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defaultcu6yupnb2q4l
Participating Frequently
July 22, 2021
Question

I can no longer activate my CS6. Why, and what can I do about it?

  • July 22, 2021
  • 1 reply
  • 8388 views

I purchased Adobe CS6 Master Collection Mac in February of 2013 for $2,133 (I can furnish the sales receipt and order number) and I have been using CS6 ever since. In the years since 2013, whenever I upgraded to a better computer, or replaced a defective computer, I have always been able to install CS6 on it and activate it with the serial number provided.

 

Last week my Mac Pro failed (dead power supply most likely), and since there is no economical way to repair it, I replaced it with another one. I used my CS6 DVDs to install CS6 on the replacement computer, as I have done before in other such cases. But this time, when I typed in the license number, instead of the software being activated I was presented with an Adobe web page that informed me that my serial number is invalid, and that and I may be trying to register pirated software.

 

I would like to know what caused this error, and what can be done to correct it. How can I activate my CS6 software, please?

 

Sincerely,

 

Tom Baker

Tijeras, New Mexico

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1 reply

John T Smith
Community Expert
John T SmithCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 22, 2021

Did you always DE-activate to make the serial number available?

When you can't deactivate a serial number
BE SURE TO ONLY ASK FOR ACTIVATION SUPPORT TO ADJUST YOUR ACTIVATION COUNT
You may need to PERSIST or TRY AGAIN to find a support agent with more experience

Be sure to remain signed in with your Adobe ID before accessing the link
Do be aware that Adobe's staffing is impacted by the virus, so wait times are long
-make sure that your browser does NOT block ads, scripts, or pop-ups
-you must also allow 'cookies' in your web browser for the link to work
This link will go directly to the chat option
Type "Agent" in the chat box to bypass the chatbot and be connected to a person
-Meaning type in the word Agent without the quote " " marks
https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?rghtup=autoOpen

    D
    defaultcu6yupnb2q4lAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    July 22, 2021

    Thanks much for the help, John. I appreciate it. I hesitated to bother you, but I'd sure like to get this problem resolved.

     

    No, I never de-activated anything--I don't even know how to do it. I'll have to look into it and learn how, if I ever get my CS6 activated again. I guess you can tell that I'm not very computer literate when it comes right down to it. I'm an old dog (70) and not terribly knowledgeable in these matters, but trying to learn.

     

    I have Apple software (for example Final Cut Studio) that activates with serial numbers, just like CS6, but it never gets onto the Internet to do it. Final Cut just detects when another copy of it is running on our home network and won't open on a different computer if it is. I guess I mindlessly assumed that CS programs did something similar, and forgot entirely that the activation was over the Internet, and Adobe was obviously counting the times I did it (probably another symptom of getting old). But I got a jolting reminder of it when I last tried to activate CS6 and suddenly saw my Internet browser jump to an Adobe webpage telling me that I might be trying to activate pirated software with an invalid serial serial number.

     

    Yes, I do have ad and pop-up blockers on my Internet browser, Firefox, which I will now deactivate, and I'll make sure it's accepting cookies too. I'll have to take notes and remember these things you're telling me, and thanks again for the info.

     

    I'll now follow your above advice to the letter and continue trying to get this problem straightened out. It appears, as you said, that I need to get a reset on the software-activation count, and if successful in that, in the future to be sure to de-activate CS6 before re-activating it elsewhere.

     

    Thanks again for the info and help!

     

    Tom

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