Preview Handler Surrogate Host

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I have a frustrating error and Google doesn’t seems to turn up much. Using Windows 7 Home 32 and Foxit reader. When this problem started I uninstalled Foxit (latest) & tried NitroPDF, same problem. Uninstalled that & reinstalled Foxit, was OK for a day or so, now started again.
Every time I try to rename or delete a PDF file in windows explorer, I get this message. see attachment

‘The action can’t be completed because the file is open in Preview Handlers Surrogate Host’

It happens every time, just for PDF files, tried rebooting etc nothing changes it. The only way is to turn off the preview pane, which I need, as I rename a lot of PDF files using the information from the document shown in the preview pane. Eg invoice numbers etc
I also use Soluto(Beta) and it is showing lots of DCOM DLL Host process crashes

If anyone has any ideas I would be very grateful

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Have you tried with Acrobat Reader?

Joe

--Joe

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I haven’t, but I’m not sure it would work. I have installed FreeCommander as an alternative file viewer since my first post above, although it is rather different to use than Explorer. Using that I can preview, rename, copy or delete pdf’s fine. Also tried uninstalling/ reinstalling Foxit again- no change.
It would seem to be a Windows problem rather than a problem with the pdf software.
Also done sfc /scannow, nothing found.
Is there any registry setting that could get corrupted so that Windows doesn’t know which program runs the PDF files? When I tried NitroPDF, the whole computer would freeze for ages, had to use task manager to end process.
Last 2 options would be a repair install or clean install I suppose.
Thanks Joe

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I seldom use the preview pane any more but I would suspect the preview software before I’d suspect Windows. I don’t remember using Foxit at the time I was using the preview pane. The problem you described with NitroPDF is one of the reasons we quit using it. We also had problems printing some PDF files with both Nitro & Foxit. With Adobe Reader X, Adobe has begun to address the security issues that have plagued Reader. Once we emphasized to users to be more careful about attachments and downloads we decided to put up with the size of Reader and that PDF fidelity was more important.

Note: I enabled the preview pane and am able to rename PDF files after previewing them using Adobe Reader x 10.0.1.

Joe

--Joe

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Thanks Joe. I got up this morning and thought well I’ll give it a try. Uninstalled Foxit using Revo Uninstaller and installed Adobe Reader.
The problem has gone, all actions can complete no problem.
The Foxit was a new version, just been out a few days, so maybe a bug in it. Strange that Nitro has the same problem.
Really appreciate your advice.

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Glad you got it working. Thanks for posting back.

Joe

--Joe

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9:39 PM 8/12/2011 Re: the action can’t be completed because the file is open in preview handler surrogate host
Here’s what worked for me: On a Windows 7 Pro x64 system, using Foxit Reader 5.0.2.718, I went to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPreviewHandlers. One of the entries, in the Data field, was for Foxit PDF Preview Handler.
I exported the PreviewHandlers node, went back into the registry and deleted the Foxit PDF Preview Handler line. I then was able to delete the problem PDF file. I then merged (left mouse click) the .reg back into the registry, restoring the Foxit PDF Preview Handler entry. Don’t know if this was necessary, but better safe than sorry. Don’t forget to delete the .reg file.
No permanent fix, but a quick and successful workaround (after half a day frustration).

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This thread is a bit old, but I encountered the same problem… then solved it before creating my Windows Secret Lounge account… but thought I’d post my solution.

I have a similar configuration of software… Windows 7, Foxit Reader 5.0.2. (I have Adobe Reader 9.x) but use it only rarely… usually so I can have the same document open in side by side windows.

In any case, I could not rename .pdf file in Windows Explorer.

I tried opening a DOS Command window, then navigated to the file location, but still could not rename (REN ) as it indicated the file was in use. I then closed my Windows Explorer Window, and was able to rename the file in the Command Window.

Then restarted Windows Explorer, and turned off the preview pane, and am able to rename files at will…. I think that’s all it is. Preview pane is easy to turn on/off with toggle in upper right.

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Thanks for your reply. I have done a complete reinstall since that time, because the computer was getting very slow etc. Got rid of several programs that were not used etc, goes much faster.
The same thing did happen again after that, and I fixed it by doing a repair install of the Foxit preview handler used to preview pdf files in Outlook.
Maybe that was the cause of the problem always……I’ll never know.

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