Troubleshoot install using logs | Elements

Analyze advanced failures

Analyze the supplemental log (Windows only)

Navigate to the log files in one of the following folders:

• Windows 32 bit (XP, Vista, 7): C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Installers\
• Windows 64 bit (XP, Vista, 7): C:\Program Files(x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Installers\
• Mac OS: //Library/Logs/Adobe/Installers/

The log file name includes the product name and install date, followed by ".log.gz." An example for a log file name is "Elements STI Installer 1.0 01-12-2011.log.gz."

Note: The extension .gz indicates a compressed format.

Use a decompression utility such as Winzip (Windows) or StuffIt (Mac) to uncompress the .gz file. Once uncompressed, you will have a new file without the .gz extension. The filename could now be something like "Elemens STI Installer 1.0 01-12-2011.log."

Open the .log file using WordPad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac OS).

Note: By default, .log files open in Console on Mac OS. Select all of the text by pressing Command+A, and then copy and paste it into a text editor before continuing.

Scroll to the bottom of the log and look at the Summary section for lines that start with "Error" or "FATAL."

If you find any of the following, see Visual Studio runtimes install fail | CS5, CS5.5 | Windows.

• Error: - Microsoft_VC80_ATL_x86: Install failed
• Error: - Microsoft_VC80_CRT_x86: Install failed
• Error: - Microsoft_VC80_MFC_x86: Install failed
• Error: - Microsoft_VC80_MFCLOC_x86: Install failed
• Error: - Microsoft_VC90_ATL_x86: Install failed
• Error: - Microsoft_VC90_CRT_x86: Install failed
• Error: - Microsoft_VC90_MFC_x86: Install failed

For all other errors, search the Adobe knowledgebase for a documentation that provides a solution. When you search, omit file paths and machine-specific information from search strings. For a list of possible errors that may appear, see Installation and launch errors in Creative Suite 5.

Search the MIL for "Return value 3."

Search the Adobe Knowledgebase for any errors found. Omit any file or registry paths from the search.

Scroll to the Summary section of the MIL.

Scroll up to check the end of each component installation log for a "Setting status" that is not 0 (zero). For example:

*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* Operation complete. Setting status: 7 =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*

Once you have identified the component installation that failed, scroll to the top of that component's log and read each line to check for errors.

Search the Adobe Knowledgebase for any errors found. 

If the component installation that failed is "Search for Help," "Adobe Media Player (AMP)," or "Adobe AIR," see AIR component fails when installing Creative Suite 5 products.

If no error messages are found, determine what the component is trying to install, then search the Adobe Knowledgebase for specific troubleshooting. For example, if the failed component is a font pack, see Troubleshoot font problems | Windows or Troubleshoot fonts | Mac OS X.

Navigate to the Temp folder: 

• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Local Settings\Temp\
• Windows Vista or 7: C:\Users\[User Name]\Local\Temp\

Note: You can also get to this folder by going to Start > Run and type in "%temp%" (without quotes), then clicking OK.

Find one of the following files:

• PRE[Version Number]Installer.log
• PSE[Version Number]Installer.log
• Elements[Version Number]Organizer.log
  

Open the .log file in WordPad.

Search for "error" or "fatal."

Search the Adobe knowledgebase for a TechNote that provides a solution to each error message. Omit paths and machine-specific information from search strings. 

Navigate to the PDapp.log file in one of the following folders:

Note: Some of the following folders are hidden by default. If necessary, see Show hidden files, folders, filename extensions | Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7.

• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Local Settings\Temp\
• Windows Vista and Windows 7: C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local\Temp\
• Mac OS: //Users/[User Name]/Library/Logs/
   

Open PDapp.log in a text editor such as WordPad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac OS).

PDapp.log records installation attempts sequentially. Each line in the log starts with a date and time stamp, which indicates when the installation was attempted. Each attempt starts with a Build Version number.

Analyze only the most recent attempt. If you can’t determine which build attempt is the most recent, delete PDapp.log and run the installer again.
 

In the most recent installation attempt, look for lines identified by [Error] or [FATAL]. For example:

5/1/2010 13:49:48.847 [Error] DWA.SystemRequirement SystemRequirements check FAILED for payload - Adobe Premiere Elements PCI wrapper

5/1/2010 13:49:20 [FATAL] PIM - Error could not create PIM Common FolderPath... F:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\PDApp\

Search the Adobe knowledgebase for a TechNote that provides a solution to each error message. Omit paths and machine-specific information from search strings. For the preceding errors, for example, you would search on “DWA.SystemRequirement SystemRequirements check FAILED for payload” and “PIM - Error could not create PIM Common Folder Path.”