Invalid serial number?

[VL27gee]

I am trying to install CS6 using my current CS5.5 serial number but am told its an invalid serial number.

ive checked... its correct. What do I do?

[scam1977]

i've had exactly the same issue today with a Photoshop CS5 serial number when trying to upgrade to CS6. i was told over the phone that the serial no. would work fine and it didn't. any help wuld be appreciated

[Manish-Sharma]

When you install the CS6 upgrade then first you have to enter the CS6 serial number and then it will ask for the upgrade serial number i.e for the CS5 or CS5.5

If at that stage you get the error "Serail number is not for the Qualifying product" or something like that then Follow the Kb aticle :- http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-serial-number-qualifying-product.html 

Also if this is not the situation then please elaborate , at what stage of installation you are getting the error and what ?

[scam1977]

hmmm - this is confusing to me then. i was told over the phone that i could use my existing PS CS5 serial number to install a PS CS6 upgrade which did not work. if what you're saying is true then i would need a CS6 serial number from adobe - is this the case?

my steps are:

- i am currently on a PS CS5 monthly subscription

- downloaded PS CS6

- choose 'install' (not 'try')

- accept disclaimer

- i get asked to enter a serial number

- error message appears 'The serial number you entered is invalid. Please try again. If probelm persists, contact Customer Support'

where do you think tis is going wrong?

[VL27gee]

Where do I find CS6 serial number? There is an 8 digit number on the back of the pack. I tried it, but didnt work either.

[SalishT]

I had many problems upgrading (CS4 to CS6).  I was told in chatting 1) sorry you're out of luck. 2) "Unfortunately tech support isn't open currently (Friday night).  You have to wait until Monday for them to help you." and finally 3) I tried one last time (at that point I just wanted to revert back to CS4). I got RAJ, a truly wonderful rep!  He walked me through all steps, AND, when I got to that response during installation, I went back to chat again, and actuallly got RAJ again!  He had a workaround. 

Since that time, I had to install also on my laptop and had to go through all of it all over again. The chat support was going to give me the same thing, but I remembered that I needed a "Support Code".  Which were the magic words to getting me the info I needed.

Chat actually had to leave for several minutes to find out what I was talking about. I truly do not mind when these folks don't have all the information they need. But, the way that they've responded is that they do know and I'm in the wrong, or just don't know what I'm talking about.

LJ

[Manish-Sharma · Accepted solution]

@scam1977

The Serial number of CS5 in no case is going to work with the CS6 installer .

The Serial number are Language , Platform and Product specific , hence your workflow is wrong. Please find the CS5 installer and use the serial number you have.

CS6 have different serail number and CS5 serial number are not going to work.

@ VL27gee

You can look at the article which can help in locating the serail number .

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/find-serial-number.html , revert back the if incase this doesn't help

@ SalishT

Sorry for the inconvenience , can you please brief us what exactly the problem you are having when upgrading from CS4 to CS6 , What's the exact error message ? and also a case number will help us in investigating more on this.

[SalishT]

I have two case numbers, 0208398134 & 0208525102.

It all started when I wanted to install CS4 on my laptop.  I had major problems getting this done so I eventually decided to upgrade to CS6... No one else upgraded, so I'm back to using CS4!

I have been trying to install CS4 and/or CS6 since May 20th.

I have a magazine project that is drop dead due this Friday so I can't go into a lot of detail.  But if you look at one of my later chats, you'll find a complaint within it.  I asked for an email to file that complaint, and wasn't allowed.  Instead, I was asked to type in my complaint in the chat window, which I did.

Long story short, no one in my office actually upgraded (they were only talking about doing it). So I wanted to revert back to CS4 until they do.

I finally got someone in chat to tell me how to do that (a few others told me I couldn't do it).  And easily installed it on my laptop. 

Unfortunately, the office's IT needed to upgrade and reinstall all of my software on my pc at work.  Which means I'm back to square one there.  During one of these conversations, my CS2 information was deleted from "My Adobe" and I didn't have the manual.  Thus, I can't "upgrade" to CS4 on my pc.  In oder to review stuff, I eventually had to install trial!  The chat person told me that becasue there wasn't a SN# in "My Adobe" and I didn't have the software with me, that there was nothing they could do. The tone really seemed like they felt I was trying to pull one over on Adobe.

This is so complicated that it's really hard to explain.  My basic complaint is just that.  This has taken weeks, and weeks, I'm still not satisfied.  I've used computers since the ol' 8088's and have never had such a bad time upgrading.  And it has never been this complicated.  This was with assistance from my own IT people at the office.

I now have my CS2 sotware with me so I can input the serial number for the "upgrade" to CS4.  Hopefully that works. 

Meanwhile, the original problem started with the laptop, and I've got CS6 and CS4 installed on it!

LJ

[Manish-Sharma]

@ SalishT,

I checked the details and found everything to be proper , even your CS2 serial number is registered in the account. I don't know what went wrong while you were on the Chat Support but you could revert back to them ask for the CS2 serial number after verifying your account.

Regarding your CS6 installation , your CS4 serial number should work unless you haven't bought the wrong upgrade which I could not check , hence for the same you have to contact the Adobe Support and get your software Unlocked.

Check this link for details , what I mean :- http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-serial-number-qualifyin g-product.html

[SalishT]

Please look at the top of my first reply to you, please see the 2 case numbers I posted there.  You should also be able to look at the chats I've experienced.

Becasue this started in May, I really don't have error messages.  I think I've had them all in re: initializing my updates and/or reinstallations.

The first issue had to do with installing CS4 because I didn't have the computer that CS4 was on (it was dead).  And the laptop is brand new.

I didn't have the CS2 serial number with me to upgrade or install CS4 on my laptop.  I talked to at least 3 different chat people (finally getting RAZ, who knew what he was doing). He told me to sign in to My Adobe as my CS2 serial number was there. 

Since then, and through all of these "troubleshooting issues" CS2 is no longer listed in My Adobe.

The problems have continued since then.  Please read the complaint I typed in one of my chats.  The rep promised he would forward it to the appropriate people.

By the way, whoever thinks that this company has "marketing tricks" and we should know better:  Uhhh, until all of this with Adobe, I have had nothing but the highest regard for this company  I would never have expected shoddy tricks and changes in policy from them.  From a used car lot yes.  Never Adobe.

I somehow was allowed to upgrade to CS6 from CS4 at the cheaper rate.  But now, I can't find it on-line and so, I don't think anyone is going to upgrade to CS6 in my office.

LJ

[Manish-Sharma]

I have gone through all the details and everything looks proper to me.

You have CS4 serial number , CS6 serial number and it is a valid upgrade .

I would recommend to contact Adobe Support as the issue could be because of wrong upgrade that you might have bought as stated earler by me , No one would be able to help you with this issue here , only are tech support can go through the details.

[SalishT]

Right. I didn't really expect you to help me.  I was stating my issues here in support of others.

I can't have the wrong upgrade.  My CS4 worked fine until my IT guy had to reformat my computer for Windows.  My CS6 installed fine.

This is a huge problem, in my opinion.  Your support doesn't have consistent or depth of knowledge across the board.  The attitude by those with lesser information is that it must be my problem, or that I have the wrong stuff.

It was unfortunate that I thought I had to upgrade to CS6 (because your people told me must not be able to use CS4 for some reason... there were several "reasons" for this, and they were all my fault).  It was unfortunate that my co-workers didn't upgrade after all.  But I did find RAJ and if I could, I would only talk with him.

It was then further unfortunate that my office had to upgrade me to the latest Windows and CS4 and CS6 had to be reinstalled...

But that's the way the stuff happens sometimes.  I really wish that there was understanding at Adobe rather than an attitude.  I *know* you're smarter all at this stuff than me. That's why I fired up your chat!!

If y'all would just believe that I am a valid paying customer, then maybe I wouldn't have had these the majority of these problems going back to May 20th.

Finally, I checked "My Adobe" and CS2 is still NOT listed. The last chat person I talked with (my IT guy actually ended up talking with them and agreed that I wasn't getting very good service), said that there was nothing to be done in re-installing CS4 because I didn't have the software with SN#. If My Adobe hadn't somehow erased my old order in 2007 for CS2, I wouldn't have needed to ask!

Again, this has been one of the most painful upgrades I've ever experienced.  And I've lived through multiple changes from DOS to all those versions of Windows. I've gone from Lotus and WordPerfect to Excel & Word.

I'm the kind of person that usually loves upgrades because I know they'll have improvements; not grief! It woud really make me happy if you forward this one to someone that takes complaints, since apparently my complaint wasn't forwarded from the chat rep.

PS: I'm also the kind of person that never writes these things.  But oh my, oh my oh my this time you guys really chipped my hide.

Thank you,

Leslie

[SalishT]

By the way, I wasn't upgrading from CS5.  I was upgrading from CS4.  AND!  All of this worked after a great deal of work on my part... but, unfortunatley, my co-workers didn't upgrade to 6.  And, my IT guy had to install Windows 7.  I still have CS6 on my laptop and it's fully functioning.