Photoshop CS3 and Windows 11

[magicalwizard]

I just got a new computer that came with Windows 11.  

I installed Photoshop CS3 and when it opens the Windows blue spinning circle comes on and spins indefinitely.  It won't do nothing else. 

I was able to run and use with no problem Photoshop CS3 with Windows 10.  

Does anyone knows why is this happening?

A solution for this?

Thanks.  

 

 

[John T Smith]

1 - CS3 is a dead program

The CS2-CS3-CS4 activation servers have been removed from service
-https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite.html?promoid=19SCDRQK
-So even if you have a disc or saved download, CS2-CS3-CS4 are completely dead
-Adobe also no longer supplies the special non-activation version of CS2-CS3-CS4

2 - IF you already have the special non-activation version

Two ideas that MAY work to install and/or run old programs in Windows 10 (and MAYBE Windows 11 ?)
-RIGHT click the program icon or EXE and select a compatibility mode in the pop up option window
-and/or select Run as Administrator to assign FULL Windows permissions
-also https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/create-local-administrator-account-windows.html

[magicalwizard]

Thanks for responding with this information.  

If the activation servers have been removed, then that explains why the program is doing what is doing as I mentioned on my posting.  

Strange in a way that it worked with Windows 10 and was able to be activated when installed on the computer that had Windows 10.  I say this since activation servers have been removed, it shouldn't have worked also but did.  

[Peru Bob]

It may have installed on Windows 10, but it was only the trial.  It would have expired in 30 days if you didn't install the special no activation version.

[magicalwizard]

What you mean it was only the trial?  

I had this software for a few years and always worked with no problem until now with Windows 11.  

[John T Smith]

If you installed before the activation server died the program would have activated at that time and continued to run

[John Waller]

This is unrelated to which version of Windows you are running. The CS3 activation servers were shut down in July 2017. You must have had CS3 running and activated prior to that.

Only now that you are reinstalling and reactivating is it not working. Would not matter if you were running Win 10 or Win 11.

[magicalwizard]

Nope. I installed it on my previous computer that had Windows 10 and got
that computer in 2020.

[John Waller]

Regardless, that option is no longer available. CS3 is now dead.

So you'll have to subscribe to the Photography Plan. Alternatively consider Photoshop Elements.

[magicalwizard]

I will be subscribing to the Adobe Creative Plan. 

I was just replying to your comment that you said servers were shut down in 2017 and I must had it prior to that when I didn't.  

Is strange being that the servers were shut down back then that it worked on 2020. 

[John Waller]

@magicalwizard 

After the activation servers were shut down, there was a period when Adobe provided a non-activation version of CS3 . You may have installed CS3 with that non-activation installer which is also no longer available.

[Nancy OShea]

If you had CS3 on your old Win 7 machine and subsequently upgraded the OS to Win 10, that might explain why you didn't need to reactivate CS3.  It carried over to Win 10.  But I assure you that since 2017, the CS3 activation servers don't exist. 

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[David29310637comu]

The Adobe CS3 suite will "install" on a Windows 11 computer (as a new install). But when you open any program in this Suite all you'll get is a spinning circle curser. I tried opening three programs (InDesign, Photoshop, Dreamweaver) and the same problem occured for all three at the same time. I assumed this Suite was a no go and opted to delete it off my computer. Windows 11 would not allow me to delete the CS3 Suite. Windows repeatedly informed me that I had to close these programs before I could uninstall the CS3 Suite. AND THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO DO THIS IN WINDOWS 11. Hold down the ALT key then tap the F4 key (quickly let both keys up). This procedure closes all open programs. Reboot, then unstall the Adobe CS3 Suite using the normal Windows 11 "uninstall apps" procedure.

[kglad]

for others, @David29310637comu post may be misleading.

while it's possible to install and use cs3 for a 30 day trial, that's the most you can accomplish on any one computer.  ie, you cannot activate cs3.