Cannot (re)-active CS3, Adobe does not help

[EagerBob]

Hello All,

My wife has a macbook running Photoshop CS3 and Illustrator CS3. These are not part of the CS but applications that were bought separately. They still work and are perfectly fine for the work that needs to be done.

The Macbook crashed yesterday so I re-installed OS X from a time machine backup. I was not able to de-activate the software before restoring the system.

Now that the computer is fixed, both applications ask to activate before you can open them. Activating over the internet does not work due to an "connection error". I tried activating over the phone but that does not work either. You are then transfered to an automated message saying that Adobe no longer "supports activation issues over the phone".

A website address was given (adobe.com/go/activation) where no solution is found.

I then started a live chat with support. The support person could see that the software was properly registered, and that both serial numbers have an activation remaining. But he did not help me with activation, since Adobe "only supports current products". Advice was given to look into the forums, or to use my CS3 to purchase a Creative Cloud subscription, which we do not need or want.

So Adobe leaves us in the cold with their software were they choose to put restrictions on to protect it from piracy but that are now preventing the legitimate user to continue using it.

My question: what to do to get both Photoshop and Illustrator running again?

Thanks

[thewhitedog]

Followup 2: On a hunch, I copied the Client folder from the Version Cue CS4 folder into the Version Cue CS3 folder and changed the name from 4.0.0 to 3.0.0. Surprise, it works. Apparently there aren't enough differences in the contents of the folder to bother Illustrator CS3.

Still, the question remains, why didn't the CS3 Web Premium installer include a Version Cue Client folder? And why, way back in 2007 when I first installed and used Illustrator CS3 did the same problem not arise? I should mention it again that CS3 Web Premium would not install off of the original DVD this time around. It had all sorts of problems, including a demand for the CS4 Web Premium disc. I had to go online and get the download version, which worked without the same problems—other than the ones I'm discussing here.

There actually is a Version Cue CS3 Client dmg file in the Payloads folder. I expanded it and copied the included Client folder to the Adobe folder in Applications support, replacing the CS4 Client copy. But it is incomplete and Illustrator generated the same missing component error message. So I had to restore the CS4 Client copy.

Other apps in the CS3 suite work without a problem, including Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks.

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Thank you for the update Thewhitedog.  I am happy to hear that the host file fix was able to successfully remove the offending entries.

For your most recent launch errors with Illustrator you may want to post in the Illustrator forum at Illustrator.  The individuals in this community will be more familiar with any launch errors or if there is incompatibility with newer operating systems.  Previously you indicated that you are utilizing Mac OS 10.9.5.  There maybe specific issues with Illustrator CS3 under Mac OS 10.9.5.

[thewhitedog · Accepted solution]

Followup 3: I worked on my friend's Mac today, following the steps, with a few variations, that worked for me. She's using an old 17" Macbook Pro running OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard.

To begin with I tried to uninstall Adobe CS3 Design Premium. She did not have an Adobe Installers folder from which I could launch the Add or Remove Adobe Creative Suite CS3... app. So I tried to use her CS3 installer to do it. As on my system, it failed.

So I used the CS3Clean Script (Adobe - Adobe CS3Clean Script) to do the uninstall. Be warned, this script is extremely thorough. Follow the instructions carefully if you need to use it. It ran OK on her system, Snow Leopard. It will not run on mine, OS X 10.9.5 Mavericks.

Then I prepared to run the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (Use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems), restarting the computer after uninstalling CS3. This, too, should be used carefully. The only item I needed to remove was the hosts file. After this I installed CS3, not from her CS3 DVD, which probed problematic, as mine did, but with the Adobe CS3 Design Premium installer Adobe makes available, along with other CS3 Studio versions, at Advanced solutions to connection errors with Adobe Creative Cloud and Creative Suite applications.

After the installation finished, I launched Illustrator CS3. The same "expired" message appeared, but this time when I tried to reauthorize the suite, the web connection worked and the authorization succeeded. As on my system a message appeared saying that registration failed do to the lack of a connection, but this registration is not critical to using CS3 so I clicked Never Register, the dialog disappeared and Illustrator continued to launch as expected. There was no fatal error, as I experienced, so apparently the Design Premium installer included the Version Cue Client files that Web Premium did not (see Followup 2 above).

I cannot speak for anyone else posting here, but this procedure has worked for me now on two different systems. It took me nearly a week to gather the necessary information, or rather, for that information to be put forward by Jeff Wright. Thanks, Jeff. The process was arduous, with much confusion and many misdirects, but, as they say, all's well that ends well. I hope others having similar problems will find this summary useful. Be sure and let us know if you do—or if you do not.

[thewhitedog]

Note: As I said, Clean App won't run on Mavericks. It may have been compiled as a PPC app and may not run above Snow Leopard.

On a hunch I tried to use Script Editor to save a copy of the Clean App that might run on my system, Mavericks, but it could not be saved for some reason. However, I was able to run it as a script (not an application) from Script Editor. It opened in Terminal and proceeded as it had when I ran it in Snow Leopard. I cancelled it, or course, before finishing. I just wanted to see if it would run, and it does. This in case you don't have an uninstaller for CS3 that will work.

[koolshopper]

I would sure the heck like to see Adobe stop deactivation of my CS3 Web Premium which I bought and paid for in full straight from Adobe itself.

[J453]

It also looks like you activated successfully back on Sept 9, 2015 using this serial #.

[beverlyr75494055]

I am having the same trouble reloading CS2.  When I updated to Windows 10 I lost the program and cannot get it reinstalled and no help from Adobe.  I have been

at this for 3 days and am mad!!  All they care about now is selling something new and not supporting old even though it can still be used for what I need.

[John Waller]

Adobe supports CS2.

You must now download a special, non-activation version from

Error: "Activation Server Unavailable" | CS2, Acrobat 7, Audition 3‌

Install then enter the special, non-activation serial number provided at that link. Your existing serial number will not work.

[J453]

Also note, CS2 is over 11 years old and was designed and tested to run on Microsoft® Windows® 2000 with Service Pack 4, or Windows XP with Service Pack 1 or 2 and older hardware: Photoshop system requirements

You may need to install and run in compatibility mode in newer versions of Windows: Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows - Windows Help

[thewhitedog]

Bob, are you following the discussion you started here? With the help of Jeff Wright I believe I've found the solution you've been looking for. But we won't know until and unless you and others are able to reproduce my results—the successful reactivation of Adobe CS3. Please let us know.