CS3 Activation Problem workaround?

[miket286678]

Hi, I work for a small private school and I need to reinstall our site licensed copy of CS3 Premium on our desktops.  I have been able to install just fine, no problems. I have a proper serial number and that part checks out, no problems. The problem is that I cannot activate the software.  I have talked to Adobe support a number of times and what they are telling me is that the activation server at Adobe is no longer running since the product is too old, so that is why I get the error about the server not connecting or the error saying that I have used all of my activations (impossible, since I have a site license for the product).

You might suggest the Offline Activation, but, alas, that is no longer available as well or the phone activation.

Support basically told me to go to the forums and hope for a workaround.  I have looked through many of the forums, but I only get the answers that recommend things I have already done above. 

I am looking for one of two things:

1) An activation code that will work with my serial number on multiple computers (again, I have a valid serial number, that is not the problem).

-or-

2) The software will run just fine for 30 days under the non-activation mode.  So, if someone has a way for me to delete this clock and either never have to worry about it, or just re-set it every 30 days, those will both work.

This is installed on a Mac desktop running 10.9.5, and, it runs just great on it!

Thank you for any help you can offer.  Again, I am at a small private school and we just can't afford to go the new monthly pricing scheme at this time.

Thanks again.

-Mike 🙂

[Ned Murphy]

As far as I know, CS3 activation servers are alive and well.

Chances are you need to talk to the folks in the Volume licensing end of things.  The regular Customer Support folks can't help. 

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/volume-licensing-site.html

Volume Licensing Activation Issue: https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1526938

[miket286678]

Thanks for responding, Ned.  I have talked to support in both licensing and in technical support today.  Both of them told me that the activation servers are no longer running and that they aren't supporting products below CS5.5.  There has to be an easier way!  I was on with support for a long time over an hour going back and forth with many people and they told me the only solution was to turn to the forum for help.

I will check your links to see if it helps and get back to this discussion forum with anything I find.

-Mike 🙂

[miket286678]

Ned, when I get to this thread you posted:

CS3 master collection "maximum number of activations allowed...has been reached", previously install...

I find that they are facing the same problem that I am, that you can't activate.  Except that they didn't need to activate for some reason.  Mine is requiring activation.  I think I am in the loop discussed on that page.  They said the server for activation is no longer running, but they can no longer support it with phone support or off-line, so the forums are the only place to find a solution.

Not sure what else to do.  

[Ned Murphy]

From where did you get the installation file(s)?  If you have a volume license then you need to be sure to install the volume licensee version of the software.  You cannot get that thru the downloads provided for single user licensees.

[miket286678]

Hmm ... Ned, that is an interesting point. I don't know if anyone has the actual installation disks anymore, but that is something I can search for.  Thanks for the suggestion.

-Mike 🙂

[Ned Murphy · Accepted solution]

Go to the first link I provided.  Adobe Licensing Website | Serial numbers, orders, and accounts

If you have a volume license then that is where you can get the installation files for it.  You can also talk to the support folks there (I hope)

[Bani Verma]

Moving to Deployment for Creative Cloud for Team, Enterprise, & CS​

[miket286678]

I am not sure what that means, Bani, but I am still unable to use the software and activate it.  When I try to contact Adobe through the chat it never works, because there is no button to hit to start the chat.  Any help would be wonderful.  Thank you.