Not wishing to hijack thread, but could also do with advice...
I'm also having problems with .pdf files, although I'm using Adobe 7 free reader. All was fine until it wanted to update itself from 6 to 7. Now, I am unable to view files, either online, or even after downloading to disk.
I have uninstalled it, reinstalled it, uninstalled it and gone back to Version 6. Alas, 6 no longer works!!
It just hangs the pc now. CPU usage shows as 100% even with no other progs running. Only way out is to restart pc - at that stage, a little task manager window pops up and tells me that Adobe isn't responding, and suggests clicking on 'end now'. (But the Adobe isn't showing as running until I begin to shut pc down.....??)
Is it something to do with Adobe overall?? Are there many more cases out there of .pdf files no longer happy in general?