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How to Activate CS5.5 Offline!

Participant ,
Nov 17, 2019 Nov 17, 2019

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I have a legitimate copy of CS5.5. Recently an MS update BSOD'd my SP4 (3rd time in two years - Grrr). I've reinstalled my CS5.5 (Acrobat and Dreamweaver only), but cannot activate online. I believe this is because my ISP now uses CG-NAT, so in effect I am double NATed and as a result CS5.5 thinks that I'm not connected to the internet - I AM, I'm posting this.

 

I was directed to an offline activation page, but CS5.5 does not generate activation request codes (it was designed in the days of telephone activation). CS5.5 only provides me with information that was meant to be given to adobe to validate the product. So how can I perform an offline activation for CS5.5?

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Participant ,
Dec 17, 2019 Dec 17, 2019

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Did they issue you with a new serial prior to doing the remote install? I have a suspicion that my new serial number Adobe issued, allowed it to  bypass the actviation , and it just activated it automatically. This is becuase I am in New Zealand, and I have always had to change my clock to pacific standard time in order for it to actviate. Otherwise I got the following error 129.17 code, which is discussed at  https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-129-17-launch-creative.html . But this time I didn't have to dchange my computers system time, so I do wonder if mine even connected to the activiation server, and it just activated automatically. If so, that is good, if it can be resolved like that. I am pretty sure mine is now actviated.. 

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 17, 2019 Dec 17, 2019

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That's great news re your activation. No new serial number for me. I am in Australia. Frankly, the support guy didn't really have a clue and wasn't particularly interested in helping at the outset at all as CS5.5 is out of support. Until i found this thread i thought it was just me with the issue.

It looks like the 'no activation required' serial number could be the way to go, like they did for CS2 & 3 back in the day.

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Participant ,
Dec 18, 2019 Dec 18, 2019

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Phillip, you need to open a support case and make sure it stays open (see one of my earlier posts for how to ensure a case stays open). Do not let support fob you off and if need be refer them to this thread as evidence of not only multiple people experiencing the problem, but reassurances by Jeff that the activation servers are running and that CS5.5 should be able to be activated. Activation and licencing are the only, but still legitimate, support issues for this product. Also be assured that it's nothing to do with antivirus. Both myself (and Adobe when they remoted in ) tried disabling that. I even tried it after totally disabling the Windows firewall.

 

I'm now convinced that the problem is to do with the original installation module we have on CD-ROM's etc. This seems to be where Adobe themselves are looking (when I can get anything out of them at all, this seems to be the area that they are looking at). That's the reason they gave me as to why they downloaded the same copy (I presume) to my machine as they did for Richard (they just haven't given me a serial number so that it can work 😞  ).

 

BTW, I note that you now have 20 days left. I'm now totally stuffed. I'm past 30 days for my original version and the version Adobe downloaded cannot be activated because it has no serial number. I'm at day 32 and still unresolved despite all the hoops I've jumped through and the countless hours I've spent. I really wish that Adobe would give up the obfuscation, admit the nature of the problem which by now they must fully understand, and go the same route as they did for CS2 and CS3 and just give us a mechanism to get serial numbers that do not need activation. It would solve the headache for everyone involved including Adobe.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 18, 2019 Dec 18, 2019

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I shall open another support ticket, or try to re-open my original. I had pretty much given up until i found this thread. The support guy installed the version from the Adobe servers after he had totally purged my system of the previous installation. This was done with AV disabled and all firewalls turned off. Likewise - and unfortunately - he did not provide a new serial at the same time, as was done for our friend in NZ.

I'm done with Adobe if this can't be rectified in the near future. There are many alternatives out there these days. Anyways, i'll jump back in the support loop and keep updating this thread as required. Thanks for all the effort you've expended so far.

 

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 18, 2019 Dec 18, 2019

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Another ticket opened (ADB-10520378-M2V3). I asked for a serial number that didn't require activation but support tech was unable (unwilling?) to supply. He wanted to remote in and perform all the steps the previous tech had tried which were unsuccessful. He could not explain why doing it again would make any difference so i refused his offer. Issue has now been escalated and i'm expecting a phone call tomorrow. Stay tuned...

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Participant ,
Dec 19, 2019 Dec 19, 2019

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Support are not going to have the authority to issue new serial numbers. That would have to come from further up. Unfortunately, you're probably going to have to work with them for a while. They must have spent more than 6 hours in my PC over 3 days trying all sorts of things: renaming activation files, figuring out how to force the activation screen to come up and quite a few other tricks. All of this was then reported to engineering two weeks ago. I keep asking for an update and last Friday they decided to get me to provide a copy of the log files. Then once again, just silence. It strikes me that as this is not an isolated incidence and many people are having it, that Adobe must, by now, know what is going on and what the cause is. I think they just want us to go away.

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Participant ,
Dec 19, 2019 Dec 19, 2019

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Hope you get it sorted. I requested that it was escalated to a NZ manager, and only after that did I get a new serial number. The only issue I am having since the activation is a regisration screen popping up every now again for their CS live service which doesn't work, as I believe they switched that service off. But as long as it does deactivate itself, that is a small annoyance I can live with.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 19, 2019 Dec 19, 2019

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Good news today. I had a phone call with a very helpful, more senior tech support person. He remoted in, launched Photoshop, saw the activation popup screen, checked my hosts file, conferred offline for a few minutes and then advised that a new serial number was required. He said this would be issued to me in the next 24-48 hours. Fingers crossed all goes well with the new serial.

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Participant ,
Dec 19, 2019 Dec 19, 2019

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Good news for you Phillip and hopefully, that will happen. Just leaves me wondering why I've been abandoned.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 19, 2019 Dec 19, 2019

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That is difficult to say, especially given the amount of time that has elapsed for your support ticket/s; not to mention the amount of effort you have expended. If my new serial works, then at least you have precedents in both Aust and NZ to reference. Will let you know how it goes.

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Participant ,
Dec 19, 2019 Dec 19, 2019

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Hopefully Allan they will issue you a new serial  in time for Christmas !

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Participant ,
Dec 22, 2019 Dec 22, 2019

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Unfortunately I spoke too soon, and there are still activation issues with my CS 5.5 mastersuite. When trying to use premiere and also Adobe media encoder, it comes up with activation error popups preventing the software being used. So far it is only affecting these two pieces of software in the suite, and from what I read, different parts of this software had to be activated separately. This is so frustrating that legitimate customers who purchased this expensive software have to go through all this.

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Participant ,
Dec 22, 2019 Dec 22, 2019

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😞

So sorry Richard. This is a farce. It is way past time that Adobe implemented the CS3 solution. It's all just a waste of our and their time stuffing around with this.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 23, 2019 Dec 23, 2019

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Hello everyone.

Having similar issues to you guys.

Reverted to an Older version of MacOS.
Now can't get Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 to activate.

Currently still not solved for me. Read through some of this thread, well it bring me a little comfort that there are others facing similar issues, hopefully something of an answer will come. I couldn't find this thread earlier.

Will read through this thread more thoroughly soon.

I have access to previous files(time machine). Is there a file I could copy over so that this activation isn't a problem? I wonder.

Thanks

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Participant ,
Dec 23, 2019 Dec 23, 2019

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Have you got an image of the Computer and OS/software that you can retore the computer back to, that has the software insatlled and activated? I use a PC and not a Mac, so don't know how a MAc handles this sort of thing.  I am wondering if you do this, whether it will then try to reactivate or not. I would suggest contacting Adobe for a new serial number, and getting them to send you a download link  of the newer version of the CS 5.5 software, as they told me the DVD version won't work after changes they had made, so they sent me a link to my version of the software. That should activate at least some of the software titles.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 23, 2019 Dec 23, 2019

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... I guess it's good that they flash..
Community Guidelines, Be kind and respectful...

 

seems like it would get old quickly though

 

anyway

 

Hey thanks for your reply Richardnz

So, how it went for me is.

 

I upgraded my macOS

resulting in CS5.5 not working (changes to the OS breaks it)

 

Buut I didn't have backups to revert to older os there.

And there is no good way to revert to older MacOS.

 

So I backed up that new OS version of my hard disk with time machine. (just in case)

 

reinstalled an older version of macOS.

installed CS5.5

 

wouldn't activate...

 

went to adobe help

several times, for several hours

 

they took over my machine a couple of times.

 

was installed with the link...

 

and now, it's not working again...

 

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 23, 2019 Dec 23, 2019

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Hey Guys,
Good news on this front

(or at least it seems)

 

So I received a second activation code,
Started photoshop to trigger the 'Activation required' window

 

clicked offline activation, entered the newly received number, and bam!

 

Looks like it works now!

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 23, 2019 Dec 23, 2019

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Best of luck to you guys,
Hope your issues get resolved, Merry Christmas.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 23, 2019 Dec 23, 2019

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That's excellent news. Still waiting on my new serial number from last Friday afternoon. Looks like I shall have to chase Adobe up again... Grrrr.

Merry Christmas to all.

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Participant ,
Dec 23, 2019 Dec 23, 2019

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I'm just jealous of both of you. Adobe have simply ignored me since they asked for the log files two weeks ago and for a couple of weeks before that. So while I still have an active case and I've posted in the case system and emailed them directly, they simply ignore it all and do not respond. Jeff says that I have to work with support, but that ignores the fact that they are not responding to me at all. I might try a new chat in the New Year and see if I can get someone else to take it up. It seems that all that I need is a new serial number but...

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 26, 2019 Dec 26, 2019

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Might have to open a new chat session. It is strange though; that open ticket is hammering someone's KPIs.

Good news for me - I received new serial late 25/12 and it seems to be working ok so far. This is my latest case number if you want to reference it - ADB-10520378-M2V3. At least we know there is a resolution; just got to get that new serial number...

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Participant ,
Dec 26, 2019 Dec 26, 2019

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That is great news. Do you use Premiere, and if so have you had licensing popup, when opeing exsting files or trying to use the Adobe Media eoncoder software to render your videos?

Does anyone know if the new serial is actually bypassing the activation server? The probem does appear to be with their actviation server, but I am wondering if the new serial manages to bypass activation server itself, or is the actviation server problem just not accepting old serial numbers when attempting to activate it, producing that internet connection error.?

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 27, 2019 Dec 27, 2019

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I don't actually use Premiere. I entered the serial for Acrobat, then Photoshop asked for it on first launch. I then tried Dreamweaver which did not ask for a serial, so i assumed the whole suite was activated at this stage.

I suspect the new serial is not contacting the activation server as i entered it on the offline activation screen; but it's hard to say for sure.

 

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Community Expert ,
Jan 07, 2020 Jan 07, 2020

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Acrobat used a different serial than the rest of the suite, at least with my CS5 as Acrobat came out a little bit later.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

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Participant ,
Jan 07, 2020 Jan 07, 2020

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Yes that is true for CS5, but by CS5.5 they were the same. FWIW, I've tried using both my original CS5 and my CS5.5 upgrade and both have the same problem.

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