🚀 go-pugleaf

I was repeatedly getting a crash installing Tech Comm Suite 2 in Windows XP from installation files I downloaded to my hard drive. The crash happened in the preinstallation phase, right at the beginning even before a serial number was requested.

The Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2 Installer would freeze then crash with a message, "Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2 Installer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

I had the correct specs and resources for the installation and had turned off all the stuff I could think of. FM8 and CS3, including Acrobat 8 Pro, were installed but not running.

I found a workaround to this problem in the Adobe Knowledgebase and it works under light testing. Though, FM 9 is not outputting fonts correctly using Acrobat 9 (though Word and FM8 do not have this issue), but all seems functional.

I'm a little nervous because it does not look like the TCS 2 installer did a complete removal of Acrobat 8 when it installed Acrobat 9, but I have not yet run into a gotcha.

Here's what I found that worked to get TCS 2 installed:

1) Access the KB search <http://www.adobe.com/support>.

2) Search for "Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2 Installer" in the product "Technical Communication Suite" and select the "Product Support" checkbox.

3) Many results are for Vista--so Vista users presumably could run into this, too. Look for "Troubleshooting system errors and freezes (Technical Communication Suite 2 on Windows Vista) (kb408338)."

4) Pay attention and try step 4.: "4. Run Technical Communication Suite 2 while no other applications are running" as follows

[quote the Adobe KB article]

To disable startup items and non Microsoft services:

1. Quit all applications.
   2. Choose Start, type msconfig in the Search text box, and press Enter.
   3. Write down all unselected items under the Startup and Services tabs.
   4. Click the General tab, and choose Selective Startup.
   5. Click the Startup tab and select Disable All.
   6. Select any startup items that are essential for testing the problem. If you are unsure whether an item is essential, leave it deselected (disabled).
   7. Click the Services tab, and check Hide All Microsoft Services.
   8. Select Disable All then re-select any services that are essential for testing the problem. If you are unsure whether an item is essential, leave it deselected (disabled).
   9. Click Apply, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Note: Upon restart, you'll be notified that the System Configuration utility has made changes to the way that Windows starts up. Click OK. When the System Configuration utility appears click Cancel.

10. Right-click icons in the Notification Area and close or disable any startup items that are still active.

Then, try to re-create the problem:

* If the problem no longer occurs, one of the startup items is the cause of the problem.
    * If the problem recurs, startup items are not the cause of the problem and you can re-enable them:
         1. Choose Start, type msconfig in the Search text box, and press Enter.
         2. Click the General tab, and choose Normal Startup.
         3. Deselect any items that you wrote down in Step 3 of the previous section.
         4. Click Apply, and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
[/quote]