Lightroom 5 Serial number rejected on new Mac Book

[jonesa27533037]

I bought a new Mac Book Pro and am trying to copy my Lightroom Catalog to the new machine. Actually everything worked fine, but Lightroom won't accept my Serial Number. I know it's "old software" but what's wrong?!? Do I have to use the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop App? Or not? Lightroom opens and asks for the Serial Number but won't accept it. I can use the software in 30 day trial mode....

[02GEEK]

check out this

Install and use Creative Cloud apps on a new computer

Activate and deactivate Adobe products

[kglad · Accepted solution]

you can't copy any adobe program.  use the installation file to properly install lightroom.

Single user licensee downloadable installation files available:

• Suites and Programs:    CC 2018 |  CC 2017 |  CC 2015.5 | CC 2015 | CC 2014 | CC | CS6 | CS5.5 | CS5 | CS4, CS4 Web Standard | CS3
• Acrobat:  DC, XI, X | X,X suite,9,9 extended | 8 | 7 |
• Authorware:  7.01 windows |
• Captivate:  10 (2017) | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5.5, 5 | 1
• Cold Fusion:  11, 10 | 9.0.2, 9.0.1, 9.0.0, 8.0.1, 8.0.0, 7.0, 6.1, 6.0, 5.0, 4.0 |
• Contribute:  CS5 | CS4, CS3 | 3,2
• FrameMaker:  12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7.2 |
• Lightroom:    6.14| 5.7.1|  4.4 | 3.6 | win 2.7, 1.4.1 | mac 2.7, 1.4.1 |
• Photoshop Elements:  2018,15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8 | 9,8,7 win | 8 mac | 7 mac
• Premiere Elements:  2018,15,14| 13,12,11,10,98 | 7
• RoboHelp:  2015, 11, 10, 9, 8

Updates

• non-cc updates
• CC (2013) Updates:
• •   Windows
  •   macOS
• CC 2014 Updates:
• •   Windows
  •   macOS
• CC 2015 Updates:
• •   Windows
  •   macOS

• Download and installation help for Adobe links

• Download and installation help for Prodesigntools links are listed on most linked pages.  They are critical; especially steps 1, 2 and 3.  If you click a link that does not have those steps listed, open a second window using the Lightroom 3 link to see those 'Important Instructions'.

And a big thank you to Jim @ Prodesigntools for helping me with these links!

[jonesa27533037]

thanks for your quick answers.

Of course, I installed Lightroom 5 new and did not just copy it. Sorry for the missunderstanding. I used the Installer from here: Download Photoshop Lightroom

My Lightroom is an older standalone version - no CC

[jonesa27533037]

do I have to deactivate Lightroom on my old computer? If so, how can I do it?

[02GEEK]

Activate and deactivate Adobe products

[kglad]

you do if your lr is activated on two other computers and your trying to install on a third.  and you should deactivate if you're not longer going to use lr on your old computer (so you can maintain your two activations).

to deactivate: open lr>help>deactivate (or sign out).

[jonesa27533037]

ok, there is no such option in my old Lightroom software. It's version 5.7. When I go to help>search for updates it tells me, that this is the latest version.

The version I just downloaded for my new Macbook is 5.7.1 and has the sign out option (although it's just running in trial mode)

any further advice?

[kglad]

i'm not sure why you're checking help>search.

if you don't see help>deactivate or sign-out etc, attach a screenshot of what you see when you click help in lr on your old computer.

[jonesa27533037]

ok, sorry again for not being clear.

This is a Screenshot of Lightroom on my old Computer (version 5.7.):

And here it is on the new one (version 5.7.1):

sign out ("abmelden" in German) is not available on the old machine.

[kglad]

there's no deactivation for your version.

just install on your new computer using the installation files and your serial number.  you should be ok after that.

[jonesa27533037]

thanks again for your reply.

But that's exactly what I did in the first place and Lightroom won't accept my Serial Number (which I can see under bought/registered products in my adobe account).

[kglad]

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

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/serial-number-retrieval-process-faq.html