Unable to reinstall CS3 [CS3 is DEAD]

[defaultzjadousqvp6y]

I had to have my windows 10 resinstalled (same verison as before so nothing new in terms of OS), but now can not longer activate my cs3 suite online or over the phone as the phone numbers given no longer work.  I appreciate cs3 is old but its perfectly apt for what I need it for, and paid a fair price for it at the time (over £1600) , so do not want to pay for upgrade.  Can you let me have a new serial number or help me activate my current one again?

[John T Smith]

Sorry... no

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

[defaultzjadousqvp6y]

But if I've paid for the software and own it then I don't see how you have the right to digitally deacvtvate it without any kind of refund?  It's not acceptable that a product still requires activation if you remove the ability to do so.  I've paid over £1600 for it.  You've basically blocked my product without a refund.  I'd like to escalate this.  Whom can I contact directly?

[Nancy OShea]

But if I've paid for the software and own it...

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I'm sorry but you don't own anything.  Adobe owns the software.  You had a limited license to use the software for as long as Adobe could keep making it available.  The End of Life for CS3 came and went about 10 years ago. The shelf-life was 3-5 years.

Had you upgraded to CS6 when you still had the chance to buy it, you would have working software.  But since you didn't, you don't.   Creative Suite is discontinued and no longer sold.  Adobe ended Creative Suite sales 5 years ago.

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=============
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[defaultzjadousqvp6y]

If you've removed the servers then you should remove the need to activate. Its your requirement to activate. I have paid for the software.

[LinSims]

The software is 14 years old. Would you demand a refund from a car manufacturer for a 14-year-old car if the ignition key stopped working?

Adobe could no longer keep the servers the activation software ran on working, and the activation software will not run on the later OSes. For a short time before they were shut down, Adobe did provide activation serial numbers that didn't require the servers, but that was about 3 years ago and they can't create those anymore, either, since doing so depended on the activation servers and software that no longer exists. As far as CS3 is concerned, you are, unfortunately, out of luck.

If someone contacts you directly via forum messages offering to sell you a working copy of CS3 or a serial number, do not reply. They are scammers. Adobe will never contact you via email.

While we appreciate your annoyance, there is nothing anyone here can do for you. This is a user-to-user forum and the people here are not usually Adobe employees. If you want to provide feedback to the company, you can contact them with the information below, and good luck to you.

Adobe

345 Park Avenue

San Jose, CA 95110-2704

USA Tel: 408-536-6000

USA Fax: 408-537-6000

[defaultzjadousqvp6y]

The difference with a cars ignition key not working is that its a fault from wear and tear or a faulty part.  The software I bought was perfectly fine to use. The only reason it has stopped working is down to Adobe effectively swutching it off.  Its a shame I missed the moment they provided activation serial numbers that didn't require the servers. This was actually what I had expected to be able to do. But thank you for letting me know.

[LinSims]

Consider yourself lucky you were able to use it reliably for 14 years. Most softwares don't last that long, and if you'd been on an Apple platform, you'd have had to buy new versions several times over the last 14 years. The newest Apple OS, for example, won't run any 32-bit programs so all of the CS users on a Mac had the choice of (a) staying on an old OS, (b) buying a subscription, or (c) finding non-Adobe tools.

Kinda sucks, but there's not much the users here can do about it. As I said, you can provide feedback to the company, and I really do wish you luck with that.