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For the past couple of days I have been unable to download PDFs from a link on any browser using my primary account on my PC. This applies to Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. When I left-click on a link to a PDF, I get one of two responses:
Waiting for 127.0.0.1...
Waiting for [domain name of website hosting PDF]...
Right clicking does not produce a dialog box to save the PDF.
A couple of times when clicking such a link, my mouse started stuttering. I checked Performance Monitor and both CPU and disk usage were pushing 100%. The increased usage was all attributed to System processes and System Interrupts which alone was taking up 25% of CPU. My PC runs very smoothly otherwise, and I have never before encountered lagging.
I have disabled my antivirus and firewall, disabled all browser extensions except Adobe Acrobat, and restarted my PC, but the problem has continued. Interestingly, when I browse the web with the other account on my PC, I can download and view PDFs just fine.
I did think to reinstall Adobe Acrobat Reader, but wouldn't it likely be failing on both accounts if that were the issue? Any suggestions?
I am running Windows 10 on an HP Spectre X360.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I should also give an update that uninstalling and reinstalling Chrome did not solve the problem. I don't think it would be worth trying with Edge and Firefox.
Nearing the point where I may just migrate everything to a new account and be done with it, but it would be great to get some insight into this.
Also, it appears that I can download PDFs as email attachments when I use my browser to log in, but just not from hyperlinks on regular websites. This applies to both my work email and my personal Gmail.
Thank you for your suggestions.
Windows Defender Controlled Folder Access and Check Apps & Files were already disabled and I was using Norton Security instead. I did disable Norton Security Antivirus and Firewall temporarily, and that did not help.
I ran the net command and made the default Administrator account available, and I was able to download PDFs from that account. I have another administrator account on this PC, and I never had any trouble downloading from that account either. I only have trouble with my second administrator account, which I use for everything work-related.
Also, I just noticed that it is not only PDFs that are affected. I also cannot download .zip files. I can download .exe files.
Any thoughts?
Hi
Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
To isolate the problem...
Open Windows Defender Security Center
Click Virus & threat protection
Click Virus & threat protection settings
Scroll down to Controlled folder access
Toggle it off
in later versions
Open Windows Defender Security Center
Click Virus & threat protection
Click Ransomware protection
Toggle off Controlled folder access
Also in Windows Defender Security Center
Open App & browser control
Set 'Check apps & files' to off
If the problem persists, could you confirm if this also happens in the default Administrator account?
Open Start
Type: cmd
Right click CMD
Click Run as administrator
At the command prompt, type:
net user administrator /active:yes
Hit Enter
Close command prompt, restart, then try signing into the Administrator account.
Try downloading your Adobe PDFs again.
