Once again - could not activate my legally purchased PS CS3

[ronaldsk26829994]

Hi!

I've read many of posts about this problem, but as there is only one way to get attention to my problem, i post another one question.

We have PS CS3 licence for 5 computers, but in past years some of computers on which this software was installed were broken or wiped clean, therefore I could not deactivate software installation from Adobe activation server. Now I try to install PhotoShop CS3 on new computers, but after succesful installation process, activation fails with warning about reached limit of amount of activations. I try to ask technical help in chat, but they direct me to this forum. Can anybody from Adobe staff, that reads this post help me in private PM? I could send you serial (or you can find it through my profile).

Best regards,

Ronalds

[Terri_Stevens]

Not this problem again? Someone was plagued with this just last week. Tell them on chat to reset your activation count or otherwise give a reason why they will not. They know full well the contributors on this forum cannot deal with this for you and are giving you the runaround. If they won't reset for you then post back here as there are Adobe people who can pursue this for you, but it requires you to make a fuss. I'm beginning to think Adobe may have hired a particularly dim witted employee who just doesn't know their job.

[ronaldsk26829994]

Ok, will try again! Thanks!

[ronaldsk26829994]

Today I tried again, but without success. See end of conversation:

Can somebody from Adobe staff help me?

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Dag and Terri please feel free to move future discussions of this nature to the Downloading, Installing, Setting Up forum.  Our community often answers similar inquires from individuals.

[D Fosse]

Thank you for putting this issue to rest, Jeff.

Even if it turns out that in this case the user had the wrong installer, he should not be told that "CS3 is an old product" and "not supported". I think this should be made clear to support personnel.

For the forum regulars, whenever this comes up, we need to always ask the customer if he/she has the correct installer for his/her serial number.

Oh, BTW I'm not a moderator so I can't move posts, but there's usually someone around who can.

[Rajashree Bhattacharya]

Hi Dag,

The volume CS3 had a different installer which was made available at the time of purchase via DVD .

You may use Adobe Licensing Website | Serial numbers, orders, and accounts to navigate through the Licensing website & check if any CS3 download is available, if there is no download link then you need to upgrade. This has already been correctly mentioned by Jeff.

Regards

Rajashree

[D Fosse]

Again, elevated to the Back Room, where hopefully we will get some official clarification. Will report back.

[D Fosse]

Word is back from Jeff A. Wright at Adobe.

No, this is not how support is supposed to handle it. CS3 can still be activated in the normal way, and support should help you with resetting your activation in case of hard disk failure and/or reactivation in general.

In short, nothing has changed.

So Ronald, try again, and come back here with a case number if they still try to stonewall you.

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Moving this discussion to the Downloading, Installing, Setting Up forum.

Ronalds I am sorry that you are facing difficulties with the activation process. If you have a case number from your previous, or future, interaction I would be happy to review the details.

I did review the cases associate with your e-mail address. In particular I reviewed case 0188158601 and 0219620851.  The serial number you are utilizing Photoshop Creative Suite 3 is a volume license serial number.  In order to utilize this serial number you will need to utilize the volume license installation files available at https://licensing.adobe.com/.

Volume license serial numbers do not utilize our activation technology, but you must use the the volume license installer as opposed to the retail installation files available at Download Adobe Creative Suite 3 products .  In fact all of the installation files available at Other downloads are for retail installations only.  Volume license installation files, or Electronic Software Downloads, are only available under the designated accounts at https://licensing.adobe.com/. 

[ronaldsk26829994]

Thank You all for help!

Please correct me, if I am wrong:

As I understand from Jeff and Rajashree posts, than main problem is that I have installed PS CS3 from wrong installation files (setup), that is downloaded from public accessible place (trial version for individual users), therefore activation wizard accepts my serial key, but could not activate it against activations server as this server is meant for individual users, not volume, showing warning.

If I will use special installation files that could be downloaded from LWS site or use original DVD, that comes together with purchased volume license , that installation will accept my serial and do not go to Adobe activation server for checking it, therefore I could install it with same serial on several computers in our network? Sorry, but I am working just 3 years in my organization and could not get help from technicians, that works here many years ago, when original PS CS3 installations was made, therefore I use installation, that I found on internal network share.

I try to found original CS3 DVD media, but I have only CS2 original installation media and if I go to suggested LWS site and click on Downloads to download volume installation for CS3, there is some warning on top of this section, which I could not explain and no installation entries below table:

I can found in LWS all historical purchases, licenses, serials, but download section doesn't  provide installation files. Is something wrong with my account or there is not anymore sources for this old software?

Ronalds

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Ronalds you will need to log in under an ID which is given access to the Electronic Software Download at https://licensing.adobe.com/.  Due to the age of Creative Suite 3 no new access rights can be granted.  If you need assistance locating the Deploy-to Id, which has access to the ESD, then please contact our support team directly at Contact Customer Care ​.

If you continue to face difficulties you are welcome to update this discussion with your case number.

[ronaldsk26829994]

Ok, I have new conversation with support staff. New case number is 0188165059.

Quick resume from this session was: Deploy-to ID is same that I already know - it converts to my organizations name. I am registered user (contact) of it and as said support - I should have access to downloads section and directs me again to forums!

I try to ask of possibility to order DVD, but staff already has disconnected. As I understand from all these conversations - something wrong is with LWS download functionality and I have not idea how to deal of missing CS3 installation DVD for volume users. I will try to ask of it from my colleges in another organizations in country, as this DVD is only media and real protection is serial number.

If nothing improves, I will close this conversation and will mark Jeff's first answer as Correct as it was correct regarding my first question.

[Jeffrey_A_Wright · Accepted solution]

Ronalds thank you for the update.  My apologies that you have faced difficulty locating the Deploy-to ID which may have the ESD assigned to it.  I have requested a member of our Volume licensing team to contact you directly.  Since only your e-mail address is on file they will be contacting you via e-mail.  If you would like to be contacted via telephone then please update your contact information at http://www.adobe.com/.

I did locate your organizations order from 2006.  For your reference the order number is 130812318.  I could not determine if an ESD was assigned or if your organization was only provided DVD media which contains the installation files.  I did check the deploy-to ID of 20842203, which is also listed on the order, and did not find any ESDs assigned.   It may be that your organization only requested the DVDs.

Pending contact from our Volume Licensing team I would concur with your current plan of inquiring if you can locate the DVD media.

Volume license serial numbers, and installers, are also region locked so a North America volume license installer for Creative Suite 3 would not allow installation as an example.

[Terri_Stevens]

Thank you for your help here Jeff. Knowing that different installers are required with volume licenced versions is going to be a lot of help if this happens again in the future. Like Dag, I'm not a moderator so cannot move things around but we can always refer OPs to Downloading, Installing, Setting Up  I'll be bookmarking this thread for future reference. Thanks again

Terri