How to Activate CS5.5 Offline!

[allan=ia]

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?

[simplex19]

Thank you for starting the thread and sharing with people facing the same issue. Appreciate your effort at engaging ordinary users like us as well as the official representatives - even if it led nowhere. I wish you all the best. 

[Richardnz]

I was told by Adobe support several weeks ago that they had escalated my case, and I was promised I would hear back within 24-48 hours. I did hear back within 48hours, but it was an automated email to say that they hadn't heard from me and they would be automatically closing my case. I replied again to ask them why I had received it, and still no reply from them a week later. Is there something going on with Adobes support, as it is not good and it is all incrediably frustrating? I wish they provided those USB dongles for activation which other software companies provide, or some form of offline actvation system that still works. That would eliminate the need to ever contact Adobe about this type of problem.

[mccoy0995]

LOL

Adobe just called me to explain that Adobe does not have any tech support or teams for anything other than cloud service software. The Solution can only be found here, in community.adobe.com... so if anyone figures out how to continue using Legacy software post it here for all of us. 🙂

one final love note:

"Your Adobe Customer Care Case Is Closed"

good luck everyone!

[Richardnz]

Ask them to escalate it. You should be able to activate the license you paid a license for. The probelm is that once they close a case, they won't reopen it again, and you then have to open a new one and re-explain it all again.   They said they would escalate mine, but they still haven't repled several weeks later. Infact I just got another email from them saying they are waiting to hear from me, and they will close my case in 5 days. But I am actually waiting to hear from them!. The email also says

We have escalated the case and working on your case. We will revert you soon 

I am not sure what 'We will revert you soon ' means, as it isn't English. But if I google that term, it says it is a common thing they say in India.  I am guessing it is supposed to mean that they wll eventually reply, even though a few weeks ago, they said the same think, but that time they said I  would hear back with 24-48 hours, and noone has ever gotten back to me since then. Since then they have tried to close the case several times

Then the email says

Please reply to this email or log into your Adobe Account to view your open cases and send a reply back. Your case will automatically close in 5 days if we don't hear from you. 

But I am waiting to hear back from them, so I am not sure why I have to reply yet again.. It seems they are just trying to waste my time, by wanting me to reply and log back in again. Really I am at a loss to understand what is going on with them, as it is not how customers should be treated

[Abambo]

Adobe's response is not correct. 

It is true, Adobe does not provide technical support to older software like CS5.5. BUT activation problems still need to be handled by Adobe. Please note that activation is different to installation or running the product.

However, support personnel tends to respond immediately to go to the fora when you name older software, as that is what they are used to say... 

[simplex19]

Hello all, it seems that our collective voices have been heard.  I seem to be able to activate my CS5.5 a couple of minutes ago when the usual prompt asking you for activation pops up. The attempt to establish internet connection miraculously worked this time round. You guys might wanna give it a go too! Keeping my fingers crossed that this is the fix we've been eagerly waiting for (the deactivate button under "Help" is now no longer greyed out for me).

[Richardnz]

The problem is, what happens when the decide to turn off their activation server? This has been a bit of a wake up call . Reinstallation or reacvtiation is quite normal beucase sometime the licensing file seemed to become corrupt after doing an adobe acrobat update, which is what happened to me.

[Abambo]

Currently the CS2 and CS3 activation servers are switched off for a reason unknown to me. I can only speculate that the hardware or software running those servers got obsolete. CS3 is from 2007 but I have no idea when the servers got switched off, but I could imagine that after 10 years the servers reach their EOL.

[Richardnz]

I understand the CS3 ones were switched off a couple of years ago, and they then provided a version of the software that didn't need activation for about 2 years after that. But they never notified cusomters about that, so there are people posting on here who now can't install their software, because adobe won't now provide them with the speical version that doesn't need activation. So I wouldn't want that same thing to happen to CS 5.5  cusomters, as it doesn't appear Adobe will notify customers if they do eventually  turn off the server, and there is no way we woud know unless we try to reinstall it again, and get an error.

[Abambo]

For CS2 Adobe offered a version for download without formalities. This has been misunderstood by the people as a public domain version. It never was.

For CS3 Adobe offered a special version on request, when you could prove to have acquired legally a liciense. But this too go abused. It's no more available and I doubt that Adobe will make other versions like this available. And any update may render your license unusable. 

With CC this is no more a problem as you are anyhow limited to the time of your subscription. 

[Richardnz]

Why don't they just contact each user, with a unique download link tied to their license key, and then that will be the end of it. Otherwise what is stopping them just turning off the activation server now, and not providing any way for people to install their software, which is the situation some CS3 cusomters are in? Or do they say, well you have had 10 years from your software, now you can start paying for a subscription. Even though we purchased a license that doesn't have any expiry date. When I purhcased mine, I expected to upgrade every 3 or so years, but they stopped offering paid licences, and I don't want to rent software, which also works out as significantly more. Also I don't think there is anything in the new versions I need to use, cs5.5 is pretty full featured. I think I still have an old macromedia version that should still work, as I don't think that needed any activation to work. But I wouldn't want to be going back to that

[Calgarts]

That's how it works these days and don't waste your time,you will never get it activated. It's designed to get you frustrated and buy a new CC version. Like Procreate, you need a new Mac to run it. They presume we are all pros and willing to pay. Same thing, CEOs will do what it takes to max the profit for max year end bonuses. Apple is made in China, Adobe is made in India (look at the names of all programmers). Fortunately, there are few other alternative out there that work far more superior and few steps less for the same result for much less money. It's time to bring the jobs back home for local graduates.

[defaultrqnufogbgij4]

So I guess no one got it solved. I just wanted to do a clean install of my windows 10 but the adobe cs5.5 suite does not want to get deactivated. it is very annoying.

[defaultrqnufogbgij4]

Update:

So I think I was able to deactivate the license. Earlier I tried deactivating it through Ilusatator (I guess 32 bit version). Now I just tried again using the Photoshop 64 bit version and it worked in seconds. I don't understand why it worked but I'm very glad it did 🙂

[Rachel36694248slcr]

I have been using CS5.5 on the same computer for 10 years, then 2 days ago I get a error message that I have exceeded my 2 activations - but I did NOT do anything to activate it anywhere! Adobe refuses to help me, and just tries to sell me a subscription I can not afford. My entire Adobe Creative Suite shut down. ANY HELP OUT THERE??! I still have the original cd I purchased, but do not think re-installatioon will work if they think I have exceeded my 2 (which I have not) and if they won't support CS5.5 anymore. So funny when you phone support they ask if you have a subscription or "perpetual" then when you say perpetual, they say sorry - good bye. What is so "perpetual" about that!

[kglad]

you have to deactivate from the other computer 

[Rachel36694248slcr]

Not possible. when I try to launch any of the CS5.5 programs, all I get now is an error screen about the activation limit, I can not get into the program to deactivate it.

[kglad]

sorry to hear that, but you're out of luck with cs5.5.  you can subscribe to those two apps and use the current (and past, including cs5.5) acrobat and dreamweaver, https://creative.adobe.com/plans

[qmacker]

Absolutely disgraceful. I'm sorry you are experiencing this. Sounds like they have taken the activation/deactivation servers down (again) and the program has no way of verifying itself. As an IT person who manages many systems and servers in several clouds, I would say the cost is close to zero for Adobe to incorporate the old activation codes into their newer verification servers. They just want you to buy new stuff. It's not fair. But you'll probably find people who'll argue that it is. Sorry. 

[kglad]

the activation servers are still up.  the problem is the deactivation and that may be related to a server issue.

[adbmois]

Hi everyone,

I too one of those who got affected. My Adobe CS5.5 Production Premium Suite won't activate as well on my new windows 10 desktop, i've tried countless ways trying to solve this by reading community forums, chat supports and a phone call but Adobe does not seem to care anymore. Hard to believe myself. This is actually my first time posting here despite being a long time Adobe customer since 2000. I have never been so upset with this. The fact that I also own a newer Photoshop subcription, they would not care the slightest to remedy this problem.

Here's me looking into this thread hoping there's a solution esp. when @kglad mentioned that the servers are still up as of April 2024, so this is still recent. Does this mean we still have a chance?

It seems quite the contrary what the chat support said and I don't know which one is the truth or is this just one of those marketing trickery that Adobe imposed upon.

The strange and funny thing was I was able to install my Adobe CS4 Design Premium with no problem at all on my new desktop a couple of days ago, only the CS5.5 giving me this activation reach limit. (What's so perpetual about it? felt awful that this has to go to waster after spending that much amount of the box suites)

I know some other software brands allowed transfer of licenses fairly easily for different/new devices as long as it adheres to the policy (generally 2 devices).

[kglad]

@adbmois 

what problem are you seeing?

[adbmois]

@kgladI didn't expect to get a reply so quick. Thanks. But the problem was the Activation panel showing my serial number and the blank "Provide another serial number for this product" as I've seen someone had the same problem as mine but a couple of years back, and he was able to get a new one.

Everytime I clicked on Retry, it is said it's been activated on 2 computers. (I assume this is my new desktop which i checked on the registered devices page on my adobe account website, it showed my old laptop and new desktop) and so I thought that registered but CS5.5 won't run on the desktop.

I did all the deactivation on my old laptop and that compromised the use of my CS5.5. When I deactivated on my old laptop, it did not let me to reactivate it as my 2nd device, so I had to roll back to my previous system image, as I have read someone in the forum had also done so. Thankfully, i was able to keep the CS5.5 running when i rolled back.

But i never registered a 3rd device to my bewilderment. I've only had that one old laptop registered with my Adobe Account for a long time until i had this new desktop recently.

[kglad]

1. you can't get a new activation number.

2. you can't activate on a 3rd device.  2 is typically the max.

3. if, after seeing the excess activation count error on your new computer, you then successfully deactivated on your old computer, you should have been able to activate on your new computer.

it's not clear to me that you did these things in this order.

[Rachel36694248slcr]

I have had CS5.5 on the same computer for 10 years, and I did absolutely nothing as far as trying to load it on another device....yet I got the "Activation Limit" notice, and have unable to get my cs5.5 back. No help from Adobe, they just want to sell me a subscription. I requested a reset of the number of devices, they will not help.