Adobe CS5 Photoshop extention Activation

[Cathlsg]

I am trying to reactivate my Adobe Photoshop on a new computer after de-activating from my old computer system.   The de-activation was confirmed but when I try to Activate on my new computer system it is now telling me that the Serial number is active on 2 computers and that I have now reached my limit of trying to Activate.      Any advice to correct this situation?  Thank you!  

[kglad]

retry activating on that old computer.  then update your os and make sure your default browser is not opera and is also updated.  then retry deactivating.

[Nancy OShea]

Don't waste your time chasing after a 15-year-old product built for Win XP, Vista, Win 7. 

1. The likelihood that anyone still has access to old equipment & operating systems is slim to none. 

2. There's no guarantee that CS5 will install, much less activate, on your new system. 

3. CS5's been unsupported for more than a decade. 

Get modern software to compliment your superfast new computer. After you see what current Photoshop can do, you'll kick for yourself for not doing this sooner.  

Creative Cloud Photography Plan 
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Creative Cloud Bundles & Single App Plans for mobile, web & desktops
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

Enjoy your new computer!

[brentj71776630]

Photoshop CS5 has been working just fine for me for years, including on my latest Windows 10 desktop.  Before upgrading that computer to Win 11 today, I deactivated Photoshop and it CONFIRMED that it was successfully deactivated.  After completion of the Win 11 upgrade, I opened Photoshop, it asked for the serial number, I entered it, and it told me that the activation limit had already been reached.  I bet that CS5 would work just fine with Win 11 on the very same computer it worked just fine on with Win 10 this morning.  But Adobe has blocked me from finding out, with an incorrect claim that the activation limit had been reached.  They no longer offer support to correct their error in this respect, but they somehow find it worth their time to still have a server active that tracks the number of times the software has been activated, but IGNORES whenever it is deactivated.  I don't want a "guarantee" from Adobe, and I don't care if they no longer support CS5.  I just don't want them to sc**w me out of the product I paid for.  I suspect it is an intentional strategy on their part to force users to "see what current Photoshop can do."  Nope, not this user, I'm not spending any more money on a company that behaves in this manner.

[kglad]

local confirmation is not the same as confirmation that deactivation was registered at adobe.

[brentj71776630]

That's my point.  The program told me I had successfully deactivated the software, and my computer was online then and for hours after.  Adobe's server is working just fine to deny me the ability to re-activate, but sooooomehow it supposedly register the deactivation?   I think they did it intentionally.

[brentj71776630]

Correction: "...it supposedly can't register the deactivation?"

[kglad]

both activation and deactivation servers work, and they have the same security requirements.  those security requirements can (and do) prevent computers from communicating their local deactivation to adobe's deactivation servers.

in that situation, you should be able to reactivate on that computer by updating the os and the default browser and making sure nothing locally (eg, host, security software) is causing a problem.

[brentj71776630]

Sorry, do you work for Adobe?  I'm just wondering how you can know that "both activation and deactivation servers work," etc.   In my case, deactivation was confirmed.  I doubt that message came from my local installation.  It had to come from Adobe's server.  But even assuming it was a locally generated message, it is supposed to be conveyed to Adobe's server.  The server clearly worked to deny me re-activation, and there was no "security requirement" that blocked that communication.  As I said, this all happened in one day, after I deactivated CS5 and then upgraded from Win 10 to 11.  It is a fully updated OS, and I just tried again after turning off my firewall and antivirus (since you suggested that my security software might be causing a problem).  Same result.  The simple fact is that Adobe's system now does not recognize deactivations, or worse, it just ignores them, and then denies legitimate attempts to reactivate.  Not something a company with integrity would do, IMO.

[kglad]

no, i'm not an adobe employee.

[Nancy OShea]

The aged-out activation servers are tired and ill-performing after 15 years of continuous service. Nothing that old lasts forever.  

Besides, CS5 was built for WinXP, not Win11.  Even if you could activate it, there's no guarantee that CS5 would perform as expected on the latest operating systems. Too much has changed since 2010. 

You've gotten many years of use from a product that had a shelf-life of 3-5 years. That's nothing to complain about. 

MODERN OPTIONS:
==============
FREE Acrobat Reader
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pdf-reader.html

FREE Online PDF Editor
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/pdf-editor.html\

Paid Acrobat (Standard, Pro or Studio)
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pricing/compare-versions.html

Photoshop Elements or Premiere Elements (3 year license, no subscription needed).
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html

Creative Cloud Annual Photography plan. 
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

FREE or Paid Adobe Express
https://helpx.adobe.com/express/using/express-overview.html

Creative Cloud Bundles & Single Apps for mobile, web & desktops
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

 Hope that helps. 

[brentj71776630]

Adobe can maintain the server well enough to deny re-activation, but somehow Adobe doesn't have the resources or tech savvy to have its server keep track of my deactivation?  I don't buy it.  And even if it was built for XP, it worked fine on Win 10 and I'm betting would have worked fine on Win 11 but for Adobe blocking me from activating it.  Like I said, I don't want a "guarantee" that it will work on Win 11.  I just object to Adobe killing my license, apparently to force me to buy a subscription.  And I have looked all over the box and find nothing about a "shelf life of 3-5 years."  Where does that come from?  I paid a substantial sum for this program, and I have no need or desire for a newer version.  So my personal opinion differs from yours.  I do think I have a right to complain about Adobe's actions.

[Nancy OShea]

I can find nothing about a "shelf life of 3-5 years."  

By @brentj71776630

=========

That's common knowledge for anyone who owns electronic devices. Given the frequency with which operating systems, firmware, security enhancements & devices are updated, most apps have a limited 3-year support window, after which you're on your own to repair or replace as required. 

Feel free to use online apps or other suitable replacements that are compatible with your Win11 device. 

Good luck. 

[brentj71776630]

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."  I never said I expected ongoing support forever.  That is a straw man argument. I have many new programs that still are covered by support, and many old programs that work just fine despite there being no support.  CS5 worked perfectly fine until Adobe's server actively rejected my attempt to reactivate it.  My nine-year-old Honda works just fine even though the warrantly expired years ago.  I don't expect Honda to fix any problems I might have with it.  I also don't expect Honda to initiate a kill switch to suddenly prevent my car from starting.  That is what I object to here:  Adobe setting up and maintaining a server that quite capably tracks any effort to activate the software, but ignores any previous deactivation, with the effect of affirmatively killing a functioning program.  So please don't tell me about "support" ending after X years.  There is a difference between not supporting a product and actively killing it.  If Adobe did not intend to do this, I'm sure they are fully capable of having the server recognize both deactivations and re-activations, instead of just the latter.  But they didn't do that, did they?

[kglad]

cs5 activation and deactivation servers are still working.

[brentj71776630]

You have said the servers are still working, but when I asked you said you don't work for Adobe.  So I don't know what your basis is for making that statement.  Do you inquire of Adobe employees, and they consider it worth their time to check into it and respond to your questions?  If so, maybe they could come and tell us, in their official capacity, what is actually going on with the server and the deactivation/re-activation process.  I know FOR A FACT that the server did NOT "work" to deactivate and then re-activate my license of CS5.  If by "working, " you mean that Adobe has set the server up to deliberately ignore deactivations and then reject attempts to reactivate, well, OK, then from Adobe's perspective I guess the server would be working perfectly when it killed my program.

[kglad]

other users have had recent success and the most knowledgeable employee (afaik) confirmed it.

[brentj71776630]

Heh, well that's kind of like our President's reply when asked for evidence of an assertion:  "A lot of people are saying it, that they're eating the dogs, eating the cats!"  I've seem quite a few reports in this forum by peoplethat  the deactivation/re-activation process has not worked, and they're asking for help.  I don't recall seeing any reports of recent success.  Perhaps Adobe's most knowledgeable employee on the subject can come here and post themself and explain why the process often fails, and why Adobe doesn't fix that.  Hey, tell them some guy is questioning Adobe's credibility and integrity - maybe that would be worth their time to officially address, if customer satisfaction isn't.

[kglad]

ok

[floyd_9745]

That message usually means Adobe’s activation servers still show your old computer as active, even though you deactivated it. The best fix is to contact Adobe Support directly and ask them to reset your activation count. They can remove old machine records from your serial number. You’ll need your product key and possibly your Adobe ID.

Since CS5 is a legacy product, you may need to use chat or phone support and request a “serial number activation reset.” Once they clear it, you’ll be able to activate Photoshop on your new system normally.

[kglad]

@floyd_9745 

your information is outdated and incorrect.  adobe support cannot help.