Successfully Installing & Activating CS6 (not Creative Cloud) behind an Authentication Proxy server

[gps03]

If you are like me and work in a fairly secure office where all Internet access is routed through an authenticate proxy server (you have to use an ID and password to get to the Internet) you might have noticed that installing CS6 products can be difficult.

The installer told me to go to http://www.adobe.com/go/getactivated for an offline activation.

It is not practical to "Disable the firewall" or"Disable the proxy" as most of us worker bees have neither the authority or ability to do such a thing.

So back to that last bit: "Disable the proxy server." Well I could not do that, but I could disable my PC's ability to connect to the proxy and therefore make it seem like I had no Internet whatsoever. And lo and behold all the right prompts appeared and offline activation sailed along smoothly!

This is a little long, but I wanted to include lots of screen shots so you'll know what to expect.

Here's how I did it:

1. Right-click the Internet Explorer Icon on your desktop (or select Tools > Internet Options in IE)

2. Click Properties.

3. Select the Connections card.

4. Click LAN Settings.

5. Uncheck any boxes (you might want to write down what was in the boxes or grab a screen shot as you'll have to put this back to how you found it later to restore your Internet access). Click OK and OK again. You've now shut off IE's ability to hit your proxy server and therefore the Internet.

6. Click Install I have a serial number

7. Accept the license agreement.

8. Enter your license key.

9. Click Next. At this point the installer will attempt to validate your license, but since you haven't got Internet access, it will give you an error. This is where the process broke down on me, when the installer could detect the Internet but not navigate my proxy.

10. But, now beacuse you do not have Internet Access, you'll get this error. Click Connect Later.

11. Select your customizations (if any) and click Install.

12. When installation is complete, click Launch Now.

13. You'll get an error since you don't have Internet, click "Having Trouble Connecting to the internet?"

14. Click Offline Activation.

15. Click Generate Request Code.

16. Go to http://www.adobe.com/go/getactivated, sign in, put in your request code and serial number and generate the response code.*

17. Enter the response code.

18. Click Activate.

19. Click Launch when you get the Offline Activation Complete dialog.

* if you are installing more than one product, generate the response codes for each at the same time. I ran into an issue where once I created a response code, no other response codes I created for subsequent installs were accepted. I had to wait 24 hours for a newly generated code to work.

You are done! Enjoy your software!

Cheers!

-Greg

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Great directions Greg!  Thank you!

[Stix_Hart]

Really good job Greg, the bit about disabling the connection somehow is critical and not documented anywhere else.  I just yanked my plug because it's right by my desk and that worked for me.

[SouthernGent63]

Nicely done, Greg. But you might want to further blur your serial number unless it's a fake. Still readable.

[Jackson_Kauffman]

Thanks for the information. I'll hand it over to our IT Department and let them deal with it.

[Vikrant R]

For a quick demo of the the Offline activation process, and details of activating your computer if your computer is permanently offline.

[jamesdutt]

Just want to point out--after many hours of attempting to activate CS6 software (stumping two Adobe techs in the process)--that there is one important bit of information left out of the directions given above (and it's not in the video either):

These instructions work only if you are starting the installation from scratch.  If you (mistakenly) think that your inability to connect to Adobe's activation server is temporary and go ahead and install the software, you will not be able to get back to the screen to generate a request code (which you need to be able to activate the application).  This is in spite of Adobe's assurance to the contrary that if you don't activate during installation, you can do it later when the application starts.  If you try to activate later, you are taken to an online screen that asks for the "request code"--but you have not been given an opportunity to get that request code.

The only solution I could find:  I had to uninstall Photoshop CS6, then unplug my internet connection, then reinstall the software, watching carefully for the screen that provides the button to generate a request code.  If Adobe is going to require the activation/validation procedure, then it really needs to make it work and correct the error in the software, namely, the failure to provide for offline activation once the software has been installed.

[gps03]

Good tip Jamesdutt!

Apologies that I missed that piece in the instructions. I guess I just overlooked that you might not be starting from scratch.

Cheers!

[a2studio]

Thanks so much for posting about this. I am having a similar problem and before unisnstalling, as per your instructions, wanted to ask a question. I purchased a CS 6 license and it was installed on a hard drive on a Mac Pro. I recently upgraded to a new Mac Pro and put the hard drive from my old Mac Pro in the new Mac Pro. All of my other programs work, but not the CS programs. This computer is not connected to the internet and Adobe will not generate a response code, so I cannot activate via another (online) computer. I've tried to get help from Adobe chat but the person I was 'chatting' with could not even understand the problem. The reason I am hesitant to uninstall and reinstall is that I will lose all of my user preferences (actions, layouts, ect.). is there any other way to get a response code, so that I can send in my serial number? Thanks in advance for any assistance! Alice

[jamesdutt]

I am puzzled as to how CS6 "knew" it was operating on a new computer when it was still on the same hard drive.  But, aside from that, I found the idea below on a Adobe discussion group about transferring actions.  You might be able to transfer other settings as well:

============

You can't move them individually but you can save them as a set, then transfer to your new mac.

Make a new set from the Actions palette's dropdown list of options (click on small triangle in circle at top of palette). Name set. Click on, and drag individual actions to the new set.

Then go the palette's options and select Save Actions. Save file to a USB drive or similar and transfer to new computer by launching Photoshop on new computer, going to Actions palette and selecting Load Actions.

============

I share your frustration in trying to get answers from Adobe on such typical issues.  As I said before, if they are going to implement all this security, then they ought to make it work for the honest customer.

[a2studio]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, it is odd that Adobe can recognize that the drive is in a new computer. Could that mean they store information on the computer's motherboard? But anyways, I will try the save out of my Actions and just recreate my workspace prefs. Regards, Alice

[notthatdumb]

I've been trying to accomplish this for about 2 days now.  I am fine all the way down to asking for a Response Code.  They will not accept either my Request Code, or the Serial number (they won't say which).  I purchased CS6 this fall, installed it on my Mac.  I have now, a brand new IMac, copied the disc onto it, an am trying to activate it.  It is my only copy, making it my second  activation.  Installation was OK.  I'm certain I entered numbers correctly.  Help!

[a2studio]

It sounds like we are having similar problems. I wrote my post in September (and wrote another one more recently) and still have not been able to solve this problem - I cannot use my purchased copy of CS6. Does anyone at Adobe would monitor these forums? Is it possible to contact somebody at Adobe (other than the Chat function, which has been useless for me) to help get these issues resolved?

[Jeffrey_A_Wright]

Notthatdumb did you migrate or move over any files from your previous computer?  Also have you tried copying and pasting the request and response codes using a USB drive?  The characters can be difficult to enter manually.

[bcbarnard]

This is exactly the problem I'm having. I keep getting a "Request Code Invalid" message.

[Guest]

Ya its working and great information for installing adobe 6 without internet.

[abualsaud]

TEST

[tishm49391514]

You are an absolute genius, thank you so much, you have saved me hours, days, weeks, possibly a whole life time of trying to sort this out and I was not on a networked system, just my standalone system at home.

Tish

[imcloud]

gps03 & Jamesdutt,

thanks for the info about the request code.

is there a way to re-enter the serial number?  I entered it in the beginning during the installation (w/o internet,) then try the offline activation.  I wasn't able to get the request code, so I guess it is possible I entered the number incorrectly.  I chatted online with adobe techs later on, got disconnected twice and all I wanted to know was if theres a way to change the number.  They asked so many questions, but never give me a definite answer.

so please, please let me know if there's a way to change the number; otherwise, I'll have to uninstall it and reinstall it again.

thanks a bunch!!!

[gps03]

@imcloud, It's been a while since I did this, but yes I believe you will have to uninstall and start over to get the prompt to enter the Serial number again.

[bushrak11726635]

Great

[bushrak11726635]

.

[bushrak11726635]

Great 

[Phantazien-1]

Thanks so much, Greg!! It was getting really frustrating seeing all the gaps in instructions from others. 

FYI, all, for Mac users, just unplug your eithernet and turn off WiFi to get offline. Duh, I know, but sometimes it's the little things that trip a person up.

[Daniel Washington]

Thank you Greg for clearly explaining everything with pictures. I appreciate the kind gesture. Cheers!