Cannot access one CC app

[Mike Diehl]

Seven or eight weeks ago I lost access to Photoshop, one of my CC apps. I just spoke with an Adobe tech support person -- perhaps the 4th or 5th one? -- who explained that if I had the serial number to my version of Photoshop from 2007, I could attempt to register that with my CC account. 

I've posted on this forum*, and the Photoshp forum, about this problem, and one expert concluded:

i don't think i've every seen this before. it looks like your perpetual license took over your subscription license. the opposite (cc subscription taking control over perpetually licensed apps) was a very common problem.

Yes, I'm running an old OS (Mac 10.13.6) and I'm talking about Photoshop 2015.5. 

I have old software boxes, for Photoshop 5 (1998), CS 3, CS 5.5 and I burned a DVD-ROM of my CS6 install file. I have receipts for various purchases, and serial numbers going way back -- but not the one this dude was looking for. 

I see that the version of Photoshop released in 2007 was CS3 -- but my "Design Standard" serial number, which did include Photoshop (along with InDesign, Illustrator and Acrobat) is not the one he was looking for (he claimed to have only the last four digits of all my registrations). 

THIS IS INSANE -- even he agreed. 

But he suggested I post a new thread here, and ask for an Adobe® forum expert to weigh in. Here I am. If you have an answer, please help.

* https://community.adobe.com/t5/creative-cloud-services-discussions/application-manager-suddenly-runn...

[kglad]

i recall your post, and my response. but don't know of a fix for both serial and subscription licenses 

[Mike Diehl]

I just went to my products page; Adobe has a list of a bunch of the apps I've purchased. Not all of 'em, as I've been a customer going back to the early '90s, perhaps before their serial number scheme. The dude I spoke with told me I needed the serial number to Photoshop, specifically, from 2007, but that app is one of the products listed! And yet, I cannot activate the software that resides on my machine, works with my OS, and for which I am paying Adobe monthly to use.

Nothing personal, KGLAD, but the tech I spoke with asked me to post again, and ask for input from an official Adobe staffer, or expert or something, claiming that you did not have that status. Any idea how I'd flag one of those folks down?

[kglad]

i am an expert, but we can flag an employee, @Jeff_A_Wright , to get their input.

[Mike Diehl]

Thank you, KGLAD. Fingers crossed Jeff sees your flag and opts to weigh in. To make it easier/faster for him to grok the situation, I'll distill the issue. Salient background info: I'm on a Mac, running OS 10.13.6 (High Sierra) and the app in question is Photoshop 2015.5.

1) Several weeks ago I renewed my subscription by calling Adobe to request that they reinstate the fee I've paid since hopping aboard the Creative Cloud train. Every year it doubles, and every year I have to call to reinstate the going rate, which agents seem all too happy to do. 

2) A day later, maybe two, I lost access to Photoshop -- alone among the four apps I use constantly. (The others are InDesign, Illustrator and Acrobat Pro.)

3) KGLAD engaged with me and suggested a number of things to try, and one of them half-did the trick; I was able to use the app but only in a 30-day trial period. 

Additional info: KGLAD pointed out that Adobe Application Manager is stepping in, blocking access to my app -- but that Application Manager is a function of the Creative Suite era, and has no role in the CC world. 

4) I've chatted online, and on the phone, with several Adobe support people. Most tell me there's nothing they can do, as my app and OS are out of date and support for that has lapsed. The most recent fellow, however, appreciated that it wasn't about that app specifically, so tried to help. He told me I could re-link the app if I had the serial number to my 2007 subscription to Photoshop (crazy, no?). I read him every serial number I had, and none matched (he has only the last four digits). A few days later I rummaged around my account page @@ Adobe.com and found all the serial numbers I've used, and that one is listed. However, I still can't use the app. 

Finally, I should mention that KGLAD suggested signing out from my CS apps and deleting all I could; that might cut the Application Manager out of the process. However -- and it's a BIG however -- I am able to use Photoshop CS6 and while I miss the later version, I'm able to function with that older app, hence my reticence to delete it (or mess with it otherwise). 

Hope all this helps; if you (KGLAD) would like to add anything important, please do. Thanks again. 

[Mike Diehl]

Just got an email from Adobe asking me to click "Correct Answer" on the reply that solved my problem.

No answer has yet solved the problem, as anyone reading this knows. And, KGLAD, for what it's worth, I clicked on Jeff's link and sent a direct message, pointing to this thread. Thus far, crickets. 

Disappointing, after all this time and hassle, is an understatement. 

[kglad]

for what it's worth, someone in the entertainment and teams forum reported thre same problem; adobe application manager interfering with a subscription.

but because of the way teams/enterprise subscriptions are installed, that problem involves something the plan admin did incorrectly.

and just to make sure, you have an individual subscription and you downloaded the cc desktop app directly from adobe, correct?

[Mike Diehl]

Yes to both questions. I've been a sole proprietor for virtually my entire 50-year career -- and long before the computer era -- so have never had other than an individual account. When I was on the phone with the last guy, I pulled several physical software packages off the shelf to seek serial numbers. The most recent was CS5, tho I had burned a CD of the CD6 install package. I don't remember much about the transition to CC -- when it happened, and what apps I downloaded, but where besides Adobe would I have gotten them? 

I do recall subscribing somewhat later; as I've said I abhor the subscription model, and hung onto CS6 as long as I could, but my biggest and longest-running client, a global music company, forced me to upgrade as I was receiving InDesign files from them in versions that I couldn't open. When I jumped aboard the CC train I absolutely would've downloaded the software from the mothership. 

To this day I cannot fathom why PShop behaves uniquely (and badly). 

[kglad]

ok.

and i'm pretty sure these are repetitive but, if nothing else, they'll keep this thread informed.:

you don't want to lose cs6 on the problematic computer, and cs6 works well.

you don't have another computer you can/want to use for cc.

[Mike Diehl]

True. 

You might remember I have explored options that include creating a hard drive of my current system, having that available as a startup drive for the occasions when I need access to software that won't work on a new system, and I have looked into a new Mac, keeping the current iMac closeby and networked. Upgrading is inevitable, of course, but short-term I would SO like to resolve this problem and regain access to Photoshop (which, again, I'm paying for every single day). 

[kglad]

we never did a total uninstall, clean, reinstall of cc.  you''d have to be careful with the cleaning (to make sure you don't select cs6), but a risk to cs6 would still be present.  i just don't know hiw much of a risk that would be, but if you skip the cleaner step, there would be almost no risk.  otoh, using the cleaner improves the chances of success.

want to try?

[Mike Diehl]

I'm on the fence about this, or perhaps even on the "not" side of the fence; nothing anyone at Adobe has told me suggests that I could load an older version of anything onto my machine. 

I've seen mentions of the cleaner, and have seen critical comments -- though can't recall specifics, except the technique impressed me as being severe. 

[kglad]

then how do you feel about uninstalling everything cc and then reinstalling?

[Mike Diehl]

You're positive I can reinstall the versions of all the apps I now am using? If I delete what I have and Adobe will only let me download the most recent versions -- which is what I get from the conversations I've had w/ Adobe techs -- I'm up the creek, sans paddle. 

[kglad]

i thought you couldn't use anything cc because of this.

[Mike Diehl]

No -- I can use Illustrator (v. 24.3, 2020) and InDesign (v. 14.0, 2019), both "obsolete" versions. Only Photoshop (2015.5) dropped away. 

That you asked that makes me nervous, and even more reticent to uninstall what I have operating now. Without any of those apps, I'd be using CS6 exclusively, which I would of course like to avoid. 

[kglad]

does the cc desktop app show updates are available for all the cc apps you've installed?

[Mike Diehl]

In a word, No. Yes, they're available, but they're not compatible with my setup. Here's what PS looks like; AI and ID look the same.