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Answered

CS3 licensing [CS3 is dead, locked]

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
July 11, 2017
4 replies
5213 views

[Moderator moved from the non-technical Lounge to Creative Suites forum.]

When I try to open any CS3 program I get a message that says licensing for this product has stopped working. It says I need to uninstall and reinstall but I don't want to do that because I have a lot of websites in Dreamweaver, custom shapes and other things in Photoshop. Please help.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer LinSims

It's not so much that Adobe is not allowing people to use CS3 any more. It's that it is no longer possible to install it on a new machine. The activation servers no longer exist and it is no longer possible to get a non-activation-needed registration number.

If you have CS3 installed on a computer and it's working, keep that computer working also if you want to continue using CS3.

Otherwise, your choices are to purchase a subscription that provides the Adobe programs you want to use or to find other software that performs similar functions.

Philbert McHumperdink

Participant

I was told by Adobe that they are not allowing people to continue to use CS3.

LinSims

Correct answer

Community Expert

It's not so much that Adobe is not allowing people to use CS3 any more. It's that it is no longer possible to install it on a new machine. The activation servers no longer exist and it is no longer possible to get a non-activation-needed registration number.

If you have CS3 installed on a computer and it's working, keep that computer working also if you want to continue using CS3.

Otherwise, your choices are to purchase a subscription that provides the Adobe programs you want to use or to find other software that performs similar functions.

Philbert McHumperdink

Participant

They marked my case as "solved".

"You're software is old hence won't work anymore. Goodbye!"

Love that they are doing this during a pandemic.

Philbert McHumperdink

Participant

I have been told by Adobe they are canceling CS3 because it is "old". Really makes me unhappy. I am a CC subscriber but like having CS3 on my old MacBook. Not even sure CC is compatible with that operating system. This is software I paid for, and they decide now it messes with their subscription business model? Really scummy operation here. I paid $1200 for that software suite.

C

cvid01

Inspiring

Maybe start here: Adobe Licensing Website | Serial numbers, orders, and accounts

K

krazykrisiAuthor

Known Participant

None of those options work/apply to my situation. I tried the LWS but it said I wasn't an authorized user and wouldn't let me login.

I also tried the Adobe Licensing Repair Tool three times but it didn't fix my problem.

Jeffrey_A_Wright

Community Manager

Thank you for the information but I've already tried most of those options. Nothing worked

That is extremely unfortunate Krazykris. Your last option then will be to implement the listed solutions under a newly created local administrator account. Details on how to set up a new local administrator account can be found at Adobe troubleshooting: Creating an admin account in Windows.

If you are still unable to implement the solutions listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-licensing-stopped-windows.html under the newly created local administrator account then I would recommend backing up any critical files. Once safely backed up you can reinstall Windows 10 and then reinstall Creative Suite 3.

The root cause of this error, Krazykris, is that the current User account does not have the required permission to run the licensing service or update critical files. The steps listed in Error: "Licensing has stopped working" | Windows provide details on how this can be corrected.

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