me the executable's location.

    I am not trying to set Reader as my PDF default. It's already set that way. I am trying to get TXC to use Reader (instead of Nitro) to open PDF files. TXC has tabs of settings for sending different commands to the PDF viewer of choise. I am trying to set those.
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  5. Posts : 572
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #5

    I see what your saying here. The Actual path to the exe your looking for should be in C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 11.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe

    the link in app data points to the AcroRd32.exe on my 64 bit system.

    Ztrucker you are correct, I misunderstood what they were attempting to do here.
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  6. Posts : 109
    Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks. But my more general question(s) still remains: Why is MS hiding this information in some Start Menu icons? And, in general, how do I find the target of those type shortcuts?
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  7. Posts : 318
    Windows 10 x64
       #7

    Right click on any shortcut. In the context menu choose properties.
    The dialog box will show you the path to the executable (in a box labelled "Target").
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  8. Posts : 109
    Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Some of them do not show the target. For some reason they are trying -- successfully -- to hide it. For those ones, how do I find the target?
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  9. Posts : 572
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #9

    perhaps this will help answer the question. link
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  10. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #10

    Post an image of the properties dialog box that you see. The file path should be shown after "Target". That field can't be blank or the shortcut wouldn't work. If you're not able to display executables then your system may have group policy rules installed. If that's the case, contact your Administrator.
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