unable to activate CS3 [CS3 is DEAD]

[Guest]

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this...

I have a retail copy of CS3 master collection, bought some 4 or 5 years ago. It is installed and activated on my main PC, and has also been installed and used on a now-deceased laptop.

I'm building a new laptop now, and have installed the bits of the suite that I need - but I can't activate them. When I try internet activation, I get told that the software has reached it's activation limit. There is no option in the installed copy on my desktop to deactivate, and the previous laptop is dead.

I've just spent 45 completely fruitless minutes on a "help" chat, and gone round in a loop of "your serial number is invalid", "talk to the reseller you purchased from", "your serial number is invalid"...

I apparently have two adobe accounts (business and personal), and can log in to both of them, but the CS3 software doesn't appear in either, and I can't add it. The only thing that does appear is the old copy of elements my other half uses. Yet the CS3 install tells me the serial number is fine, just has reached its activation limit.

Can anyone give me any useful suggestions while I go looking for alternate software?

Thanks

Noel Weston

[Ned Murphy]

Contact support thru chat and ask them to reset your activations, providing the serial number that indicates the limit has been reached.  Do not ask for more or they are likely to turn you away since they do not support older products.

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...

[Guest]

Already did this, after searching the forums first - the support person insists that the serial number on the CD case is invalid, despite the installer and my current desktop PC being quite happy with it.

[mahfoudhm24232803]

Admittedly, I registered my ADOBE CREAIIVE PREMIUM software on March 10, 2008,
but I had paid more than $1500 for it at the time.
I am entitled to require that my pack be functional as much as I wish for my personal use.
I was surprised when I wanted to deactivate my pack to find that I had no device activated.
And the activation of my pack installed on a new PC proves impossible, just like the deactivation.
ADOBE infringes the inalienable right of ownership.
This is outrageous under French law which protects the right to property,
In France the right of ownership is alienable, Find me a solution, thank you in advance.

[John T Smith · Accepted solution]

There is no solution

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

[kglad]

cs3 hasn't been able to be activated for years. in france or anywhere else.

[Nancy OShea]

1. The activation servers don't exist anymore. 

2. Adobe owns the software. 

3. At most you had a limited license to use it for as long as Adobe could make it available. 

4. CS3 had a shelf-life of 3-5 years. 

You got your money's worth. Time to move on.  😉

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