2 Replies Latest reply: Oct 8, 2014 8:21 AM by adobesupportisfake RSS

    CS4 license marooned on my dead / inaccessible computer. Online Support goes in circles. Can't elevate to human by phone, or by chat. Chat link grayed-out for me. Now what?

    PC.CS4.THX4helping Community Member
    PC.CS4.THX4helping Jul 23, 2014 12:56 PM

      Hello:

       

      I attempted to follow instructions given by a previous answer that addresses the same problem I have, but without success: Deactivation, cant reach computer it was activated on and Adobe "support" goes in circles and ends up in forum where Adobe cannot deactivate for me

      Following Contact Customer Care did not lead me to chat option that I could spot. I'm sorry if I missed a link that is obvious to everyone but me. Maybe I just need that link pointed out to me more vigorously.

      By the way, this link, What are my contact options? has a chat option, but it is grayed out (at least for me) so that's a dead end.

      So, please explain to me (like I'm a bewildered child) how to get to chat support. I am unable to fill in logical gaps by myself. :-/

      Thank you SO much. :-)


      That's it for my question. The rest is just a boring account of how I struggled to get here. Which I include just in case an Adobe Staff Member would find my customer-experience worth noting.


      I reached Shivangi Moitra (Adobe) support@adobefeedback.zendesk.com by sending feedback about the dead-end support loop that I encountered by following the steps here, at www.adobe.com/getsupport. Incidentally, I gave her a detailed description of my deactivation problem too. Shivangi responded by directing me to use the same link that goes in circles! To wit: "The first step for contacting us will be to start online [at www.adobe.com/getsupport]." Of course you notice that this is yet another dead-end circle in the customer support system.

       

      If my email to Shivangi is a useful reference then here you go!

       

      I am unable to get online or phone support from Adobe. I need to deactivate CS4 from a dead computer. Adobe online help is defective because it puts the user into an endless loop making it impossible for me to find a solution, and impossible to get support. Please remedy the defect and please call or email me to manually update Adobe's activation database. (Phone and email address redacted.)

       

      I own a copy of CS4 that is marooned on dead computer. Consequently, I can not deactivate that copy. I know that a single license for Adobe CS4 only lets me install the application on two computers, of which I can only use the application on one computer at a time.

       

      I need Adobe to manually deactivate my earliest CS4 installation from its servers so that I can activate CS4 again when my new computer dies so that my work flow is not interrupted by the unavoidable (meaning eventual) breakdown of my next computer.

       

      1.) http://www.adobe.com/

      2.) login to Adobe

      3.) Don't search keyword "support" - worthless, instead go to . . .

      4)  adobe.com/getsupport which resolves to

      5.) http://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html

      6.) Pick 'Adobe Creative Suite'

      7.) http://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?step=STEA

      8.) Pick 'Downloading-installing-setting-up'

      9.) http://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?step=STEA_downloading-installing-setting-up

      10.) Pick 'Licensing-activation'

      11.) http://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?step=STEA_downloading-installing-setting-up_licensing- activation

      12.) Pick 'Error: Sign in failed, activation limit, or maximum activation exceeded'

      13.) http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/error-activation-limit-reached-starting. html

      14.) Scroll to Error: 'Problems signing out or deactivating?'

      15.) Click on link: Can't access your previous computer?

      16.) OPENS THIS MESSAGE: Don't have access to the previous computer on which you installed the application? ***CONTACT US***. Be sure to have any purchase-related information ready.

      17.) Click on the 'Contact us' link . . . infuriatingly returns you to the start of the loop

      18.) http://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html         SAME AS STEP 5

       

      I have explored all the other branching available at helpsx.adobe.com . No other branching resolves the problem or gets me support. I explored branching specific to CS4, and branching not specific to CS4, and branching of any kind in search of a solution or support. There is no solution or support available online from Adobe for this problem.

       

      I also called 1.800.642.3623 per https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1030438 which was of no use.

       

      This page was of no use. http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/activation-deactivation-products.html

       

      This 'Let us know how we're doing' form is my last hope.