Adobe doesn't seem to me to give particularly good info on problems, but from what I'm able to glean and incorporate into my "translation" (hopefully intelligible, but not strictly according to rigorous computereze) I think I can step through what's normal, and perhaps it will help find what's going wrong. Sorry if it's teedjus:

1. Adobe normally downloads and installs an Adobe Download Manager with your first download from the Reader website or from their "eBooks" site. This particular Download Manager is used only for the Reader and for eBooks.

1.a. If the Download Manager has been successfully installed, it should appear at:

"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ESD\AdobeDownloadManager.exe"

The version I have (after update to Reader version 7.0.8) is:

Version 2.0.0.43, 405 KB

1.b. If the Download Manager is not installed:

(You can look in Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add or Remove Programs to be sure whether the Adobe Download Manager is installed.)

" If you selected Save instead of Open in the File Download dialog box, the Download Manager Installer gets copied onto your computer without starting Download Manager. To determine if Download Manager is on your computer, search for the Download Manager installer by its file name:
-- AdbeRdr70_DLM_enu.exe (Adobe Reader 7.0)
-- AdbeRdr60_DLM_enu_full.exe (Adobe Reader 6.0)
If the file is on your computer, double-click it to start Download Manager. Download Manger then automatically starts the Adobe Reader installer."

1.c. The Reader download allows you to choose to not use the Download Manager, in which case a "Reader Installer" file is downloaded to your computer. Generally, this installer (when not accompanied by the Download Manager) will NOT AUTOMATICALLY complete the installation. You have to find the file and double-click it to do the installation.

2. The .aom file appears to be a "script file" for the Download Manager. Each time you visit the Reader download site, Adobe checks the version of Reader on your machine and looks to see if there is a later version. If there is, a new .aom file is downloaded and should be automatically directed to the Download Manager. The .aom file tells the Download Manager how to perform that particular download and installation, but is not itself the download you want.

2.a. The .aom file should disappear when it's been processed by the Download manager.

2.b. If the .aom file that you found is approximately 330 KB, it is likely that it is a "proper" script for the Download of either Reader v.6 or Reader v.7, that has gotten separated from the Download Manager or failed to complete processing for some reason.

If this is what you have, Adobe suggests you drag the .aom file and drop it onto the Download Manager, and then double-click the Download Manager to open it. If part of the download of the Reader Installer was completed, you could be offered a "Continue" choice, otherwise the Download Manager should begin a new download of the program for which the .aom was created. – which hopefully will be the Reader you want.

If the drag and drop of the .aom file onto the Download Manager doesn't work, a restart of a new download is recommended.

In a worst case situation, the Download Manager may be hung up attempting to process an impossible script, so uninstalling the Download Manager (Control Panel | Add Remove Programs) may be needed to get a "clean start" at the Reader download site.

***

A: It is recommended that you allow Adobe to download the Download Manager and allow it to "run" rather than saving it for later execution.

(The Manager is updated frequently, so you'll need a new one, or updates, nearly every time you visit the Adobe site.)

B: When the Download Manager is installed, it should proceed to the Reader Download. You should again be offered the "save" or "run" option. If you choose to "save" you will have to find the file and double-click it to continue to Installing the Reader. If you allow it to "Run" the installation should be automatically completed.

(Updates to the Reader have been fairly frequent, so saving the file to "keep track of" what you've got becomes rather futile if you try to keep up to date. Allowing the Reader download to "Run" seems much more practical.)

C: Under normal circumstances an interrupted download can be restarted by double-clicking the Adobe Download Manager. If there is an uncompleted .aom file loaded by the Download Manager, you should see a "continue" option. Erratic connections and "inferior" ISP policies, interference from firewalls and AV, and/or mishandling by third party "download programs" can cause a file to be corrupted rather than just incomplete, in which case a restart of a new download probably would be required. A rare (for Windows) "corruption" of the file name downloaded can occur with some browsers, in which case the file may be okay if renamed. The site you're downloading from should tell you the name of the file and you can compare that to the file you get (if you make notes). The only common "filename corruption" is replacement of a dot (.) with an underbar (_).

I can't guarantee that this description is technically accurate; but stepping through the procedures as though this is what's happening doesn't seem to reveal any conflicts. Consider it a "conversational English" description, not necessarily "program language correct."

John