CS5 Master Collection compatibility with Windows 10

[J-M-Shaw]

At home, I use CS5 Master Collection on a Windows 7 Professional  64bit PC. I received an offer from Microsoft to freely upgrade my system to Windows 10 Professional at the end of July. Will my CS5 Master Collection work, or have any problems in Windows 10? I understand from Microsoft no applications have to be reinstalled in this upgrade, like one would have to do if installing an OS from a disk, and they say all applications currently installed, will still be so, after the upgrade. Is there anything I need to do before this upgrade, to facilitate a smooth transition to Windows 10 Professional? I despise cloud products(subscription based software) and will not be using or upgrading to any CC products.

[Atul_Saini · Accepted solution]

John, CS 5 is now end of life and we have limited resources to offer, also it was never tested on windows 10. Kindly check the Adobe - Creative Suite 5 Master Collection : System requirements.

If you wish to upgrade to latest version you can refer: Creative Cloud pricing and membership plans | Adobe Creative Cloud

[J-M-Shaw]

What I hoping, as an answer from Adobe, was what I would need to do in order to ensure it was still registered and activated in Windows 10, once the upgrade to the new operating system happened. I know others were able to use CS5/CS5.5/CS6  in Windows 8.1, (Windows 8.1 compatibility FAQs | CC, CS6, Acrobat) so your answer is not sufficient for me. Microsoft themselves do not see issue with it either when using their compatibility check. I surmise others will not like your answer either, and you will have a number of users asking you the same question, not only for CS5 but CS5.5 and CS6. Many remained with the CS products over the CC products, because they preferred a perpetual license (one time cost), with no need for the cloud. As I said, I despise your subscription based products/model and would never use/upgrade to them! So maybe someone else, who has tried the Windows 10 builds and has CS products installed, could chime in, if their CS products still functioned and were activated in Windows 10, versus trying to push your cloud-based products on me? It was said on your site (FAQ | Adobe Creative Suite) that CS6 would be offered indefinitely so you must have tested CS6 with Windows 10? Do I have to upgrade to CS6 or can I stay at CS5? You provided upgrades to CS5-CS6 for Windows 8.1, which is why I figured you would do the same for Windows 10!

Windows Compatibility Center lists CS5 Master Collection as Compatible, to Windows 10 Technical Preview. Do I have to deactivate my CS5 Master Collection before my Windows 7 Pro upgrades, and then reactivate after my Windows has upgraded to Windows 10 pro?

[Cr8iveSwt]

Hi there,

I just attempted to install CS5 Design Standard into Windows 10 build 10240, which I believe is the final release coming out next week.

It failed to install, throwing up an error very quickly. That means it's the installer. But if the installer fails, then the Applications might too.

At the moment until it is fully released, I don't think I can test by upgrading. Maybe then I will try to update from Windows 7 to 10 and see if the applications work. But even if they do, I would be in trouble if I ever needed to reinstall. Drive imaging is one way round that, but it is far from elegant.

Like you, I find Adobe's licensing pretty outrageous, and they haven't exactly covered themselves in glory with me in a number of other respects. This is the second CS suite I have bought outright, and I have no intention of starting an extortionate subscription. So I will probably maintain a Windows 7 virtual machine on my Mac for CS5 and MS Office. Even though Office 2016 for Mac has been updated, (Office 365 is around one fifth of the cost of CC) almost with feature parity, it's pretty but unusable with no autosave and no way to get to the Mac file system by key command. Incredible.

[Guest]

Any updates? Have you tried to install CS5 on the Windows 10 official release? Very interested to know if the failed to install issues persist. Thanks!

[40468771]

To summarise my position and update....

I have installed CS5 Design Standard in Windows 10. This involved a certain amount of playing with the installer disks. It works, but no updates can be applied. And lack of Camera Raw for my camera was a bit of a dealbreaker. But I did it. Here's how:

The latest version of Camera Raw is 6.6. So you should get that:

Adobe - Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter : For Windows : Camera Raw 6.6 update

But you can't install it, so you have to go in and get the file and rename it. Here's how:

http://meefirst.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/manually-installing-adobe-camera-raw.html

1) Click on AdobeCameraRaw6.0 folder (ie x64 if you want the 64bit version otherwise use the one without it)

2) Double click the Assets2_1.zip

3) look for a file called "1003" and extract this. More recent packages of camera raw have additional file which you can safely ignore.

4) rename this file to "Camera Raw.8bi" and install it to the location plugin folder for Photoshop.

Then you need to replace the old one. Here's where:

Adobe Camera Raw updates cannot be applied

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CS5\File Formats

Check Help>About Plug-In... Camera Raw for version, and you should be rocking.

If this had not worked, I would probably have downgraded to Windows 7, as I haven't noticed any W10 features that make a positive difference to me. Given Adobe's licensing strategy, where practical or necessary, I am transitioning to alternative providers, where I am happy to spend reasonable money. Hell, I'm even happy to pay Microsoft for Office 365 since they are reasonable about it.

[John T Smith]

>your answer is not sufficient for me

Cloud and Windows 10 https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1912621

-also, only CURRENT products will be tested and updated for compatibility with Windows 10

-so if you have an older program, you update to Windows 10 at YOUR risk of problems

[joan_tinar]

i am in the same boat....trying to decide on new computer with Windows 10 and being an Adobe CS5 user and EXTREMEMLY upset about this cloud subscription extortion that Adobe is doing! I am being swayed to purchase new computer with Windows 7 and then possible upgrade to 10 from there to see if that works. if not i stay with Windows 7 indefinitely. $50 a month for my small little one person business is outrageous. I have been using CS5 just fine for 6 years. Another 6 years of a $50 subscription and that's 3600.00!!!

Did anyone get CS5 to load and work properly in Windows 10? My biggest work is that Adobe Acrobat has had so many updates in the last 6 years...how would i apply those if i reinstall the CS5 on my new computer?

[David23850001xw99]

Don't do it. It will not work!

My audition is at 4.0 now...... Can't record a thing. Trying to get off disability. Just got radio gig and podcast that I can't record nor edit properly. Purchased lifetime package of master suite cs5.5

[karenbrooke1]

I also am thinking about a new computer, but hate the thought of CS5 not working.  I wonder though - about running dual operating systems?  Does anyone think that would work, if the CS5 doesn't work on 10?

[tessp16302015]

it is absolutely ridiculous adobe wont help customers install adobe on windows 10 someway. greed? they should offer a free upgrade at the very least

[DelphiZoa]

Many people do get CS5 to install successfully on Windows 10, but the software is old and the operating system relatively new, so there is simply no guarantee. I reiterate what I suggested to someone earlier in this thread, which is to try running in compatibility mode: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15078/windows-make-older-programs-compatible​.

If that doesn't solve your issue, start a new discussion on the forum with details about your computer. Describe what happens when you try to install CS5 and be specific about any error messages you receive. This particular discussion thread is two years old. Much of the online help community will therefore bypass it because it's out of date, which, in turn, means it will be harder to get help.

[David23850001xw99]

Same issues with Cs5.5 lifetime license. Gee thanks. I'm trying to get off disability now I'm screwed completely. I can't afford monthly fees after paying what was supposed to be lifetime subscription.

Poor business.

[ProDesignTools]

Hi @David23850001xw99,

Maybe this helps?

https://community.adobe.com/t5/audition-discussions/audition-cs5-win-10/td-p/11998562

[sandraj82036590]

I have also had this problem with the Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 when Microsoft Windows 10 hijacked my system.  It then blew out all of my 5.5 programs...Photoshop...etc.  I do not appreciate no support from Adobe on a patch to access my programs.  I have spent all week trying to take out and put back in my original software.  This is called planned obsolescence and forces me to upgrade which costs me money.  There should have been some testing for this package as it works with Microsoft 10 and should have been resolved by now since 10 has been out for a bit.  I paid someone 297 dollars to fix my system and then couldn't get the money back and thus spent another 200 dollars at Best Buy Geek Squad to try to fix.  They referred me to Adobe where there is still no resolution.  You owe me $500.00 and thus a free Photoshop application because my husband is an author and I make his book covers and now I can't access my files.  I am really really NOT HAPPY NOT HAPPY NOT HAPPY and you need to provide resolution to all of us so that we can freely choose to upgrade at a time that is convenient for US...not a surprise that takes a week to figure out there is no solution.  Thank you for any resolution that you can deliver in the NEXT WEEK for a patch for Microsoft Windows 10 ASAP! Thanks again.

[DelphiZoa]

I don't work for Adobe, but I gotta say it seems like the company to which you should be directing your ire is Microsoft. Windows 10 is what's causing the issue, not CS5.5. I know Adobe software is expensive, but we don't expect other big ticket items in our lives—cars, computers, phones—to run forever (though I'm personally holding out for my old truck to last a lifetime).  I know people who do continue to use old software... older even than CS5.5... but they make sure to maintain a compatible computer and operating system. It's a sad fact of life (or an exciting one depending on how you look at it) that our culture constantly pushes for faster, fancier, stronger. As a result computers quickly evolve and long-in-the-tooth software gets left behind.

That said, I certainly understand not having oodles of spare money just lying about to upgrade spendy software. Many people have been successful in getting CS5.5 to run on Windows 10. It's dependent, I imagine, on the specifics of your system and what, exactly, you have installed. You might try running in compatibility mode: Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows - Windows Help​.

Other than that, I would suggest that, if you are still not able to get CS5.5 to work for you, you start a new discussion on the forum with specifics about your computer and the issues you're experiencing. This particular thread was started over a year ago and is crazy long, meaning much of the online help community will bypass it, thinking it's out of date.

[cindyl61687420]

Actually the 'ire' I was directing was towards myself for letting Microsoft badger me into installing Windows 10.

:^>

[DelphiZoa]

Hi cindyl,

My ent-IRE response ( ) was in reply to sandraj, who made the post previous to yours. Sorry for the confusion. If you are still experiencing issues getting CS5 up and running on Windows 10, I do think starting a new discussion thread with specifics about the behavior you're experiencing is worthwhile for the reasons I gave sandraj.

[tessp16302015]

i have adobe cs5, so what are we supposed to do w/ are it now? throw it away and spend hundreds of dollars more on a new product when the old product still works?

are you saying there NO way to instal on wondows 10. thats ridiculous

[EKG]

I haven't tried installing all of the products in my CS5 web suite yet, but after running into trouble with errors, and seeing this thread, I tried using 'troubleshoot compatability' (right click on the setup.exe file) before running it.  I was able to install Fireworks without any troubles.  Worth a try!

EDIT:  I have re-tried my original attempt.  Still not all, but it worked for dreamweaver, photoshop, illustrator and fireworks.  All I wanted for now.  I expect it will install others if i wanted it to.  Also, at the end of running the compatibility tool, Windows will offer to save your settings for next time.  This worked for me too.

Also I'm using Windows 10 pro.  After upgrading from 7 I did a clean install of everything.  Nothing special on my system yet.

Good luck!

[joan_tinar]

does Acrobat work...using CS5 Version and that is what i am most worried about not working on Windows 10?

[xambl]

I just upgraded my i7 laptop to Win 10 from Win 7 Home Premium

I have Production Premium CS5 installed as well as a few of the CC products.

My primary applications are Premiere, and PhotoShop

After upgrading the OS Premiere Pro CS5.5 did not work.

Previews of MP4 files had black windows with sound.

I updated my Nvidia drivers and the video content in previews came back BUT when I try to exit the program it hangs.

Premiere Pro CC2014 works fine so far.

PhotoShop CS5 also apparently works. At least the part I need to work does ...

Now I'm trying to figure out if I should go back to Win 7 with my 4 year old laptop or stay with Win 10. (I cloned my drive before I did the Win 10 upgrade)

I paid for Production Premium CS5.

Heck with the version upgrades over the years I've paid more to Adobe than any other software company.

And now I pay every month for a CC subscription (that really burns my mostly fixed income, almost retired, butt).

But CS5.5 is iffy when it comes to compatibility ... caveat emptor.

[J-M-Shaw]

For those of you wondering how my Windows 10 Pro upgrade went from WIndows 7 Pro, and my installed CS5 Master Collection. Everything went smoothly. I can open all of my programs in CS5 Master Collection, with no problems in Windows 10 pro, and they all work! That being said, doing a clean install from disk probably may not go so well, based on the comments I see below. However, my upgrade, left everything installed as it was in Windows 7 pro, and I think this was the key to having my CS5 Master collection work with no problems in Windows 10 Pro.

[tessp16302015]

i have windows 10, adobe cs5. so there is a way to install on windows 10?

[fame126]

Hi,

Just to add to the discussion, I agree with you J-M Shaw I'm not intresse in a subscription, I have paid for the products and I'am happy with them for the moment.

Anyway, I have Windows 10 pro on a MS Surface 3 pro. I wanted the computer for traveling. I have installed Lightroom 6 (download from my account at Adobe) as well as PS5.5 Extended (from original CD) all has worked well.

I have not tested it much yet but it seems to work from a clean installation.