problem with serial number

Report · Nov 06, 2008

I just recently purchased and installed the Academic version of the Adobe Technical Communication Suite. However, when I went to enter my serial number after launching Frame 8 for the first time, I received a red X at the end and was told it was not a valid serial number. I used the one listed under "Technical Suite" on my box. I tried to enter it several times and even had a colleague try to no avail.

I tried to use the Adobe online chat and was told that the number was valid, but had not been "activated." I was confused as I thought that what I was doing in the Software Setup was activating the number. I am on a machine with internet access and administration permission. The entry fields only allow numerical entry, so I know I am not confusing 0 and O. The online chat rep told me I had to call Customer Service.

So far, my "customer service" experience has been very poor. I provided all my info and the serial number and was told I need to talk to Technical Support, they transferred me. The next person took all the same info and said that I needed to talk to customer service and transferred me back, but of course to a new rep. I was transferred back to Support Options again, then transferred into oblivion where no one answered for 40 minutes and then I was disconnected!!!

After reading some of these forum topics, I thought maybe I was having trouble because I have had RoboHelp in the past and still had an older version of Frame. I proceeded to deinstall anything related to Adobe, including the new suite. Then, after a restart, I tried to reinstall and tried again to enter my serial number only to get the exact same "not valid" message.

PLEASE HELP!! I have a fast approaching deadline and need to get this worked out.

Renee

Report · Nov 06, 2008

There are the O and 0 also 1 and l problems. Try with and without dashes
separating the groups of digits. If all else fails, you will
unfortunately have to call Technical support, they are the only ones
that can help. They can issue you new serial numbers if necessary. If
they won't help ask for a supervisor.

Mike

Report · Nov 06, 2008

Mike-

Thanks for the message. I did call back today and after several other non-useful suggestions, was told to de-install the suite (that I had installed from the DVD), then download and install the trial version from Adobe, then use my serial number and it would work.

This did work.

One thing that was different on the downloaded trial version was that it installed Frame, RoboHelp, and Captivate together and then installed Acrobat separately. I assume something has been repaired in the install and is now available via the Adobe download that was not available whenever they burned my DVD.

I thought I would add this to the thread in case it would help any other user.

Renee

Report · Nov 06, 2008

Thanks for the update.

Mike

Report · Nov 04, 2009

I may be a bit behind the time, but I've just bought TCS 1.3 and sure enough I've got the same serial number issue. Loads up just fine but won't take the serial number. Tried to get support out of Adobe but it's virtually non existant or of very poor quality - diabolical.

Anyway, I read this forum and thought of trying the trial version of getting it to take my serial number, but the problem is I can't find a trial version of TCS 1.8. Does anybody know where I can get one? Or does anybody have any other ideas?

Adobe support says my number is okay and to select International English for this install, the problem is I don't get the IE option - only English, Japanese, French and German.

This is a very expensive mistake I won't make again!

Cheers

Report · Jan 19, 2009

Well, I only got half as far.

I bought the boxed version and had the same problem as the above user. So I downloaded the trial version. With the trial version, my serial number worked...

BUT...

CAPTIVATE does not recognize the serial number! It prompts for its own serial number, which I don't have, and neither the Acrobat nor the Technical Communications Suite serial numbers work?!?!?!

So now I have FrameMaker OK, RoboHelp OK, but Captivate won't run (except in 30 day trial mode!!!)

Help please?!

Report · Jan 19, 2009

I had not tried to launch Captivate until I saw your post, but my copy says that it is already active. I think that I read that you have to use RoboHelp or Frame to activate the suite online, then Captivate should work. (You have to install and activate Acrobat separately, but I do not think it has any impact on Captivate.)

I hope that helps. Good luck!

Report · Jan 20, 2009

Is this the trial version of Captivate or a trial version of TCS that
you downloaded. You TCS serial number should not work with the single
trial of Captivate. Moreover, you will be missing the pieces that tie
the TCS together if you only get the single software products

Mike

Report · Feb 06, 2009

I have had exactly the same experience as Renee, only that I bought a full-priced boxed version of Adobe TCS 1.3 and it wouldn't recognize the serial number.

There is a disk labelled "Adobe Technical Communication Suite 1.3 with Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended". When I insert that disk and run installer, the components installed do not contain Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended - but they contain an earlier version - Adobe Acrobat 3D 8.

The worst of all is if I try to activate Technical Communication Suite using the serial number printed on the DVD, I am told that the serial number is invalid so cannot proceed with the activation.

It seems that the content burned on the DVD does not match the advertised content (i.e. wrong version of Acrobat) and hence the serial number is invalid.

I also spend most of the day being transferred between Adobe activation line, technical support and customer services, spoke to more than 10 people, had the line cut 3 times and at the end all they could tell me was to contact the reseller for a replacement DVD.

I did that, the new DVD promptly arrived, but the problem is the same.
This seems to be an issue with a whole batch of DVDs.

I am absolutely outraged by the diabolical support offered by Adobe. The way they treat a paying customer who just spent well over £1,000 pounds on a piece of software is absolutely disgusting. At one point they offered to send me the replacement DVD from Adobe if I pay for it! How low they can go in their greed!

Report · Apr 15, 2009

I bought Technical Communication Suite 1.0 (Japanese) on the release date Nov. 9, 2007 in Japan and encountered three problems for installing Technical Communication Suite 1.0 on Windows Vista Home Premium.

Although my case is old, I think that two of my problems are common to any Windows Vista Home Premium users, so I post my case for your reference.

My environment:

OS: Windows Vista Home Premium
CPU: Core 2 Duo T7200 (2 GHz) at that time

Problem 1

Technical Communication Suite 1.0 (Japanese) cannot successfully be installed on Windows Vista Home Premium environment.

Symptom:

During installation, following error message is shown for RoboSource Control:

Error Module C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboSource Control 3.1\NGMenu.dll failed to register. HRESULT -2147024891

The installation program will continue and finish, but I don't want to use the application program with an installation error.

Repeatability:

This symptom has repeatability when installing Technical Communication Suite 1.0 on Windows Vista Home Premium environment.

It will occur even if a user install Technical Communication Suite 1.0 immediately after clear installing Windows Vista Home Premium and hardware drivers.

Wordaround (?):

Use Windows Vista Ultimate instead of Windows Vista Home Premium.

This symptom does not occur when installing Technical Communication Suite 1.0 on Windows Vista Ultimate environment.

I got the workaround (?) from Adobe's Technical Support in Japan on Nov. 15, 2007 and "no progress" report on Dec. 28, 2007.

I have no information since then, so, I think this case is still open for using Technical Communication Suite 1.x on Windows Vista Home Premium.

Result for Problem 1:

In my case, I luckly had Windows Vista Ultimate environment too.

So, I installed Technical Communication Suite 1.0 on Windows Vista Ultimate.

It surely does not occur in Windows Vista Ultimate.

Problem 2

Captivate must be run as Administrator.

Symptom:

When I run Captivate as a login user, it prompts to enter the serial number, but I have already input the Technical Communication Suite's serial number during installation.

FrameMaker 8 and RoboHelp 7 show the Technical Communication Suite's serial number.
Captivate shows the blank serial number input box.

I input my Technical Communication Suite's serial number to the Captivate's serial number input box again and again, but it has never been accepted.

Repeatability:

This symptom has repeatability when I run Captivate as a login user.

Workaround:

Run the Captivate as Administrator.

To run Captivate as Administrator (on Windows Vista):

Go to Captivate's installation directory (for example, C:Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 3\).
Right-click AdobeCaptivate.exe and select Properties.
Select Compatibility tab.
Select Run this program as an administrator checkbox and click OK.
Run Captivate.

I got the workaround from the Adobe's Customer Support in Japan on Nov. 15, 2007.

Result for Problem 2:

Since I changed my environment to Windows Vista Ultimate, I did not confirm the result of the Problem 2 on Windows Vista Home Premium.

Captivate prompts to enter the serial number again when I first time run it as Administrator on Windows Vista Ultimate.

FrameMaker 8 and RoboHelp 7 show the Technical Communication Suite's serial number.
Captivate shows the blank serial number input box.

I input Technical Communication Suite's serial number again to the Captivate's serial number input box and it has been accepted.

Report · Mar 16, 2009

By downloading the trail version first, would you think it would accept the serial number even tho i am running windows xp 64bit?

Report · Apr 02, 2009

Try deleting this file C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe PCD\cache\cache.db Then type in serial number again

Report · Apr 28, 2009

I realize that my post is coming a long time after the original post but I wasn't sure if I should start a new post or continue this thread so here I am (apologize if this is the wrong place for this post)...

I have a Gateway machine - Windows Vista Home Premium. We bought TCS 1.3 awhile back... I have to un-install and re-install it... and the issue I get now is that a)it doesn't ask me for a serial number at all, if I use RH or FM, and the bigger issue b) Captivate thinks its a demo trial and will not accept the TCS serial number that came with the TCS 1.3 CD. I am unable to try re-installing with the online trial version and then entering my serial # because I can only find links to download the TCS2 suite now. I need to be able to use Captivate!

Furthermore, we have now purchased the TCS2 upgrade- will I be able to use it? Or is this snafoo going to stop me from using the TCS2 upgrade?

I looked at the Windows Installer Clean up tool- I installed it and looked through files, but did not see any related to the TCS so I did not use it on anything. I was connected to the Internet during this period.

ANY help is appreciated!

TIA,

Adriana

PS: Forgot to mention I am running things as an Administrator, and have no issue with any RH components...

Report · May 07, 2009

Sorry for delaying reply (I got the 12 days off in addition to the national holidays in Japan).

1. Cleaning up the former installation data for reinstalling Technical Communication Suite

Sometimes, Adobe's Installer/Uninstaller cannot clean up all data.

And combination of Adobe and Microsoft licensing causes curious symptom that does not have repeatability.

In such case, both of Adobe's and Microsoft's Technical Supports will say that please clear install your environment because your symptom has no repeatability and the cause is unknown.

Since the Technical Communication Suite includes Acrobat, you had better try the procedures described in the following Adobe's knowledge base before clear installing your environment.

"Error applying transforms. Verify that the specified transform paths are valid." when you try to repair, update or uninstall (Acrobat or Adobe Reader 8.x)" at

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/404/kb404307.html

"Troubleshoot installation and startup issues in Adobe Acrobat 8.x, 3D 8, 9 (Windows Vista)" at

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/402/kb402569.html

Related Data:

Adobe's Technical Support in Japan said that the following knowledge base data can be applied to the Technical Communication Suite 1.0 on Nov. 12, 2007.

As the URLs have changed due to the recent Adobe Forum's reorganization and links are disconnected, I describe the new English URLs:

"Troubleshoot installation problems in Adobe Photoshop CS3 on Windows Vista" at

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/401/kb401488.html

"Troubleshoot Activation Problems (Adobe Creative Suite 3.0 on Windows)" at

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/400/kb400905.html

"Manually remove Photoshop CS3 public beta (Windows Vista)" at

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/401/kb401501.html

If you can accept the option for deleting all of Adobe's license information, deactivate the all Adobe product licenses and manually delete the file C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe PCD\cache\cache.db.

Deleting this file clears up the Adobe's license information, and then you can activate the licenses again.

2. You must run Captivate 3 as Administrator

As mentioned in the Adobe's user-unfriendly document, Captivate 3 requires for running by Administrator:

http://www.adobe.com/support/documentation/en/captivate/3/Adobe_Captivate_3_Read_Me.pdf

I think there is a possibility you don't run Captivate 3 as Administrator because it started in demo mode on your environment.

On Windows Vista, User Access Control (UAC) is enabled by default.

It means that you cannot run any sensitive program without escalation of access rights even though you are one of the Administrators group users.

In other words, if you are prompted to enter your password for installing any programs, updates, or security patches, UAC is enabled on your Windows Vista and you do not run the program as Administrator.

In this case, you must intentionally run Captivate 3 as Administrator for omitting Windows Vista's escalation procedure or stop the UAC.

Report · May 08, 2009

I want to correct two mistakes I wrote on Mar. 7, 2009.

Mistake 1:

Please forget the following description because I made a mistake of file name to be deleted. My excuse is that it has been almost one and a half year since I encountered my installation problems of Technical Communication Suite 1.0.

===== START =====
If you can accept the option for deleting all of Adobe's license information, deactivate the all Adobe product licenses and manually delete the file C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe PCD\cache\cache.db.

Deleting this file clears up the Adobe's license information, and then you can activate the licenses again.
===== END =====

As a user, I think that any users who have licensing (serial number) problem had better try to clear Adobe's licensing data first.
This is because it will take the minimum time comparing to other procedures in the Adobe's knowledge database hence users feel lesser complaint and frustration over the Adobe's troublesome product and useless Customer Support.
If it does not take effect, then try other procedures in the Adobe's knowledge database.

Background Information:
I got this information from Adobe's Technical Support in Japan on Nov. 12, 2007.

Adobe's license activation information is stored in the Drive_letter:\ProgramData\FLEXnet\ folder on Windows Vista environment (if your Windows Vista is installed in C drive, it is C:\ProgramData\FLEXnet\ folder).

There is only one file that contains all Adobe's license activation data.

CAUTION:
If you delete the file in the Drive_letter:ProgramData\FlEXnet\ folder, all license activation data of your Adobe's products are deleted (cleaned up).
So, if you don't deactivate any Adobe products licenses before deleting the file, you may need to contact Adobe Customer Support and request for reissuing new license key for the products.

NOTE:
When you uninstall an Adobe's product with license activation feature, deactivate the product license first.

Related URLs:

"Adobe software activation" at
http://www.adobe.com/products/activation/
"Product Activation Center" at
http://www.adobe.com/activation/
"Activation for Previous Software Versions" at
http://www.adobe.com/activation/previous_software_versions.html
"Installation on multiple machines" at
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/152/tn_15266.html

To clear your Adobe's license information:

Deactivate all your Adobe's license to prevent the occurrence of license activation problems of other products currently without problem.
If you use Technical Communication Suite 1.x and Illustrator CS3, deactivate both products.
It will take a few minutes for each product.
Go to the Drive_letter:ProgramData\FlEXnet\ folder.
if your Windows Vista is installed in C drive, it is C:\ProgramData\FLEXnet\ folder.
Delete the file in the Drive_letter:ProgramData\FlEXnet\ folder.
Run the Adobe products with license (serial number) problem to check whether you can enter the serial number and it is accepted.
If you can enter your serial number and it is accepted, the problem is solved. Activate the products license.
If you cannot enter your serial number or it is not accepted, then try other procedures in the Adobe's knowledge database.
Reactivate all your Adobe's product licenses without problem.

Mistake 2:

UAC escalation procedure on Windows Vista during installation of a program, updates, or security patches does not usually prompt you to enter your password.

It usually shows you a confirmation dialog box for asking your permission to continue the operation.

I am very sorry for this mistake that may confuse you.

Related URL:

"Getting Started with User Account Control on Windows Vista" at
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cc507861.aspx

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problem with serial number