1 Reply Latest reply: Mar 9, 2012 12:22 AM by Mylenium RSS

    How do I deactivate online (needed when computer fails)?

    fat-bear Community Member

      Problem: When a computer fails with Adobe products installed, it is always a problem to do deactivation of license keys.

       

      When I login to my account at adobe.com, I can see my licenses.  I would have expected that I could manage my activations there.  How can we get Adobe to provide license key activation management online?  When computers fail, right now, there is no way to re-install Adobe software on the replacement computers because Adobe think I've used up my total activations.

       

      Without an solution within my adobe.com account, I always wind up spending HOURS talking with Adobe people.  It is a very frustrating process.  Please see below the 1 hour communication I had today that got me nowhere.

       

      Steve Amerige

       

      Mohammed: Hello! Welcome to Adobe Customer Service.

      Steve: The serial number in my account is xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx

      Mohammed: Hi Steve

      Steve: Began my day with a hard-disk failure.

      Mohammed: May I please have your email address registered with Adobe while I review your request?

      Steve: xxx@xxx.com

      Steve: It's also my AdobeID

      Mohammed: thank you for your emailaddress.

      Steve: I had both CS 5 Master Collection as well as Acrobat Professional (xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx) installed on the computer whose hard drive failed.

      Mohammed: Than you for the information.

      Steve: It is possible that I installed Acrobat Pro Extended on that computer instead... I have license for that: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx.

      Steve: Since the computer has crashed, I'm not sure which version of Acrobat I installed on it.

      Steve: Anyway, I don't want to have any problems once I start reinstalling the Acrobat and CS 5 Master Collection software.

      Mohammed: According to the End User License Agreement (EULA) law, it is recommended to install the Adobe Software on only two computers and that is mentioned on the End User License Agreement when installing the Software provided the Software is not used simultaneously.

      Mohammed: However, you can install the Software on the third Computer by de-activating the Software from one of the older one and then install it on the new one so that you can avoid any error message while activating the Software.

      Steve: I cannot de-activate the software... the hard drive has failed.

      Mohammed: Thank you for the information. Please allow me 1-2 minutes while I check with the information.

      Mohammed: I check the information. Still you have the activations left. You can activate the software.

      Steve: I had the software already installed on 2 computers: my home computer and my work computer.

      Mohammed: May I know what kind of errors your getting?

      Steve: My work computer is the one that had the hard-disk failure.  Did you verify license availability for both of the serial numbers: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx (CS5 Master Collection) and Acrobat Pro (xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx) and Acrobat Pro Extended (xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx)?

      Steve: I have not yet begun the installation... I have to finish loading the operating system first.  I just remembered the last time this happened that I had problems with activation.  I don't want problems this time.

      Steve: Adobe should provide a website to manage activations.  When computers fail, it is not possible to deactivate.

      Mohammed: This seems to be more of technical issue and Since I from Customer Support, In this case I will suggest you to contact our Specialized technical support team so that they would be able to resolve the issue better. I will provide you with the contact details for technical support team, Is that okay with you?

      Steve: Sure

      Mohammed: You can directly contact our technical team at 800-833-6687.

      Mohammed: Is there anything else I can help you with?

      Steve: You can put in a suggestion that customers can manage their activations by logging into their online account.  When computers fail, this would be the only way they can manage activations.

      Mohammed: Thank you for waiting. One moment please.

      Mohammed: Thank you.

      Mohammed: Is there anything else I can help you with?

      Steve: Yes, how do I submit a feature request to have online activation management?

      Mohammed: In this case you can contact us back.

      Steve: ???  Okay... why not now?

      Mohammed: Okay in this case please contact technical  team.

      Steve: And, how do I do that?  I just want to put in a feature request that activations should be managed online in my adobe.com account.

      Mohammed: I'll be right with you.

      Mohammed: Please follow the below steps to de-activate the product:

      Mohammed: *Ensure that the computer on which you have the software installed is connected to the Internet.

      Mohammed: *Select Deactivate from the Help menu in the product you want to deactivate.

      Mohammed: *Select Deactivate Permanently.

      Mohammed: Once you de-activate the product from the old system, you will not have any issue while activating the product on the new system.

      Steve: You've got to be kidding me!  Did you forget that my hard-drive failed?  Are you a real person or some software that is trying to answer my questions?

      Mohammed: I am sorry that is for future reference.

      Steve: As I said before, my hard-drive failed.  I cannot deactivate the license.  I called the phone number you gave me.  Adobe is not yet open, so at the moment I have no solution.

      Steve: I will call them and see if they are able to help me.  But, I want to know how I make an official request that Adobe allow for online license key management from within my adobe.com account.

      Mohammed: I am sorry, please stay online while I check with the activation seat for the serial number you have provided above.

      Mohammed: Steve, in case of hard drive crash or any unavoidable situations, you can contact us while activating the product so that we can make necessary changes to the license and allow you to activate the product again with out any issues.

      Steve: Okay... I'll proceed.  But, you still haven't answered my last question: how can I make an official request that Adobe allow for online license key management from within my adobe.com account?

      Mohammed: Steve, you can leave your feedback here on chat so that I can escalate the same to higher level of support to check with this.

      Mohammed: Is that fine?

      Steve: Yes... please do escalate this so that the feedback can be used.

      Mohammed: Thank you.

      Mohammed: Is there anything else I can help you with?

      Steve: No.  I will call the number you gave me when they open.  Until then, there is nothing for me to do except to begin the installation again, wait for the problem, and then re-start a new support session.  I wish Adobe could manage activations online, but I do understand that you can't at this moment do anything about it.  Have a nice day.

      Mohammed: Sorry for the wait. Please do stay online.

      Mohammed: Thank you.

      Mohammed: May I please have your email address registered with Adobe while I review your request?

      Mohammed: Thank you for contacting Adobe.  We are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Goodbye!