Deactivation trouble CS5

[SantaKlaus]

I am installing Win 10 and need to deactivate Photoshop CS5, so I can use it again on my new operating system. But I can't deactivate from within CS5, all I get is a message to "connect to the Internet, then press Continue" - I am connected to the Internet!

On Adobe's Help-Webpage I found a link "How to deactivate from Adobe.com". Great I think, that will do it:

Sign to your Adobe account with your Adobe ID (usually your email) and password.

In the Plans section, click Manage plan.

In the Activated devices section (toward the bottom of the page), deactivate the device.

But the Plans section doesn't have "Manage Plan"

"My Products" shows my Photoshop CS5 and its serial number, but there is no way to deactivate it.

Can't connect to Adobe Support Person either with the Chat App not connecting...

Any help, or sympathy is greatly appreciated.

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

 The instructions you are trying to follow are for people with current, supported software. CS5 long ago is out of support and never had a plan. Activation from the software is the only possibility.

If you can't connect to Chat either, it seems you have a problem connecting to Adobe in more than one way, and if you fix one you may fix the other. Maybe it's your firewall.

[SantaKlaus]

Appreciate your reply.

Tried to deactivate with firewall and AV off, but no success...

[Test Screen Name]

Hmm, I have a thought. Please start Notepad, and open the file c:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts

DON'T CHANGE IT but look for any lines with adobe.com or just adobe in them.

Do you see anything?

[SantaKlaus]

I opened the file "hosts" and there is no mention of adobe at all. It's quite short 855 bytes.

[John T Smith]

When you can't deactivate a serial number
BE SURE TO ONLY ASK FOR ACTIVATION SUPPORT TO ADJUST YOUR ACTIVATION COUNT
Click here for a non-Cloud program http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/service-c1.html

[incony]

Was this problem solved? 
I have exactly the same issue. My boss was using CS5 without any problem and was always satisfied. Then, shortly before 2020, she bought a new laptop and I had to install the same version on the new one. 

So I took the ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE 5 DESIGN STANDARD CDs, which we have purchased a long time ago and installed the software - with success. Since the activation didnt work out then (as it isnt now), I activated the 30 trial period which ran out a couple of days ago. 

After some research I found out that you have to deactivate the older version (e.g. the one on her old laptop) for the one on the new laptop to be activateable - no success. The serials number is right, but it wont let me activate because the key is in use. So I tried to deactivate the software on the old laptop with the same error like "SantaClaus".

After this, I tried to use the chat support and the woman there told me that CS5 doesnt work on Windows 10 machines which was a foul excuse since my boss used the software unsill the 30 day trial period ran out. So now she cannot use Photoshop, because I am not able to deactivate the old version on the old laptop. 

What are we going to do to solve this problem? 

[Abambo]

It may well be that activation does not work under Windows 10, but that the software runns well if activated under Windows 7 and then you upgrade to 10. At least my CS5 still runs fine on one of my machines. 

As always, if you run software on untested OS, you should expect problems and you should not expect Adobe to work you through. They have never tested CS5 on Windows 10 and they never will do. And then Windows 10 is not exactly Windows 10. Since the start of Windows 10 you had several major versions and each major version may have introduced more incompatibilities.

What was the OS of your old Laptop? How many licenses have been activated before? Adobe allows for 2 concurrent activations only.

[Richardnz]

I had the same 'internet connection' error when trying to activate under both windows  7 and windows 10, so that isn't the problem. It is definately cuased at the activation server end. I was told only the downloaded version of the software will now actviate, so the DVD one won't, so they provided me with that download and  they generated me a new serial to then activate it,

[SantaKlaus]

I have received several emails from Adobe Support:

1. We would like to inform you that CS 5 is too old and no longer available and supported with Adobe And Secondly CS 5 servers have been shut down. If you will try to install or update it further then it will create conflict with your system.

2. We have checked the serial number of the CS5 and would like to inform you that you can reinstall the application on new updated windows computer as this is the older application and deactivation can not be done in this.
The activation counts are there and you can reinstall the application on 2 computers.
Thanks for working with us,
Adobe Customer Care

If the CS5 servers indeed have been shut down, then one is stuck with the version that came on the CD. Any later update patches to CS5 will be unavailable

[incony]

Hey,

thank you for clearing up. 

Did you manage to install CS5 on your second machine? I've chatted with 3 different people and the last one told me that my serial number can be activated on 7 more PCs (3 out of 10 are activated), but I still CAN'T manage to install CS5 anywhere. 

I am installing it on my personal Win7 machine right now, since the relevant PC's OS is Win10. I'm done for today and will report back tomorrow! Thank you for keeping us updated!

[Abambo]

You’ve chatted over what system with those persons?

[Abambo]

That’s very probably a scammer. As of my information only CS2 and CS3 activation servers are shutdown. 

What was the ending domain of the mails? 

[incony]

Ok guys,

it worked on a Win7 machine where no CS installation has been ever made. I didnt even need to sign in with my adobe ID, the seriual number during the installtion was enough. 

So the second support guy was right! Like "Test_Screen_Name" said, just ask the support to "reset the activation count" and you should be good.

I am still wondering though why it doesnt work now on my boss' Win10 laptop although the 30 day test period worked just fine. I'll dig further into it!

Thank you all for your praticipation and help!

[Test Screen Name]

You might try telling your boss that such old software can't really be expected to run, and it's time to get up to date with the exciting new features of InDesign CC 2019. Your mileage may vary. And it may be that activation cannot work (even if the rest of the app cannot). However, here is a suggestion which may help with getting through to support, who don't seem to be trained in old products and often come up with questionable information about them.

Contact support again.

Do NOT say you have a problem with CS5, do not mention installing, do not mention Windows 10, do not complain, or get sidetracked. Say you need an "activation count reset". Use these exact words and no other form of them, with no other background. Repeat the words, don't try to explain them. (Obviously you will need to give them the serial number etc.) If they try to send you back to the forums, say the forums sent you and said that only official support can help, and ask for a supervisor.

Warning, scammers may contact you privately pretending to be Adobe staff. Adobe will never send you a private message asking you to email an account that isn't @adobe.com, or use Skype. Adobe never ask you for their password. These scammers want your Adobe info, credit cards, your money and control of your computer, please take care.

[Abambo]

To complement, read this: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-camera/avoid-phishing-3-easy-ways-to-identify-adobe-staff/t...

[incony]

EDIT: My answer was for "Test_Screen_Name"

Hey, 

thank you for your fast reply. Actually, your response was more helpful than the so highly acclaimed "experienced support personel".

InDesign CC2019 wont be possible, because you need a steady internet connection for the software to work which is - mildly expressed - customer unfriendly. All Adobe want you to do is spend more money for newer software although the older one is working perfectly fine. We are not a fancy design office and my boss needs Photoshop on rare occasions and is totally happy with CS5. Why does she has to get a subscription which is expensive if she uses photoshop once a month (or maybe twice)?

Ok, enough emotions, I am just mad because something as simple as deactivating an existing serial number or providing me/us with a competent solution is almost impossible.

Before I've read your response, I had a chat with somebody from the support. I explained the problem almost in the same way you suggested. I did not mention any OS, but I made the mistake to tell him that I cannot deactivate through the app (in PS -> help -> deactivate). He asked if my internet works which it of course does. 

I asked him to deactivate from his side which "he was not able able to" since we have retail versions of CS5. So he "did something on his side" which would allow me to use the serial number on the other laptop without any issues. All I had to do was uninstall (without deactivating) CS5 on laptop nr.1 and reinstall the software on laptop nr.2 which I am doing in this moment. 

Of course I uninstalled the software on laptop nr.2 as well and started the setup. When I got asked for the serial number, he accepted it, but told the same as before "this product has already been activated" and the serial number was right. So I am waiting right now and am VERY curious. Will report back in a couple of minutes!

[Abambo]

Who says that CC (2020) needs a steady internet connection? CC works fine offline, you just need to connect each 99 days to renew the lease.

[incony]

Ok, it didn't work (as expected).

I will use the chat again and behave like you suggested. Will report back soon!

Thank you very much so far!

[ukgkgjghvj]

It sounds like the error message you are getting when trying to actvate is related to the activation problems other CS5.5 people currently  are having at https://community.adobe.com/t5/get-started/how-to-activate-cs5-5-offline/m-p/10842035

[Krystian0D4B]

To deactivate CS5 Web Premium on Windows 10, find the .exe file of example Illustrator, click right mouse button and go to "Properties -> Compatibility". Set "Compatibility mode" to Windows 7. Then run illustrator.exe file with Administrator privileges and go to "Help -> Deactivate", check all Adobe programs and click on Deactivate - DONE 🙂

[defaultrqnufogbgij4]

I tried your suggestion and it didn't work in my case.

[defaultrqnufogbgij4]

So I just had another try deactivating the license through Photoshop 64bit version and it worked. Earlier I tried to deactivate it with Illustrator (I gues 32-bit version). I hope this helps others as well.

[Abambo]

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@defaultrqnufogbgij4 wrote:

So I just had another try deactivating the license through Photoshop 64bit version and it worked. Earlier I tried to deactivate it with Illustrator (I gues 32-bit version). I hope this helps others as well.

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Illustrator and Photoshop use probably the same shared components for activation/deactivation. I suspect a different error.