How do I activate CS2? [CS2 is dead]

[RandomDave]

Trying to activate my retail CS2 Premium.  None of the links I've found for activation or download work. I can't register CS2 from my login portal.  I've contacted support via chat, they told me I'd have to go.. here. Thanks, support.

Any thoughts on this?

[Branched from a discussion of CS4 and CS6]

[John T Smith · Accepted solution]

CS2 + Acrobat 7 + Audition 3 (AND EARLIER) Activation Server is gone, so read below

How to get a previous version... Read reply #10 https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2620448

-Also read https://helpx.adobe.com/in/download-install/kb/downloaded-older-app.html

-And https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/find-downloaded-file-app.html

-OR... Go to https://www.adobe.com/about-adobe/contact.html

-click on the Chat bot on the bottom right hand corner of the first screen

--the chat bot is the circle with a funny looking box with 3 dots inside

-click on Downloading or Installing, then type Agent

Do NOT let the support agent tell you to come to the forums for help... no user in a public forum has access to Adobe's internal links, you MUST obtain the program and update links from Adobe support

AND when you finally do have a download link, be sure to copy every file you download to an external drive (or 2 or 3) so you never have to hunt for download links if they are moved again... also make a text file containing ALL of your serial numbers and copy that file as well

[RandomDave]

Thanks for the help, John! After some time in chat, the agent emailed me a serial # and install files for CS3 Master Collection.

[jimbennett5345]

Funny how chat gives different answers each time.  I just wasted 45 minutes on chat and the agent told me he could not help with a download link and referred me back here.

[John T Smith]

Please post the chat person's name so I may send a message to the employee in charge

[RandomDave]

That was my experience as well the first time, Jim.  The second time around, I follow John's suggestion to not take no for an answer and eventually, got the CS3 upgrade offered to me.

[jimbennett5345]

I believe it was Pooja, thanks

[Jeff A Wright]

Jimbennett5345, I am sorry you are facing problems reinstalling Photoshop CS2 for Windows.  I do show that you have an upgrade version of Photoshop CS2 registered under the account you used to post to this public discussion forum.

Can you please make sure to register the full version of Photoshop that you are upgrading from by using the process listed in Find your serial number .

You also mentioned you recently spoke with our support team about receiving installation files for your Photoshop CS2 upgrade.  Can you please post the case number for your recent interaction?  You can find information on how to locate your recent support cases at View Adobe Support cases .

[donc97110792]

Thanks for your active interest, Jeff.

Today on a chat (here's your name) Himanshu insisted there was nothing he could do, short of a 30 day trial with CC purchase after that.   I have CS2 because I'm on a budget (having owned this software for many years, now trying to reactivate it.) And this is a little frustrating. Not the least of which is the reminder that a hack of Adobe several years ago exposed my two most personal email addresses, causing me to have to close them. Things happen; and lesson learned in that -- NEVER give a good email address to anyone online. Meanwhile, Himanshu transferred me to sales, while I was in the middle of this process.

[Nancy OShea]

donc97110792  wrote

I have CS2 because I'm on a budget (having owned this software for many years, now trying to reactivate it.)

CS2 came out in 2005.  It's way beyond it's sell-by date.  And if you haven't gotten your money's worth by now, you never will.

The Photography Plan  is a deeply discounted bundle of Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, 20 GB of cloud storage + a free Portfolio website + other apps & services for only $10/month for 12 months. 

Creative Cloud pricing and membership plans | Adobe Creative Cloud

[donc97110792]

Oh I did get my money's worth. Is there any reason that I should not continue to?

The Moderator had asked for names, which I have provided. Thanks for you input, and somewhat shrill reply.

[Jeff A Wright]

Donc97110792, the advice I gave in post #6 is relevant to you.  I reviewed the e-mail address you used, to post to this public forum discussion, but I found no recent support cases or registered Adobe products under the account.

I will be happy to review any recent support cases, Donc97110792, and you can use the process listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/customer-support-portal.html to update this public forum discussion with your recent support case.  Please verify that your copy of Creative Suite 2 is registered under the account, with the support cases, by following the advice in post #6.

[donc97110792]

Priyanka, once finally transferred to Perpetual Products, was no help either. Same advertisement. His manager, Dhruv, who came on the line when I asked for Supervisor, echoed the same thing, and advertisement: subscribe to CC.

[ssammy414]

I'm getting the same run around. Spent over 2 hours on chat today withRahul, his "floor supervisor" Bhavika and his "senior agent" Milind. They all three said there was absolutely nothing Adobe could do or would do to help me get my CS2 re-activated. Rahul stated "Certain older versions of CS apps are now unauthorized for all Adobe customers to use, redistribute or package. Adobe will no longer make these available due to a third-party copyright dispute. Bhavika was no help at all he stated: if there would be any update links for CS2 we would have shared that on first place, but as that is the old version the download links are not available for this product as we only support the new and updated versions now. You can try the links available on that forums page as it has stopped working because of the old version. So when I finally chatted with Milind "senior agent and available floor Supervisor" he stated:Cs2 is an very older product where in there is no installation and new activation process are available, we would have definetely helped you if there is any way to reinstall the Cs2 product, but the last option is only to purchase a latest version of Creative Cloud Application. I then asked him "in these intervening 2 months, this has changed and you can no longer provide those files? I want this on the record that you cannot provide this help, and I will go back to the forum with this new information. So, to be perfectly clear, are you saying there is absolutely nothing Adobe Support will do for their customers who purchased the CS2 program? He replied, "Yes, unfortunately for Cs2 there is no option which we have available in order to reinstall the product. I hoping someone can point me in the right direction to getmy CS2 re-activated Adobe support was worthless. Here is thecase# ADB-9007426-Z2G7 if you can believe what they tell you???

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

CS2 is officially dead. The activation servers were taken offline many years ago. Effective May 2019, Adobe is not providing any means for downloading CS2. The party's over.

[ssammy414]

I know I'm proboly beating a dead horse here but I'll give it go anyway. I don't need to download squat, I still have my original 4 disk installer set, all I'm looking for is the 20 digit authorization code. My graphics computer isn't on-line never has been. In the past when the program would crash I was able to call and they would give me a new activation code to get it back up. I still retain those codes, is it possible that one of those codes would still work if I un-installed/re-installed the program?

[Nancy OShea]

You could try but I doubt it. I'm fairly certain the disks you have are useless. And Adobe has removed the activation-free installer and serial number. So that's the end of this story.