A colleague of mine told me to save the file as a PDF on a flashdrive. 

The pdf is not your problem. You don't have privileges to modify the file on the flash drive including open it. Rather than explain why, here's the solution:

1) Try dragging the file to the desktop. This usually works.

2) If not, go back to the original machine, zip (compress/archive depending on the OS) the file before uploading it to the drive (or Dropbox etc.). Repeat (1).

3) If still unsuccessful, email the file. Email attachments are automatically zipped and unzipped.

There are other solutions but (1) or (2) should work. 

Thanks for your reply.  I still am not having any luck.  Emailing the file also did not work.  Finale 2008 manual states that the file can be opened using Adobe Reader.  After emailing, the attachment was entirely in code; so, I tried to open it in Adobe Reader.  It simply would not do it.  ???  Am I misunderstanding something?  What am I doing wrong?

Start from the beginning. How did you create the pdf file? What OS? After you’ve saved it, can you open the file on the computer that created it?

I downloaded a file from www.pdf995.com .   From the File menu I chose Print.  In the Print dialog box I clicked on the Setup button.  In the Printer/Name dropdown box I selected PDF995.  After clicking OK I was brought back to the Print dialog box.  I checked "Print to File".  When I clicked OK, a dialog box appeared where I could name the file.  Later, I checked this file to make certain it was converted to a PDF.  It was.  I moved it to the flashdrive.  All of my computers use Windows 7.  And, yes, I can easily open the file on the computer that created it.  Ultimately, I want to run the flashdrive over to the symphony office where they have a 11 x 17 printer.  Their computer does NOT have any music writing software on it, but I was told that is not necessary if the file was in PDF form.  What's odd is that the manual specifically states the PDF can be opened in Adobe Reader;yet, I am unable to do so.  

Since it is F-2008, I’m assuming Win 7 32 bit. PDF (Portable Document Format)i s an Adobe creation that they have released as a standard.

Apple integrated it into OS X from nearly the beginning. I have 2008 on an old Mac but print to pdf is a menu item—not helpful to you. In any case, a properly created pdf file should open in Acrobat Reader on all platforms.

Unlike Apple, Microsoft never licensed the code as part of the OS. There are commercial products from Adobe and others plus a thousand or more shareware and freeware apps for Windows.

I’ve never heard of pdf995 nor most of the free/cheap/shareware for Windows. I’m certain that other Win users will weigh in with suggestions on a more reliable pdf creation app. With 2008, you will create the file in the Print menu and a properly installed app will show up there after you install and reboot.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is free download and always has been. Adobe has never offered a free app for creation, however.

So PDF995 provided an open-source PDF converter.

When you open the pdf-Finale file on you own computer, do you use Adobe or another PDF reader?

I save a lot of PDF files of my own on flash drives and have no problem opening them, so I am flummoxed by the difficulty you are facing.

Yes, I'm flummoxed, too.  I switched to another converter (cutepdf.com) and got the same result.  It simply will NOT open in Adobe Acrobat Reader.  What is going on?

Good question. 

What computer is failing to open these files?

Both computers use Windows 7.  

If this helps, I tried opening the file on two other computers.  So, of the three I've tried so far, two have Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and one has Adobe Reader X.  None of them opened the file.

,Ok, the problem is on your machine. How exactly are you creating the file? What are your settings?

Well, I thought I had already explained this, but let's try it, again.  First, I extract the score (same procedure for extracting parts).  From the File menu I choose Print.  In the Print dialog I click the Setup button.  I then click the Printer/Name drop-down menu and choose (in this case) either pdf995 or cutepdf.  Several people have said either of these should work fine.  After choosing one of those I check the box marked "Print to File".  Then I click OK.  A box appears where I can name the file (it does not allow me to choose a destination).  So after I name and save, I locate the file and have it moved to the flashdrive.  For the score, the only change made is that I request 11 x 17.  'Not sure what other settings you might be inquiring about.  

And I am guessing you have tried opening the PDF from your flash drive on the original computer to make sure the flash drive is not the problem.

Have you taken the flash drive to your print shop to see if they can open it? They might have a PDF reader that works. You might also call the print shop to see if they can open the original Finale file (even though 2008 is a pretty old version for a print shop to keep around).

I can try that.  The flashdrive is brand new, but I have others I can try, too.  I'd be really surprised if a print shop around here would be able to access any version of Finale! 

How is the drive formatted?

If you are asking if it is FAT32 or NTFS, I have no idea because this information does not appear in the 'properties' window.   Anyway, I tried to open the pdf file on the computer that created it.  It would NOT open.  I tried another flashdrive.  This also did not work.  Is the format significant?  How can I check this?

Sorry........I was checking the receiving computer.  The drive of the creating computer is NTFS.  The flasdrives are FAT32.  

FAT32 is standard for new drives.

OK.  Is that significant?  

(tumbleweeds.........)   I guess I'm dead in the water...

Does the PDF open on the computer that created it?

No.  I also tried on other computers....no luck.  

How large is the PDF?

What is the capacity of the flash drive?

(I doubt your PDF is too big for recent flash drives, but it's worth checking.)

If the PDF won’t open on any computer, including the one that created it, then my only conclusion is that the PDF creation was at fault. Since hundreds (thousands?) of users create them with no problems, there has to be someting wrong with the creation process.

Is there anyone on the forum, still using 2008, who would be willing to try a PDF conversion on their computer? If the OP is willing, he could post the Finale file to dropbox and make a link available to a volunteer.

Adrian:  I checked this long ago.  The file is 67K, the flashdrive capacity is 32 GB.

Mike:  I will be doing this.  I DO have access to another computer with Finale 2008.  I should be able to do this this evening.  

I'm happy to look at it, even create a pdf from Finale 2008. Since my copy is on my Mac G4, I can guess how much good it will do but no harm in trying, right? A Dropbox link is best.

One should upload zipped and uncompressed versions of the same file to eliminate permission/privilege issues.

Come to think about it, I did create such a file over a year ago when someone complained that the pdf files created via Graphics/Export in 25 were huge compared to the files created in old Mac versions (that person was wrong, btw). I don't throw these things away so all I have to do is remember where I stored it. Great—I don't have to fire up my G4.

There's so much we don't know but the biggest is this: How your computer is making pdf files that can't be opened? Are you using a 3rd party print driver? Are you encrypting the files?

I wish I had the time to set up my Win7 laptop, install Finale 2008 & cutepdf, then test this but I don't—at least, not this month.

Hey, it worked!!   The problem obviously is with the computer the file file was originally created on.   This is no problem.  I'll simply convert the score and parts on this other computer.  It is puzzling, though, why the other is incapable of creating a transferable file.  Well, a big thanks to everyone who helped!!!!!!

Chalk it up to JOOTT: Just One Of Those Things.

Glad you got it worked out, even if, not solved!

Yea!!!

It is puzzling, though, why the other is incapable of creating a transferable file

Yes, but that's a problem for another day and another forum, no doubt.

Well, a big thanks to everyone who helped!!!!!!

You're very welcome!