Unable to Upgrade InDesign CS5

[enelani]

I have a Mac desktop using macOS HighSierra 10.13.6.
My current InDesign software is CS5, version 7.0.0.355.
I need to upgrade to the latest version which is 7.0.4.
However each time I try to install the upgrade, a dialog box says "patchinstaller can't be installed. You should eject disk image."
What are they talking about?

Do they mean eject InDesign from my applications or what?
Your help would be appreciated.

[Bill Silbert · Accepted solution]

CS5 is not in any way compatible with or supported for High Sierra. If you have been able to run it up until now then you should consider yourself lucky. That is why you cannot install any patches to it. If you want to run CS5 you will need to do so on a computer running a Mac Os no newer than Yosemite. If you want to run a version of InDesign that is compatible with High Sierra then you will need to get a subscription to Creative Cloud and upgrade to CC 2018.

[enelani]

The reason I wanted to upgrade is that the app works 90% of the time but there are occurrences of rainbow balls which can last a long time. The shortest way to correct them is to force quit InDesign and then reopen.

Adobe says that CS5 InDesign is upgradeable to version 7.0.4, So maybe I'll try the upgrade on a Yosemite Mac and then transfer it to my High Sierra Mac and see if it works.
Does CS6 work on High Sierra? If so, can CS5 be upgraded to CS6?
I am trying to avoid upgrading to the cloud version as that involves a monthly fee.

[Bill Silbert]

CS6 is also not supported for High Sierra. It may or may not work, there is no assurance for it.

[Derek Cross]

I believe you can only get InDesign CS6 now is by subscribing and that version is not supported by High Sierra, so you might as well go for the latest InDesign version - CC2018 - if you want to use that OS. You can subscribe to the monthly scheme where you can suspend your subscription when you don’t need it.

Alternatively, perhaps if you only use InDesign occasionally, and you don’t need InDesign‘s latest features, consider getting an old computer to run the old version when you need it.

[Bill Silbert]

So maybe I'll try the upgrade on a Yosemite Mac and then transfer it to my High Sierra Mac and see if it works.

Does CS6 work on High Sierra? If so, can CS5 be upgraded to CS6?
I am trying to avoid upgrading to the cloud version as that involves a monthly fee.

Trying to transfer a program intact from one computer to another, especially to a computer with an OS that doesn't support it, is an undertaking most certainly doomed to failure. The real key here is that older versions of Creative Suite will always continue to work as long as you don't upgrade the computer to an OS that contains code that wasn't even created when the old software was released. Always make sure that all of your software is supported before upgrading your computer to the latest operating system.

[JonathanArias]

My two cents on this downgrading choice.

You will now open your computer to somebody breaking into it since you are running old software with security features that are not going to guard you from online attacks with todays technology.  There is a reason why new software and updates are needed. They are meant to fix and patch security issues.

So you can save money by not updating your indesign. However, you can have somebody hold your computer for ransom and lose everything. including access to online backing and whatever other sensitive information you may have in that computer.

Last, you will experience other programs no work correctly next since you will create a Frankestein of new and old software that will not work well  together.

Please research on the risks of running an old OS just to hold on to an application:

Why Software Updates Are So Important | McAfee Blogs

The Importance of General Software Updates and Patches

https://echopath.com/updating-operating-system-os-important/

[DaveJCummings]

As others have said,  CS5 and CS6 versions are not compatible with High Sierra.  I know you don't want to pay the monthly fee,  but really the CC version of InDesign is worth it, as it will constantly be upgraded to the newest version.  Though as Derek said,  you can subscribe to the Monthly subscription instead of the annual,  though both of them have a monthly fee and the "monthly" one is slightly more,  you're not required to keep it for a year so you can suspend it when you're not using it.