Adobe Pro 2017 Activation

Similar thing happened to me. The motherboard on my computer was dying so I contracted to a computer business to build a new one for me. We agreed to use various parts of my old computer (such as the video card) in the new computer. Prior to taking in the old computer, I de-activated Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017.  I've been through this process before and I knew that I must de-activate the program on my old computer.

However, when John assessed the SSD on my old computer he found it still had lots of room on it, so he installed it on my new computer. Therefore I did not have to re-install software. But when I tried to re-activate Adobe 2017, I could not do it. The website wants to sell me a new licence. 

So I asked Google what is going on and found myself on this site. The interesting thing is that if I had not de-activated Adobe 2017 from the old computer, I would not have had this problem. So I have difficulty believing that Adobe cannot access the activation server. After all, it allowed me to de-activate the program on my computer just a few days ago. 

This is not like me wanting Adobe to buy me new furniture because my house burned down. It is more like Adobe allowed me to lock the door to my house and now will not let me unlock the door. Instead they want to sell me a new house. 

Grrrrr!! 

Supported all the way!

Warm regards,

PJ Jacobs
[Personal info removed by Adobe Moderator]

I'm having the exact same issues.  I purchased Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017 in 2019 for my law practice. It works great. Then when my last laptop crashed and burned - BSoD - and I downloaded my product from my adobe account to my new computer, it gave me 30 days to fix the "too many activated computers" during which time I also called "customer service" and may have spoken to some of the same gentlemen previously mentioned, their responses were rote. 

I don't live that far from Adobe HQ and I am a trial lawyer.  Consumer fraud is not my expertise, by I am becoming more interested in it as I look toward semi-retirement.  At the minimum, if Adobe cannot resolve this with three clicks of a mouse for each agrieved perpetual license owner and restore what we purchased, then they should refund our purchases in today's dollars/pounds/euros plus a bit of agrocompensation.  This is a clear case of planned and malicious obsolescence

I'm beyond pissed. Exact same issue just happened to me. Spoke with them also on the phone. Same issue. They claim they cannot access the license count server to have reset. I will NEVER buy another Adobe product again. I work in IT and will also be exploring other PDF readers for the company I work for as well. Foxit, etc. Chat conversation with them below:

Faizan
Please let me know the exact issue that you are facing with your Product along with the serial number for your product.

Elie

I cannot use Acrobat Pro 2020. Saying I need to deactivate from another computer. Both my PCs have been reimaged. I need you to clear all machines from this SN number: ########################

Faizan
Let me quickly check the serial number for you so that I can know the reason, why this issue is coming.

Faizan
This is to inform you that the maximum number of activations for your account has been exceeded. These errors occur if you try to use the app on more than 2 computers.

To resolve the error, please try to follow the below-mentioned steps on your previously activated machines –

Connect to the Internet and launch the app on one of your other computers.

Choose Help > Sign Out.

Try activating the app on the new computer again.

On the old computer, connect to the Internet and then launch the app.

Choose Help > Deactivate.

Reference KB - https://helpx.adobe.com/in/x-productkb/policy-pricing/error-activation-limit-reached-sign.html

However, you are eligible for a special discount on a subscription plan in which you need to pay for 9 months and enjoy free access for the remaining 3 months. All our latest software and updates are now available through subscription. This will ensure that you never have to worry about it being genuine, unlike the serial number-based software, which is susceptible to unauthorized tampering.

To get you started, we want to offer you our best promotional offering for Acrobat Pro Apps along with 90 days of free access.

I would like to inform you that the marketing price for the Acrobat Pro desktop application is USD 19.99/MO but as you have been our really valuable customer we will be providing you that for just USD 9.99/month along with the 90 free days.

Elie
Both machines have been reimaged. I need you guys to clear from your end...

Faizan
I can understand your concern. We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. We don't have an access of the activations servers anymore.

Elie
What?? I paid for this product and you're telling me that you cannot deactivate tied machines to the SN number that I own?

Faizan
I am very sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. You did your activation from your end and now you have exhausted the activation limit for your serial number. You are trying to access your product without deactivating it from the previous devices. Please deactivate the application first from the old devices using the steps given above.

Elie
For the love of God, the SN Number is tied to PCs that have been reimaged. The definition of a reimaged means that a PC have been reset back to default Windows. I cannot deactivate because the keys because machines have been reset. I need YOU guys to clear the key from your end

Faizan
Elie, We don't have an access to the activation servers anymore so therefore, We can't do the deactivation from our side. I hope you are understanding me. For you I can provide you a subscription for free three months that too at a 50 % discount.

Elie
Stop trying to sell me on a product that I paid for. Please have this escalated to the next tier

Faizan
We all don't have an access to the Activation Servers anymore, they are retired. Even no one is having an access to the activation servers anymore. Even my Supervisor will guide you the same. They will not guide you the new thing but policy.

Elie
Please escalate this

Faizan
Alright Elie, Please share with me the callback details so that I can schedule a callback for you with my senior level team
1.Contact Number.
2. Preferred Time to call.
3. Country/ Timezone

Filed a complaint with the BBB regarding Adobe's failure to honor perpetual licensing for Adobe Pro 2017 by refusing to activate software.  Yo, I'm NOT going away. 

Better Business Bureau
Los Angeles & Silicon Valley
1112 S Bascom Ave
San Jose, CA 95128-3507
Phone: 408 278 7400

Glad I found this.  I can confirm I had the exact same experience.  It's like they're reading from a script.  There is public document from Adobe stating so, but according to an internal memo released to support, Adobe retired the activation servers for Acrobat 2017.  When you de-activate (sign-out) from Acrobat on an old PC, it does nothing to de-activate the license. When you go to re-activate on the SAME PC or a new one, you will be met with the message that "The serial number xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx is already in use by the maximum allowed computers. You need to deactivate another computer."
It was confirmed in my phone call with Adobe Support today that this is because they turned off activation servers, not because you did not de-activate on the old computer or follow the correct instrucitons.  
These instructions are no longer valid for Acrobat 2017:  https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/activation-deactivation-help.html 
The following article which was sent to me by Adobe Support mentions "aging activation servers had to be retired," but does NOT apply to Acrobat 2017. I was told that they would be updating this article soon to reflect this new internal change.
https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/error-activation-limit-reached-sign.html 
Perpetual license no longer means perpetual.
Thanks for posting the FTC complaint.  Hope you don't mind me copying / pasting.

I am having the same issue with Acrobat DC. Computer crash and have a replacement and now I cannot activate on new PC for same error and I am unable to deactivate on old laptop and have nothing listed as activated  on the website.

Ridim was 3 escelations and supposedly the highest level of support available and would not give out a name, number, or email for anyone further up the chain.

Ridam

I understand but, right now, this is the only solution available and nothing else.

Me

I understand that your new policy does not allow you to perform the support available to fix this solution and in turn damages customer relations and locks them out of purchased software while allowing you to extort them in subscriptions. That about sum up this conversation?

Ridam

We are just suggesting you to purchase the subscription and for that, we can give you free credit days well and this is the only thing we can do.

Me

lol we've locked your account and wont fix it because of a new policy but here let us "suggest" you buy a subscription. got it.

Ridam

Yes, that's it

Me

i think i summed it up right the first time. i would still like a phone number or email to someone higher up the management chain?

There exist indeed reports that Adobe agents cannot reset the installation count anymore.