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K
Kanashawnee
Participating Frequently
February 3, 2026
Question

Trying to open CS PS4. Getting Error 131:4

  • February 3, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 131 views

I have been using CS PS4 since purchasing. Was working fine. Haven’t used in a couple years, due to moving, deaths in family, health issues, etc. Just tried to use, and receiving Error 131:4. Went to chat, and was given a number of things to try (see below). I couldn’t find some of the files. I did right-click the CS4 application shortcut and select Run as administrator. Didn’t help. Did not un-install and re-install.

 

Went back to chat, and was told by one, then another that Adobe has shut down all past programs, and they are now forcing owners of those programs to subscribe to their cloud programs.

 

Has anyone else encountered this? Is there a way to get my CS PS4 working again? I used a number of plug-ins (Topaz, etc.) within PS. Have I lost everything?

 

If you encounter error 131:4 when trying to open Adobe Creative Suite 4 (CS4) after a long period of inactivity, it is likely related to insufficient permissions or corrupted licensing data. To resolve this, follow these steps:

  1. Reset permissions on Adobe folders:
  • Navigate to the folder paths such as C:/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Adobe PCD and C:/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/caps.
  • Right-click each folder, select Properties, go to the Security tab, and ensure that Administrators and System have Full Control permissions.
  • If not, click Edit to grant Full Control.
  1. Remove the SQLite journaling file:
  • Go to C:/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Adobe PCD/cache.
  • Delete the file named cache.db-journal if it exists.
  1. Synchronize virtualized and non-virtualized Adobe PCD and caps folders (Windows Vista only):
  • Copy the Adobe PCD and caps folders from C:/Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Adobe/ to C:/Users/[user name]/AppData/Local/VirtualStore/Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Adobe/.
  • When prompted, choose to replace or merge files.
  1. Check for low disk space and system resources:
  • Ensure your system has enough free disk space and memory.
  • Set your Windows clock to the current date and time and restart your computer.
  1. Run Adobe applications as Administrator:
  • Right-click the CS4 application shortcut and select Run as administrator.
  1. Reinstall Adobe CS4 if the above steps fail:
  • Uninstall all Adobe CS3, CS4, and Acrobat 8/9 products.
  • Delete the folders Adobe PCD, caps, and backup from C:/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/.
  • Restart your computer and reinstall from original media.

These steps address common causes of licensing and permission errors that prevent CS4 from opening after long inactivity. Following them should restore your application's functionality.

10:10 AM

 

    2 replies

    K
    KanashawneeAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    May 14, 2026

    I sure as hell hope so! Adobe has ended my perpetual license to Photoshop with no warning or explanation. I have yet to try or check out Photoshop Elements to see if it will meet my needs. I’ll be... if I give them any more of my money if I can help it!

     

    [Abuse removed by moderator]
     

    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 14, 2026

    ​@Kanashawnee If you have a perpetual license, it has not ended. The subscription applies to new versions of the software.

    Dave

      K
      KanashawneeAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      June 18, 2026

      Just saw your reply. Thank you. I installed CS4 on my Windows 11 probably 3 years ago. Had to do a little tweaking, but it worked fine. Went to use it recently, and I can’t even open PS. I get a pop up box that says “Licensing for this product has stopped working”. “This product has encountered a problem which requires that you restart your computer before it can be launched”. “If you continue to see this message after restarting your computer, please contact either your IT administrator or Adobe technical support for help, and mention the error code shown at the bottom of this screen”. “Error: 131:4”. “http://www.adobe.com/support/”

      Nancy OShea
      Community Expert
      Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 3, 2026

      Asked and answered in your other post below. 

       

      CS4 is officially end-of-life and unsupported. Its activation servers were shut down in 2021. 

      The software can no longer be activated, rendering it unusable…

      Legacy product users should upgrade to modern solutions, such as an annual Creative Cloud Photography Plan or Photoshop Elements (3 year license).

       

      Hope that helps.

       

      Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
        K
        KanashawneeAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        February 3, 2026

        Thank you for such a quick response, Nancy! I was using CS4 PS up through 2003 with no issues. Why did the 1st agent I talked to in chat give me all the things to do to get it to work again? How can they just stop a license that was paid for, that had no time limits? I consider that extortion. I am a 71 year old senior on SS, and cannot afford $23/month.

        Nancy OShea
        Community Expert
        Nancy OSheaCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        February 4, 2026

        Right. And this is 2026.

        CS4 was built to run on WinXP and a 2GHz computer chip, none of which exist anymore.

         

        I don’t work for Adobe. I just know that CS4 and its activation servers are officially dead. If you can’t get the installed software to run on your machine, there’s no plan B except to replace CS4 with a supported product. 

         

        Photoshop Elements is a one-time payment for a 3-year license. 

         

        Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
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