Skip to main content
M
musubk
Participating Frequently
June 24, 2021
Question

Steps to install Creative Cloud

  • June 24, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 684 views

1: Sign in to the Adobe website

2: Click 'install' on the Creative Cloud app

3: Creative Cloud downloads, the app directs you back to the webpage because you need to be signed in

4: You're already signed in, so you go right back to the app now even though you didn't do anything

5: The app lets you proceed now, despite step 4

6: Install fails because you're missing a couple of .dll files. On a brand new factory-stock computer. The installer offers no instruction or advice on how to find these .dll files

7: Start googling. Eventually find a random forum post that identifies these .dll files from a particluar version of the microsoft c++ distributable. Adobe needs that particular version and for some reason will not accept the newer versions of the same .dll files, so you download and install the legacy files

8: Re-launch the installer and hope for the best. It downloads a bunch of data, tries to install, then fails for unknown reasons because there are no useful error messages. You get the option to 'repair' or 'quit'. If you select 'repair', the same thing happens again - including downloading all that data again, for some reason. If you select 'quit' the installer deletes itself so you have to go back to the Adobe webpage to try again. You will repeat step 8, with minor variations, many times before this is over. Hope you're on a fast, non-metered connection!

9: Do some more googling. Find another random forum post that suggests running the installer as administrator. Worth a try. Same result as step 8

10: Do some more googling. Find yet another random forum post that suggests downloading and running a program called Adobe CC Cleaner, then starting again from scratch. Worth a try. Same result as step 8

11: Give up. Adobe Creative Cloud is not meant to be installed on the computers of mere mortals. You reached for the sun and got burned. Maybe you'll try again tomorrow. Maybe you'll just cancel your CC account and learn some of the competition's software instead. I'm sure the learning curve isn't fun, but I bet their software actually installs, so that's something.

 

It seems unfathomable to me that a company as big as Adobe has an installer that is so finicky and unusable. This has been the case for years, on multiple machines I've tried to install the software, both new and old. Eventually I make it work somehow. Haven't figured it out with this new machine yet. Good god is it frustrating.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

M
musubkAuthor
Participating Frequently
June 25, 2021

I seem to have finally jumped through enough hoops to make this work. The important steps, I think, were:

 

Install CC using the 'alternative download link' here: https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html

 

Install CC. I used a local admin account instead of my microsoft-linked account. No idea if that was necessary.

 

Go to this page and to download vc_redist.x86.exe and vc_redist.x64.exe: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads-2647da03-1eea-4433-9aff-95f26a218cc0

 

Open the 'add or remove programs' control panel within windows, scroll down to find Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 version (two copies, one for x86 and one for x64). Right click, select 'modify', select 'repair'. It should use the downloaded versions from the above step

 

Restart the computer

 

CC seems to run at this point and I can install the individual apps. I'll note again that this is a brand new, manufacturer-provided OS with no user installs or modifications. This is a pretty involved, unintuitive set of steps.

John Waller
Community Expert
John WallerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 25, 2021
quote

This is a pretty involved, unintuitive set of steps.

 

Agreed. Glad you got it to work - and thanks for reporting back.

 

I have never had to go to such lengths to get the Adobe Cloud installed. What you have done would be beyond most novices.

 

I wonder what is different about your setup compared to others (the majority?) who have no such issues.

    Jeffrey_A_Wright
    Jeffrey_A_Wright
    Legend
    June 24, 2021

    Musubk, I am sorry you have encountered so many problems installing Creative Cloud on the new computer.  Did you copy or transfer any applications from the old Windows computer, or was this installation on the Windows 10 provided by the computer manufacturer?  Who manufactured the computer you are installing Creative Cloud applications on?

     

    For your next steps, please use the alternative download links listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html to allow for a local installation of the Creative Cloud desktop app.

     

    If you continue to encounter problems, then please check the install log to determine the exact cause. Information on how to locate fatal errors can be found at https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/find-installation-log-files.html. In addition, please update this public discussion thread with any fatal errors you discover.

    M
    musubkAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 24, 2021

    It's a fresh Windows install provided by Lenovo. I received the computer yesterday and haven't done anything but install Windows updates before attempting to install CC.

     

    I've now tried creating a local administrator account from which to install instead of using my Microsoft-linked account, with the same results.

     

    I used the alternative download link you provided, after again running the Adobe CC cleaner tool and restarting the computer. This time the CC app asked me to log in within the app itself instead of redirecting me to a webpage to log in. Only it told me it couldn't find an account with my email address. I opened a browser and logged in there just to confirm I had the right email address, and I did. When I went back to the app it no longer asks me for log in information. That seems odd that it couldn't find my account from within the app even though I confirmed in the browser that I had the info correct.

     

    Now it reaches a point where it seems to finish 'installing' and instead begins loading the app. Only it sticks on a blank white screen with a 'Loading' icon and spinning wheel. It stays there for about a minute before offering a message that 'loading is taking longer than usual' with a button to 'get help'. Clicking 'get help' doesn't seem to do anything. After roughly another minute the app disappears and I get the same old 'quit' or 'repair' error message.

     

    I tried looking for the log files you suggested but that folder doesn't exist. C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ exists but the subfolder Installers\ does not. I already have hidden folder and files turned to viewable, so it's not that it's hidden

    M
    musubkAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    June 24, 2021

    Is Creative Cloud supposed to be communicating with Adobe servers when it's 'Loading' the app? Because it isn't, looking at the Task Manager I can see that there are no network communications happening at this point. 

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices