CS3 Design Premium on a new machine

[TM-H]

I have been moving from an older Win7 to a newer Win10 machine and am having a devil of a time getting CS3 Design Premium to work.  I had it installed and working for a while, just ignoring the fact that it didn't seem to activate, but eventually that timed out and I found out the CS3 activation servers had been retired.  So I poked around and found the instructions about downloading another version which did not require activation with a new serial number.  So, I de-installed what was there, downloaded the new one and installed it, but it never prompted me for a new serial number and was stuck again on the activation step.  So I de-installed, and re-installed again with the same result.  I have been over the help pages several different ways.  At one point there is mention of a special offer to upgrade.  I wasn't going to do that since Photoshop and Bridge is about the only thing out of CS3 Design Premium I use any more, but I have failed to find a link.  And, half the time when I go into my account, the products are missing, so I can't even cut and paste the serial number.

I know this is a CS3 question, not just a Photoshop question, but I found no CS3 forum.

[JJMack]

The download can not be avtivated becayse the servere are not longer there,  However the software should work without activation.  If you try to activate it and you can try to actuvate it, it will fail to connect.

[TM-H]

I understand that the servers are not there, but in the help here

Activation or connection error when starting CS3 or Acrobat 8

it says that one can either upgrade or download a different copy with a different serial number and that copy does not require activation.  I have done that, but it never prompts for the new serial number and goes immediately to an activation screen.

I have tried going through the registry looking for a serial number to delete, but haven't found it.

My original copy would bring up the activation screen, but had an activate later option which allowed me to use the product for a while.  During that time it functioned normally.  But, eventually it ran out of time are required activation to continue.

[gener7 · Accepted solution]

You must delete cache.db  Here's how:

Resolve "temporary activation expired" error for CS3 and Acrobat 8

[TM-H]

It took two tries, but it WORKED!  THANKS!