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How do I transfer CS5 license key to a new computer when old one is fried?

New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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My SSD gave out last night, taking it with several programs, including a student license to Adobe Creative Suite, which includes Photoshop CS5. I've been in the middle of a long ongoing project and badly need access to Photoshop for consistency in that project, so losing this is a really big deal. 

 

I still have the original installation disk and serial number, and the product is tied to my adobe account, but the original drive it was installed on won't recognize at all, so I cannot deactivate through the application itself. When I reinstall on the new hard drive, it gives me the option to sign into my Adobe account, but for whatever reason when I type in my password it tells me it must be "between 6 and 12 characters in length," which it is. If I intentionally put in a wrong password I get the standard "password incorrect" message so... I don't know what that's about, but I assume it's maybe not connecting as it should due to lacking support? 

 

In any case, my question is this: How can I transfer my license to this new Windows install/SSD when the original is inoperable? 

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Community Expert ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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Which operating system? 

Creative Suite cannot run on modern Mac computers -- Big Sur or Catalina.

On older Macs , Sierra, High Sierra and Mojave, you need a terminal workaround to install.

 

Was your CS5 an upgrade from a previous version?  If yes, you need the qualifying product's serial number, too.

Check your Adobe account.

https://account.adobe.com/products

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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Windows 10. I've been using CS5 all the way up until just yesterday so I know compatible, even if it may not have been offically tested on the OS or had support codified on it. 


It was not an upgrade, just a straight install from a Teacher and Student edition of the CS5 creative design suite which was purchased on disc. The disc and serial info is still available to me.

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Community Expert ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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At any time in the past, did you install Creative Cloud on this device?

Are you sure you have an actual serial number and not a redemption code?

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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I don't think I installed Creative Cloud, but it's possible I did and just didn't reallly use it and forgot about it. Since the drive is shot I cannot go back in to check what I did and did not install specifically. 

 

Looking through my e-mails, I have one from way back when I purchaed the product. The opening line reads: "Thank you for completing the Adobe Student Licensing process to obtain your serial numbers. You information has been received and processed. Please print and retain this information as your Adobe Proof of Purchase and for future reerence of your Adobe product serial numbers." 

 

It then lists a 24 digit number broke into six segments of four digits. This number matches the one in my Adobe account where my products are listed. 

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Community Expert ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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1. For best results, run the Adobe Cleaner tool to wipe all traces of old Adobe products from your system.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

2.  Restart your computer.

3. Install CS5 on your primary hard drive, not a networked or cloud drive.

 

Keep in mind that CS5 is outdated and unsupported.  Use at your own risk.  Adobe cannot help you with anything except an activation count reset.

 

MODERN OPTIONS:
Photoshop Elements (approx $100, no subscription needed)
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html

Creative Cloud Photography Plan -- approx $10/month x 12 months. Includes the very latest versions of these great products & services:
-- Photoshop CC and Photoshop on iPad
-- Lightroom on desktop, mobile and the web
-- Lightroom Classic
-- Portfolio website + hosting
-- Spark with premium features
-- Bridge
-- 20 GB cloud storage (upgradable to 1 TB).
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Creative Cloud All Apps (31 + apps & services) and Single Apps Plans
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

 

=============
Beware of fake Adobe reps who may contact you privately offering to help, sell you software or take control of your computer. It's a scam, run away!  Real Adobe reps will never reach out from Outlook, Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail or Skype.
=============
3 Easy Ways to Identify Genuine Adobe Staff
https://tinyurl.com/10791730

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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I know this is probably a stock answer, but to the first point, I cannot clean it off the hard drive since the hard drive is defective and cannot be detected anymore. 

 

So if I request an activation count reset, I should be able to just use the serial to reactivate it on a new drive? Are CS5 authentication servers still activate to be able to accept and redeem the serial number upon a count reset? 

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Community Expert ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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Installation puts files all over your system.  The Cleaner Tool cannot remove anything it cannot find.

IMO, you should replace the defective hard drive or get a whole new computer.

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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I don't think you're following what I'm saying. The hard drive with photoshop has completely exploded, it's gone, dead. Won't boot. I do not have a backup of this drive to restore from so that version of Windows 10 is completely gone now. 

 

I have purchased a new drive which will have a clean install of Windows 10. I want to take my Creative Suite CS5 disc and install Photoshop CS5 onto this clean install of Windows. What concerns me is how to go about activating since that other drive is completely dead, preventing me from deactivating/uninstalling/wiping it. 

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Community Expert ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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1 - yes

When you can't deactivate a serial number
BE SURE TO ONLY ASK FOR ACTIVATION SUPPORT TO ADJUST YOUR ACTIVATION COUNT
You may need to PERSIST or TRY AGAIN to find a support agent with more experience
Click here https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/support.html

Be sure to remain signed in with your Adobe ID before accessing the link above
-make sure that your browser does NOT block ads, scripts, or pop-ups
-you must also allow 'cookies' in your web browser for this to work

-click the chat icon at the bottom right of the page to open a chat session
-the chat icon looks like '3 dots inside a circle' at the lower right
-type AGENT into the chat window to connect directly to a person rather than the AI
Do be aware that Adobe's staffing is impacted by the virus, so wait times are long
.
Also: beware of answering anyone who sends you a private message
-click for more information about scammers https://tinyurl.com/10791730

 

2 - yes

Two ideas that MAY work to install and/or run old programs in Windows 10
-RIGHT click the program icon or EXE and select a compatibility mode in the pop up option window
-and/or select Run as Administrator to assign FULL Windows permissions
-also https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/create-local-administrator-account-windows.html

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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Thank you. I'm trying to get in touch with support now so they can reset the count, but I'll have to wait until the drive arrives tomorrow to make sure it will work out (fingers crossed.)

 

But to be clear, the activation servers for Student/Teacher editiosn of the CS5 creative suite are still acted, correct? I know support for older versions were discontinued but I am unclear on CS5, especially since some people are struggline with 5.5 from what I've seen. 

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Community Expert ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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I'm extremely confused by your replies.  Sorry.

 

First you say the serial number isn't being accepted.  But how the heck can you install anything on a dead hard drive?  And now you're telling us you have concerns about activation. But you can't possibly activate until you get it installed on a new hard drive which hasn't even arrived yet. 

 

Post back when your hard drive arrives.

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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I thought I was pretty clear in my explanation, but I apologize if I was not. I've been pretty stressed due to this dead drive and am running on fumes. 

 

My concern is/was two-fold: 

 

First, can this specific prodct be reactivated when the previous PC is dead, preventing deactivation of the license on that computer. 


Second, is reactivation possible at all, or are servers offline for CS5. 

 

I did install the program on a backup hard drive, but did not attempt to use the serial since this will not be the drive I end up using. I was able to test that a trial of CS5 installed via the disk works, but could not log into my adobe account through it, which is what prompted the concern about the servers being offline for CS5. 

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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Lucked out with support and got an agent that understood straight away, so I have a count of 1 added for the product. I get the drive tomorrow so hopefully it all works, I am still concerned about authentication servers being active or not, though. At least I know I have one good use to redeem it though. 

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Community Expert ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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CS4, CS5 and CS6 are on life support. But they can still be activated providing you have the following:
1. original media (disks or downloads) you received at purchase and a way to read them,
2. a legitimate serial number for that version, language and platform (Win/Mac),
3. an older operating system that can support legacy 32-bit apps.



Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

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New Here ,
Feb 20, 2021 Feb 20, 2021

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Gotcha. Well in that case I think I should be good, but I'll be able to confirm tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I'll be able to finish up this product before CS5 goes offline forever. Once I'm done with that I can make a clean break for Clip Studio Paint. 

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LEGEND ,
Feb 21, 2021 Feb 21, 2021

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I'll mention (though it sounds as if you have it sorted) why there was so muich confusion. You said "My SSD gave out last night, taking it with several programs [including CS5]". I read this as meaning it's an extra disk where you installed programs, and you still had your system disk; so did other people I think. Hence all the careful advice about cleaning all the remains of CS5 from your SYSTEM before trying to install it on a new (NOT SYSTEM) disk. Since it was a single disk with both programs AND system, all the cleanup advice doesn't apply. Hope it all works out for you...

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