Can’t activate Creative Suite 6

[Ashley22481611dbo8]

• Hi. My computer bombed so I got a replacement and put the old hard drive in, but it won't let me use the software without an activation code which I can't get any more. Can anyone help, please?

[LinSims]

Let me move this the the Accounts, Payments, & Plans forum, which is the appropriate one for your question. The Using the Community forum is for questions about how to use the community.

As far as I know (and I've been on vacation for a couple weeks), the activation servers for CS6 are still alive. Make sure you have TL1.2 enabled on your machine, some of the Adobe servers won't allow connections without it now.

[Ashley22481611dbo8]

Thank you for replying. I'm trying to do offline activation as irs an old Mac and I can't get it to connect to internet. I keep putting in the computer generated code and serial number and it keeps telling me one of them is incorrect. I thought if I moved the hard drive into the new one it would work 🙁

[Nancy OShea]

@Ashley22481611dbo8,

No.  You must install from the original installation disks or downloads you received at purchase on a compatible operating system such as Mac Mojave.  And your computer and browser must have TLS 1.2 connections enabled. Otherwise you can't connect to Adobe's servers.

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/eol-tls-support.html

When prompted, enter your valid serial number.  Activation should commence.

Failing that, we need the exact error message or code you're seeing.

Keep in mind that legacy CS6 is discontinued & unsupported.  Use at your own risk.

=============
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=============
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[Ashley22481611dbo8]

Thank you for your reply. I have a pristine set of disks that I purchased brand new from Adobe and used once, and carefully stored away. Forgive my lack of tech skills, are you saying that I cannot use them without internet connection on the computer? I don't know what TLS 1.2 is.

[John T Smith]

>I don't know what TLS 1.2 is

Click the 2 links that were provided and read

[Ashley22481611dbo8]

Thank you for your reply. As stated, I am using an old Mac now that will not connect to internet (seller on holiday) and I do know that Adobe works because it did for 7 days, my question is can I activate it offline.

[John T Smith]

When CS6 was still being sold you could have the program generate a code so you could call and be given a return code to activate the program

Now that CS6 is NOT being sold I do not know if the offline activation telephone number still works

[Ashley22481611dbo8]

Thank you, John, for your response. My frustration is at having a working computer, a beautiful set of registered software disks, and a drive full of projects, with no foreseeable means of accessing them, and unable to contact customer support. The simple answer in this forum is that no-one knows the answer. If I lived a different life I would buy a brand new Mac and an Adobe subscription, rather than waiting everyone's time in here. I appreciate you trying to help.

[John T Smith]

>old Mac now that will not connect to internet

Is that not connect to the Internet at all, or will not connect to the Adobe activation server?

If 1st there is a problem with the computer... if 2nd get someone to help with the NEW tls 1.2 connection requirement that has been discussed

Once you can connect to the Adobe activation server the program should activate

[OtterWithKids]

In the same boat here. Old Mac, new installation of valid product, but the offline activation just won’t work. It gives me a Request Code, but when I enter that Request Code on the site, it tells me it’s invalid.

Please help!

[LinSims]

Offline activation is no longer available for Creative Suites. The only support that Adobe provides for these old programs is to reset the number of activations.

The only way to activate these old programs is by using the activation server over the Internet. If you can't connect to the Internet at all, there is no way to contact the servers.

If you can connect to the Internet but just can't connect to the Adobe activation servers, either enable TLS1.2 or find someone who knows how to enable TLS1.2 support. 

The activation servers are on life support. We do not know how long Adobe will be able to keep them running. The servers for CS1-4 have already been shut down. (There's a bit of a loophole for CS4 in that if you do an installation on a machine that has never had CS4 installed on it, that apparently still works.)

[OtterWithKids]

LinSims, I can connect to the Internet, and TLS1.2 is definitely enabled. It just keeps telling me that all of my serial numbers are invalid, even though it’s registered on my account on Adobe.com.

[Nancy OShea]

How do you know it's valid software?  Pirated/illegally obtained software looked identical to the real thing.  Even the experts couldn't tell them apart.

You can log-in to your account below to see if your serial number is registered online.

https://account.adobe.com/products

For Volume Licenses, go here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/volume-licensing-site.html#Findserialnumbers

Also see Adobe Genuine Software FAQ

https://helpx.adobe.com/genuine/faq.html

[OtterWithKids]

Nancy, the serial number is definitely registered on my Adobe account—in fact, three of them are: one for CS, one for CS 5.5, and one for CS 6. However, when I try to register either 5.5 or 6, it invariably tells me that I can’t. (I haven’t tried v1.)

[Nancy OShea]

CS1 activation servers are long gone.

CS5 forward may have been upgrades from older products.  Do you have your qualifying product serial number?

What is the exact error message you're seeing?

[OtterWithKids]

Yes, I have all three serial numbers in my Adobe account. If the serial numbers are fake, Adobe doesn’t seem to think so.

[OtterWithKids]

Here’s the message: 

“Please connect to the Internet and retry

“Your computer seems to be offline. An internet connection is required. Please try again. If this problem persists please contact Customer Service. 

“If this computer cannot access the Internet, get more details at htttp://www.adobe.com/go/getactivated using an Internet enabled device.”

buttons:

[Connect Later]    [Retry]

[Nancy OShea]

Does your device and browser (very important) have TLS 1.2 connections enabled?  Without it you can't connect to Adobe's servers for security reasons.

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/eol-tls-support.html

[OtterWithKids]

Yes, it does. I’ve tried several different browsers, including the current versions of Safari and Chrome.

[Ashley22481611dbo8]

Difficult, isn't it? You get the third degree, only to be told it won't work anyway. I'm at a loss.

[Nancy OShea]

Can you connect to Adobe's servers?  See below. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/activation-network-issues.html

Or try with another device & Internet connection.

[OtterWithKids]

Thanks again, Nancy. I went that page and followed all of the instructions, but nothing made any difference. I somehow got my Adobe apps into a 30-day trial mode, but every time I launch any of them, I get the following:

─────────────────────────────────────

Adobe [Photoshop/Illustrator/etc.] wants to make changes.

Enter your password to allow this.

─────────────────────────────────────

I enter my admin credentials for the computer, click [OK], and get:

─────────────────────────────────────

Adobe Application Manager wants to make changes.

Enter your password to allow this.

─────────────────────────────────────

I enter my admin credentials again, click [OK], and get:

─────────────────────────────────────

Design and Web Premium Trial

Your trial will expire in 26 days.

You can continue to use CS6 Design and Web Premium after your trial period by purchasing the sofware.

[Buy Now]

[License This Software]  [Continue Trial]

─────────────────────────────────────

I click [License This Software] and get:

─────────────────────────────────────

Sign In Required

Sign-In is required to use this product and register it under your Adobe ID. Your Adobe ID provides you an easy way to access your serial numbers, as well as Adobe Creative Cloud and the Adobe.com community.

[Back]  [Sign in now]

─────────────────────────────────────

I click [Sign in now] and get:

─────────────────────────────────────

Sign In

[User Name__________]

[Password___________]

[Sign In]          Forgot password?

Cancel

─────────────────────────────────────

I enter my Adobe ID and password and get:

─────────────────────────────────────

2-Step Verification
Use your authenticator app to get the sign-in code

[____________________]

Don’t ask me again

[Verify]

or

Choose another way to sign in

─────────────────────────────────────

I’ve tried several different ways to sign in, but they all result in the same thing: it goes right back to Sign In Required and is an infinite loop from there.

[Nancy OShea]

Did you run the Adobe Cleaner Tool to wipe old Adobe files off your system?  It works with Creative Suite, too.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

Restart your computer.

Reinstall CS6.

[OtterWithKids]

Yes, I did, but it didn’t find anything—which isn’t surprising. I just got the computer last week, and I immediately wiped it and installed a completely fresh system. There’s pretty much nothing on there except the newly installed system and my Adobe products.