Cannot (re)-active CS3, Adobe does not help

[EagerBob]

Hello All,

My wife has a macbook running Photoshop CS3 and Illustrator CS3. These are not part of the CS but applications that were bought separately. They still work and are perfectly fine for the work that needs to be done.

The Macbook crashed yesterday so I re-installed OS X from a time machine backup. I was not able to de-activate the software before restoring the system.

Now that the computer is fixed, both applications ask to activate before you can open them. Activating over the internet does not work due to an "connection error". I tried activating over the phone but that does not work either. You are then transfered to an automated message saying that Adobe no longer "supports activation issues over the phone".

A website address was given (adobe.com/go/activation) where no solution is found.

I then started a live chat with support. The support person could see that the software was properly registered, and that both serial numbers have an activation remaining. But he did not help me with activation, since Adobe "only supports current products". Advice was given to look into the forums, or to use my CS3 to purchase a Creative Cloud subscription, which we do not need or want.

So Adobe leaves us in the cold with their software were they choose to put restrictions on to protect it from piracy but that are now preventing the legitimate user to continue using it.

My question: what to do to get both Photoshop and Illustrator running again?

Thanks

[Noel Carboni]

It seems to me Adobe needs to support the activation of their prior sold software forever.  There's really not much that folks in the forums can do to help you activate your copy, save for suggest things like uninstalling and reinstalling.

Speaking of which...  Did you reinstall the Adobe software on the computer?  You didn't really say whether the OSX install left applications where they were.  A full uninstall and reinstall via this process/program (ignore its name) might help:

http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

Also, recreation of a user account might have left you with permissions issues with files that were already on the system.

-Noel

[EagerBob]

It seems to me Adobe needs to support the activation of their prior sold software forever.

Exactly, that is what you'd think. Either that or remove the need for activation for their older applications altogether, letting you use just your serial to run the software.

I did not de-install and re-install the software. It was put back to the machine by Time Machine.

I will try that, see if I can find that disks somewhere...

Thanks for the link

[J453]

AFAIK - we do support activation for CS3.

We did retire our activation server for CS1 and CS2, and those customers are provided with a new version of the software that doesn't authenticate with the server and serializes locally.

Can you DM with your Adobe ID and the two serials you're having trouble with? You mention support said there were activations remaining, so I'm not clear on what's going wrong (what the exact error is you're getting)

[EagerBob]

Jeffrey,

Thanks for your answer.

The error I get is that I get stuck in the activation screen.

Then I tried over the phone, giving in the serial and the second number that appears.

It takes a while and then it says that activation was not succesfull.

I will dm you the serials and adobe ID  later (I don't have access to that computer here.

Here is the transcript of the chat (not complete):

Prabhanshu: Hello! Welcome to Adobe Customer Service.

andre: hello Prabhanshu

Prabhanshu: Hi Andre.

Prabhanshu: May I please have your email address registered with Adobe?

andre: most likely XXXXXXXX

Prabhanshu: Thank you for the email address .

Prabhanshu: If I am correct you are not able to install the software in your system?

andre: no, i get a "no connection" error. besides, i have not de-activated the software prior to restoring the OS

andre: so i think we need to de-activate first/

andre: it is the same computer by the way

Prabhanshu: Thank you for information, to assist you better may I have the serial number of the product?

andre: yes, hold on

Prabhanshu: I am with you.

andre: XXXXX

andre: and for illustrator: XXXXX

Prabhanshu: Thank you for the serial number , May I place this chat on hold for 2-3 minutes while I check the information for you?

andre: sure

Prabhanshu: Thank you.

Prabhanshu: Thank you for being online. Andre I have checked that the both serial number has Activation remaining.

andre: ok so i need an activation code?

Prabhanshu: As the product you have a very old product from Adobe, Adobe support only current products.

andre: meaning?

Prabhanshu: In this case please go with the forums. find below the link for forums.

andre: No, that is not right.

Prabhanshu: Click for forums.

andre: Adobe choose, in the past, to set limitations on the use of the software, that we paid for.

andre: If you can't support it anymore, you should remove the restrictions, so that i can go on using the software, which is my legal right

Prabhanshu: Click this link for support portal.

Prabhanshu: Please use the above support portal link .

andre: and what am i suppose to find there?

Prabhanshu: Go with the forums to get all the information.

andre: Does this telephone activation still work?

andre: then I might try that

Prabhanshu: I am sorry but you have to only go through the forums.

andre: i am sorry to say that this is not acceptable

Prabhanshu: I am really sorry for this but I hope you understand the terms and conditions of Adobe.

andre: i tried activating over the phone, didn't work...

Prabhanshu: As I have informed you, we support only current version product. Andre you can use your CS3 to purchase   Creative Cloud Subscription.

andre: i don;t want that, i just want to continu using the software I paid for. The software works fine, only your activation process makes it impossible for me to use it anymore. That is not right, and it is your responsibility to make sure thet this is solved.

Prabhanshu: Click this link.

andre: since you can see from were you are that I have an activation left, you might be able to see why i can't activate over the phone

[EagerBob]

OK,

I un-installed the software and its shared components with the uninstaller from utilities/Adobe Installers.

I also tried the CSCleanertool but that crashed ("unexpectedly quits").

After re-installing both Photoshop and Illustrator from the original disks you get the activation screen.

But, strangely enough, the serial is already there, complete with a green checkmark.

This does not look right, it seems that, even after using the uninstaller tool that came with the original installation, files have been left in the system.

So I guess what needs to be done is find those files and get rid of them before trying to re-install?

[J453]

Hi,

If you had installed and activated on the system before, the installer picking up the serial is expected. There is an option when you choose deactivate to remove the serial from the system, or leave it. It sounds like you didn't choose to remove the serial.

At this point, if you're getting the green check mark, I would just proceed with the install and you should be good.

[J453]

One additional point I sent via private message - my guess is the serials weren't working previously (without your original disks) is that you might have installed Universal or North American English versions when your serial numbers are for International English. Serial #s are tied to a specific language/regional installer.

[Noel Carboni]

EagerBob wrote:

I also tried the CSCleanertool but that crashed ("unexpectedly quits").

In my mind that says that your system, which you feel you have "restored", is not really in sound working order.

I know little about Apple's Time Machine backup, but traditionally things entitled "backup" restore a computer to a prior state where things are in working order.  It really sounds like that is not the case here, and that the problem doesn't lie with Adobe, but rather with a flawed restoral process.

Have you considered wiping the system clean (after backing up all your data, of course) and doing a fresh installation of the OS and all applications?  It really sounds like you've been working for days to avoid doing something that might only take hours.

Best of luck.

-Noel

[Vladimir-Atlantis]

I am mortified at the "help" I received from Adobe tech support when trying to re-activate my Adobe Design Premium CS3.

Without pasting the 2 hour long dialogue I can tell you I was told there was nothing they could do but upgrade me to a $40 a month subscription after suggesting I may be using pirated software. I frankly could not believe what I was reading.

My CS3 was bought new and was not cheap.  Despite the original price I love CS3t and am not ready to upgrade to new software. Please help me get my software back anyone who might be left at Adobe that cares... I am a long time customer and love your products. Please do not let underpaid support staff in a third wold country turn every legacy user away. They may consider other options in the future if this is how products are supported.

I hope someone in the black hole out there gets this....

[lfinlinson]

I just had this same issue, maybe this will help someone. I spent two hours "talking" to tech support (which honestly was mostly time spent waiting in various queues as they transferred me around) and was told multiple times CS3 is not compatible with Windows 8, even when I called BS. I've been using CS3 on this computer for over two years. I was then told to check the forums (I'd already checked.) Maddening there's not other way to activate, by the way. The phone option would be great in cases like this. Anyway, long story short, we fixed it today and it was simple for us.

When attempting to activate my software I got the following error:  "Activation - No Connection" followed by options to retry, phone in activation or change my internet settings.

I have software on my computer called "Net Nanny." It's a web filtering/malware monitoring type software. I disabled it temporarily and Photoshop activated like normal.

Good luck!

[J453]

Hi Laura,

Thanks for the tip. Yes, software that blocks connections to the activation server can cause problems.

Photoshop CS3 should install and run on Win 8. That said, CS3 wasn’t designed nor extensively tested to run on this new OS, so it's not an officially supported configuration.

[Cosmotara]

Yes, that is the easy answer! Deactivate all your firewalls and Photoshop will reactivate online.

[Jeff A Wright]

Locking this discussion.  Please see Download Adobe Creative Suite 3 products​ to obtain a copy of Creative Suite 3 that can be installed without the need for activation.

[thewhitedog]

I downgraded my router firewall and turned off Little Snitch (on my Mac), but that does not appear to be the source of the trouble for me. I reinstalled CS3 Web Premium on my Mac running OS X 10.9.5 Mavericks. I have a legitimate serial number, but there is no longer a registration server available for CS3, nor is there an operational phone number. Unlike CS2, Adobe does not appear to have made registration free versions of CS3 available. As others have observed, Adobe support is useless for older versions of their products. So I am stuck on the registration page with a set of boxes for an Authorization Code and no way to acquire such a code. The page reports my serial number and an activation number, so I know the product is legitimate. All Adobe support could suggest was coming to these forums, but no one here seems to know how to dredge up an authentication code either. I'm clearly not the only one who thinks Adobe is screwing us over here, trying to push us into paying for a Creative Cloud subscription by breaking CS3. If they can't be bothered enabling us to register or re-register CS3, then the least they could do is offer registration free versions of the CS3 suites. Adobe seems determined to destroy as much of their brand equity with long-time users as they can. They're clearly telling us they couldn't care less about us. If we cannot afford Creative Cloud, then we can go suck. Needless to say, the feeling is mutual.

[thewhitedog]

Let's be clear about what Adobe is doing here. They are no longer willing to make their apps available to average consumers, low level creatives and small businesses on a tight budget—which is most small businesses. If you're not a big fish with deep pockets, Adobe isn't interested in you. It doesn't matter how long you've been using Adobe products or how much you have paid for them over the years. If you ain't got the scratch for a Creative Cloud subscription now, they couldn't care less. Customer loyalty is of no value to them. These days Adobe is all about the cloud. If you don't need or want the cloud, Adobe doesn't need or want you. I've been using Photoshop since version 2.5; I'm not a newbie here. So I write this with deep regret, both for what I've lost and for what Adobe has become.

The only major product they still support—reluctantly—on the desktop is Adobe Lightroom. How long that will remain the case is anyone's guess.

[promotion removed by Moderator]

So the market in graphic design applications is now stratified, with Adobe claiming most of the high-end and the low end open to a variety of relative newcomers. Creative Cloud has stabilized Adobe's income stream at the same time it is shedding market share. Obviously that suits Adobe just fine. What suits us they neither know nor care. What we choose to do about it remains to be seen.

[J453]

Also note, CS3 is over 9 years old was designed to run on Mac OS X v10.4.11–10.5.4 and uses many API that deprecated in newer versions of OS X, including 10.9: Photoshop system requirements

[J453]

CS3 activation is still supported. What serial # are you trying to use? I can see a serial # registered under your Adobe ID ending in 7559. You can access your serial #s here: https://accounts.adobe.com/products

[thewhitedog]

@ Jeffrey: Try reading my posts, and those of others here and on other related threads, more carefully. The issue is not with CS2 (for the most part), which is now offered registration free. The problem is that the registration servers for CS3 have been shut down—as I have said repeatedly. Registration by phone requires an Authorization Code be retrieved but the phone response system has also been closed down. CS3 won't activate without one or the other. And neither is available. I have been testing CS3 for a friend who ran into this problem when her version of CS3 stopped working. The issue has been posted at https://forums.adobe.com/message/8666122‌. It's been viewed over 60 times but has not been answered. I reinstalled CS3 Web Premium to see if I could figure out what was going on. My posts here are the result of my experience with that. I couldn't get it to work on my system either.

As far as I can tell, you are mistaken when you say registration for CS3 is supported. A valid serial number isn't the issue. A valid serial number is useless if you cannot activate via a registration server or get an Authorization Code by phone. This is not the only forum where people are discussing this issue. If you have a suggestion on how to get an appropriate Authorization Code, I'd be glad to see it. But without an active CS3 registration server or a phone response system, there is no way I can find to get CS3 up and running again.

By the way, my post of April 10 was marked as the correct answer yesterday. That marking has now been removed—though no viable answer has been offered to replace it, by you or anyone else. As far as I can determine, CS3 is abandonware.

Further, I don't know who you're talking about when you say "you activated successfully back on Sept 9, 2015", or what product you are referring to. But it wasn't CS3. And even if it was, if I along with many others cannot reinstall it now, your system is broken. And so, apparently, are these forums, if we cannot get a plausible explanation from Adobe. After all, this is where your tech support tells us to come for the answers they don't have. But there are no answers here either.

Honestly, I wish you were right that CS3 registration/activation is still supported. But you failed to say how it is supported. So there's no way to test the veracity of your claim. I'm trying not to be rude here, but the lack of useful information in your posts makes that exceedingly difficult.

I listed a number of alternatives to Adobe's software rental service to point out that we now have other places to go besides Adobe for our graphic design software needs. I guess I should not be surprised that you deleted the information. But it was intended as much for you as it was for other readers. I wonder, did you get the point? In case you did not I'll spell it out: We are really not at your mercy as much as we used to be. And chapping off longtime loyal customers is not really a viable business plan.

Actually I hope I do get under your skin. That seems to be the only way to get people at Adobe to take us seriously any more. Being polite sure hasn't worked.

[J453]

The CS3 activations servers are still active. They have not been shut down. If they were shut down, we'd have millions of people posting here.

Activation is supported by support, and customers can contact them here: Contact Customer Care  (Wait for the chat option to load at the bottom of the page)

If you need an Authorization code in addition to your specific serial # ending in 7559, there's likely something wrong with the upgrade serial or the serial itself. We should be able to get you a serial that won't require an authorization code. I'll have someone look into your serial # problem and issue a new serial # if that's necessary.

From the backend, we can see when your serial #s were activated. If you didn't activate it, it sounds like someone else has your serial # ending in 7559.

I did not delete that information. Another admin did as it is against the terms of service of this forum.

[thewhitedog]

When I launch Photoshop CS3, I get the Software Setup dialog, which shows my serial number ending in 7559 with a green check mark. When I click Next I get the Activate Now window. When I click Activate in that window I get the Activation - No Connection window, as does my friend whose CS3 stopped working. When I click the Activate over the telephone button I get the Phone Activation window with two phone numbers that are no longer in service. The window shows my serial number, an activation number and a line of six boxes for an Activation Code.

So: My Internet connection works just fine, else I wouldn't be exchanging messages with you on this forum. Why, then, do I get a No Connection message when I try to activate over the Internet—if your servers are still working?

[Jeff A Wright]

Thewhitedog as Jeff has stated there are no recent activation requests for your Creative Suite 3 serial number.  It is not possible to provide an authorization code because offline activation was shut down a few years ago.

You indicated you have an active internet connection.  I would recommend utilizing the steps listed in Advanced solutions to connection errors with Adobe Creative Cloud and Creative Suite applications to resolve your connection error.  In particular I would recommend running the Host File fix solution available within the CC Cleaner Tool at Use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems.

Finally if you an provide me a case number from your interaction with our support team it would be appreciated.  The only recent case I could locate was your request to update the e-mail address on your account in January.

[thewhitedog]

The support team did not give me a case number. They insisted I come here for a solution, which solution is yet to be forthcoming. A lot of run around but no answers.

[thewhitedog]

The Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool worked this time—version 3.1.0.14, as referenced in your link. Earlier versions of the app did not work. I uninstalled CS3 as instructed in the directions for the tool and restarted my computer. Then I ran the cleaner tool and cleared the hosts file. I've seen mention of it before, but there were no instructions offered in how to clear these files.

Then I reinstalled Adobe CS3 Web Premium and the registration worked, partially. The app reported a successful activation, but I still got a registration error after that. Fortunately the error doesn't prevent use of the CS3 apps.

The only question I have now is why it took so long to get to this answer. I've been chasing my tail for a week to get to this point. I hope this solution offered in Jeff Wright's post will help others as well. I just hope this fix sticks. Anyway, thanks Jeff for finally providing the valid information I've been looking for.

[thewhitedog]

Followup: Photoshop CS3 launches just fine, as does Dreamweaver. But Illustrator throws up an error message, "Fatal error - missing component  /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Version Cue CS3/Client/3.0.0/VersionCue.framework

I thought this was because I didn't install Version Cue and Contribute. So I uninstalled and reinstalled everything. But even with Version Cue installed I get this message, and Illustrator shuts down.

What's with the installer leaving out essential components? There is a Version Cue CS3 folder in the Adobe folder, with a Server folder inside. But there is no Client folder, as there is for CS4.

So the mysteries continue.