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Move CS3 from XP computer to new Windows 10 computer

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
January 8, 2018
4 replies
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I have CS3 stranded on my old XP computer. I just bought a new Windows 10 computer. My original software mysteriously disappeared about two years ago. I think I know who took it but I will never be able to prove it. So I don't have any of the critical numbers (registration, product key, etc.) Does anybody have any idea how I can move the program from my XP to my new machine? Or am I a dead duck?

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Correct answer Jon Fritz

If you have a valid serial/activation info for your CS3, you'll need to log-in and follow the instructions from Adobe here: Activation or connection error when starting CS3 or Acrobat 8 under the heading "Receive a new serial number and installer".

The CS3 activation server are gone, but if your old activation info is valid, you can get a new offline activation number and enter it into the downloadable version of the program from Adobe.

It's a fair amount of jumping through hoops, but it should do the trick.

Jon FritzCorrect answer

Community Expert

If you have a valid serial/activation info for your CS3, you'll need to log-in and follow the instructions from Adobe here: Activation or connection error when starting CS3 or Acrobat 8 under the heading "Receive a new serial number and installer".

The CS3 activation server are gone, but if your old activation info is valid, you can get a new offline activation number and enter it into the downloadable version of the program from Adobe.

It's a fair amount of jumping through hoops, but it should do the trick.

G

glennt60825670Author

New Participant

Caveat Emptor indeed! Some of these peddlers are saying they are selling "genuine" downloads and Adobe is shipping the downloads via Adobe.com. There's one born every minute.

I'm an old geezer and use InDesign and Photoshop for volunteer work and family projects, so I don't need the latest and greatest. I'll just keep my elderly computer and use it only for CS3 stuff. BTW, apparently CS3 Design Standard will work on a Win 10 IF you create a virtual computer with XP or Win 7. That sounds way too complicated for me.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

Illegitimi non carborundum

Jon Fritz

Community Expert

glennt60825670 wrote
Caveat Emptor indeed! Some of these peddlers are saying they are selling "genuine" downloads and Adobe is shipping the downloads via Adobe.com. There's one born every minute.

That's because technically, they could be...

A common Ebay scam with Adobe software is the reselling of the Volume License seats.

Basically, a company/individual with a volume license will sell seats on Ebay for pennies on the dollar. They'll even have you download the program from Adobe's servers (and activate it with the following code...).

Everything works as expected, for a while.

When Adobe finds a violation of the License Agreement (ie the reselling of volume licenses), they ultimately revoke the license. That revoked license then disables the program for what could be a lot of innocent third party buyers.

G

glennt60825670Author

New Participant

Thanks try67. Yes, fully registered with Adobe. I have several products registered with Adobe, all of them at least 10 years old and some 20 years old. So after all this time, when I try to access my Adobe account, I discover that Adobe has developed a case of amnesia about my existence. I guess I will have to keep my coal-fired Dell so I can use InDesign and Photoshop.

On Ebay, some people are selling CS3 dirt cheap. [[ www.ebay.com/itm/ADOBE-PHOTOSHOP-CS3-FOR-WINDOWS-/332512841707?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10 ]] and [[ www.ebay.com/itm/Adobe-PhotoShop-CS3-Full-Version-for-Windows-with-Permanent-License-/192415181456?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10 ]] Do these bargains smell fishy to you, too?

Just Shoot Me

Brainiac

The reason for CS3 going for Dirt cheap on eBay is because Adobe shut down the activation system for that version.

Caveat Emptor.

You can get CS 3 with new serial numbers from Adobe that does not need to use the activation server system.

Just do a Google search for it.

But I don't know if any of the programs included in CS3 will run on a new Win 10 system.

Jon Fritz

Community Expert

Well, CS3 works on Win10 just fine, i use it every day on one work computer,

That said i also have a problem, cause i want to transfer CS3 from my other old work computer with XP to my new computer with WIN10, but can't activate it?!

Why did they shut down activation servers for CS3???

CS3 is 10 versions behind the current offering, that's pretty old by any software standard.

You need to follow the directions from the link above.

Essentially, you download the offline activation version, use your activation info from your current media to get an offline activation number and enter it into your new downloaded copy during installation.

There's more detailed info here:

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2385900

try67

Community Expert

Did you purchase it directly from Adobe? If so, all the details should be located under your account. If not, and you never registered it, then you're out of luck.
However, CS3 is quite outdated and not compatible with Windows 10, so it might not have worked very well even if you were able to install it.

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