Photoshop CS5, serial number missing 4 digits

[rusty_nielsen]

I have photoshop CS5.1 installed on my old macbook pro.  I bought a Surface Pro 4 and would like to install it on there.  I found what I thought was the serial number under "Help" > "System Info..." and then scrolling down until I found "Serial Number: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"

I copied and pasted all of the information to a word document, and then deactivated Photoshop on my macbook pro.  When trying to activate it on my Surface Pro 4, it appears to be missing 4 digits. 

SO... Now I can't use Photoshop on my macbook pro OR my surface pro 4.  Apparently, according to customer service, the serial number that THEIR software provided me is not actually a serial number (WTF?!?). 

The problem that now arises is I don't have the box/disk that I got or whatever it was when I originally purchased the software because it was purchased years ago.  I can't even remember where I purchased it.  It might have been through Apple, maybe Best Buy, perhaps through the University I go to.  I provided them with my emails and even my mothers email as I thought perhaps she purchased it (I can't remember).

How can my serial number be given to me or found?  I've tried the apps that supposedly recover that information and they didn't work.  I work for a software company and know that the information is stored somewhere on my computer, but I can find it.  I know there has to be a way for it to be recovered.  I understand all they want to do is scam me out of my money, and force me to sign up for the creative cloud but I am not going to.

[Ned Murphy]

The serial number will not be found by looking under the Help option - that is not the serial number you need.  If you registered the software when you first installed it on the Mac then you should be able to find the serial number in the Plans and Products section of your account  online.  Find your serial number

I am assuming your Surface Pro is a Windows machine, not a Mac.... Your CS5 serial number is only good for a Mac platform.  There is no option to swap it for a Windows license since that option is only offered for the latest release of Adobe products.

[rusty_nielsen]

What is that serial number under the Help option then? 

I don't know that I did register the software, as I have given Adobe every email I can think of and they keep telling me they have nothing.

I had no clue you couldn't swap from a Mac to a Windows license.  That doesn't make much sense but that's fine.

My issue now is that I deactivated photoshop on my mac, and can't use it.  I need to get it reactivated but all I have is the serial number that photoshop gave me, the one that everyone keeps saying "isn't a serial number" or "not the one you need" but with no explanation as to what it is.