Application Manager suddenly running interference with Photoshop

[Mike Diehl]

I'm on an iMac running OS 10.13.6 (High Sierra) -- still -- and an older version of Photoshop. Nothing has changed on my system in months, or maybe years, but today, out of the blue, when I tried to launch PS, the App Mgr jumped up, briefly showed a screen saying it was validating my account, then went to a spinning wheel, asking me to "Please wait for a moment..." That never goes away. I chatted with someone @ Adobe who said my PS had reached its "end of life" and I had no choice but to update my OS, which is necessary to download the latest version of PS. Other Adobe apps (ID, AI, Acrobat) still run and my account is indeed current. Can anyone suggest a way to bypass AM or create an exception? Or some other solution -- besides finding a different photo editor? My system's stable, there are a couple apps I couldn't use if I upgraded my OS, but I rely on PS almost daily. [I need to click a Topic to post, and none of these apply. Apologies.]

[Mike Diehl]

I'm back -- after a fruitless chat with some dude who, as you know, was unable to help because my apps are older than what they support. The software works as it did prior to the de-linking of my app from my account, but I have 27 days left in my "trial" version. I'm game to try more things, if you've got more ideas. By the way, I did log out of CC and back in, that had no effect. 

[kglad]

did you have pre-cc adobe apps on this computer?

[Mike Diehl]

I do -- several CS6 apps.

[kglad]

are the cs6 apps still working?

[Mike Diehl]

I hadn't used them in eons, but a few days ago, in an attempt to try *everything* I could think of, I tried to launch PS/CS6. Got the same blockage, it wanted me to log in. My current log-in didn't work. Could it be that I have multiple accounts that Adobe still considers "viable," and PS is linked somehow to the older one? I did also try logging into CC with an older password but that wasn't recognized as valid. I've used Adobe products since 1989, give or take.

[kglad]

if accounts were an issue, the solution would be to confirm your subscription and adobe id and then sign into the cc desktop app with the confirmed id.

if you're not using cs6, let's uninstall it.  that should get rid of application manager.  ie, cc doesn't use the application manager.  the downside of this is that your cs6 may never be usable again.

[Mike Diehl]

Instinctively I'm disinclined to uninstall CS6 but realistically I've not used it in years, and were I to quit my Adobe subscription I'd buy something like Affinity Photo, rather than go back to CS6. I found these folders in my Applications folder:

Adobe Bridge CS6

Adobe Extension Manager CS6

Adobe Illustrator CS6

Adobe InDesign CS6

Adobe Media Encoder CS6

Adobe Photoshop CS6

-- presumably all should be uninstalled. Some of the apps have Uninstallers; others don't. And who knows where all Adobe's stashed files that could be deleted as part of this purge. 

Also, in the Utilities folder I see this: Adobe Utilities - CS6 along with the Application Manager (in its own folder). Safe to trash both of those, too? And finally, you're sure this is gonna solve my problem?!?

[kglad]

i am not sure uninstalling cs6 will solve your application manager problem.

[Mike Diehl]

Sorry for the delay. Deleting all the CS6 apps is, of course, a big deal. I have backups of the software but as I said, doubt I'd ever use it. So I will delete it -- but tell me this, if you can: Do you imagine Adobe could tell me if I have multiple accounts buried in their infrastructure? Either my PS is just too old and they shut off some switch, OR that app is linked to some other account. It knows ("it knows") it's me, and they're letting me use it but for some reason that app, alone among my CC suite, is singled out to expire. Frustrating!

[kglad]

no adobe can't determine if your cs6 serial number/name/etc is associated with a particular adobe id.

you have to remember the id used when purchasing or registering way back when you purchased/registered

[jane-e]

Instinctively I'm disinclined to uninstall CS6

By @Mike Diehl

Note that Adobe does not reset activations and that uninstalling is not the same as deactivating. CS6 must be deactivated first or it cannot be activated again.

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/activation-deactivation-help.html

Jane

[Mike Diehl]

Thank you, Jane-e. Are you saying that CS6 must be deactivated OR it cannot be re-activated, or once it's deactivated it cannot be activated again? I'm guessing the latter (and if you've read the recent exchange you'll know I likely won't want/need to reactivate the program, but the reason I kept it is, of course, that it's the last version I "own," as in do not need to subscribe to to use). 

[kglad]

we haven't really gotten there yet.  we're still discussing whether you are willing to risk losing cs6.

[Mike Diehl]

Early on (several days ago, when this all started) I tried to open PS CS6, and ran into the same roadblock; the Application Mgr (or whatever) blocked its use, as it did my current CC version. Today, just now, it opened without a hitch. I then launched CC 2015.5, and was roadblocked, i.e. could only continue my trial. I AGAIN tried to "license this software," and Adobe recognized my login (my email address) but after giving my PW, the same one I use for all the other CC sofware, no dice. All to say, no, I'm not at this moment ready to forsake CS6. 

[kglad]

ok. 

then for now we're at an impasse.

[Mike Diehl]

Sorry, not sure I understand. You're not positive that de-activating (and/or uninstalling) CS6 will solve the problem, but there is no other option? 

[kglad]

correct. anything done to fix the application manager problem risks your cs6

[jane-e]

there is no other option? 

By @Mike Diehl

I don't know if it will help or not, but the only other thing I can think of is to ask on the Photoshop forum instead of Creative Cloud Services where several Community Experts still have CS6 installed.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem/ct-p/ct-photoshop

Jane

[Mike Diehl]

Thanks, I just posted over there. 

So, kglad, can I deactivate CS6 without deleting the files, and (potentially) re-activate it, if all else fails? 

[kglad]

no.

deactivation is likely to be (but may not be) irreversible.

doing anything with app manager and/or cs6 is going to require careful management to decrease the chance of failure.

it won't hurt to ask in the ps forum, but it's unlikely they have as much experience with this as i do. ie, check here before doing anything.

[Mike Diehl]

I appreciate that. I do have a dialog going over there, and mentioned that after looking at some of the links re: activating/deactivating, I see I can sign out of Photoshop CC 2015.5, via the Help menu. Any reason to a) fear that, not being let back in, or b) do that, as it might reconnect me in a way that signing out of the CC app, and back in (etc.) didn't do? 

[kglad]

anything post cs6, you have nothing to lose. ie, it can't work worse than it does now, it won't affect cs6.