PnPDriverImportError for Adobe CS5.5 "Adobe PDF Printer"

[MoxieMomma]

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]

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.