Windows 7 Disable Adobe Auto Update Manager

There is another option:
Don't install it
Being serious here: I think a better alternative is "Foxit Reader"
Leaner, quicker, allows to access some advanced features of the paid version (leaving a "stamp" on saving, but very useful on some occasions)
Foxit Software - Foxit Reader for Windows
(And you can switch off the update function in the Software: Help -> Check for updates (wait) -> Preferences -> Untick "Automatically check for Foxit updates")

marwerno said:

There is another option:
Don't install it
Being serious here: I think a better alternative is "Foxit Reader"
Leaner, quicker, allows to access some advanced features of the paid version (leaving a "stamp" on saving, but very useful on some occasions)
Foxit Software - Foxit Reader for Windows
(And you can switch off the update function in the Software: Help -> Check for updates (wait) -> Preferences -> Untick "Automatically check for Foxit updates")

Click to expand...

Agree 100% Acrobat Reader is the epitome of bloatware - stuffs itself everywhere, takes ages to load and generally consumes too much in resources - I adopted Foxit ages ago.

marwerno said:

There is another option:
Don't install it
Being serious here: I think a better alternative is "Foxit Reader"
Leaner, quicker, allows to access some advanced features of the paid version (leaving a "stamp" on saving, but very useful on some occasions)
Foxit Software - Foxit Reader for Windows
(And you can switch off the update function in the Software: Help -> Check for updates (wait) -> Preferences -> Untick "Automatically check for Foxit updates&quot

Click to expand...

This is more than don't install it (Reader?)
Don't think I could live with the "don't install it" mantra where Photoshop or Illustrator were concerned!!

Fair enough if you have other than PDF readers that you are relying on.
Try this:
In the Start menu select run, type "msconfig", hit enter (in Win 7 enter it in the search bar)
Select the tab for "Startup"
Un-select the items that are in relation to the Acrobat update manager. It may have inserted itself also in the "Services" panel to start there as well.
If you sort by location and manufacturer you should be able to easily identify the items that are concerning Adobe Software.
Most software runs still fine when all the start-up items are disabled, as any missing components are simply loaded when you are starting the software manually. (unless of course you want it to start up when you start your PC, like I have put there my Backup software and world timer clock)
If something doesn't work as it should after disabling, simply redo and tick the boxes again one by one.
Note that changes will only take effect after a restart.

<rant>
This is also a great occasion to disable all the other update and checking services, like Java update, Java Quick starter, Macromedia licensing service (for i.e. Dreamweaver), Apple, Quicktime and Google updaters,etc
Mostly I found/ tried to find alternative software for because I was too annoyed by all this unasked cr.. in my startup, or I disabled the bits of software that are purely there for automatic update.
Imagine you have to bring your car daily/ weekly to the workshop for an "update", no-one would put up with that.
10 Years ago software was properly engineered and rarely needed an "update"!
</rant>

Adobe Reader has been a pain in my A** for many years. It's been growing like a mighty redwood. Version 9.n is absolutely Humungous!!!
Then there are the updates that just want to take over your PC and run your life. Cheeech!

Well, I solved all the Adobe Acrobat Reader problems by just UN-Installing the program. End of AR problems.
I gladly replaced it with "Foxit Reader" a much smaller and faster program and I've never regretted it.
If all you ever need is a PDF Reader, Foxit Reader it your guy.

Enjoy!

Old Timer

Why are you all talking about Adobe Reader? There are so many people using other Adobe applications... Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Flash.... For example web developers like me, or visual designers... This tutorial isn't based on Adobe Reader, but on Adobe. It worked for me, and I am using all of those adobe applications. And by the way: i'd prefer Foxit Reader too, instead of Adobe Reader ;-)

I do not have any problems with Adobe Acrobat X or the Adobe CS5 Master Suite. As far as bloat is concerned, these tools use a lot of resources when active, but not really when on. I do not have a problem with any of them, or their updates. This is not to say FoxIt is not a good alternative: I simply prefer the feature set of both the Reader and Acrobat. These utilities are updated a lot and for good reason. When security vulnerabilities are found, they are almost always patched as soon as possible. In the case of tools like Fireworks, Dreamweaver, Premier Pro, and InDesign many bugs are fixed in subsequent versions which would not be available if updates were disabled. I think the fact that the updates take place a lot may have to do with the perception that the program is "big and bloaty". In reality, both Reader and Acrobat support the PDF format, in all of its forms, going back to the first version and all of its alternative subsets. There is no comparison when you are talking about authoring, reading, or printing PDFs of all possible formats with this software. It is high quality software, so it is going to use disk space and get updated a lot.

Yea but some people are downloading such applications. If you download Adobe Master Suite CS5 by torrents, you'd better not update them, or they'll be recognized as illegal. The update alerts are annoying if you don't want to update Adobe.

My idea was that I don't like anything Auto starting unless I've approved it (back to XP days with limited hardware resources!).

I've never needed Adobe Auto updates to know there is an update for Photoshop, Illustrator or in fact Reader. They're posted all over the web when released!

Man, this is awesome! I have used windows for almost ten years and I didn't even know it has taskschd.msc!!!
Also, your method works like a charm!
Hopefully it'll work with CS7 ^^!

Thanks,