Has anyone found a solution to CS5 access problem?

[embejemi]

I am going round and round and round trying to find a way of using my legitimate copies of CS5 Dreamweaver and Photoshop that can no longer be verified.  I have read that the verification server has been removed by Adobe as they won't support the older products.  Fair enough, I don't need their support, I just need to use the old products that are adequate for my charity needs.  I see many questions on the subject but I am yet to read of a solution.  If no solution to this appears on my post, I will need to take it further.

[windowswarrior]

POSSIBLE FIX for WINDOWS 7 COMPUTERS ~ Worked for me with deactivating CS5 on TWO SEPARATE computers. A user on another thread gave a link to "End of Life to TLS 1 and 1.1". What I learned from that page is that (1) I needed to change my default browser to Chrome (didn't explicitly say that, but I summized); (2) update system to support TLS 1.2 protocol.  Don't try to do that on your own in internet settings; I spent some time on that, but Windows has an easy solution. Hope it works for y'all ... at least those of you who already haven't jumped ship!

STEPS:
Buried on that "End of Life" page (see image, url is there but only important is the link I've pasted below the pic) is a link that allows you to FIX windows 7 computers so they can successfully connect with the Adobe servers

THIS is that link: *Microsoft offers a Windows update to enable TLS 1.2 for Windows 7.

On that page, I followed these steps:
Chrome default browser ... check!
Skipped No. 1 of windows update

Method 2: Microsoft Update Catalog

To get the stand-alone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

The page then explains that this download/update alone doesn't do the trick. There is some regedits (registry edits) that need to accompany BUT the page offers an "Easy Fix" which did the registry entries for me!!!

After applying these "fixes" and restarting the machine, I was able to go into the Photoshop app of CS5 and deactivate.

I am now having trouble installing my legacy product, not because of too many computers; my CS5 was an update (I've been a loyal Aldus/Adobe software consumer since 1990). I spent most of yesterday trying to install and sigh (raises white flag). I am likely going to move to AFFINITY and something else for web design because I am semi-retired and not going to give any more ca-ching to Adobe! 

Peace on your path, friends ... Design beautifully, Kristi

[milop68412042]

De1activation doesn't work either. I did that on my perfectly functioning old machine. It now displaysy the limit reached message. It now won't activate as well.

This whole debacle is obviously a mechanism to force their software rental model.

[kglad]

for others, your os and default browser (when deactivating and activating) must meet adobe's security standards.  ie, they should both be up-to-date.  with deactivation that's especially problematic because you can deactivate you local installation and fail to register that with adobe's servers.  once that happens, there's no option but to retry activating on the same computer where you just deactivated (but with updated os and default browser).

with activation, you can use offline activation and circumvent the security issues:

Launch the product.
At the Serial Number Validation screen, click Having Trouble Connecting To The Internet.
Click Offline Activation and click Generate a Response Code.
Write down the Request Code.
Switch to an online computer and navigate to www.adobe.com/go/getactivated.
Click Offline Activation.
Sign in with your Adobe ID.
Enter your Request code and click Generate.
Write down the Response code.
Switch back to the offline computer.
Enter the Response Code and click Activate.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/serial-number-validation-launching-cs6.html

[Chris24917641f4yr]

Same problem - clearly a breach of contract in my opinion - having paid for a perpetual (for ever) licence I believe Adobe  have a duty to either activate your/our products, in line with the promises made when purchased for, or replace FOC with something with similar capability.

[embejemi]

Well said. Sadly they say they won’t. Believe me I’ve tried everything, even paying £10 to send an ignored signed for letter to the chief exec. I won’t support Adobe in anything now. I think they are a disgusting and greedy company.
Gwynne Burn
Administrator/Instructor
Derwenthaugh Training Centre

[windowswarrior]

I successfully deactivated CS5 on an old Win7 machine and activated on Win10 this-past summer. This is a browser issue. I have a post with steps above (please see that for more of a step-by-step) but synopsis:

your default browser* must support tls 1.2, https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/eol-tls-support.html

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/update-to-enable-tls-1-1-and-tls-1-2-as-default-secure-pro...


to test your default browser's tls you can use , https://clienttest.ssllabs.com:8443/ssltest/viewMyClient.html

your computer also needs to support openssl 1.0.1 or better. to check,

mac: https://phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-check-openssl-version
win: https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-find-the-openssl-version-number

* not only do you need to change your default browser, you must enable your os to support tls 1.2, Microsoft offers a Windows update to enable TLS 1.2 for Windows 7.

[kglad]

the activation and deactivation servers for cs5, cs5.5 and cs6 are still operational.  you need an updated default browser and an os that has updated security to make contact with those servers.

for deactivation, there's no work-around from the above.  for activation, you can use offline activation and need not meet the above requirements.

[kglad]

@Chris24917641f4yr 

cs5, cs5.5 and cs6 can still be deactivated and reactivated.

[Nancy OShea]

YES.  Replace with supported products. 

15-year-old CS5 is obsolete & way beyond it's "replace me" date.

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