Too many activations CS3

Report · Jul 11, 2015

I'm reinstalling after an SSD corruption and cannot activate due to too many activations. The software is installed only on one machine. Due to the corruption I could not deactivate. Adobe chat refuse to discuss CS3 issues.

How do I activate the software?

Report · Jul 11, 2015

Contact Adobe Support thru chat and ask them to reset your activations... do not discuss issues or they will send you here... just ask for the reset.

If this happens to be a volume license then you should check the following discussion... CS3 master collection "maximum number of activations allowed...has been reached", previously install...

Report · Jul 12, 2015

Many thanks, it is an academic license, but a single seat. My online chat did not go well:

info: You are now chatting with Neeraj Maurya.

Neeraj Maurya: Hello! Welcome to Adobe Customer Service.

Neeraj Maurya: Please allow me a moment while I look into your account & verify the details.

Neeraj Maurya: As I understand you are not able to activate the product as getting error for too many activation, Is that correct?

Simon Smailus: Yes!

Neeraj Maurya: may I know the serial number so I can locate the information.

Simon Smailus: xxxx...

Neeraj Maurya: As I can check the product name is Master collection and it is volume license, right?

Simon Smailus: Yes, Master Collection CS3

Neeraj Maurya: I am sorry but I need to connect you with volume license team as this chat has been landed to incorrect department.

Neeraj Maurya: Will this fine?

Simon Smailus: The Licence is academic, but only one seat. I'm the only one using it.

Neeraj Maurya: Okay but still I need to transfer this chat.

Simon Smailus: ok

info: Please wait while we connect you to a representative.

info: We are still assisting other customers, thank you for your patience. You can also try our community forums, where experts are online 24/7.

info: You are now chatting with 'Ashwani '

Ashwani : Hi, Welcome to Adobe Support.

Simon Smailus: Hello

Ashwani : How may I help you?

Simon Smailus: I'm getting to many activations error when installing. I've had to reinstall my system due to a corrupted hard disk

Ashwani : What product do you have.

Simon Smailus: Adobe CS3 Master Collection

Ashwani : I am sorry to inform that we do not support CS3.

Ashwani : Its a very old product that is only supported on Forums.

Simon Smailus: So how do I activate?

Ashwani : https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html

Simon Smailus: I did that but this is an academic license and they transferred me here to you.

Ashwani : Please visit the above link and check for an existing article for assistance, else you may raise a post and it will be answered by techs on forums.

Simon Smailus: The activation is being blocked by Adobe. The forums cannot change that, only Adobe.

Ashwani : Extremely sorry sir as said its an old obsolete product which we do not cover on support over chat or call.

Simon Smailus: If you no longer support CS3 why is your system blocking the activation?

Ashwani : Activation servers are closed as its an old product.

Simon Smailus: So who can unblock the activation?

Ashwani : Kindly upgrade to Creative Cloud in order to use Adobe Products.

Ashwani : Sir, please visit forums for further answers this product is not covered for chat support.

Simon Smailus: So who can unblock the activation?

Simon Smailus: Please tell me who can unblock the activation block?

Ashwani : Sir, Kindly refer to forums as this product is not supported.

Simon Smailus: All I need to know from you is who can unblock the activation lock. It cannot be this difficult to answer?

Ashwani : Sir Activation Servers are closed and the product you are using is a CS3 not covered for assistance over chats and calls.

Ashwani : The only way to get assistance is Forums.

Ashwani : Refer to forums, you may get an answer there.

I looked at the link you kindly provided, but it doesn't provide a solution.

Report · Jul 12, 2015

I have asked Adobe to escalate this issue through other channels because the CS3 activation server is definitely not closed.

Seems like more training is required for Adobe Customer Service staff.

Report · Jul 16, 2015

Any more updates on this? Currently CS3 is unusable on my system.

Report · Jul 16, 2015

‌Sadly not yet.

I have rattled the cage again to see if anyone from Adobe wants to intervene.

Report · Jul 16, 2015

Many thanks!

Report · Jul 16, 2015

Hi svsmailus,

We're so sorry to hear about this frustrating experience. I just checked your CS3 serial number and found that it's a volume licensing serial number. When you reinstalled did you install from the original DVD? Do you have access to our Licensing website? Adobe Licensing Website | Serial numbers | Orders | Accounts

Since licensing products don't use activation (this explains some of the chat agent's replies and some of the confusion), it sounds like you were installing a regular version of CS3, not the licensing version.

Let us know so we can help further!

Thanks,

Madison

Report · Jul 16, 2015

Many thanks for your response,

I have all the original DVDs, but I use a macbook air with no DVD drive, so installed from a downloaded installer. I will uninstall and find a DVD drive and install from the original disks and let you know if I have any problems.

Many thanks

Simon

Report · Aug 21, 2015

Hello Madison - I just got off the phone with support. I've asked them to deactivate the key so I can reactivate on my new laptop. They could not do it, state it's a technical issue, to go to the forum for help and someone from Adobe with experience with this "older" software will respond. Not sure why they couldn't transfer me directly? Please assist.

Thank you,

Stephanny

Report · Aug 24, 2015

Hi engineeringd,

Which product are you having issues with? I see a few registered products, so please let me know which one to check.

Thanks!

-Madison

Report · Aug 25, 2015

Hello -

I have a volume license for CS3. I am getting the "Too Many Activations" message. Not sure if we have the original DVD. Would you know where I can find the volume license installer for CS3 (if available). The software version may be our problem since the IT guy doesn't know where the installer came from. If I can get the volume license version I can verify if the software we have is our problem.

Thank you -

Grant

Report · Aug 25, 2015

Volume Licensing
----------------

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/volume-licensing-site.html

Volume Licensing Activation Issue: https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1526938

Report · Feb 22, 2016

@MadisonLeupp I too am experiencing difficulty with an academic license that has to many activations. Is there a way you can assist me as well? As background I still have the install CD, but it's heavily scratched and I had to choose installation from the internet (Download Adobe Creative Suite 3 products). Similar scenario as svsmailus‌ where the PC needed to be re-imaged, and I could not deactivate the license.

Report · Feb 22, 2016

Hi pfunk,

I checked your account and can't find any products registered under the email you're using here on the forums. Can you private message me the serial number? (Click on my avatar > Message) Then I can check!

Thanks,
Madison

Report · Jun 07, 2016

I am having the same issue while trying to transfer the software to a newly imaged computer. Please advise. I am attempting to transfer the license from one computer to another, yet don't get an option to deactivate the license on the computer it is currently installed on. This is for both Dreamweaver and Photoshop CS3.

Report · Jun 07, 2016

To deactivate open one of the programs and choose Help -> Deactivate.

Report · Jun 07, 2016

I do not see an option to deactivate through help.

Report · Jun 07, 2016

What you can try is to contact Adobe Support thru chat and ask them to reset your activations. As long as this does not involve a volume license they should be able to accommodate as long as you only ask for the reset (if you ask for more they are likely to send you back here).

Chat support - For the link below click the Still Need Help? option in the blue area at the bottom and choose the chat option...

Make sure you are logged in to the Adobe site, have cookies enabled, clear your cookie cache. If it fails to connect try using a different browser.

Serial number and activation chat support (non-CC)

https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?step=PHSP-PHXS_downloading-installing-setting-up_licensing-acti...

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Too many activations CS3

1 Correct answer