# Why is it so impossible to open a pdf. document?



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Lately I've had to go to a couple web sites and click on a .pdf link to open a .pdf document running around 70 pages or so. When I use Firefox, I'm taken to the front page of the .pdf but can't scroll down or view it. It's as if everything is frozen. I eventually have to open the Task Manager and stop the process to get out of that screen.

If I try Internet Explorer, I can't even open the .pdf file. I immediately get the response, "Internet Explorer cannot display the page." 

My connection is fine; I can open .pdf files I've created or downloaded. I just can't seem to open them up when they're linked on web sites. I also don't have any pop-up blocking that would cause a problem. 

This is especially annoying when I have to quickly access a .pdf link like I'm doing this afternoon.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

Odds are they didn't set up the MIME type correctly on their server.


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## leier911 (Oct 17, 2006)

I've had similar issues before. Rather than trying to 'open' them, have you tried to right click the link to it and click on save link as.....or save as......then let it fully download that way in firefox and open it via Adobe, etc. Rather than "in" the browser itself?


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

4HiMarks said:


> Odds are they didn't set up the MIME type correctly on their server.


Strange, however, that this is happening on several *different *web sites.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

I've never had a problem, but some of them are extremely large files, several 10s of Mb, so I avoid doing it on limited bandwidth connections.

Occasionally, the in-browser reader will burp and not want to work right. I just open the Reader itself and then open the document from within it.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

leier911 said:


> I've had similar issues before. Rather than trying to 'open' them, have you tried to right click the link to it and click on save link as.....or save as......then let it fully download that way in firefox and open it via Adobe, etc. Rather than "in" the browser itself?


Good suggestion. I'll give that a shot and see if it helps.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

You don't even have to Save the document. You can open the URL from within the reader.


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

Lord Vader said:


> Lately I've had to go to a couple web sites and click on a .pdf link to open a .pdf document running around 70 pages or so. When I use Firefox, I'm taken to the front page of the .pdf but can't scroll down or view it. It's as if everything is frozen. I eventually have to open the Task Manager and stop the process to get out of that screen.
> 
> If I try Internet Explorer, I can't even open the .pdf file. I immediately get the response, "Internet Explorer cannot display the page."
> 
> ...


PDF Download is z Firefox add-on that allows you to either download or view the PDF in a PDF reader program or as HTML.

Also, the Google Chrome browser opens PDF files very quickly.


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## Mustang Dave (Oct 13, 2006)

I would open Adobe and click Help \ Check for Updates and make sure you have the latest patches.

For the IE issue we had a couple of computers that were getting that same error message and had to do this,

Tools \ Internet Options \ Advanced \ uncheck "do not save encrypted pages to disk"


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

My Adobe's all up to date.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Lord Vader said:


> My Adobe's all up to date.


I'd delete all plugins for PDFs, so if you really want to read inline, you can reinstall. Keeping them out assures me that the browser won't try to open them in it, and it'll be downloaded to my DT, which is usually where I want 'em. YMMV as to desirability of this method.


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## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

Freezing seems to happen when I try to scroll through a long document while it's still downloading.

--- CHAS


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

I am seeing the same issue too, but not on all my computers.


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## cableguy902 (Jan 10, 2011)

Here is the fix for pdf problems I had on certain files: go to Edit-Preferences-Internet, then unselect where it says "Allow fast web view" and "Allow speculative downloading in the background".

I dont know if it will fix your problem, but in my case I wasnt able to open files at all and this solution worked for both IE and Firefox


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

cableguy902 said:


> go to Edit-Preferences-Internet,


Where is that? When I click on "edit," preferences isn't present at all.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Lord Vader said:


> Where is that? When I click on "edit," preferences isn't present at all.


Within Adobe Reader, although I wouldn't have known that either from the post. I just went a'huntin' fer it. 

I have no idea why the speed shows 56Kbps unless that's just a default.


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## Dude111 (Aug 6, 2010)

leier911 said:


> I've had similar issues before. Rather than trying to 'open' them, have you tried to right click the link to it and click on save link as.....or save as......then let it fully download that way in firefox and open it via Adobe, etc. Rather than "in" the browser itself?


If the PDF is too large i have to do this cause the same thing happens.... (Wont open in the browser)

Not sure why,i think its a ram issue or something...


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Dude111 said:


> If the PDF is too large i have to do this cause the same thing happens.... (Wont open in the browser)
> 
> Not sure why,i think its a ram issue or something...


Knock out reading in the browser- any browser- and your troubles will vanish.
And you'll have the PDF already saved.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I would try a repair installation of Acrobat or Adobe Reader; perhaps your plugins are fouled up.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Dude111 said:


> If the PDF is too large i have to do this cause the same thing happens.... (Wont open in the browser)
> 
> Not sure why,i think its a ram issue or something...


With 8GB of RAM, I don't think it's a RAM issue. I don't even think it's a PC issue per se, even though I am VERY disappointed with this new HP I got last summer. I'd elaborate on that, but that's a whole 'nother thread, and one that could be lengthy due to my being so fed up with HP.

Suffice it to say I will NEVER buy a PC from them again. Ever.


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## jerry downing (Mar 7, 2004)

Lord Vader said:


> With 8MB of RAM, I don't think it's a RAM issue. I don't even think it's a PC issue per se, even though I am VERY disappointed with this new HP I got last summer. I'd elaborate on that, but that's a whole 'nother thread, and one that could be lengthy due to my being so fed up with HP.
> 
> Suffice it to say I will NEVER buy a PC from them again. Ever.


I hope you mean 8GB of RAM.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Duh! I did indeed.


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## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

PDF files are also very CPU intensive. What CPU do you have in your computer?


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

Kevin F said:


> PDF files are also very CPU intensive. What CPU do you have in your computer?


PDF files inherently aren't that CPU intensive, although many-page documents may be. But Acrobat Reader certainly is.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Kevin F said:


> PDF files are also very CPU intensive. What CPU do you have in your computer?


Its info:AMD Phenom II X4 830•Operating speed: Up to 2.8 GHz•Number of cores: 4•Socket: AM3•Bus speed: 4000 MHz HT3Motherboard: H-RS880-uATX (Aloe)•Manufacturer: Foxconn•Form factor: uATX•Chipset: AMD 785G •Memory sockets: 4 x DDR3•Front side bus speeds: 5200 MT/s•Processor socket: AM3•Expansion Slots:◦1 PCI x16 slot for graphics card◦3 PCI x1 slots◦1 PCI Express x1 minicard slot


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

Just to clarify you are using 32 bit browsers and not their 64 bit versions are you?


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

You know, I don't recall. I simply use FireFox or IE's latest version with my Windows 7 Premium OS. I'm guessing it's 64 bit.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

I would check that. Chances are you are using the 32 bit but just make sure. You have the 64 bit OS installed and you have to go out of your way, kind of, to install 64 bit firefox. The 32 bit version of IE is the default shortcut that is used on the quick launch bar as well, unless it's been changed since I last did an installation of win 7.

You might want to check this page here:

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/328/328233.html


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Let's don't get confused here. Mozilla's goal is to launch the 64 bit version along with Firefox 5. Since Firefox 4 is in its last beta, that 64 bit release version 5 may be a week or two off.

They've had a 64 bit version for experimenters for awhile. They have the 5 64-bit currently available in the form of an alpha in their trunk builds labeled "Minefield." Good name.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

phrelin said:


> Let's don't get confused here. Mozilla's goal is to launch the 64 bit version along with Firefox 5. Since Firefox 4 is in its last beta, that 64 bit release version 5 may be a week or two off.
> 
> They've had a 64 bit version for experimenters for awhile. They have the 5 64-bit currently available in the form of an alpha in their trunk builds labeled "Minefield." Good name.


I didn't mean to imply that it installed both copies. I was talking about IE in the next sentence but didn't specify. I updated the post.


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