11 Replies Latest reply: Apr 6, 2010 10:00 PM by Ankush Ved RSS

    ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?

    luvsfotos Community Member

      I installed Photoshop Elements 8 onto a Windows Vista computer and registered. The Organizer opened with broken thumbnails throughout and I could not update the thumbnails. Therefore, I closed the Organizer and opened it again, hoping it would clear up. Instead, the Organizer would not open at all, and I've not been able to open the Organizer since.

       

      Despite several Support cases, Tech Support could not help. They said to uninstall Elements and reinstall it, but when I uninstalled, the disc software screen said I must first deactivate my serial # by launching Elements 8 and going to Help > Deactivate.

       

      However, when I launched Elements 8, a screen appeared with a choice of either a free trial or to enter my serial #. I entered my serial # and got a red "X", and it would not accept the serial #. Tech Support said there is nothing wrong with my serial #.

       

      Tech Support then said to download the Trial Version. I did that, but could not open the trial version either!

       

      Message:

       

      "Files in use. Some files that needed to be updated are currently in use."

      "The following applications are using files that need tro be updated by this setup.

      Close these applications and click Retry to continue.

      Organizer - Photoshop Elements"

       

      So it thinks my Organizer is open and using files, and it's not open. I can't get it to open!

      I clicked RETRY and got the same message.

      I clicked IGNORE and it was installing files, got almost to the end, said "registering product", then said "rolling back action" and started going backwards.

       

      I had uninstalled my Elements 7 software because I intended to now use Elements 8. I decided to reinstall Elements 7 to use that while I was dinking around with version 8, and now it gave me the same message:

       

            the serial # is in error, or is already in use by someone else!

       

      Now I can't use either 7 or 8.

       

      HELP! Does anyone know how to deactivate a serial # when the software has already been uninstalled? Can it be done?

        • 1. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
          Ankush Ved Community Member

          Hi there,

           

          The error message which you have shared below will come when say due to some reason Organizer.exe is still running in the task manager and you are trying to install PSE.

          If the installation is rolling back near the end, then please delete the cache.db which is located at the following location and try to install again. This step has fixed the issue for many users.

          C:\program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe PCD\cache\cache.db

           

          Also, before trying to install PSE 8 again, delete the files inside the %temp% folder and then try to install again. Since, the serial number is already verified as correct you should not be running into these issues. If you are still not able to go ahead after following above instructions, then please reply back and we can connect through internet meeting session and I can try to look into your machine and see what all I can help.

           

          Regards,

          Ankush

          • 2. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
            Ankush Ved Community Member

            Any success or progress in this issue?

             

            -Ankush

            • 3. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
              luvsfotos Community Member

              Hi Ankush

               

              Thank you for your reply!

               

              Unfortunately, I can't try out your suggestion until next summer, because in early November I moved to my winter home in Florida. I left my Vista computer in Colorado Springs in its sorry state of nonworking Adobe Elements versions 7 and 8. I took the software discs with me.

               

              When I arrived in Florida I bought a new computer.  I had left Colorado without being able to deactivate the Elements 8 serial number, so would not be able to use that software disc in Florida. Therefore, I asked Adobe for a refund. (Some of the tech support cases regarding the problem were still open and unanswered.)  Adobe replied that the month warrranty had run out so they wouldn't give me a refund. I argued a little, then gave up.

               

              Therefore, I bought a new Elements 8 software program. And the old XP Florida computer contains Elements 7 and I have the disc.

               

              The new problem: I must know how to DEACTIVATE a serial number before I dare install the new Elements 8 softtware, in case anything goes wrong, or in case I have to reinstall Windows 7 for some reason, which would wipe out any 3rd-party software. I also must know how to DEACTIVATE the Elements 7 serial number on my old XP computer so that I can install it on my new computer.

               

              I opened a CHAT session with Adobe and asked how exactly to do this, because their FAQs and other information aren't at all clear. Here's what the tech said to do. Launch Adobe. You will see "Help" on the "toolbar". Click "help" and select "deactivate". Well, all I get when I launch is a Welcome Screen and there is no toolbar with help there. So I thought, maybe he means, open the Organizer or Editor and look for the Help menu. I opened the Organizer, clicked on Help, and there was no deactivate option listed. So I opened the Editor and clicked on Help and there was no deactivate option listed.

               

              I just opened a case with Adobe asking what I have to do to deactivate a serial number. I don't see why they can't explain this.

               

              Have you any idea how this is done?

              • 4. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                Ankush Ved Community Member

                Hi there,

                 

                I am so sorry to hear that you ran into all these troubles.

                 

                It will have been really great if you would have contacted us back on the forum for all the issues you mentiond because I believe we might be able to save you from almost all of them.

                 

                First: With a single serial number of PSE 7, you have all the rights to run the software on two machines, the same goes with PSE 8 as well. It is not like you need to buy a new serial for every machine.

                Second: If you are buying PSE 7 disk and not downloading it from the Adobe.com, then there will be NO deactivate option present in the help menu of editor/organizer.That option appears only when the software bits were downloaded from Adobe.com

                Third: In PSE 8 onwards, you will find the "Deactivate.." option inside the Editor's help menu. There is no deactivate link inside the organizer help menu. PSE 8 keeps a count on the server of the number of machines you are running at a time with the same serial number, so in cases when you are using the software on some machine for some time and then going away from it, make sure you do de-activate the software otherwise you will loose one of the permissible 2 machines where you can run it with same serial number.

                 

                Hope this helps.

                 

                - Ankush

                • 5. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                  luvsfotos Community Member

                  Well, Ankush, I see that I went to the wrong place for help! Forget Tech Support. If only they had explained this, I would have been fine.

                   

                   

                   

                  Thank you so much. This has been a great introduction to the value of being a member of the User Forum.

                   

                   

                   

                  I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me this.

                   

                   

                   

                  Fran

                   

                  Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:15:37 -0700

                  From: forums@adobe.com

                  To: corneliusfran@msn.com

                  Subject: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?

                   

                  Hi there,

                   

                  I am so sorry to hear that you ran into all these troubles.

                   

                  It will have been really great if you would have contacted us back on the forum for all the issues you mentiond because I believe we might be able to save you from almost all of them.

                   

                  First: With a single serial number of PSE 7, you have all the rights to run the software on two machines, the same goes with PSE 8 as well. It is not like you need to buy a new serial for every machine.

                  Second: If you are buying PSE 7 disk and not downloading it from the Adobe.com, then there will be NO deactivate option present in the help menu of editor/organizer.That option appears only when the software bits were downloaded from Adobe.com

                  Third: In PSE 8 onwards, you will find the "Deactivate.." option inside the Editor's help menu. There is no deactivate link inside the organizer help menu. PSE 8 keeps a count on the server of the number of machines you are running at a time with the same serial number, so in cases when you are using the software on some machine for some time and then going away from it, make sure you do de-activate the software otherwise you will loose one of the permissible 2 machines where you can run it with same serial number.

                   

                  Hope this helps.

                   

                  - Ankush

                  >

                  • 6. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                    johnrellis CommunityMVP
                    function(){return A.apply(null,[this].concat($A(arguments)))}

                    If you are buying PSE 7 disk and not downloading it from the Adobe.com, then there will be NO deactivate option present in the help menu of editor/organizer.That option appears only when the software bits were downloaded from Adobe.com

                    Minor clarification for future readers: If you bought PSE 7 from the Adobe.com store directly, there is no activation/deactivation required.  It's only if you bought PSE 7 via the Buy It Now command in the trial that you'll need to activate/deactivate.

                    • 7. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                      luvsfotos Community Member

                      Thank you for your reply. I did get a form member just before you telling me that there is no "deactivate" option except in Photoshop Elements 8, but not in version 7.

                       

                       

                       

                      I believe I bought the version 7 software from Amazon.com.

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                      Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:54:49 -0700

                      From: forums@adobe.com

                      To: corneliusfran@msn.com

                      Subject: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?

                       

                      function(){return A.apply(null,[this].concat($A(arguments)))}

                       

                      If you are buying PSE 7 disk and not downloading it from the Adobe.com, then there will be NO deactivate option present in the help menu of editor/organizer.That option appears only when the software bits were downloaded from Adobe.com

                      Minor clarification for future readers: If you bought PSE 7 from the Adobe.com store directly, there is no activation/deactivation required.  It's only if you bought PSE 7 via the Buy It Now command in the trial that you'll need to activate/deactivate.

                      >

                      • 8. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                        luvsfotos Community Member

                        Dear John,

                         

                        Thanks for your reply. I know the answer to this because of this great forum.  I somehow managed to get Photoshop Elements 7 to install on my new computer. Maybe it was because only Elements 8 requires this.

                        • 9. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                          ShannonPace11

                          I need help! I just got adobe photoshop elements 8 yesterday and instaled everything just fine, but today when i went to open the organizer it would not work.  for some reason the whole program just stopped opening. I tried to delete the cache.db like you said and then when i tried to open the program again it asked for my serial number. when i entered it, i got a message saying that it was not valid.  i have no idea what to do! please help me!

                          • 10. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                            luvsfotos Community Member

                            Hi, Shannon,

                             

                             

                             

                            Well, I was surprised to see your forum e-mail since I never got an answer that worked, from the Adobe technicians or the forum members. So I regret I do not have an answer for you on getting the Organizer to work in Vista. I moved to my seasonal home shortly after I posted my question with the Organizer problem unsolved. My final attempt on the Vista computer backfired, too.

                             

                             

                             

                            Before I moved for the winter, I thought I'd try doing a reinstall, hoping that the Organizer might then work. I entereed my serial number during reinstallation and got a message that the serial number was already in use (by me, for heaven's sake...) and I could not use the serial number and open the program. Adobe's technicians could not help me get past this barrier. They said I should have DEACTIVATED the serial number before uninstalling.

                             

                             

                             

                            So, you could try uninstalling and reinstalling Adobe Elements 8 to try fixing the Organizer, but BEFORE YOU UNINSTALL, heed this warning:  DEACTIVATE THE SERIAL NUMBER. Here's how: open the program and click on HELP in the opening window, and select DEACTIVATE from the drop-down menu. Then you can use the serial number again, either to reinstall on the same computer or install the software on a different computer. When I moved to my seasonal residence, where I have a different desktop computer, I could not open Adobe Elements 8, which I brought with me, because the serial number had never been deactivated on my Vista computer. I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER ADOBE 8 software program!!

                             

                             

                             

                            The same thing happened with my Premiere Elements 8 program, which I took with me but had not DEACTIVATED on my Vista computer. I decided not to use Premiere Elements 8 rather than buy the software again. Adobe sure can make some profit on this issue.

                             

                             

                             

                            I have decided not to buy any new versions of Adobe Elements. I'm very unhappy about the lack of customer support and the expense. 

                             

                            Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2010 19:38:19 -0600

                            From: forums@adobe.com

                            To: corneliusfran@msn.com

                            Subject: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?

                             

                            I need help! I just got adobe photoshop elements 8 yesterday and instaled everything just fine, but today when i went to open the organizer it would not work.  for some reason the whole program just stopped opening. I tried to delete the cache.db like you said and then when i tried to open the program again it asked for my serial number. when i entered it, i got a message saying that it was not valid.  i have no idea what to do! please help me!

                            >

                            • 11. Re: ? Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer won't open on Windows Vista ?
                              Ankush Ved Community Member

                              Hi Shannon,

                               

                              Please see my forum post on the below thread. It should help you out.

                              http://forums.adobe.com/message/2715173#2715173

                               

                              Regards,

                              Ankush