Trying to install Indesign CS4 from disk, "The Installer Database is Corrupt"

[Nohjekim]

Hi

I know that this is an old problem that's been around forever but I searched and still couldn't find an answer anyplace.

I'm trying to move Indesign CS4 from my old computer to my new one.

I deactivated it on my old computer and then put the DVD in my new PC and as soon as I try and run the install process, I get this message...

"The Installer Base is Corrupt, Please contact Adobe Customer Service".

I think that I may have had this same issue in the past when installing it on my old computer but, if I did I don't remember how to fix it.

I'm running Windows 10 and installing from the Adobe DVD.

I've seen dozens of posts about this problem with several different Adobe programs but no answers.  Both computers are running Windows 10.

Any suggestions welcome.

Mike

[BobLevine]

CS4 is completely unsupported under Windows 10. You can try downloading a new installer file from here: https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/cs4-product-downloads.html

But you’re on your own. Beyond running in Windows 7 compatibility mode, there’s little else I can offer beyond upgrading to Creative Cloud.

[Nohjekim]

Hi

I'm 80, I retired a long time ago, I don't want to spend the money to go to the new stuff.

I don't use it much anymore mostly to update stuff that I did a long time ago.

I've been running Indesign CS4 in Windows 10, for years ever since Windows 10 started beta testing.

It was running fine yesterday, until I deactivated it on my old computer.

The corrupted message has been around for years in many different versions of Windows and with several Adobe products.

I've installed Indesign from this same DVD several times over the years.

When I searched I found lots of people asking the question some many years ago when CS4 was current, but I couldn't find any that had an answer. 

I'm pretty sure that there is a fix for this, I think I have had this before myself but I can't remember what you have to do to fix it but it seems like if involved deleting some file from some Adobe software some place, or something like that.

I also have  Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere installed.

They all went in without any problem on my new Pc.

Anyway I'll try installing from the download but the problem doesn't have anything to do with file corruption.

Mike

[Nohjekim]

I got exactly the same message trying to install from the downloaded files.

[BobLevine]

Try right-clicking on the setup.exe file and choosing run as administrator.

[Nohjekim]

Ok, I'll give that a try.

By the way it did let my install InDesign CS2 from my original disk without the error.

Unfortunately There is no way to activate it because there is no activation sever anymore.

It says it will stop working in 30 days, so even I can't even use that though is runs fine on my new computer. Didn't even have to run it in compatibility mode.

My old computer which I have been running it on is running exactly the same version of Windows 10 as my new one.

I'm don't think this has anything to do with my computer, as I said this was a problem years ago, for many people.

Error: "Installer database is corrupt..." when you install Adobe Creative Suite 4 or point product

I just found the above, and I have deleted the Caps.db file, I'll try the install again and let you know.

[BobLevine]

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/creative-suite-2-activation-end-life.html

[Nohjekim · Accepted solution]

Hi again...

Thanks for the link to the Activation message.

But I'm happy to say I don't need it.

Success at Last!!!

The "Caps.db" thing was the answer.

I tried installing again after deleting it, and the CS4 version installed with no problems.

This is a big relief as I do still use Indesign a lot, especially as I have printed media that I've done that has to be updated every year.

Indesign looks fantastic on my new 34" ultra wide 4K monitor, all that desk space!

Adobe did make it so I couldn't install my Photoshop CS4, I had to go back to CS2 version on that, I've tried to find someplace to get CS6 but no luck on that.

If I could actually buy the software I'd spend the money but I don't want to rent it and pay over and over again (especially since I'm not using it to make my living anymore).  Though at my age it may not be for that long. LOL

Maybe I'll look at Photoshop Elements but I like the familiar interface in Photoshop, I've used Photoshop since version 2.5 and have been updating from that original floppy disk ever since.

Anyway thanks for the help guys.

Mike

[Bill Silbert]

Updates to Windows 10 which your new computer probably has have progressively made it more and more unlikely that a version as old as CS4 has any chance of working. There have been some reports of people being able to run old programs successfully on Windows 10 but that usually happens on an older computer. Many things have changed on computers besides the operating systems that may be the difference between being able to run it or not on a new computer.