Fresh install of CS6 Serial number validation issue Sierra and Yosemite

[alan.kirk]

Has anyone else had trouble validating serial numbers during the install process of CS6 in the last week or so?

I cant get it to validate a legit serial number that is registered to my adobe account. When I try to validate the serial number it comes up with a “Please connect to the Internet and retry” error, saying it isn’t connected to the internet. If I hit retry it will come up with the same screen again and if I hit connect it will let me install and even run updates of the programs but won’t validate, which will only leave the software useable for 7days.

I have tried this on both a Sierra and Yosemite Mac, both freshly reformatted and I get the same problem. I also tried from home and through my phone just incase our work router, internet, virus protection software was casuing issues.  The strange thing is that I reformatted a machine last month and its all OK.

I spent time on adobe chat last night and they even issued me a new serial number, but that didnt work either and now they wont talk to me in chat saying the product is no longer supported.

[Manan Joshi]

Try the following troubleshooting steps

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

-Manan

[alan.kirk]

Hi Manan

Thanks so much for replying.

I actually found that the otherday and tried those options.

The strange thing is a month ago I did a refomat and reinstall and didnt experience this issue.

[Test Screen Name]

It might be because Adobe have closed down support for an older less secure way of connecting to the web, "TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1". Unfortuinately I can't find out whether this would block yosemite and sierra. https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/eol-tls-support.html

[alan.kirk]

Thanks so much for your reply.

This is actually a really intresting read and the timing of being able to validated the serial number before and adobe turning inforcing TLS1.2 on July 24 2021 does fit as I am only now experiencing this problem.

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

When I read into the info on the link you supplied, it says if affects OS 10.8 and before as well as differnt older web browsers. On the two differnt machines I am running Yosemite10.10 (test machine) on one and Sierra10.12 on the other and I am running Google Chrome 92.0 and Safari 12.12 on both of these machines.

I did notice that it requires Java 8 or later for TLS1.2 and I know CS6 requires Java 6. So I downloaded and installed Java8 to see if that was the issue thinking if I could get it to validate I will uninstall Java8 after validation and then install Java6, but unfortunatley with Java 8 installed it still did not validate.

So I dont think it is this, but it is the most likely reason so far, so I am going to investigate further.

Thanks

[notro]

I'm having the same problem connecting to the activaiton server. In my case, it's a fresh install of Mavericks (10.9) on a machine I was going to use solely for CS6 apps and screen share to my M1 mini running Big Sur. But it sure seems like Adobe may have cut access to the activation servers from the CS6 version of Adobe Application Manager (6.2.112.0 on my machine) with the deprecation of the TLS 1.0 and 1.1 protocols.

[alan.kirk]

Could be, but nobody at Adobe seems to know that. But i have tried the above work arounds and still cant get it to work.

[Moxie Cat]

I am having the EXACT same problem as you - trying to install CS6 Master Collection on a Sierra Mac and I keep getting this message. I have run through every single one of their activation issue tips (even downloaded their little checker program), and my computer checks out for all of them. I installed this same software on a different Sierra Mac last spring and it worked fine, so something is obviously different now. The information in this post and the comments is illuminating - but I wish there would be a solution! 

[Nancy OShea]

My understanding is that Mavericks 10.9.1 or higher have TLS 1.2 connection support. But you may need to update your browsers to the latest versions and enable TLS 1.2 in browser config settings.

https://www.charleyharperartstudio.com/LatestBrowser.html

Legacy CS6 installers don't work on Sierra, High Sierra or Mojave without terminal workarounds.  See link below for details.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/install-creative-suite-mac-os-sierra.html

[Moxie Cat]

Thank you, Nancy. I'll take a look at those links.

I was able to install CS6 Master Collection on a Sierra Mac last March without any terminal workarounds. I didn't encounter any issues whatsoever in regards to connecting to Adobe and activating/authoring. What's going on is new. But I will see if anything on that page might help.

My Chrome is the latest version (I checked) but I'll look at that page too.

Thanks again. It's maddening to have a program that's compatible, and that I paid for, and not be able to install it. This thread is my first real lead.

[alan.kirk]

Yep thats the same problem Im having, I last did an install in May 2021 and it worked fine

[alan.kirk]

Thanks Nancy, and I feel your pain Moxie Cat.

Im using the latest browers even tried installing Java8 as per the link suggestion and it still dosent validate. The workarounds dont seem to work even though the deprecation of the TLS 1.0 and 1.1 protocols does seem to be the most likely cause, as the timing fits in with being able to do it one month and then not being able to do it the month after.

Its definitley not a leagacy installer issue.

Sierra actually lets you install CS6 the normal way and I have also installed through the terminal server just incase it did something strange to the file on install and I still have the same issue. I actually have 7 machines all set up this way and it is only in the last month or so I have had this issue, CS6 installs fine and works fine, just wont let you validate so you can only use the software for 7 days before it stops working.

[Moxie Cat]

I can also confirm - using the terminal workaround as described in the link above does not fix the problem. I am still getting a connection error when the installer tries to verify the serial number. I am using the latest version of Chrome. 

It seems obvious that Adobe changed something on its end that now forbids CS6 from being authorized on Macs running Sierra (and probably other OS's as well). Sierra is not that old. I wound up installing CS5 Photoshop just so I could get work done - and that worked fine. So I can install CS5, an older version, but not CS6? How does that make any sense? 

I hope this situation gets resolved.

[Nancy OShea]

Maybe there's a problem with your serial number???

[Moxie Cat]

I get the message that Alan posted in the screenshot above. It's a message that the computer is not connected to the internet at all, not a message that the serial number has any kind of issue. I don't think the process even gets to the point where the serial number reaches Adobe.

As described in Alan's post, I ran through all the checks that Adobe lists to correct this problem (which does legitimately plague users behind firewalls and such). My computer passed all of them. I have also tried installing on a different Sierra Mac and got the same message. The software cannot connect to the verification server to authorize the software package.

[Nancy OShea]

The thing is, nothing has changed in CS6 since 2012 when it came out.  That's why it's called legacy ware.

AFAIK, the CS5 & CS6 activation servers are still online.

See these links:

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/activation-deactivation-help.html

https://exception.licenses.adobe.com/aoes/aoes/v1/t1?locale=en

[alan.kirk]

Hey Nancy

Definitley nothing has changed in the software and I have tried using my old install files as well as newly downloaded install files from my Adobe account.

I can install and validate CS5.5 on the Sierra machine.

I can install CS6 and it works fine on the Sierra machine, I just cant validate it.

I also tried to insall it on a Yosemite machine and once again CS5.5 works and activates fine. But when I  install CS6 on teh Yosemite machine it installs  and operates fine but fails on validation, so it will stop working after 7 days.

[markm28647596]

I had to uninstall and reinstall my Adobe CS6 Masters Collection software when moving my hard drive to a different 27” iMac due to overheating issues. I am running and continue to run OS X Yosemite, Version 10.10.5. I was able to successfully reinstall the software and use it, but not able register online or offline. It will expire in a few days if I can’t register. I have the serial number, but when I register offline (https://aoes-prod.licensingstack.com/aoes/aoes/v1/imsauthstatus), I can’t find where I get the Request code in order to generate a Response code. Without having to uninstall and reinstall again to get the “I cannot connect to the internet” screen, is there a way within the software to find or generate the Request code?

[Nancy OShea]

Adobe's online activation servers require you to have TLS 1.2 or higher connections now for security reasons.  You can't activate your software without it.   Depending on the age of your devices, you may need to upgrade your OS and browsers accordingly to enable TLS 1.2.  See link below.

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

I'm fairly certain Sierra, High Sierra and Mojave all support it.

[markm28647596]

Thank you for your response. I held out until my software stopped working again and was able to get the message to register offline. Didn't want to update my OS until I had to.  Ironically, I was able to get the Request Code and then apply the Response Code from the computer that was considered “offline.” I was able to successfully activate the software. Thank you again for your quick reply.

[alan.kirk]

Thanks for keeping up with differnt suggestions for fixing this issue Nancy.

It does act like the serial number is wrong as it is at the validation stage. But I know my original serial number is good as I decativated it on the machine before I did the reinstall and I actaully had adobe themselves issue me a new serial number when I first approcahed them online about this issue and that didnt work either.

Unfortuantley the next time I approcaed adobe they said legacy software we cant talk to you, the online help seems to be the luck of who you get on the day.

[Nancy OShea]

Well you can try the Offline Activation method I posted above.  Beyond that, I don't know what more to suggest.

[Moxie Cat]

I was able to install and activate/authorize Photoshop CS5 too (thank goodness, or my workflow would really be impeded!). It makes no sense that CS5 can connect to the Adobe server to activate while CS6 won't. The idea above that something changed about two months ago regarding how Adobe allows older Mac OS's to connect is the likely reason. I was able to install and activate CS6 just fine on this very same Mac, same OS, same license, last spring.

Alan, I have someone at Adobe (hopefully) following up on this. I will post if I find out anything. I am anxious to get this fixed too, as I now have CS6 Indesign files that I am unable to open.

[alan.kirk]

That would be fantastice Moxie. I had one really nice Adobe customer care guy that I dealt with for a while but then they dropped me and the next time i made contact they just said leagacy item we cant help you.

[alan.kirk]

Moxie Cat

I cracked it, with Nancy’s suggestion. Thank You Nancy

I went back through and tried the offline activation process again that Nancy supplied a link to, as per below.

https://exception.licenses.adobe.com/aoes/aoes/v1/t1?locale=en

So, what I did was:

Started with a fresh install of Sierra

Then did a fresh install of CS6 and just hit the retry later button when the no internet connection panel came up and I could not validate.

I had to do this as I could not find the "I cannot connect to the internet" link on that page that they talk about.

That link also did not show when I opened InDesign.

Both of the above is what threw me the first time I tried as I couldn’t find the link.

But when I opened illustrator, I could now see the "I cannot connect to the internet" link. I clicked on that and requested the request code.

A screen then pops up with the request code and has a field for you to put the response code in once you have it.

I then emailed that request code to a pc and jumped online using the link https://exception.licenses.adobe.com/aoes/aoes/v1/IMSLogin and requested a response code which involves you entering the request code and the serial number of CS6. It prompts you to log in to your adobe account along the way to get access.

Then I emailed the response code back to the Mac and pasted it into the response code field and it worked, it’s now VALIDATTED & ACTIVATED.

After that I was still able to run updates through CS, so all seems good now.

Sorry I didn’t do screen grabs along the way.