The PDF Architect uninstaller does not clean up properly.
Here is how you remove PDF Architect Manger service.
Open Task Manager using Ctrl+Esc
Find the Services tab
Find the PDF Architect Manager to get the full name, fx "PDF Architect 5 Manager"
Run Command Prompt, Run as Administrator.
Uninstall the service using sc delete "Full name of service". In my case
sc delete "PDF Architect 5 Manager"
With pictures:
Ctrl+Esc to open Task Manager. Find the services tab. Find the name of the PDF Architect Manager installed on your system.
Run Command Prompt from the start menu by right clicking and select Run As Administrator
Delete the service using the name found under Services.
I have seen many cases identical to mine, and it really is an extremely annoying thing to have this popup all the time on your computer screen. I have already uninstalled PDF Architect because of the messages, and still I keep getting this message all the time.
I want to solve this and have peace with my computer again, can you help?
sorry for the trouble. Please run cmd.exe as administrator and enter the command
sc delete “PDF Architect 5 Manager”
This should remove the service displaying the ads in any case.
I too was a PDF Forge customer, did not like the Adobe cost for converting PDF’s to other formats.
I still own the product, but I uninstalled and no longer use it because of these popups, which I am still struggling to disable. I hope disabling the 4 services will do the trick, but Adobe owes whoever that works at PDF forge a beer because these popups forced me to go back to Adobe because I cannot stand them and the drive me nuts. I would rather spend more money and not be annoyed.
Here is my key in case anyone wants it, I plan to NEVER use anything from this company again:
Activation key : HAA32-2YN3Q-ERTZD-2MNA6-ENYVJ
Hiya Robin.
I had the same problem with the popups from PDF Architect Manager 5, and read the entire thread.
So as i see it, this has been an ongoing problem for THREE major versions of the software, going on since 2016, and you still have not managed to figure out how to remove a service?
This, as others have pointed out, put you squarely in the “Malware” category, as far as I see it. Since we are both IT professionals, I assume that you agree with me that a software company with shady behavior for almost two years after being informed, who still keep distributing software that do not uninstall properly and do ad popups on users PCs is not to be trusted.
So you guys should REALLY fix this, if you want to be taken even remotely serious as a software company.
I can understand your point. This is really the biggest issue currently and a lot of things have already been improved, even though the current situation is still problematic. There have been multiple issues related to the notification service, but it isn’t a single issue which hasn’t been fixed for years. The notification system was introduced in PDF Architect 3.1 (1 month before PDF Architect 4 was released) and the initial issue was there being no setting to disable it inside the PDF Architect options+ bad visibility of the “close” button. With PDF Architect 4, the issue was you could have multiple different version of the service installed / running, since you can install major version of PDF Architect parallel to each other on the same system. This lead to users still receiving ads even though they had disabled/uninstalled one of the services, creating the impression that the uninstall failed or left the service behind. This was fixed with PDF Architect 5, but this introduced an issue with the service not getting uninstalled properly. It has been fixed and should “only” happen if the bugged version of the installer was used for the original installation ,we will provide an uninstall script for these cases. The last remaining issue is the PDFCreator Setup, which is currently still using the problematic PDF Architect Installer; an update for this is inbound shortly which should resolve this issue once and for all.
It’s not to say that it’s a “single issue which hasn’t been fixed for years” It’s just a pop-up on software people have willingly installed. I don’t know what marketing is doing, but I can’t think of one person I’ve ever met who’s a fan of big, obtrusive pop-ups. It’s interesting to try something new, but I feel as though most people would prefer a notification in a traditional software sense, not the big and rather tacky looking pop-up. It might be a good idea to listen to users in this context. Again, I can’t think of one person who likes seeing pop-ups. Especially on their desktop.
Hope your day goes well, good luck with everything.
Yet another person who uninstalled the app after getting incessant and huge popups in the lower right corner of the screen. Five pop ups, and I was done, and uninstalled it from the company laptop. I had never even run the application before I was sick of it. Hell, I’m not even sure what version or even what package was installed. It was deleted with extreme prejudice.
Spam within the application, when I’m working it is one thing, like during the splash screen on opening, or a banner tucked in a non obtrusive frame. For a paid app, or when I’m not using your app - hell no.
Too bad I’m still getting the popups, so now I’m here to find a fix.
Whomever thought it was a good idea should be informed otherwise, preferably with a clenched fist and gritted teeth. I’m about to uninstall Avast for the same damn reason.
I can’t enter the control panel for software that’s no longer installed. Hopefully I stumble on a fix in here, or I’ll have to have IT re-image the system, and scrub this app from their master.
Services shows that there’s 4 items running named PDF Architect 5 (something) after uninstalling. The tip above to sc delete “PDF Architect 5 Manager” left the last one “Disabled”, but still in my system.
PDF Architect 5
PDF Architect 5 CrashHandler
PDF Architect 5 Creator
PDF Architect 5 Manager.
sorry for the trouble. While the issue is fixed in the latest PDF Architect installer, it might not fix the issue for people who originally installed PDF Architect 5 as part of an older PDFCreator setup which contained a defective version of the installer.
Sc delete should also work for all other services, e.g. sc delete PDF Architect 5.
After rebooting the machine, the service should no longer be listed at all.
Here is a link to an uninstall tool which will remove any remaining file system or registry entries: http://redeuro1.lulusoft.com/pub/pdfarchitect5/removal/
I am having the same problem. I downloaded your trial, uninstalled it (I believe) and have been receiving these ads on my desktop. Including a pic. Is there a way to turn this off without hunting for the service in my system config? Thank you, Slate
I have been having the same issue, I am considering reporting the application to ic3 for malware distribution. I encourage others to do the same. The software was garbage anyway.
I purchased a Pro version of architect 4 and have been getting these continual Spam notifications of upgrade offered to architect 5. I have turned off desktop notifications with no effect, and in fact turned off even the desktop notifications I wanted as a selective disable did not work…still no luck.
I have read these threads and see so many other people have had the same issue and yet nothing appears to be in process to resolve this. It s easy nowadays with auto-upgrades over the internet and certainly should have been address in the last year.
I can confirm that I have NEVER had a trial running nor a previous version apart from version 4 pro on the affected machine.
I am absolutely fed up with this, especially as I often have to give online demos for clients via screenshare and then get a huge advert popping up on my screen at just the wrong time.
Absolutely fed up with it, but I do use the pdf editor functionality that I purchased the pro version for and am loathed to delete / replace pdf architect and purchase a second alternative program without a full refund on this…
I now refer to the message above from pdf Forge moderator Robin. W in May 2017 stating pdfForge will provide a free update to PDF Architect 5 and this will remove the issue.
I would like to take advantage of this offer please. How do we make this happen?
sorry for the trouble. Have you checked that no PDF Architect x Manager service is remaining? You can run services.msc to get a list of all currently installed services and configure them. If there is a PDF Architect Manager service listed here, right click onto it, select properties and set the start type to “disabled” (+ optionally stop the service right away). This way, it will no longer start when you boot Windows and can’t display any pop-ups even if the settings inside PDF Architect are being ignored. If you send me a pm with your current key I will try to get brand new PDF Architect 6 plan for you (with the first year being free and the option to cancel it any time).
Hey, sure no problem. You can pm me by clicking onto the logo next to my name and then clicking the blue message button on the top right of the window.
Alternatively you can send an email to support(at)pdfforge.org
sorry, I am not sure why this isn’t available for you. will check if it requires any additional permissions and if needed change the configuration. any user should be able to send private messages to moderators. email will work just as well though.
I’m using Chrome Version 64.0.3282.186 (Official Build) (64-bit) with windows 10. do have popups blocked but none reported. I work in tech so hope it isn’t simple user error!
