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Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader frequently asked questions

Here you'll find answers to many general and technical questions.

General questions

Technical questions

General questions

Why should I read eBooks instead of paper books?

While you may never give up paper versions of some of your favorite classics, there are many compelling reasons to read eBooks. For example:

  • You can download eBooks to your laptop instead of lugging around heavy paper books. Plus the eBook's built-in dictionary is especially useful for reading technical and business materials. This is especially convenient for frequent travelers.
  • If you are a student, you can download all your textbooks to your laptop so the laptop's all you need to bring to class. You can highlight passages, quickly search the text, make annotations, and create bookmarks just as you would with paper books.
  • If you are anxious to read the latest bestseller, you can have the instant gratification of downloading and reading it immediately instead of waiting for it to be shipped.

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Do I need any special hardware to run the Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader 2.0?

The Acrobat eBook Reader runs on any laptop or desktop PC running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT® 4.0, or Windows 2000 and on Macintosh computers running Mac OS 9 or later. There's no need to buy any special hardware to read eBooks.

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What eBook titles are available?

There is a wide variety of new releases as well as many classics. Titles range from the latest bestsellers by Scott Turow, Stephen King, and Ian Frazier to literary treasures such as "Jane Eyre," "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," and "Through the Looking Glass."

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Where can I order eBooks?

You can order eBooks at a number of online retailers, including the Adobe eBook Mall and barnesandnoble.com.

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How long does it take to download the Acrobat eBook Reader?

You can download the Acrobat eBook Reader in less than an hour on a 28.8 modem (and much faster connecting through an ISDN line, broadband network, or 56K modem).

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How long does it take to download an eBook?

eBooks can be downloaded in a matter of minutes. eBooks come in all different sizes. A 300-page book without many graphics can be downloaded in approximately four to five minutes.

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How much do eBooks cost?

Currently, eBooks cost the same or slightly less than paper books. We expect prices for eBooks to go down in the future as market share increases. In addition, the Adobe eBook Mall has several free eBook titles available.

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How is the Acrobat eBook Reader able to display color graphics and fancy typefaces?

Because the Acrobat eBook Reader displays eBooks in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), you can view the same beautiful typeface, images, and page layout you would see with a paper book.

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What's the difference between Adobe Acrobat Reader and the Acrobat eBook Reader?

Acrobat Reader works well for all documents, while the Acrobat eBook Reader is designed specifically for eBooks. The Acrobat eBook Reader has all the functionality of the Acrobat Reader, plus it has annotation and bookmarking capabilities as well as enhancements such as display rotation for laptop computers and a built-in dictionary.

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How much does the Acrobat eBook Reader cost?

The Acrobat eBook Reader is free.

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What happens to the eBook when I'm done reading it?

Since you own the eBook, once you have read it you can store it in the Library that is included with the Acrobat eBook Reader.

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Can I print and copy my eBooks?

To protect copyrights, publishers establish their own guidelines for how much of their eBooks can be printed or copied. This means that these permissions will differ from book to book. For example, some of the free books from the Adobe Bookstore have no restrictions on copying and printing.Or, a publisher might give users the ability to print several pages of a cookbook within a set period of time.

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What hardware is best for viewing eBooks?

The Acrobat eBook Reader can be used on any Macintosh or Windows laptop or desktop computer. In general, the higher the screen resolution, the better the book will look on your monitor.

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Technical questions

Does the Acrobat eBook Reader run on Linux?

We do not currently plan to develop a version for the Linux platform, but we may in the future if that platform becomes more widely used.

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Are some applications incompatible with the Acrobat eBook Reader?

Some applications are incompatible with the Acrobat eBook Reader, including:

  • McAfee/Cybermedia First Aid, GuardDog, and Oil Change 95, 98, or 2000
  • McAfee VirusScan 1.x-3.x
  • Mijenix SystemSuite 2000
  • 4Developers Add/Remove 4Good
  • Inoculan AntiVirus 4.x - (This product can be disabled rather than uninstalled)

Make sure that these applications are not installed on your computer. If these programs are installed, you will need to uninstall them to use the Acrobat eBook Reader.

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Why am I getting an Interlok driver device error?

The Interlok driver is installed when you restart your system after installing Acrobat eBook Reader. Restart the system again to eliminate the error.

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What files do I need to backup?

By default, the Acrobat eBook Reader is installed in the C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat eBook Reader folder, although you can specify a different folder during installation. You should backup the Data subfolder, which contains eBooks and important data related to them.

Note: If you installed the Glassbook Reader, you should backup the C:\Program Files\Glassbook\Glassbook Reader\Data folder. If you custom installed the Glassbook Reader, backup the Data subfolder in the folder you selected during installation.

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What would cause the error message "Unable to certify/download books (firewall/proxy)"?

You may encounter difficulties when downloading eBooks from behind network firewalls because of proxy settings in Internet Explorer. The Acrobat eBook Reader accesses the proxy settings in Internet Explorer whether or not you use Internet Explorer as your Web browser. Verify that these proxy settings are correct and match those of other browsers you use:

  • To check proxy settings in Internet Explorer 5.x, choose Tools > Internet Options. Click the Connections tab, and click LAN Settings.
  • To check proxy settings in Internet Explorer 4.x, choose View > Internet Options. Click the Connections tab, and click Advanced in the Proxy Server group.

Note: Consult your network administrator if you are unsure about the correct proxy settings.

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What should I do if I receive an error indicating that HTTP authentication is required?

You should install the latest version of the Acrobat eBook Reader.

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What should I do if the Acrobat eBook Reader bug report form returns the error, "Your Acrobat eBook Reader needs certification: voucher engine is not certified"?

Before you certify your Acrobat eBook Reader, it logs this error message in the bug report form. You can ignore the error.

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What should I do if I receive the error, "Cannot open EBX transfer file," when trying to open the EBX transfer file?

If you haven't certified the Acrobat eBook Reader, do so. If you do not certify the Acrobat eBook Reader, you will be able to download *.etd files, which allow the Acrobat eBook Reader to obtain books, but not the books themselves.

After you certify the Acrobat eBook Reader, download the eBook by doing the following:

  1. Open the Acrobat eBook Reader.
  2. Click the Bookstore button.
  3. When prompted to certify, click Certify Now.
  4. Locate and open the *.etd file on your system.

The Acrobat eBook Reader will then download the eBook. If you cannot find the eBook file on your system, the download process may have been interrupted; go to the Bookstore and try to download the book again.

Why do I need Internet Explorer to use the Acrobat eBook Reader in Windows?

The Acrobat eBook Reader for Windows requires components that are installed with Internet Explorer. You must install Internet Explorer 4.x or later for the Acrobat eBook Reader to function properly, but you can use another browser to access the Web. Internet Explorer is available free of charge from Microsoft's Web site.

Note: If you do not install Internet Explorer 4.x or later, you may receive the error, "Unhandled Exception," when trying to certify the Acrobat eBook Reader or use it to access a bookstore

.

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What should I do with the *.etd file that I downloaded?

You need to certify the Acrobat eBook Reader; it will then download the eBook. The *.etd file contains information that allows the Acrobat eBook Reader to download the book; it is not the book itself.

To certify the Acrobat eBook Reader and download the eBook:

  1. Open the Acrobat eBook Reader.
  2. Click the Bookstore button.
  3. When prompted to certify, click Certify Now.
  4. Locate and open the *.etd file on your file system. The Acrobat eBook Reader begins downloading the book.

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How can I pan text in Zoom mode?

You must install the latest version of the Acrobat eBook Reader, which allows you to pan text in Zoom mode.

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Why can't I install the Acrobat eBook Reader in Windows NT 4.0?

You must have administrative privileges to install the Acrobat eBook Reader in Windows NT 4.0. If you do not have administrative privileges, you can download the installation file, but a user with administrative privileges must then log on to the computer and install the Acrobat eBook Reader. After installation, you do not need administrative privileges to use the Acrobat eBook Reader.

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Can I run the Acrobat eBook Reader and a debugger at the same time?

You cannot run a debugger while the Acrobat eBook Reader is running.

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Why do I get the error "Out of memory" when reading a PDF file that I opened in the Acrobat eBook Reader?

This error occurs when an item in the library points to a file that does not exist.

To verify that a file does not exist:

  1. Right-click the image of the document in the Library, and choose Info from the pop-up menu.
  2. Note the file name.
  3. Choose Start > Find > Files or Folders, and then search for the file.

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What printers are incompatible with the Acrobat eBook Reader?

The following printers are not compatible with the Acrobat eBook Reader:

  • HP LaserJet 3200
  • HP LaserJet 8100N
  • HP 1100
  • HP LaserJet 5SI
  • Epson Stylus 700/800
  • Epson Stylus 440
  • Epson Stylus 630
  • Epson LP 8500C
  • Epson PM 3000C
  • Epson LP 900
  • Brother HL-1240

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If you don't find what you need in this list: