unable to activate CS3 [CS3 is DEAD]

Question

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this...
 
I have a retail copy of CS3 master collection, bought some 4 or 5 years ago. It is installed and activated on my main PC, and has also been installed and used on a now-deceased laptop.
 
I'm building a new laptop now, and have installed the bits of the suite that I need - but I can't activate them. When I try internet activation, I get told that the software has reached it's activation limit. There is no option in the installed copy on my desktop to deactivate, and the previous laptop is dead.
 
I've just spent 45 completely fruitless minutes on a "help" chat, and gone round in a loop of "your serial number is invalid", "talk to the reseller you purchased from", "your serial number is invalid"...
 
I apparently have two adobe accounts (business and personal), and can log in to both of them, but the CS3 software doesn't appear in either, and I can't add it. The only thing that does appear is the old copy of elements my other half uses. Yet the CS3 install tells me the serial number is fine, just has reached its activation limit.
 
Can anyone give me any useful suggestions while I go looking for alternate software?
 
Thanks
 
Noel Weston

John T Smith · Accepted Answer

There is no solutionThe CS2-CS3-CS4 activation servers have been removed from service-https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite.html?promoid=19SCDRQK-So even if you have a disc or saved download, CS2-CS3-CS4 are completely dead-Adobe also no longer supplies the special non-activation version of CS2-CS3-CS4

mahfoudhm24232803 · Answer

Admittedly, I registered my ADOBE CREAIIVE PREMIUM software on March 10, 2008,
but I had paid more than $1500 for it at the time.
I am entitled to require that my pack be functional as much as I wish for my personal use.
I was surprised when I wanted to deactivate my pack to find that I had no device activated.
And the activation of my pack installed on a new PC proves impossible, just like the deactivation.
ADOBE infringes the inalienable right of ownership.
This is outrageous under French law which protects the right to property,
In France the right of ownership is alienable, Find me a solution, thank you in advance.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded