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johnwhittington
Participating Frequently
August 2, 2018
Question

Re-Installing InDesign CS3 without the product it updated from

  • August 2, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 741 views

Hi there,

I know this relates to ancient products, but ....

About 10 years ago, I purchased (on-line) Acrobat 9 Pro and InDesign CS3 upgrades (from Acrobat 6 Standard and Pagemaker 6 respectively).  The machine on which they were installed has been taken out of service (old age!) and I am re-installing all the applications on a new computer.  I still have the downloads and serial numbers for the two upgrades, but the original products (Acrobatic 6 Standard and Pagemaker 6) are long gone, and I can find no record of their serial numbers - but those numbers are needed to activated the re-installed (upgrade) applications.

I spent quite some time in on-line chat this afternoon with an Adobe representative in relation to Adobe 9 Pro, and it eventually transpired that the solution was easy - the newly-installed program was able to provide an activation "challenge code", and when I gave that to the representative, I received in return a "response code", with which I was able to activate the Acrobat 9 Pro.

I've just been through a similar chat in relation to InDesign CS3, and I thought the process would probably again be similar/simple.  However, although the newly-installed program was again able to provide me with a 'challenge code', I was told that it could not be used in the same way as with Acrobat, because "adobe shut down the activation server for CS3".  Instead, I was advised to undertake a multi-step process, basically eradicating all traces of CS3 from my computer, and then getting a new serial number and new download (I wonder if the latter is really necessary?) and the re-installing and activating it.

However. one of the steps of the 'clean up process' involves deleting the cached licensing database file ("cache.db").  Despite the representative denying this when I specifically asked him, the site to which I was directed says "Note:  Removing the cached licensing database file (cache.db) affects the licensing of other installed Adobe software like Creative Suite, Photoshop Elements, Premiere Elements, Acrobat, Creative Cloud applications and more."

In therefore looks to me that, if I do as instructed, I will probably undo all the work that was done this afternoon, leaving Adobe 9 Pro un-activated, and with me being unable to activate it, as before.

Has anyone got any experience of this situation and/or any comments/advice?

Kind Regards,  John

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    Steve Werner
    Community Expert
    Steve WernerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 2, 2018

    In addition to what John said, what operating system are you running on the computer where you want to install InDesign CS3? Modern operating systems will not run InDesign CS3.

    J
    johnwhittingtonAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    August 2, 2018

    Steve,

    Thanks for your interest.  If that is the case, then my question and efforts may be moot - at least as far as the machine I've installed it on is concerned, since it's running Windows 10!

    It certainly opens.and runs as far as the activation screens, but I haven't yet tried it as a 'free trial' (since I thought that might complicate things further!), so I don't know to what extent it works.

    To be honest, I hardly ever use CS3, so not having it would not be a significant loss.  I just thought that since I had it (and had it installed on the machine the new one is replacing) I might as well install it!

    Kind Regards,  John

    Steve Werner
    Community Expert
    Steve WernerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 3, 2018

    All I can do is wish you the best. I'm not a Windows user, but newer Windows 10 updates seem to cause problems with older InDesign software, based on reports on the forum.

    John T Smith
    Community Expert
    John T SmithCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 2, 2018

    CS3 and Acrobat 8 activation server is retired see reply #1 https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2372929

    -you MUST use the special serial number AND the special installer you download, not your originals

    -above includes a link to get the special version AND links to help with activation problems

    -more information on activation problems with the new version https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2385900

    J
    johnwhittingtonAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    August 2, 2018

    John, Thanks for your interest.  Yes, that was the process that was described to me.

    However, what about my question - if I do everything I'm being told, including removal of cache.db, will that result in my Acrobat 9 Pro becoming de-activated, putting me back to square one as far as that application is concerned?

    Kind Regards,  John

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