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How do I prevent Creative Cloud from taking over my CS6 perpetual license?

Engaged ,
Sep 24, 2014 Sep 24, 2014

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I have a perpetual license for CS6 Master Collection / Windows that I installed on my PC and laptop a couple of years ago.  12 months ago, I signed up for the creative cloud / all apps plan.  I canceled the creative cloud plan yesterday and my CS6 perpetual license stopped working.  After several chat sessions with Adobe techs, I was told to completely uninstall CS6 Master Collection and re-install with my serial number.  This worked to solve the activation issue.

The same thing also happened on my Macbook.  I only have a Photoshop CS6 perpetual license on the mac, not the Master Collection. I had installed creative cloud and then signed out of CC which caused CS6 to ask for sign in when I try to run it.  I have not yet got Photoshop CS6 working again on the Mac. I assuming that I'll need to uninstall and re-install it as well.

I never installed CS6 on any of the machines through the creative cloud setup.  CS6 was installed prior to CC on all 3 machines using the DVDs and serial numbers.

Even though I cancelled my CC/all apps plan, I was wanting to start a new CC plan for Photoshop only.  I am now hesitant to do this because I don't want it to take over my CS6 activations again.  Is there anyway to prevent this from happening?  Also, does anyone know why this happens? I am thinking that maybe when CS6 runs updates it automatically is switching the license from the perpetual license to the CC account if their is one installed.  In any case, I'd like to prevent this so that if I install Photoshop CC but then sign out, my CS6 would still work without needing to re-install.

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Creative Cloud , Installation

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Adobe Employee , Sep 25, 2014 Sep 25, 2014

You had to reinstall CS6 after cancelling the CC as both were from the same Adobe ID. You can always use & keep both CC & CS6 together.

Please refer to the blog:

Can I install both CS6 and CC apps on my computer? « Caveat Lector

Other references are :

Regards

Rajshree

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Engaged ,
Aug 18, 2015 Aug 18, 2015

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Most interesting. This looks like a bug to me--I can't log out of CC without disabling the CS6 apps that I bought before CC existed. A pox on Adobe for making it difficult to get their products launched and running and for not fixing bugs like this one.

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Explorer ,
Sep 01, 2015 Sep 01, 2015

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Same thing happened to me today but there is a much easier answer, at least for me. Copied from my post on another thread:

 

I very much appreciate the reply but I did find a much better solution after I finally found a way to speak with Adobe directly. I was advised to go into my C drive, open ProgramData folder, open OOBE folder, and rename the file ffc to ffc.old.  That's ffc dot old. Seems the dot is missing between the ffc and old when posted. (C:\ProgramData\Adobe\OOBE) At this point Windows Control Panel, Remove Programs no longer advised me that I had an application that required Creative Cloud and uninstalled the Creative Cloud program. It took a good deal to find a telephone number that I could actually talk to someone and resolve this which isn't what I expected from Adobe. That number is[Moderator deleted private information. Please do not post private information like e-mails and phone numbers]. I find the tactic that Adobe used as bad as a virus or malware and is not what I would have expected from them. At least there is a way without a lot of time loss to correct the problem.

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New Here ,
Sep 27, 2015 Sep 27, 2015

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How would I do this on a Mac? There are oobe files in Utilities/Adobe Application Manager, but they are dylib libraries and not folders, and also there is no ffc file or ProgramData folder either.

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Explorer ,
Apr 15, 2017 Apr 15, 2017

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Actually, I don't have any CC application on my computer. I am facing with same problem. An error message blocks me of opening my old Lr which has nothing to do with CC apps. Please help me to uninstall my CC application. I don't want to uninstall my Lr because I have old photos on my catalog and don't want to loose them.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 19, 2017 Apr 19, 2017

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Good news FYI – if you uninstall Lightroom, it won't uninstall or remove your catalog (or photos)... They will remain on your computer.

will i lose my lightroom catalog if i uninstall LR6 and reinstall anew?

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New Here ,
Nov 16, 2015 Nov 16, 2015

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Does anyone have any other suggestions, as mine is still not working. I did not have the (C:\ProgramData\Adobe\OOBE), but did have the:

Navigate to: C:\Program Files X (86)\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe PCD\

and renamed it, but everything sill just keeps saying has stopped working. Any ideas?

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Explorer ,
Feb 04, 2016 Feb 04, 2016

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I have been dealing with the same issues since December opening my Illustrator and InDesign CS6 on my Mac running Yosemite after canceling my CC subscription for Illustrator and InDesign.

The InDesign issue was fixed in December, before my Illustrator CC subscription expired, via an Adobe chat session and desktop takeover but I was informed by Adobe that phone and chat support are no longer available to me since I cancelled my subscription (even though my CS6 Creative Suite was working fine before and was obviously affected by the Creative Cloud install of Illustrator and InDesign.)

I have reinstalled Illustrator and it still not will not open. Abobe Application Manager opens up saying that my CC subscription has expired and that I need to renew to open CS6. I have not uninstalled the Illustrator CC application because it wants me to close InDesign and I'm afraid that I won't be able to open InDesign CS6 after the uninstall. Will try on the weekend but need it to work. Any other advice is greatly appreciated as I was informed by Adobe that phone and chat support are no longer available to me for CS6 since I cancelled my CC subscription.

Feel such a love/hate relationship for and so disappointed in a company that I depend on for my livelihood, whose products I have been using for 25 years and thought enough to have actually owned stock in. I'll obviously need to be running a suite of CC apps in the very near future but I don't need them NOW and want to be able to use what I rightfully (and I believe legally) have purchased the rights to use. CS6 is more that fine for my purposes right now… Any additional advice is greatly appreciated.

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New Here ,
Mar 09, 2016 Mar 09, 2016

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mariajean, did you find any solution to this? I'm currently having similar issues and tried the advice here without luck.

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New Here ,
Jun 12, 2016 Jun 12, 2016

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I've been using Adobe CS6 for years, then I get the "validate or else" message.   I ignored it thinking it wouldn't affect my software since I owned it, and it was some CC mistake in the update that would only apply to them.  Of course it now doesn't work, and it even tells me I'm offline.   Thanks Adobe.   I don't have the serial number, and so am screwed.   After a half hour with Adobe Chat, I'm told this was a "common update" that requires all users to reinstall their Adobe CS6 to get a more stable version with more features.   In my twenty years of design work, I've never had such a "common update". Great....so, they thought it was a good idea to basically turn off my software for this excuse.   They know they either made a fubar mistake in their update, or have some intentional ploy to get the CS6 hold outs to CC.   I would really like to stick it to them with a "loss of wages" or "inability to deliver work product" lawsuit, but in the end will most likely need to move over to the dark side and use CS6.   Right now, I hate you Adobe!!!!  I'm so depressed.   Always sticking it to the little guy.

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New Here ,
Jul 06, 2016 Jul 06, 2016

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I've had this happen twice. It seems to work fine once you uninstall CC2015 and reinstall CS6. If you don't have the serial number, hopefully you registered the # with Adobe. I also ran a program called "AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool.dmg" in between the uninstall and install. GOOD LUCK!

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Community Expert ,
Nov 30, 2016 Nov 30, 2016

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dstk64 wrote:

 

It seems to work fine once you uninstall CC2015 and reinstall CS6. If you don't have the serial number, hopefully you registered the # with Adobe. I also ran a program called "AdobeCreativeCloudCleanerTool.dmg" in between the uninstall and install.

 

Yes – per Adobe's help page, that's right:

 

Adobe Creative Suite 6 applications unexpectedly revert to trial mode

 

Here's also the Cleaner Tool, if you need it.

 

So first uninstall the CC apps, then run the Cleaner Tool, then reboot your computer and reinstall/reactivate your CS6 apps.

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Explorer ,
Jan 02, 2018 Jan 02, 2018

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I had the same issue after cancelling my Creative Cloud abo. I couldn't start my Photohsop CS6 - when I tried I got the message about renewing my subscription. I deinstalled all CC applications (Windows 7, 64bit), used Adobe's removal tool and their Creative Cloud cleaner but nothing worked. Still the same renewal message.

Then I re-installed the Creative Cloud Client and logged out (the "head" icon). After that I could start Photoshop CS6 🙂

Took me a couple of hours. So it might be helpful for someone with the same issue.

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Community Beginner ,
May 11, 2018 May 11, 2018

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That absolutely worked! Thank you very much!

jonalisa

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New Here ,
May 18, 2018 May 18, 2018

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Thank you so much for this. I also spent a couple of hours, trying to restart my old PAID for CS6 applications after getting rid of my CC subscription. And this worked. Thank you.

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New Here ,
Oct 04, 2018 Oct 04, 2018

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Could I ask you a related question?  I got rid of the full cc suite and opted for the Photoshop/Lightroom plan...but I do have the full suite version 6 and would really like to use InDesign about 30 days out of the entire year...but of course, I now cannot access it.  I bought it and hold the license, but I get pulled to the cc version and am told I need to re-up my subscription.  Do you know if I can somehow work around this?  Would you advise logging out and then trying to open InDesign v6?

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New Here ,
Jan 14, 2019 Jan 14, 2019

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Thank you - this was not working for me until I signed IN to Adobe CC, let it update itself, then start it up again and signed OUT.  Afterwards Photoshop CS6 started up for me without having to uninstall or reinstall anything.

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 02, 2020 Feb 02, 2020

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Great, worked!

I had deinstalled all things CC after CS6 went on strike. Then reinstalled and logged IN to Creative Cloud, then logged OUT and CS6 was all happy again. What a relief. Saved me a helluva lot of de-/reinstalling. I am doing an Affinity Photo trial now though. Probably will jump ship. Sneaky Adobe has lost all my trust and love by now...

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New Here ,
Oct 01, 2019 Oct 01, 2019

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I also have a problem, however, with CS3 on an old mahine that used to work and now no longer works, message coming up saying no longer supported.   But why?  I have a perpetual licence on that old standalone computer.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 01, 2019 Oct 01, 2019

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>CS3 on an old mahine that used to work and now no longer works

 

As far as I know, the activation server for CS3 had been removed from service... at one time Adobe provided a special non-activation version to registered owners, but I don't know if that version is available

 

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

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New Here ,
Jul 16, 2020 Jul 16, 2020

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Absolutely. The same isssues, in my case a week ago and my CS6 stopped working, meanwhile all the CC rubbish is constantly requiring  a sign in before I can use it. I have two older computers (32 bit) and frankly the CC stuff is very unstanble. To make matters worse, Adobe seems to have upgraded by CC programmes to thinhgs that barely function. When I called the utterly mindless support,after nearly 3 hours I spoke to somone who tyold me that (a) Adobe only supply CC2020 and 2019 and no longer support 2015-18 and have discontinued CS6 which adobe technicians installed on my computers two years' ago as a problem-solve. I find it deceitful and I think potentially illegal to change the contract and terms that I had agreed many years ago when I took out a subscription. Getting in touch with the senior management seems very difficult but I shall certainly try to do so. It is a shame there are not alternative products or I should have dumped this company quite firmly. It is disgraceful behaviour.

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Community Beginner ,
Jul 27, 2021 Jul 27, 2021

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Absolutely agree. The way CC has been pushed on CS6 users who BOUGHT the software outright must be illegal. It's not just Adobe though: my wife inadvertently upgraded to Catalina and that OS removes all CS6 functionality. I've paid over £2000 for my Adobe software & am now expected to fork out a £50+ pm fee for the same stuff? 

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Community Expert ,
Jul 27, 2021 Jul 27, 2021

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>upgraded to Catalina and that OS removes all CS6 functionality

 

That is not Adobe's fault... Adobe did not do anything to CS6 to make it stop working, the blame for that is all on Apple

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