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How to activate old permanent license software on new computer

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I have an older permanent license for Adobe Creative Suite 5 Design Premium and for Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium. I have moved both of these products to a new Windows computer. I know the software is old, but it does what I need, and I don’t use it often enough to justify the cost of new versions. After dealing with a driver issues that caused crashes, I managed to get the software installed on Windows 11 25H2, and it seems to work fine. The problem is that the activation does not work because Adobe long ago discontinued the activation servers. I keep getting a message that I have too many activations already, even though I deactivated those on my older computers. I recall this happened to me about 5 years ago when I moved the software to a different computer. Adobe support did something (I don’t recall what) that cleared up the issue. Today, however, Adobe support told me they are not trained at all on the older software, so I need to go to this forum for an answer. Can anyone help me out? It is a permanent license I am just trying to use as is.

On another topic, when I open Photoshop, the program opens fine and seems to work, but the menu bar at the top is tiny, with almost unreadable text. I assume that is related to the 4K screen on my new computer. I already have the UI setting for large text, the biggest setting. Some of the drop down menus have decent size text, others have the barely readable text and related check boxes and sliders. What can I do about that? So far, I have only seen this in Photoshop 5.5. Indesign, for example, looks fine.

I hope I can get my answers. Thanks.

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kgladCorrect answer

Community Expert

@strong_carefe51

again, there’s only one option to overcome an excess activation count message: you have to use a computer that has a current activation AND that meets adobe’s requirements: https://community.adobe.com/t5/download-install-discussions/activation-limit-reached-for-non-subscription-adobe-desktop-applications/td-p/14804413?linkId=100000305463075

when that’s impossible, it’s impossible to easily use legacy applications beyond the 30 day trial period.

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strong_carefe51

They said they can’t find my activation. Total cop out. They closed my case before I had a chance to even respond. I opened another case and they said they call me last night. No surprise, no call. I am still waiting. As I said I have it on the old PC and it works but that’s a huge logistics pain. If the Automate/photomerge worked on my copy of CS4, I wouldn’t even be pursuing this.

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strong_carefe51

Yes, I can use pagemaker anytime I want. I use PS4 / CS 4 daily. The only one I can use now is CS5 because it was activated on two pc’s in the past. I resurrected one of them with great effort, and went through Adobe’s process to deactivate it but nothing has release the activation so I can use it on my newer PC. I wish they would abide by their own rules regards of the time lapsed.

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strong_carefe51

I am having the same issue with PS5!

In 1998 I spent the money on the upgrade from PS4 - I bought a product. I have barely used 5 because on my machines it was a resource hog and ver 4 worked better.

Now quite a few PC’s later, I am trying to use automate / photomerge on PS 4 & guess what? It doesn’t work anymore. I tried to open 5 and got the “you have used your two licenses up” message.

After several days I finally was able to get to talk to a rep online in a chat window. I explained that I bought the products, both Vers 4 & 5 at full retail price. The PC’s it was on have been parted out and replaced and I had the license key and can’t activate 5 on my newish PC.

They took the license number and said someone on the back end had to look at it and they would email me with a result. Okay fine. On a 28 year old program??? How much money does adobe have to fleece from me?

I paid the $600 or whatever the price tag twice years ago for Versions 4 & 5. I have old cameras. I can’t afford a new camera and I can’t afford a monthly fee to use an online app. I don’t use cloud computing and I don’t use apps. I am on a fixed income and need to use the tools I have. I bought the tool, but I can’t use it.

Okay, so I took the entire day, I found all the PC’s that could have had PS5 on it. (luckily I hadn’t tossed the out) One, dead power supply. One, the bracket that held the processor had snapped due to moving too roughly. After 5 hours I was finally able to piece together a machine out of two computers and boxes of parts and was able to find an Ethernet card and get it online.

After trying to figure out which was the boot disk and what were storage and all the associated monkeying around, I got it to boot. After another hour I found PS5 on the machine.

I went into the program and deactivated the software. How long does it take to reset so I can use it on my main PC????

Seriously, when I started it up, and got it running the machine told me I needed to verify windows due to hardware changes...okay, as I said I had to find an old ethernet card and then find a 40 foot cable to connect to my router, and within the next few boot cycles Windows 7 was satisfied it was my copy!!!

Why can’t adobe do the same thing? It’s been several hours, and still nothing!!

When you bought something you physically owned it. Not anymore it seems. As I said I can’t afford to pay a monthly subscription because I need to eat and pay for my health insurance. I bought the program. Stop holding me hostage please. Let me use what I paid for!

And yes, it works on Windows 11 because I am still using my licensed copy of PS4 and believe it or not I can still run my Adobe Pagemaker 6.5!!!!

Let’s make this happen Adobe! Give me my license back!!

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strong_carefe51

Funny, not my user name? I didn’t pick that. Was it assigned to me at random? Don’t know where this came from. Weird!

On an other note, I had to create this account to try to get this done. I hate having accounts like this and didn’t even want this one. I don’t have any online accounts!

I don’t do, apps, I don’t use the web on my phone, I don’t use social media, and in a situation like this it’s nearly impossible to connect with anyone that can help!! And then if you can get through, you get firewalled but the insipid AI and it takes forever and tons of frustration to get past that, if you are lucky!!!!

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markadobelangAuthor

Known Participant

As is noted in this thread, it may not help you to get the older computers running and deactivate Adobe software on them. That process seems to be hit or miss, but mostly miss. Adobe servers will be aggressive in keeping you from using the software on your new computer, but in most cases they will not recognize that you have deactivated on older computers. Adobe says that is just how it is. If you find out otherwise, let me know.

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markadobelangAuthor

Known Participant

Adobe got back to my assistance request. Basically, they said that the authentication servers used for the older creative suite products are old. They indicated that, when I deactive my software on a given machine, the device may not make a secure connection to the servers - so the software may become deactived and unusable on that machine, but still not provide for activation on another machine.

To me, this is just making excuses for what appears to be a policy of forcing people away from software, even that with a permanent license. I point out that, despite their age, their authentication servers are very aggressive and effective at preventing one from using the software both on new devices when it thinks there are no more activations left, and on the old devices that were deactivated, despite how young or old the device is or what protocols it supports. So, basically, the Adobe servers work very well to accomplish Adobe’s goal of preventing further use, but haphazardly at best when it comes to honoring the permanent licenses and stated activation policy. It would be one thing to not provide fixes for older software that does not run properly on new systems. It is something entirely different to purposely prevent permanent licenses from being used per the license when the software still functions on newer devices and operating systems. Shame on a successful company for such policies.

As for my situation, after deactivating all my Abode software on both of the older computers I still have in my possession, I managed to get CC5 Design Suite and CC5.5 Production Suite activated on my new computer (so one activation only working). Acrobat, however, still will not activate even though I have no activations of it now. The older Acrobat does not support a lot of current pdf files and features, anyway. And I am finding there are some very competitive and reasonable alternatives out there today. It’s too bad. Adobe used to be a very user friendly company. Now I guess it is buyer beware.

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John T Smith

Community Expert

TLS 1.2/1.3 is now required to connect
browser test https://clienttest.ssllabs.com:8443/ssltest/viewMyClient.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/unable-to-reach-adobe-servers.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/activation-network-issues.html

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/configmgr/core/plan-design/security/enable-tls-1-2

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markadobelangAuthor

Known Participant

Yes. You told me that. The browsers on all 3 of my computers support TLS 1.2/1.3. My point was that, whatever the protocol, the Adobe servers work fine to block the use of the software when they believe it is not justified, but they do not work to implement the stated activation policy. Clearly, Adobe made the effort to keep the servers updated and working when it comes to blocking, but did not bother to update the activation policy code.

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Nancy OShea

Community Expert

CS5 is unsupported, You’ve been using it for years at your own risk of failures.
A perpetual license is NOT permanent.
CS5 shipped with two activations, for installing on up to two devices.
Once those activations are used up, the license can’t be activated again.

Adobe can’t reset your activation count. Only you can do it from a supported computer that CS5 is installed on. Failing that, you’ll need other solutions for Win11.

Compared to replacing hardware, software is a relatively cheap investment, There are free & paid services available for Win11 & mobile devices.

Post back if you require recommendations.

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Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

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strong_carefe51

Maybe you think $600 bucks once upon a time was cheap, I certainly don’t and I am very sure I didn’t get my $600 bucks worth that’s for sure. It tool me a long time to earn the scratch to pay for Version 4 and then the upgrade to 5. I don’t know why you would think Adobe should get a pass on this? Again, I am not asking for support, just to be able to use the product I purchased. If it’s at my own risk, fine. Locking me out is crazy.

The entire software business model is flawed in this regards. If I blow an engine in my car, I put a new one in and it’s still the same car with the same vin #, but make it a computer and I blow a hard drive or a motherboard and Lordy Lordy it’s an entirely new machine! It’s a miracle!

Again, yesterday when I got this old PC to boot, windows came up, said it needed to verify it was a legit copy. A few tweaks to the machine hardware wise and it suddenly wasn’t asking anymore because it went to my account and saw the license # was legit and mine. Oh and it’s end of life software, Win 7 Pro..imagine that. woof. So don’t tell me Adobe can’t do it if they wanted to. They just obviously don’t want to.. Oh and to take the car analogy one step further a barn find that’s not been running for 80, years? New engine, same car. Well past end of life.

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John T Smith

Community Expert

> In both instances the programs reported a successful deactivation

That MAY be a false message due to the connection not being made at the Adobe server

TLS 1.2/1.3 is now required for that old computer to connect
test your browser https://clienttest.ssllabs.com:8443/ssltest/viewMyClient.html

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/activation-network-issues.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/unable-to-reach-adobe-servers.html

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markadobelangAuthor

Known Participant

Thanks for the detailed information. I ran the tests. The adobe page had a link specifically for Creative Suite 5 and 5.5. My browser on the old computer successfully passed that test by getting the pong message. I also ran the SSL labs page, and it said I have all the latest protocols active. However, when I open my old Adobe products, they open with a screen to accept the terms and then to enter a registration number. So the products on my old computer consider themselves deactivated, as they indicated when I did the operation. And my computer passes the protocol test and shows it can access the Adobe servers. I do not know what else I can do. For some reason, your servers do not seem to credit me with the deactivations that the software show were completed. Please advise next steps. Perhaps there is some way I can provide whatever parameter of the computer your servers use to track activations. Other software providers let me log in to a private portal that shows what computers their software is activated on, and allows me to add or delete computers there. Thanks.

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John T Smith

Community Expert

I don’t work for Adobe so I have **NO** idea how to proceed with a failed deactivation… chat support won’t work, since Adobe no longer supports those old programs… but you can try

https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?rghtup=autoOpen

- and enter AGENT in the box asking How can we help you?

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markadobelangAuthor

Known Participant

Thanks. I don’t need any download links. I installed both packages, and Adobe Acrobat, from the original DVD media. I used the license keys I have, and it let the install complete just fine. (After I found out how to disable the old CDRom driver that crashes the computer after the Adobe install on the latest Windows 11.) I thought I was fine. However, when I then came back a couple of weeks later to use the software, both Indesign and Photoshop showed screens saying that I had already activated on two computers and refused activation. I went back to the oldest computer I have, named Dell7510, and deactivated the two Adobe suites. In both instances the programs reported a successful deactivation. However, I still get the message on opening the programs that it is already activated on 2 computers.

I just tried it again, and this time it activated Photoshop (from the Production Suite) on the new computer, but still says Indesign is already activated on 2 computers. I am not sure what is happening. I have only 1 computer that I use regularly. I just bought a new one for my main computer, and have been transferring all my software there. I will keep the previous one to use if I need a backup at any time. The Dell7510 was the backup for my previous one, and I won’t be using it any more. So I really only want two activations, one for the new computer and one for the one it replaced that I will use as a backup. Perhaps the Adobe activation computers have gotten confused at some point. I can share my computer names if that will help. Thanks again.

And any thoughts on the tiny menu bar on Photoshop?

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Jeff_A_Wright

Community Manager

Thank you for posting @markadobelang and for being a long-time Adobe customer!

I understand how frustrating it can be to move older perpetual-license software to a new computer, especially when different products have different licensing and installation requirements.

I reviewed your account, and your Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium education license still has an activation available. However, education licenses require the original educational installation files provided with the purchase. The downloads available through Adobe's public download pages are for retail licenses. They won't work with an education serial number, so you'll need to find the original installation media for that product.

Your Design Premium CS5 retail license has reached its maximum allowed activations. Because it is a retail license, you can use the installers Adobe provides. Still, you will first need to successfully deactivate one of the previous installations before activation on the new computer can complete.

For information on locating installers for non-subscription products, please see:

Download non-subscription Adobe software
https://community.adobe.com/announcements-616/download-non-subscription-adobe-software-554002

For information on resolving activation limit errors and deactivating a previous installation, please see:

Activation limit reached for non-subscription Adobe desktop applications.
https://community.adobe.com/announcements-616/activation-limit-reached-for-non-subscription-adobe-desktop-applications-565112

Please update this public discussion thread if you have any additional questions, @markadobelang.

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markadobelangAuthor

Known Participant

My questions now relate to what I have shared. I am OK with the need to deactivate installations on older computers before they can be activated on another computer., and I have no need for installation links. My problem is that I did process deactivations, but Adobe did not give me credit for the deactivations. As I noted, I went back to my oldest computer after seeing your response, and I deactivated both the Design Premium 5 and Production Premium 5.5 Suites. In both cases, I was shown a screen that appeared to be accessing the internet, and then given a message that the deactivation was successful. Now, when I go back and open those programs, I see only a screen asking for a license code. So my software, at least, believes that the valid activations I had for those two suites on that computer are no longer active and presumably freed for other use. However, when I try to use them on my new computer, I still get a message that I have already used my two activations. I have no idea what happened. I also tried the tests for network protocols/access suggested by John Smith, and they were OK on all my computers, including the oldest one. Only someone from Adobe can look into this for me, and I believe you are it. I hope you can offer some suggestions.

I also reviewed the Adobe suites on the computer I am just now replacing.. I find that the Design Premium 5 (Indesign) is still working there. However, the Production Premium 5.5 (Photoshop) has also been deactivated there. I think I did that while I was trying to get the software installed on my new computer. That may be the one available activation that you identified and allowed me to activate Photoshop on my new computer. So apparently that deactivation worked, but the ones on my oldest computer did not work. I guess I could try deactivating Design 5 also on the immediate past computer to see if it would give me an activation for the new one. Frankly, as I noted, I don’t use the software that often, so having only one activation on my new main computer is something that would work for me. However, given my experience with the older computer, I am afraid that deactivation might also fail.

Again, I know I am pushing to use older, unsupported software licensed under a system Adobe no longer supports. However, when I was working regularly and using the software more, I purchased several versions with permanent licenses over a period of several years -- so it is not like I was a poor customer. I am now retired and just using the older software occasionally, and for that the older software does what I need. Thanks again for your assistance.

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Nancy OShea

Community Expert

I think you’re spinning your wheels.

There’s no guarantee that you can use 16-year old legacy software that was built for WinXP on a new Win11 machine. IMO, that’s an unrealistic expectation.

Keep old products installed on old machines and use for as long as you can.
Use compatible new products on new devices.

Good luck.

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Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

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