Expert: Amy - 1/30/2008

Question
QUESTION: I get a message stating "could not started request task" when I open Illustrator the first time when I boot my PC.  I click ok on the message and illustrator closes, but when I got to open it again there is not error message and it opens up fine.  I reinstalled it several times but same thing.  Any suggestions?

ANSWER: Hi Victor.

That's been reported a few times.

Try deleting your prefs file.
1 - Quit AI and all Adobe apps
2 - Locate and delete the AIprefs file on your machine
3 - Try starting AI

Also, Try changing the startup disk from C: to Startup and let me know what happens.

-Amy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I Delete the AIprefs and changed the startup disk to startup but its still doing it.  It only does it the first time you launch AI.  Also gave you the wrong error message.  Message is "could not complete the requested operation"   sorry about that.  Thank you for your help.

ANSWER: Hi Victor... I recognized the error message, even though you mistyped it.  =)

When this happens, is Acrobat or Acrotray running in the background? Let me know.

Meanwhile, you should trash your font cache files.
1 - Quit all Adobe apps
2 - Search for all files matching the pattern adobefnt*.lst where * is a number and delete them. Make sure you only delete the files that end in .lst
3 - Restart Illustrator.

Font cache is something Illustrator reads when it's starting  up and I'm trying to eliminate problems it might encounter.


The other thing you could try is to move the entire Illustrator Settings folder (the folder that held the AIprefs file) to the desktop temporarily. Do this while AI is not running.

-Amy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Niether Acrobat or Acrotray are not running in the back ground.  
Deleteing the adobefnt*.lst did not help still getting the same error message.  Thank you for your help.

Answer
Hmm, sorry, I can't think of anything else to try!

If you choose to attempt to correct this, the next time you re-install, make sure your anti-virus software is not running.

Use Windows' Add/Remove programs Control Panel to remove the program completely.

Try installing in safe mode as described here:
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=325672

Follow the instructions for "clean install" as found at Adobe if you think you need it.
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb402767

Good luck!
Amy