Acquiring old Adobe software, referred here by Adobe phone support

[Braith2890123746dr]

Hello

Thank you for this marvellous resource. I was referred here by adobe technical support who I was referred to by adobe sales.

I do video tape (VHS, etc.) converting and need to use old operating systems for the software so cannot use current adobe software, and would rather a lifetime licence of course also. The nice chap I spoke to said that experts on here shared old software and it was legal from Adobe's perspective and would ensure the safety of the software also. This was great to hear as I needed old things, could test on blank computers and reformat if dodgy, but did not want to get illegal software.

I would like Premiere Pro for Mac OSX 10.6.8, (I have got a copy from Internet Archive already but feel guilty about it though. It works perfectly, I needed to see if the equipment would work with it before going too far, but would rather a more legal one from here for paid (though still only a hobby) work.

Photoshop for Microsoft Windows 7,

Illustrator for Microsoft Windows 7,

and Acrobat for Microsoft Windows 7.

I hear Macs are better but I am more familiar with Windows and would rather use that for the above exc. Premier Pro, if you think it will be alright, though can do Macs as I do have some for my Canopus VHS equipment.

Thank you very much for your anticipated apparently marvellous help,

Braith

[John T Smith · Accepted solution]

>experts on here shared old software

That is not exactly true

DDL Adobe now offers the current and ONE older version via the online program manager

Go here for all older links https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-direct-download-links.html
Prodesigntools is an official Adobe partner, and the links go to Adobe, not a 3rd party site

Win7 is no longer supported https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-7-end-of-life-support-information and I don't think that ANYTHING from Adobe will work

[Braith2890123746dr · Accepted solution]

Hello John

Thank you for that information with the prodesigntools. The older ones should work I think if I set the computer's date back to within their lifetime, it worked for an old Mac OSX. I was surpriesed that the telephone chap said that, too good to be true unsurprisingly.

Thanks again,

Braith

[kglad · Accepted solution]

you can check specs for the versions compatible with your os, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/system-requirements.html

and you can download older versions from prodesigntools.com, but using those versions beyond the 30 day trial period requires activation which is no longer possible for cs2, cs3 and cs4.  for later versions (eg, cs5, cs5.5 and cs6), you need a valid serial number to activate and that is no longer legally available for purchase.

however, if you already have a valid serial number, you just need the matching installation file, and as mentioned, most adobe north america download links are available from prodesigntools.com. https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-direct-download-links.html

follow the directions (esp, step 1)

save the install file. it may not remain online.

thank jim @ prodesigntools.com

[Braith2890123746dr]

Hello Kglad?

Thank you for your reply. I would like to thank Jim but have not got any, nor want any, social media things so will see if there is an email address on his website. I found with the one I tried for an old Mac OSX that changing the computer's date when installing worked to get around the old ones being expired. I reccomend saving the installation files too, it is a good but not-always-done practice.

Thanks again,

Braith

[kglad]

@Braith2890123746dr 

i didn't entirely understand your last message, but you're welcome.

[Braith2890123746dr]

Hmm, it does sound confusing when re-reading it. Sorry. I got Premiere Pro CS4 (for an old Mac OSX which was needed to operate the old Macs I needed which had firewire sockets to connect to the old Canopus ADVC video capture boxes) CS4 says it is too old to register, as you said I think, it says expired. I tried it on the same computer after changing the date & time of the computer back to 2009, not worked as must have kept attempted registration on that computer somehow, tried on another computer after changed date to 2009, worked well. Can reinstall OS on first computer if need to use it. Once I tested it I found the video capture was not great using that setup so it did not matter in the end. (Trying to captuer from DV and save as H.264 in real time, not converting it post-capture like you are supposed to have to with DV, worth an experiment-why I needed Premiere Pro.) I have not tried changing the date back to the current year in case adobe then says it has expired, and do not need to have the right date so it does not matter. I am not sure if it of any use but I hope that explains it, if you wanted to know. If not no harm in explaining it and may be of use to someone in future.

Thanks again,

Braith

[kglad]

installing cs4 is not newsworthy. activating cs4 is newsworthy.

if you open a cs4 app, click help.  can you click deactivate?  (don't click it, but is it clickable?)

or can you click help > activate?

[Braith2890123746dr]

Hello

Yes, it is clickable, and I did not click it. If I have time I would like to try resetting the clock to the current year and seeing what happens, but when I have time to potentially reformat the computer if it gets stuck on expired, unless you know where the record is on it of activation to delete if I need to reinstall it. For reference, I did try it on another Mac first, on the current date, expired, then reset the date, still expired, tried on a fresh Mac, date first, then activated (the one we have been talking about) and it worked. So that is why I have not tried the date yet, though would be most interested.

Thanks, glad to be of potential help,

Braith

[kglad]

once it's activated, you should be able to correct your clock.

[Braith2890123746dr]

Thanks for that,

Braith

[kglad]

@Braith2890123746dr 

you're welcome.

[Braith2890123746dr]

Hello

Thank you for your concern, though the reason I needed an old version was to go with a similarly-old operating system, to go with a 2009 Mac with a Firewire socket, needed for an old video capture device. I do not connect those computers to the internet so it hopefully will not matter for security risks.

Thank you again though,

Braith

[Nancy OShea]

Really, really bad suggestion. :-((  Shame on whoever said that.

You won't find any reliable software sellers here. Only scammers and pirates who want to take your money and give you nothing in return except malware.  DO NOT BUY untrusted software from untrusted sellers. 

You need a 2nd computer.  One for legacy OS.  And a newer computer to run modern software.   End of story.

=============
Beware of fake Adobe reps who may contact you privately offering to sell you software or take control of your computer. It's a scam, run away! Real Adobe employees will never reach out via Outlook, Yahoo, Gmail or Skype.
=============
3 Easy Ways to Identify Genuine Adobe Staff
https://tinyurl.com/10791730

PS. VHS is dead. You can't even buy blank VHS tapes anymore. 

[Braith2890123746dr]

Hello Nancy

Yes, others have told me that already, it is a bit annoying.

I would not pay anyone for anything second hand, it would be
copyright-infringing I think too.

I have fifteen computers, as mentioned.

Thank you for the scam alerting, I had not heard of that specifically
before, though I would try to get their bank details & pass them on, then
run away.

I do VHS converting for people, VHS to digital formats.

Thanks,
Braith