How to continue using the CS perpetual license I purchased

[l_8871]

Many years ago, I bought a set of Photoshop CS1 boxed products. Although pirated software was rampant in my country at that time, I did not agree with the practice of using pirated software, so I spent a high price to purchase it. However, now it seems that this was actually a wrong decision. Purchasing genuine Adobe software actually does not provide any guarantee! CS1 for Win is the first product to use activation technology, and CS1 for Mac does not require activation. Unfortunately, I purchased the for win version!Because I am not an industry user, I only use it occasionally and it remained idle for many years afterwards,Recently, when I wanted to use it again, I found that it could no longer be activated,I have already communicated with Adobe customer service 6 times regarding this issue. Can you believe it?They should be very clear about the problem I am facing, but they cannot solve it. They repeatedly provide mechanical responses(EOL), urging you to pay the subscription fee or seek help on the forum! However, during communication with the customer service department, it was learned that Adobe had closed the activation server, resulting in the inability to activate!But they refused to solve the problem that caused me trouble because the version I was using had already stopped serving. Unless I pay to purchase a new version!Oh my god, when I tried to reason with the customer service, they only told me that the product had already been discontinued,But the question is, the product has been discontinued, what is the connection between this and users who have already purchased permanent licenses continuing to use the product?I don't need technical support, nor do I need to use this product on the latest system.I just hope to continue using the products with permanent authorization on my old computer with the old system installed.But let's take a look at what Adobe has done? Constantly asking me to purchase new subscription products, no matter what I say, mechanically repeatedly sending and rejecting my reasonable demands.But I just want to continue using the product that I purchased with a perpetual license, what did I do wrong?
The following is a Q&A on Adobe's official website regarding activation issues when launching CS products for the first time.

Q: What happens if the product is discontinued?
A: Adobe is fully committed to honoring the terms of its Product License Agreements. In the event that a product is discontinued, Adobe will enable automatic approval of all activation requests for that product or provide a means to remove activation outright. In either case, the customer will not experience any change in software capabilities.

Q: What happens if Adobe releases a newer version of Photoshop CS software? Will I be able to activate the older version?
A: Yes. Even after the older version of the product stops shipping, you can activate your copy of Photoshop CS.

Q: Will I be able to use the software in perpetuity? What happens if Adobe shuts down?
A: Adobe's Product License Agreements typically grant the user of an Adobe product the right to use it in perpetuity. Adobe plans to honor these agreements. In the unlikely event of the company's shutting down, we will enable automatic approval of all activation requests or provide other technical means allowing users to continue using our products.

Adobe's current approach is too disappointing, greedy and promises cannot be fulfilled! I hope brothers who have similar experiences can tell me how you solved this problem
I don't want to give up on this issue. It is my right to continue using the product I purchased, and Adobe should also fulfill its promise at that time to provide a version that can be used normally by all users whose software cannot be activated due to the deactivation of the activation server

[kglad · Accepted solution]

you can't activate anything prior to cs5.

[l_8871]

Adobe should fulfill its commitment to provide special versions to permanently authorized users affected by activation

[kglad]

that ship sailed so many years ago i can't even remember anyone with cs complaining.

[l_8871]

I understand what you mean, but what Adobe should cash out should still be cashed out.

There are complaints about CS2 and CS3 in the forum, and Adobe also provides special versions. Why doesn't CS provide them?

[kglad]

they never did. only cs2 was available for owners (but for everyone could download and use it)

[Retune]

When the activation servers were taken down, the official help article was titled for 'CS2 or Older products' and the solution was to download activation-free CS2 installers and new keys. This was interpreted (including by some Community Experts on this forum) as meaning that CS users could also use the special CS2 installers, so perhaps that would be an option if you have access to them. However, I don't know if Adobe have ever made their official position on eligibility more explicit than this. In any case, Adobe no longer provides the CS2 installers for download, nor the equivalent CS3 installers that were briefly made available when that version's activation servers were taken down, and never released special installers for CS4 or later versions. Customer Service won't help you on this issue - as you've found, all they will suggest is buying a subscription.

[l_8871]

Yes, thank you for your reply. As you mentioned, I am now discussing this issue here. As I previously replied, Adobe had made a promise, but now they have betrayed their promise! Looking at the forum, many users have been affected by this issue! But is the user at fault? Adobe shut down the server! And they promised, what would they do if such a thing happened! But now they haven't done it

[l_8871]

@Retune Yes, thank you for your reply. As you mentioned, I am now discussing this issue here. As I previously replied, Adobe had made a promise, but now they have betrayed their promise! Looking at the forum, many users have been affected by this issue! But is the user at fault? Adobe shut down the server! And they promised, what would they do if such a thing happened! But now they haven't done it

[kglad]

@l_8871 

users are not at fault.

[l_8871]

@kglad Thank you for your recognition. I hope more people can see this and let Adobe know what they should do

[Retune]

I don't disagree. But unfortunately they have shown no inclination to honour this commitment since they took down the special CS2 installers, and stopped providing the special CS3 installers on request. As you say, there has been plenty of discussion here, and although this is primarily a user to user forum, I am sure Adobe are aware of their customers' concerns, some of whom will have paid them thousands of dollars for software they can no longer install. All I can see today is this flat statement about pre-CS5 versions:

'Our aging activation servers for earlier versions of Acrobat and Creative Suite (CS) applications had to be retired. You won't be able to activate these apps, as these activation servers are no longer available.'

There is no explanation of why (presumably low traffic) activation services cannot be kept running on a virtual server somewhere on their cloud infrastructure (it's not as if they'd have to keep a Pentium 4 box running, or something), nor is there any indication that the activation-free installers ever existed. The activation FAQ containing the statements you quote from also seems to be gone from the live website (or have they moved it?). From this, I suppose we can draw our own conclusions, and make informed decisions about future software providers.

[l_8871]

@Retune Indeed, that's why I'm here (because Adobe's customer service couldn't solve the problem, so they pushed me here). I hope more people know about this matter, and more CS1-CS5 users can participate in comments, so that Adobe knows what they should do and what they are doing

[kglad]

cs5, cs5.5 and cs6 users are in a different situation than users of cs3 and older versions.

[l_8871]

@kglad Does this mean that users of CS5, CS5.5, and CS6 can still activate

I hope the disaster of cs1-cs4 users will not spread to cs5, cs5.5, and cs6 users, and I hope Adobe can take this issue seriously

[kglad]

yes, those deactivation and activation servers are still functioning.

and yes, the trend suggested imminent loss for cs5 etc, but that was years ago when we saw cs2, then cs3 and cs4 activation end.

[Retune]

I hope the disaster of cs1-cs4 users will not spread to cs5, cs5.5, and cs6 users, and I hope Adobe can take this issue seriously

By @l_8871

There are already problems with CS6 (and I assume CS5). Adobe will reportedly no longer reset activation counts. This means that while you can still deactivate CS6 on a functional machine and then reactivate it on another one, if your system dies (or presumably if you have to replace a major component), and you have already reached your activation limit, installation will be blocked. Even if your limit has not yet been reached in this situation, you will no longer be able to install the full number of copies your licence entitles you to, because the dead system will occupy one of your slots. I would assume that at some point we will see the usual humbug about 'the aging activation servers' having to be retired, and CS5/6 installation will be unceremoniously killed. This will leave CS3 as the latest version anyone can install by conventional means, and then only if they have the rare special installer.

[l_8871]

@Retune 

If the situation you mentioned really happens in the future, it will be terrible, and all users who have purchased permanent licenses will face the inability to use it!

And all of this is exactly what people were worried about when Adobe started

And all of this is exactly what people were worried about when Adobe started using activation technology! However, in order to make people feel at ease when making purchases, Adobe provided answers to potential issues through Q&A, but ultimately broke its promise more than twenty years later, which is a form of robbery. Adobe is robbing and deceiving users!

It seems that we can only hope that everyone stays away from Adobe

Since Adobe can deceive permanently authorized users, who knows what despicable things Adobe will do when the subscription payment method cannot survive

The current browsing volume is still too low! Oh my god, let more potential victims here take a look! Let Adobe not go against their faith and not harm those who once trusted Adobe

[Nancy OShea]

Adobe should fulfill its commitment...

By @l_8871

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@l_8871,

You're missing the elephant in the room. 

The Elephant in the Room

Creative Suite 1 is a relic from 2003.  Even if activation were still possible (it's not), 21+ year old apps won't run on modern machines.  Have you thought about that? 

Q: Who keeps their 21 year old computer & OS to run relic software? 

A: Nobody. 

Toss your CS1 disks in the recycle bin.  Find a modern replacement that's compatible with your current computer & OS. 

For future reference, software has a shelf-life of 3-5 years  Beyond that, support ends & you're expected to upgrade to new products. Nothing is guaranteed to last forever, least of all computer stuff.

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

Goodbye & good luck. 

[l_8871]

@Nancy OShea Thank you, because obviously you may be comforting users who have been betrayed by Adobe!

CS1 is indeed very old and cannot run on the latest operating system. But I hope you can understand that owning an ancient computer is not a very difficult thing, and also, due to the existence of virtual machines, running an ancient operating system is not a difficult thing! Although CS1 is old, it doesn't mean it has become useless! It can meet my needs, and I have already paid for it, and it is not cheap! It can be used permanently, even if the activation server is turned off, Adobe will provide a version that does not require activation, which is Adobe's promise. First of all, no one forced Adobe, that's what Adobe said. Secondly, users with permanent authorization can use it permanently, as Adobe has stated.

Why do we always talk about it being very old? As a non industry user, meeting one's own needs is sufficient.

But obviously you don't understand, I'm fighting for my rights as a paying user

What you see is me raising objections and complaints, although it may not be very useful! But it's not myself who's affected, users of cs1-cs4 and possibly cs5 are all affected! Look at how many people on this forum have been treated unfairly, either abandoning Adobe and choosing products from other companies! Either swallow your pride and purchase a subscription!

I am a non industry user, so I am not afraid of offending Adobe. I hope to stand up and speak the truth. It was Adobe who betrayed the users, and all of this is Adobe's greed, not related to the users. Users who purchased Adobe products are victims

If everyone silently indulges Adobe, who knows what else Adobe will do in the future

Dear Nancy OShea, can you guarantee that you won't be the next one?

It's also possible that you've been obedient and constantly paying protection fees for Adobe

WinXP is also very outdated, but it can still be activated until now! In addition, permanent use is a promise made by Adobe, and it is to protect its copyright, which is actually revenue, that is why it added activation technology! The purpose is to prevent piracy. And what convenience does this technology bring to users who have purchased genuine products? Only adding obstacles, without any convenience

It's no longer a matter of convenience or inconvenience! Because of this technology, products that could have been permanently used are no longer usable! Do you think it's reasonable from this perspective?

You think outdated products may be a threat in Adobe's view, as their perpetual license products pose a threat to subscription products and affect Adobe's interests. Do you understand? Otherwise, why would Adobe still use such an old thing to break its promise?

Do you think maintaining an activation server is a difficult task for Adobe?

Finally, I would like to say that as a perpetual licensed product, Adobe states that users have the right to permanently use it. As for whether to use it permanently, it is the user's freedom. If Adobe violates its promise, it is Adobe fraud! Adobe should not rely on deception and greed to survive

[Retune]

The real elephant in the room is that a mechanism touted as necessary to stop pirates stealing software from Adobe is now being used to take software away from customers who paid for it. But we are expected to exercise doublethink here, it seems. Older versions of CS are so worthless that we can't possibly expect to use them, but at the same time they are Adobe's valuable intellectual property that can't just be made available for download like the special CS2 installers once were. I'm afraid Customer Service directing you here was just their way of saying 'go away and bother somebody else'. Some of us are sympathetic, while others follow the party line (threads like this tend to get locked), but no ordinary user here has any power to do anything about Adobe's policies. While some Adobe employees monitor this forum, Adobe has never responded to the numerous complaints raised on this issue.

It's incorrect to claim that older software is necessarily incompatible with current operating systems, incidentally. I recently tried both Photoshop 7.0 and Photoshop CS3 on Windows 11 (As a licensed user of both, I was lucky enough to obtain the special CS3 installer from Adobe back when it was available, and PS7 does not need activation). Apart from the well-known limitation that PS7 needs a 1TB or smaller partition for installation, swap and file saving (fine on my laptop!) both versions worked normally. Each is as powerful and useful as it ever was, and has key features I wouldn't get in Photoshop Elements (sometimes suggested as a non-subscription alternative to older versions of PS) even today.

There is, however, one other important consideration. Products of this vintage will have multiple unpatched vulnerabilities, some critical, that can potentially be exploited by malware, so use at your own risk. In a professional environment, you'd want to use something else.

[l_8871]

Thank you, I understand. That's what the elephant in the room meant! 

As far as I know, Adobe's valuable intellectual property that you mentioned has a time limit, and Adobe has gone to great lengths to crack down on permanently licensed products with a history of one or two decades, which shows the impact of permanently licensed products on Adobe subscription products.Make it willing to betray its promises and deceive users

Additionally, I believe that among those who follow the party line, there will also be those who uphold justice

I am beginning to understand those who use piracy! They have foresight! Why support a company full of lies and betrayal? Their method seems to be correct today. And I believe that many users who were deceived by Adobe have also joined them

Additionally, your test results for Photoshop 7.0 and Photoshop CS3 on Win11 are definitely not what Adobe wants to see! They don't want you to continue using these old versions of programs in the new operating system. But for Photoshop 7.0, Adobe has no way. Because it does not require activation. Adobe cannot restrict it

May God bless Adobe, and may righteous leaders in Adobe overcome greed and evil

[Nancy OShea]

@Retune,

FYI,  Photoshop 7 from 2002 was built for much smaller 32-bit computers. It can't recognize the entire disk capacity on larger computers. You may experience frequent error messages like "not enough disk space or scratch disk full" despite having more than ample free space and RAM available.  When you can't complete tasks or save your work in PS7, that's usually why.  😝

I suppose in theory one could keep using CS3 indefinitely.  Although I can't for the life of me imagine why anyone would want to when Photoshop Elements can do more than CS3 ever could.

That said:

1) Keep Creative Suite on the ORIGINAL device & OS for which it was intended

(RAM: 512 MB; PROCESSOR: Intel Pentium 4, Intel Centrino, Intel Xeon, Intel Core Duo; OS: Microsoft Windows XP S32, Windows Vista). 

2) Never upgrade the system. 

3) Never reinstall or attempt to re-activate the software. CS3's aged-out activation servers no longer exist.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite.html?promoid=19SCDRQK

Or try Photoshop Elements free for 30 days. Elements is a one-time purchase, no subscription required.

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements/free-trial.html

PS. For a limited time only, Photoshop Elements is 40% off. Offer ends September 2, 2024.

Hope that helps.

[Retune]

The large disk issue is the 1TB limit I mentioned above. It's not just because PS7 is a 32-bit application (even CS3 is 32-bit), but a very specific disk size limit - you need a hard disk (or probably a partition) with <1TB free for scratch, writing files and (possibly) installation. But since my laptop, like many laptops, has only a 1TB SSD, this isn't an issue unless I try to write to an external drive directly from PS. Otherwise, PS7 seems perfectly happy on a modern i7 system running 64-bit Windows 11 with lots of RAM.

As for old PS vs modern PS Elements - sure, lots of things have been added in the last couple of decades, but some basic PS features are still missing. Showing the Channel Mixer in the PS7 photo above wasn't entirely random. That's a really fundamental feature I use all the time that's missing from Elements unless you get some third party add-on. And in my case it's not just PS I need, but also (if less frequently) Illustrator and InDesign, software that would require the full £57/pm CC plan to use the current versions, and for which there are no Elements-style alternatives from Adobe. For now, my CS6 and CS3 versions still work.

Since I have the special activation-free installer for CS3 Design Standard I don't have to worry about maintaining some clunky old P4 system either - I can still install CS3 packages like any other program on a modern system running Windows 11. Unfortunately I seem to be one of the lucky few who happened to notice this largely unadvertised installer was being offered by Adobe and was able to exchange my original product key for the special installer and key before they discontinued it shortly afterwards. I'd rather use CS6  (and currently do), but at some point I imagine it will be impossible to install it. So I'll keep the activation-free CS3 installer around in case it's useful It's likely to be the last version that Adobe cannot disable. I don't really need to use PS7, but it's interesting that it still runs, and it has nearly all the features I actually use even in PS CS6.

However, I will emphasise once again that software as old as PS7 or CS3 may present significant security risks. Open a malicious file in one of these applications, and very bad things can happen. In production environments, use only up to date, fully patched software.

[Nancy OShea]

As for old PS vs modern PS Elements - sure, lots of things have been added in the last couple of decades, but some basic PS features are still missing.

By @Retune

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Creative Cloud Photography Plan (approx $10/month for 12 months). Includes the following:

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