Creative Cloud Desktop Mac app update & install fail

[Mike Weasner]

Long time Adobe user. The Creative Cloud Desktop app (Mac Ventura 13.2.1) wanted to update. Tried several times but it always failed showing different error codes each time (1, 1001, 202, 205). I then booted into Safe Mode. From the Administrator account I used the Uninstall CC app to remove the installation, downloaded a new version from Adobe. It also failed to install, throwing various codes each time. One time it said there wasn't enough disk space even though over 2 TB was free on the 4 TB drive.

I restarted the Mac normally. I went to my user (non-Admin) account and launched Lightroom Classic. It launched OK. I then launched Photoshop 2023. It first said it was verifying it (I had not run Photoshop since its last update). After the verification was complete, Photoshop would not launch, saying it could not communicate with Creative Cloud Desktop. Of course it couldn't since the CC Desktop could not be re-installed. Lightroom Classic still launches OK.

How do I install the CC Desktop app now to get Photoshop working again????

This very frustrating.

[Mike Weasner]

LR CC 12.4 launches, but now Photoshop 2023 fails with "Could not complete your request because Photoshop was unable to communicate with Creative Cloud Desktop." The mess gets worse...

[Mike Weasner]

After several hours of being stuck at 63% without any timeout or error message, I finally force quit the CC Desktop app (which was not locked up; the Quit menu item was dimmed out however). I then downloaded a new copy of the Uninstaller and selected to do a Repair. Interestingly, the "new" version on Adobe's web site was older (version 5.0.0.106) than the one the Adobe engineers had me download in March (version 5.10.0.573). However, the "repair" showed this: "We've encountered the following issues: Another installer is currently running, which must be closed before installing this product. Please close other installers. (Error code: 81)".

WHAT INSTALLER is currently running? I checked Activity Monitor and there was a "Creative Cloud Installer" app open (owned by root). Why? I didn't launch the installer app. I killed the app in Activity Monitor and tried the repair again. The Uninstaller "repair" showed Initializing Installer" and then downloading Creative Cloud desktop. During the download this appeared "We've encountered the following issues: "There seems to be a problem with the downloaded file(s). For troubleshooting tips, please visit our customer support page. (Error code: 205)".

Now what???

[Mike Weasner]

Later, I restarted. Tried to repair again; got this: "Repair is failing due to some error. Please download and install a new copy of the Creative Cloud from 'http://www.adobe.com/go/adobecreativecloudapp'." Unfortunately, that URL brings up a general Adobe Creative Cloud web page instead of the specific installer page. At the bottom of the web page is a hidden link to "download" the app. You would think that the link in the Uninstaller would have taken the user directly to the right page for the Installer. 

Clicking that link opens a "Welcome to Creative Cloud" page. Clicking the link "Download Creative Cloud" does nothing. Had to login to make the download button work. Running the downloaded Installer gets to 33% installing and then shows "Something went wrong and we weren't able to install the app. (Error code: 1)".

Why does Adobe make it so difficult for paying customers to use their apps?

[Kalvyn Rasquinha]

Hi Mike. Are you still able to use the Proxy utility when performing these updates. If I recall correctly, the issue was happening last time because of your network configuration - not sure if your provider is blocking certain ports/servers. The proxy server utility that was installed provided a workaround for that.

If you're still seeing the issue with the proxy server, can you capture a log file and share the file name? Details on generating the log file are available here: https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-log-collector.html

[Mike Weasner]

Thanks Kalvyn. I still have the "Charles" utility, but haven't tried it. Will try it tomorrow. Of course, as was seen in March, there is nothing unusual about my network configuration except that it is a 5G cell service. I'll report back on the result tomorrow.

[Mike Weasner]

Kalvyn, I ran the Charles proxy debugging tool and tried to install CC Desktop. Got to 15% and failed error code 205. Ran the Log Collector Tool. Uploaded: AdobeLogs_20230802_092850_515-mac-GS.zxp. Can you provide a link to download a full CC Desktop app installer that does not require a network connection to successfully install the app?

[Kalvyn Rasquinha]

Try the "Alternative download" links on this HelpX article: https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-desktop-app-download.html. That will download the full installer.

[Mike Weasner]

Kalvyn, many thanks for your super support. The full 272 MB installer worked! CC Desktop and Photoshop now open again!

[Mike Weasner]

Here we go ONCE AGAIN!!!!

Updated my Mac Studio M1 Max to Sonoma macOS 14.0 on 28 September 2023. Checked out all my apps, including LRC and PS 2024. All worked OK. Opened the CC Desktop app window and saw there was an update (to v 6.0.0.571). Tried several times to install the update, sometimes even running the Charles proxy app that Adobe engineers suggested to me this past spring, but it failed at 12%-17% with a "computer is offline" error. Obviously the computer was online since other apps connected OK to the Internet. Later, tried again and this time it failed at 1% with an error code 81. Checked the Adobe Help page for error 81. It said there was another Adobe installer running and to check Activity Monitor, but the Help page did not say what installer to look for. I opened Activity Monitor and searched for "Adobe"; no obvious installer running. The Help page also said to reboot, which I did the next morning (29 September). I then tried again to install the CC Desktop app update; it failed at 9% saying the computer is offline. I rebooted the 5G modem/router. Update got to 9% and it failed again saying computer is offline (which is a bogus error). I quit the CC Desktop app, relaunched it, and tried again. On all the previous attempts I had disabled automatic updates; this time left it enabled. Update still failed. Downloaded the CC installer from the Adobe site. It got to 2.7% and failed, saying the Adobe servers were not reachable (error code 206). The "fix errors" info was not applicable (no firewall nor antivirus software running on my Mac Studio). Downloaded the "alternatve" full installer (v 6.0.0.571) and ran it. It immediately failed with "Creative Cloud is not yet available for devices using Apple silicon. (Error code: 25)". WHAT???? The previous alternative download worked on my Mac Studio in August 2023. I then relaunched the existing CC Desktop app. It launched OK, but the update failed saying computer offline. So, what's with all the bogus error messages?

(Years ago I discovered a flaw in another developer's app. Since he had a very high speed Internet connection, he assumed that everyone did and set network timeout to a few milliseconds. That didn't work for slower, long latency, Internet connections. When I pointed the error out, the developer increased the timeout to several seconds, which solved the problem with slower network connections. I'm not saying that this is the same culprit for the CC Desktop app bogus "computer offline" errors, but I do assume that Adobe has a very high speed Internet connection so perhaps any network timeout value should be increased in the Adobe code. Of course, that doesn't explain the "Creative Cloud is not yet available for devices using Apple silicon" error.)

[kglad]

i'm aware this is unhelpful for those who have already updated to sonoma, but:

in the future, it's wise to wait 2-3 months after a major apple os update before installing that update (if use of adobe apps is needed).

[Mike Weasner]

The only Sonoma/LRC conflict I saw reported before I updated to Sonoma was about watermarks. I don't use them so I figured that since Adobe tests their software using Apple beta releases, I was safe. And since I've seen this same CC app failed update at times for months, I decided it was safe to install Sonoma. But why would Adobe now think that Creative Cloud is not supported on Apple Silicon Macs. Or is this just a continuation of all the bogus error messages with Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app that leads me to believe that Adobe really needs to finally change their architecture of app updating/installing. Something somewhere is flawed. Just look at all the Adobe Help page errors that can occur during failed updates/installs.

[kglad]

reports come in during adobe's testing phase. but after general release more reports (often) start coming in.  you may have seen testing phase reports.

currently there are lots of recent photoshop and indesign reports on the forums and yesterday i saw the first 2 animate reports.

[Mike Weasner]

I redownloaded the full Creative Cloud Desktop Mac app installer (v 6.0.0.571) this morning. It installed OK. However, every few seconds the CC Desktop app alternates between showing my installed Adobe apps and the error "No internet connection. You can still access some features offline. For the full experience of this app, please connect to the internet." Obviously, another bogus Adobe error message since the computer IS online and connected to the Internet.

[kglad]

@Mike Weasner 

you may not be connected to adobe's secure servers though.  you could test by adding a file to your local sync folder and see if it syncs.