CS3 - Licensing has stopped working for this product [CS3 is dead & gone, locked]

[bgshap]

After reinstalling from a Time Machine backup, Licensing has stopped working for this product appears with Dreamweaver CS3.

I've been to Error: "Licensing has stopped working" | Mac OS

Solution 1: Delete the FlexNet Publisher preferences folder - no such file

Solution 2: Run the License Repair Tool - doesn't boot with MacOS Sierra 10.12

Solution 3: Repair disk permissions - doesn't appear to exist in this OS

Solution 4: Reset permissions on the FlexNet Publisher licensing service folder - doesn't address my OS

Solution 5: Reset permissions on the Adobe PCD folder - doesn't address my OS

Solution 8: Reinstall - this will remove all my info about the site and where it is right?

Solution 9: Contact Adobe Technical Support - ​they sent me here

[Jon Fritz · Accepted solution]

Re-installation won't affect your actual site files, they'll still be on your hard drive wherever they are now, but it will wipe the info like FTP location, username and password unless you've exported those to a .ste file previously (always a good idea in the future). Getting that info back is usually pretty simple, just contact your hosting company.

Use the Adobe Cleaner tool Use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems and then reinstalling from your existing media or download CS3 from Adobe's site here: Download Adobe Creative Suite 3 products

[bgshap]

thank you - all is back, even the FTP location etc.

[markm82488677]

I'm having similar trouble with CS4 Photoshop, InDesign and Acrobat on OS X Sierra.

I can't reinstall from my existing media because this mac doesn't have a CD/DVD drive. Thanks for any suggestions.

[markm82488677]

I read closer and see I may be able to download and use the Cloud Cleaner tool, we'll see

[Nancy OShea]

Legacy CS4 is not supported by Mac Sierra.  The old Creative Suite installers do not work as expected.  However, there are some workarounds described below.  

Installing Creative Suite on macOS 10.12 (Sierra)

Good luck!

Nancy

[andrew_quantum]

Ok, to start with I have to say I am super angry at Adobe. I work with many software applications, and this is the single biggest and major mess I have ever experienced. Adobe, how can you think you are an expert software company?

My issue:

1. At the end of last week, there was an adobe creative cloud update
2. Shortly after I tried to open Dreamweaver CS3.
3. I got this error: "Dreamweaver CS3 - Licensing has stopped working for this product"
4. So I followed the instructions in these forums, with the last step being using the CC cleaner tool
5. That destroyed my machine. How?

What did it do to my machine:

1. I can't open any applications from my Windows 10 Start menu. None of the Windows fixes for this help
2. I can't open Firefox anymore, it killed my profile, following instructions for this only fix it for as long as I have Firefox open, the moment I close it, I have to fix it again
3. It delete all files from my Desktop, Pictures, Document, Downloads, Music etc... Gone, everything gone!
4. I tried to do a system restore prior to that date, and that also will not work. Not sure if this is Adobe's or Microsofts problem, but being that everything else has been wiped my the Adobe CC tool, I am betting on it being Adobe.

Seriously Adobe, you create a tool like that, and you don't even suggest on your instructions that it is a good idea to do a backup first?

You better have a solution to fix this, as I am tired of trawling through your help forums trying to fix your screw up. I paid for my products, and I don't expect them to fill the software I paid for, and then wipe almost my entire machine!

[Nancy OShea]

CS Cleaner tool would not wipe non-adobe apps from your hard drive. 

Sounds like you have bigger problems.  Possibly a corrupted user account or  a failing hard drive.

Try creating a new admin level user account.

Do  a full system diagnostic & virus scan.

Nancy

[andrew_quantum]

I'll try the new user option, thanks.

And that is an awfully HUGE coincidence, that everything was working perfectly up until the moment I ran the CC tool and restarted.

I had been doing previous restarts when I uninstalled Dreamweaver and tried to reinstall it, and everything else was working fine, so it is quite a stretch to say this is windows or anything else other than the CC tool. I work in technology, and while I am not an IT support expert, I do know enough to know that under these circumstances and not making any other changes on my machine, that the problem here relates in some way to the CC tool.

And I don't know if the CC cleaner wiped my apps, I just can't click on them from the start menu. What I said has been wiped is my files, photos etc...

[pziecina]

andrew_quantum  wrote

What I said has been wiped is my files, photos etc...

The only way that the CC cleaner tool may have wiped files, photos, etc. is if you saved them inside the apps installation folder.

If the apps have been installed, then windows will not show the actual files and photos, etc created with them if they are for example psd files, (PhotoShop) as they will require linking to an app before they have a program reference, (they will appear as just a file, with no preview of associated app type.

[andrew_quantum]

The files photos etc save to their default locations in Windows. So they may not be completely wiped, and reside somewhere, but in my current system state I cannot get to them.

I tried creating a new Profile, but Windows said that could not be loaded when I tried to switch to that....

I'm not sure of the relevance of this to my problem:

"If the apps have been installed, then windows will not show the actual files and photos, etc created with them if they are for example psd files, (PhotoShop) as they will require linking to an app before they have a program reference, (they will appear as just a file, with no preview of associated app type."

The files are simply not there at all, the folders are empty it has nothing to do with not being associated to a program.

[pziecina]

andrew_quantum  wrote

"If the apps have been installed,

That should be uninstalled not installed.

What I mean by being associated to an app, is, for a psd file you would expect to see -

But once PhotoShop is uninstalled this would be blank, with just the file name underneath. Also windows 10 can be set to not display a file if it does not recognize the file type. Previous versions of windows did display the files name and extension.

[andrew_quantum]

Ok thanks, that makes sense then. They all show their normal icons. I do know what you mean as I have seen that before, but that is not the case here.

[pziecina]

Glad to hear you have not lost your files.

As for the problems with CC and the computer crashing. Have you checked your graphics card setting and that the driver has not been updated, (windows update last week updated mine)?

Also if you can get into it, check your BIOS is set-up correctly and that the power supply is working correctly.

[andrew_quantum]

thanks, based on your earlier suggestion about Windows 10 updates, I have been rolling 'all' those back just to be 100% sure they are not the cause as I did notice one was a malicious software remover, and that will remove any updates relating to drivers too, I'll revert to this post in a few hours I guess.

[andrew_quantum]

ok, so I am stuck.

1. Rolled all windows 10 updates back,
2. the graphics card seems fine,
3. my power supply seems fine.
4. The license repair tool Error: "Licensing has stopped working" | Windows doesn't work anymore, as soon as I select e' for english, it shuts down.
5. It won't let me install Dreamweaver back from my CD.

It looks like I have no choice but to format and reinstall my Windows again to clear all these problems. And based on the above, it would seem like as I'd originally thought, this is a problem cause by Adobe. Thanks!

[andrew_quantum]

Ok, some good news. I just found my files have not been wiped, somehow it changed all my files throughout my entire computer to 'hidden'.

And while I am super relieved about that, it still doesn't resolve my problems with creative cloud and dreamweaver.

Any suggestions for that other than rebuilding my computer? I mentioned the steps above that I have already been through from the forums to try and get dreamweaver working again. And I had reinstalled creative cloud, but still keeps crashing/restarting constantly..

[pziecina]

At the end of last week there was also a Windows 10 update.

A lot of people have complained that the windows 10 update has corrupted their installation, but it has since been proven that this was not the case. All I can suggest is doing as Nancy has already suggested, and also checking your update history for windows.

[BenPleysier]

andrew_quantum  wrote

Ok, to start with I have to say I am super angry at Adobe. I work with many software applications, and this is the single biggest and major mess I have ever experienced. Adobe, how can you think you are an expert software company?

My issue:

1. At the end of last week, there was an adobe creative cloud update
2. Shortly after I tried to open Dreamweaver CS3.
3. I got this error: "Re: Dreamweaver CS3 - Licensing has stopped working for this product "
4. So I followed the instructions in these forums, with the last step being using the CC cleaner tool
5. That destroyed my machine. How?

What did it do to my machine:

1. I can't open any applications from my Windows 10 Start menu. None of the Windows fixes for this help
2. I can't open Firefox anymore, it killed my profile, following instructions for this only fix it for as long as I have Firefox open, the moment I close it, I have to fix it again
3. It delete all files from my Desktop, Pictures, Document, Downloads, Music etc... Gone, everything gone!
4. I tried to do a system restore prior to that date, and that also will not work. Not sure if this is Adobe's or Microsofts problem, but being that everything else has been wiped my the Adobe CC tool, I am betting on it being Adobe.

Seriously Adobe, you create a tool like that, and you don't even suggest on your instructions that it is a good idea to do a backup first?

You better have a solution to fix this, as I am tired of trawling through your help forums trying to fix your screw up. I paid for my products, and I don't expect them to fill the software I paid for, and then wipe almost my entire machine!

Andrew,

• an update to the CC app only affects the app
• why have the CC app when you use CS3?
• have you tried Error: "Licensing has stopped working" | Windows?
• the CC cleaner tool affects Adobe products only

[andrew_quantum]

Hi Ben. thanks for your message.

"why have the CC app when you use CS3?"

• I have a subscription to adobe photoshop and lightroom CC 2017
• I am using dreamweaver CS3, which I installed from my Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium.

have you tried Error: "Licensing has stopped working" | Windows?

• Yes, the tool I referenced above is from these instructions.

the CC cleaner tool affects Adobe products only

• Well, on this point I would have to disagree. It is supposed to only affect Adobe products, but based on the problems I have had, it has not only affected adobe products. It is technology, sometimes things go wrong, I understand that. It is just extremely unfortunate there does not seem to be a fix (that actually works here) other than reinstalling Windows. Which is normally not a big deal, but i upgraded my Windows 7 to 10, so don't have a 10 license key, or a CD, and so this is also not so smooth (Windows problem not Adobe)

[brandon_mclean]

Can someone please help me out?

I have an old Mac running 10.4 and was using CS3 without any issue.  My mac just lost its harddrive and I have copied the files over to the new one.  However, when I run the applications I get License server errors.  I don't have the install disk (because I think they were all downloads by that point), and Adobe will not help because they just want me to buy Creative Cloud (which won't run on this machine)....I just want to get back to where I was, using the software I already paid for and liked!

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

CS3 is officially dead and gone.  Even if you could access your original installation disks/downloads, they wouldn't help you because the activation servers are gone.  There's no going back now.

Either subscribe to a Creative Cloud plan or get a free modern code editor like Brackets or VS Code. https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html

===========
Beware of fake Adobe reps who may contact you privately offering to sell you software or take control of your computer. It's a scam, run away!  Creative Suite is no longer sold by any legitimate vendors in any country.