Install of PSE not Accepting Serial Number

[amandaw7]

I'm installing PSE 7 on a new laptop and it is not accepting the Serial Number and only allows me to use the free 30 day trial version.  On the forums it says to open a chat session so I did that and Tameer told me I needed to ask this on the forums.  He also said it wasn't supported but then why would Adobe have it available for download.

In addition to this, the menu is zoomed out so far that it is almost unusable; but I'll investigate/escalate that later.

[John T Smith]

Old programs may be available to download, but that does not mean they are supported

What is the exact message you see when entering your serial number?

[kglad · Accepted solution]

it's a courtesy to allow downloads of old adobe software, but adobe doesn't update them to work with newer os'es and obviously it wasn't designed to work with older os'es. 

i'm not sure what you mean by 'not accepting' the serial number.  do you mean you're seeing a message that your serial number is not valid?

if so, assuming you're using a valid adobe serial number (6 groups of 4 numbers), you have a mismatch between your installation file and serial number.  ie, you can have a valid serial number, but if it's for program A and your installation file is for program B, you will see an invalid serial number message.

common mismatches are language/region (eg, serial number is for western europe and installation file is eastern europe), platform (eg, serial number is for a mac and installation file is win), license type (eg, education vs enterprise vs individual).

and one of the most common is using a program installation file with a suite's serial number. eg, using a cs6 suite serial number with a photoshop cs6 installation file.  that won't work even though photoshop is included in that suite.  you must use the (correct) suite's installation file (and you can choose to only install one program from the suite).

here's official info about that error,  http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/error-serial-number-valid-product.html

[Geoff31765847nybo]

I'm looking for help please - I have PS Elements 2020 which is working perfectly on existing  computer but have bought a new (refurbished) computer, I haven't been able to instal Elements on the newly acquired machine.  The installation program asks for a 24 number serial number, but the number I found within the software under a Help bar of my existing computer, is only 20 numerals. I'm not getting any kind of message from the new computer, the installation simply doesn't move forward. Thanks, Geoff. 

[kglad]

@Geoff31765847nybo 

all adobe serial numbers are 24 digits in length, so you are not using a serial number.

there are several possible ways to find/recover an adobe serial number.

1. search purchased materials: https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/find-serial-number.html

2. you can check your account (if you purchased from or registered with adobe AND you remember the adobe id used to purchase/register), https://accounts.adobe.com

3. if your adobe program is installed on another computer you can recover its serial number from that computer,

(win:) http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

(mac:) https://mac-product-key-finder.com/

[Geoff31765847nybo]

Greatly appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. Regards,geoff.

[kglad]

@Geoff31765847nybo 

you're welcome.

p.s. were you able to recover your serial number (and then secure it)?

[Geoff31765847nybo]

Hi,
Sadly I wasn't able to do so - my son is setting up a new computer for
me and I wanted to transfer Elements to it, given that I use it very
frequently. I wanted to do this, even though he had set up the full
version of Adobe Photoshop on the new one.
It will do everything and more (over Elements) but not being all that
computer literate, I've shied away from it.
I bit of a strange story I know.
Do you use Elements or full Photoshop?

geoff

[kglad]

photoshop, but you should be able to use pse if you can recover your serial number and you gave the installation file.

what problem are you having?