Slow Acrobat Reader
If you're fed up with how slow Acrobat Reader 6.0 loads, here's how to make it faster by removing all the unused plug-ins. I have not seen any missing functionality by doing this.
Here's how to do it:
- 1. Go to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader (replace the C if you installed on another drive, like I did).
- 2. Create a new folder called plug_ins_disabled.
- 3. Move all files and folders from the plug_ins folder to the plug_ins_disabled folder except EWH32.api and search.api. There should only be these 2 files in the plug_ins folder.
- 4. Done
Ads:
 |
 |
21 Comments
Excellent tip! Here's the batchfile i wrote:
@set x=%ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Acrobat\Reader\plug_ins
@move %x%\. %x%_disabled
@md %x%
@move %x%_disabled\EWH32.api %x%
@move %x%_disabled\Search.api %x%
@set x=
...where x is the only variable.
Comment by Anders Raben Hansen at November 19, 2003 05:16 PM | PermalinkVery cool, it's become so damn bloated :(
This trick helped a lot!
Another nice thing is that it (not suprisingly) uses much less memory now :)
Just a comment, I tried out a new test of ebooks the libraries in Denmark have started (more info: http://downlaan.dk/). Those ebooks needs some of the plugins for it to work. So I guess the plugins are being used for something :)
Jørgen Ramskov: post the freaking plug-ins so the rest of us knows.
Comment by Anders Raben Hansen at November 21, 2003 03:22 PM | PermalinkWell, from it's name, I would guess "eBook.api" is one of them. Don't know what else is required, if anything, though I can imagine "DigSig.api" is also required.
Comment by liorean at November 23, 2003 03:13 AM | PermalinkJeg har været dødende masser af gange over startup hastigheden på Acrobat Reader 6 - den er snart så tainted...
TrackBack from Acrobat 6 speed-up at November 25, 2003 10:00 AM | PermalinkOne of the best tech tips I have found in a long time. Thanks.
Comment by Ray Ehrlich at November 27, 2003 06:01 PM | PermalinkAnders RH: I haven't researched what plugins it needs, sorry.
The adobe tweak tip definatly makes for a quick loading time! Thank You!
Comment by aam at February 18, 2004 03:52 PM | PermalinkI kept 9AcroSign.prc,EWH32,Search and Search5.. works great!
Comment by aam at February 18, 2004 04:15 PM | PermalinkTrying the above recommendation, I did notice that hyperlinks to external documents no longer work, and you are prompted with a dialog box saying a plug-in is required. Figuring it was likely the weblink.api, I added that back in to the plug-ins folder, but it looks like there is another dependency as well. I am going to start adding files and folders back in and see if I can find out which other file(s) are necessary. If anyone else has already found the answer, please let us know!
Comment by Chris at March 2, 2004 06:14 PM | PermalinkSee the file "Optional/README.TXT". It says :
Put unused plug-ins in the optional directory.
That says it all. Possibly, Acrobat Reader picks up a plugin from this directory on demand when such
facility is required dynamically. So instead of moving un-used plugins to plugins_bak directory, move it to "Optional" directory.
Great idea to try the Optional folder and see if the files would move as they are needed. You'd think that Adobe would do just that, but alas, it isn't so. The Optional folder works just like the Plug_ins_disabled folder suggestion; it is just a holding place. As for making the hyperlink work, in addition to weblink.api, I had to also add EScript.api back in to the Plug_ins folder.
Comment by Chris at March 9, 2004 04:37 PM | PermalinkWorks too with acrobat reader 7. The minimum seems to be :
EScript.api, Search5.api, Searc.api, Weblink.api.
However, text that was highlighted with the full acrobat tool only displays the outline of the highlighted area, not the full background.
Comment by thierrybo at June 16, 2005 11:25 PM | PermalinkQuick note. If you want to speed up Acrobat go here:
http://www.tnk-bootblock.co.uk/software/index.php?type=supported&id=7F7290B5
and here:
http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/faqs/acroread.html#win-ar6-speed
Neil pointed me to another blog where they describe how to speed up the load time of Adobe....