Photoshop CS 6/Creative Cloud issues

[allisonk79929370]

Hi,

I currently cannot open my copy of Photoshop (CS6) because I had Creative Cloud for the past year due to needing to subscribe to it so that I could have Dreamweaver last spring for a class, but no longer needed it due to being done with school so I let the subscription run out. I recently went to open Photoshop and it told me to either subscribe to Creative Cloud again or enter a serial number. I HAVE the disc with the serial number for Photoshop CS6 somewhere, but it's not readily available, as it's been misplaced.

There's no reason for me to renew Creative Cloud because I don't need it any more, but it refuses to let me open Photoshop because it says it needs Creative Cloud, which isn't the case because I had CS6 before I subscribed to Creative Cloud, and I was able to open it just fine.

I have uninstalled all of the Creative Cloud programs I had on my computer and it still won't work. It tells me to resubscribe or to put the serial number in. Even if I found the disc, it should not be telling me to enter the serial number because it's already registered on my computer, and was working fine before I did anything with Creative Cloud.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this? I can't uninstall CS6 and reinstall it because I don't have the disc readily available at the moment, and I think it's a one time install. I could resubscribe and download Photoshop CC 2017 but then I think I would lose all of the brushes that I already have in CS6, and I'd much rather use CS6 for as long as I can.

Is there any workaround for people in my situation (other than obviously finding the disc, which is easier said than done at the moment)? CS6 was purchased by my dad through his work, and it was on a CD-ROM with a serial number and in an Adobe case and such. I realize that without the serial number that doesn't mean much, but if I can't find the disc with the serial number then I really don't have any way of using an otherwise perfectly usable program on my computer, especially since I have all of my brushes and such in it and there's a LOT of them.

[John T Smith]

Read Cloud takes over https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2089127 for some ideas (see reply #1)

[allisonk79929370]

I talked to an Adobe support version via their chat and they basically cannot do anything without the order number, serial number, anything...and apparently the product is not registered under either of my e-mail addresses that I gave them. So basically I'm SOL at the moment until I can find some other information about the product like the order number or anything like that, which I may not be able to get.

[John T Smith]

Lost information - see reply #1 in https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2008767

[Terri_Stevens]

Hi Allison,

it sounds to me as if the problem could be a conflict between the Creative Cloud version of CS6 and the perpetual licence version of CS6. They look the same but are from a licencing point of view different. It is possible the CS6 version of Photoshop you now have is the Creative Cloud one and as you have ended your subscription it will not now work. As you cannot open what you have, there is nothing to be lost by uninstalling it and installing Photoshop CS6 perpetual licence version. You can download the installation media here

Download Adobe Creative Suite 6 applications

Make sure you choose the correct version as Extended has a different serial to Standard and the suites also have different serials. As you say the serial for CS6 should be somewhere on your system providing the OS has not been reinstalled. If it is there then there is a good chance simply reinstalling from the link will get it working.

[Ned Murphy]

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2174645   shows how to find it directly...

    If you are on a Mac navigate to:

    Macintosh HD >> Library >> Application Support >> regid.1986-12.com.adobe

    Inside the folder “regid.1986-12.com.adobe” you will probably find several files ending .swidtag

    For example: regid.1986-12.com.adobe_DesignSuitePremium-CS5-Mac-GM-en_US.swidtag

    Look for the one related to your product and right-click (control-click) on it and choose:

    Open With >> Other

    Then choose TextEdit from the list of applications.

    For registered products the 24 digit serial number is usually found near the bottom of the text document.

    On Windows navigate to:

    C:\ProgramData\regid.1986-12.com.adobe

    Open in Note Pad

[allisonk79929370]

Ugh. I thought this was going to be the answer to my problem, but APPARENTLY there's no folder called "regid.1986-12.com.adobe" under the "application support folder."

[Terri_Stevens]

Allison I use Windows not a Mac, but on Windows that folder is hidden. I don't know how it is done on a Mac but I think you need to make hidden files and folders visible.

[Terri_Stevens]

This might help Allison

Show Hidden Files On Your Mac – Works In Mountain Lion 10.8 | Mac Tricks And Tips

[kglad]

if the above doesn't help, https://mac-product-key-finder.com/

[allisonk79929370]

Ha, I'm not spending $30.00 just to be able to find this serial number. My dad thinks he might have the original e-mail with the order number from when he bought it for me, so hopefully I can get the information I need and get this resolved. Thank you for the link, though.

[kglad]

you're welcome.

p.s. there's a freeware version that's usually sufficient.

[allisonk79929370]

I found my copy of Photoshop CS6 with the serial number! The problem is that it gave me this message when I entered it:

So what do I do? Do I follow those directions? Will I lose the brushes and fonts and such that I have installed in Photoshop if I do? Is there any other way around following these directions and getting it so that I can use it again?

[kglad]

fonts are installed on your computer, not ps

for brushes and other settings/preferences, google: migrate photoshop cs6

[allisonk79929370]

Still looking for answers on this- i.e. what to do now since the access key doesn't work.

Also, if I resubscribe to Creative Cloud for the $9.99/month for just Photoshop, is it automatically going to make me download that version of Photoshop, or would I be able to keep using Photoshop CS6, which is the one I have the access key to but doesn't work, without having to use the Creative Cloud version of Photoshop?

[kglad]

uninstall everything cc including preferences, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-remove-app.html

rename your Adobe PCD folder and SLStore folders*

then uninstall the cc desktop app, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/uninstall-creative-cloud-desktop-app.html

clean your computer of cc files per http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html

restart your computer (don't skip this)

reinstall ps cs6 using your installation files or downloaded** installation files.

activate with your serial number.

* https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/configuration-error.html

**

Downloadable installation files available:

• Suites and Programs:    CC 2017 |  CC 2015.5 | CC 2015 | CC 2014 | CC | CS6 | CS5.5 | CS5 | CS4, CS4 Web Standard | CS3
• Acrobat:  DC, XI, X | X Suite | 9,8 | 9 pro extended exe,9 pro extended 7z | 9 standard  | 8 standard |
• Authorware:  7.01 windows |
• Captivate:  9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5.5, 5 | 1
• Cold Fusion:  11, 10 | 9.0.2, 9.0.1, 9.0.0, 8.0.1, 8.0.0, 7.0, 6.1, 6.0, 5.0, 4.0 |
• Contribute:  CS5 | CS4, CS3 | 3,2
• FrameMaker:  12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7.2 |
• Lightroom:    6.8| 5.7.1|  4.4 | 3.6 |
• Photoshop Elements:  15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8 | 9,8,7 win | 8 mac | 7 mac
• Premiere Elements:  15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8| 9, 8, 7 win | 8 mac | 7 mac
• RoboHelp:  2015

Download and installation help for Adobe links

Download and installation help for Prodesigntools links are listed on most linked pages.  They are critical; especially steps 1, 2 and 3.  If you click a link that does not have those steps listed, open a second window using the Lightroom 3 link to see those 'Important Instructions'.

[allisonk79929370]

I can't follow the steps in your first link because it wants me to resubscribe or enter an activation key. I'm trying to avoid having to resubscribe, but will do so if it will let me open Photoshop CS6 again.

I already have all of the Creative Cloud apps uninstalled- I did that a while ago- but it refuses to let me uninstall Creative Cloud because it says I still have applications on my computer that require it.

The only Adobe application that would apply to is Photoshop CS6, but it shouldn't be requiring it at all.

I tried following the directions in this link, under Mac, but there is no folder with the name SLStore.

...would deleting the CC2015/Dreamweaver CC 2015/Extension Manger CC/Lightroom folders do anything?

[kglad]

i see several cc folders in your screenshot.  are they empty?

[allisonk79929370]

kglad​ no. The extension manager folder for CS6 is empty, but all of the other folders have things in them.

[kglad]

then it doesn't appear that those programs were uninstalled.

can you use the cc desktop app to uninstall them, Uninstall or remove Creative Cloud apps

[allisonk79929370]

Which is weird, because I definitely uninstalled them.

As I said, I can't follow those steps because it wasn't me to subscribe to Creative Cloud again or enter my activation key, which doesn't work.

Actually, it wants me to do the trial, and then it wants me to purchase the software. So maybe I'll just do the trial just so that I can see whether or not I can actually follow those steps and get those things uninstalled. But I know that I uninstalled them. They're not even in my dashboard any more or anything.

Ha. I apparently misread $19.99/month as $9.99 a month.

So now I really want to avoid having to pay that just to be able to open Photoshop again.

Edit: could the folders still being there be from the fact that I haven't restarted my computer since uninstalling them? I always tend to leave it on out of habit but I'm thinking that could be part of the issue? I'll try restarting it and see if those folders go away.

[kglad]

ps and lr both together (photographer's plan) are 9.99/mo.

open you cc desktop app>click the apps tab.  does it show any of the cc app are installed?

if so, click the gear next to the app to uninstall

[allisonk79929370]

Nope.

Which is why I'm wondering if I need to restart my computer, in order for it to take effect. I had downloaded InDesign, Lightroom, Dreamweaver...I THINK that's it of the ones that I got from Creative Cloud itself.

Ah, okay. What I was looking at was for JUST Photoshop, but unless I wasn't looking at the right thing, it was $19.99/month and not $9.99/month. It was a while ago that I looked at it initially so maybe I just looked at it really quickly and thought it was $9.99/month.

Edit: oh, I think I did install Photoshop, too, when I first subscribed to and installed Creative Cloud. But that was the 2014 version, I think, or whatever would have been out in spring 2016.

[allisonk79929370]

When I uninstalled those programs, I did it through Creative Cloud, like you show in your screenshot, and they all completely uninstalled without any issues. The only one giving me the issue is Creative Cloud itself, which is why I think I need to restart my computer. (I haven't yet because I have a lot of tabs open at the moment, but I will before I go to bed tonight.)

[kglad · Accepted solution]

1. delete the cc folders

2. clean per Use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems

3. if ps cs6 is installed, uninstall it after securing your serial number.

4. restart your computer.

5 install ps cs6 and use your serial number to activate

p.s. it makes no economic sense to purchase the single app ps subscription for $20/mo when for 1/2 that you can subscribe to both ps and lr.