I'm stuck in a licencing loop [Branched from old topic]

[photo coach]

This is so frustrating! I’m experiencing this now too. Thanks, Adobe for being so difficult about this. At least if you’re not supporting it and it’s no longer for sale, you could give us a way to unlock the trial for good. Those of us who’ve used Fireworks for over a decade and still need to export files out of it would be served better.

Such an easy solution available for a product they don’t even care about anymore.

[Nancy OShea]

@photo coach.,

You've resurrected an old topic.  I'm moving this to a new topic for you.

Assuming you have a compatible computer system that supports legacy software, and a paid Individual plan to Creative Cloud All Apps plan, run the Adobe Cleaner Tool below to wipe old Adobe installations off your system.

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

After removing apps, restart your computer.

Using a computer user profile with Administrative Permissions, reinstall Fireworks from your Creative Cloud Desktop App.

If you don't see it listed, click your Avatar > Preferences > APPS tab > Settings > Check the box to Show Older (Previous) Versions.

Click the ALL APPS tab on the left and scroll down.  See screenshot.

CC Desktop App, Previous Versions

Install Fireworks. 

If you still can't activate FW, install Muse.  Muse appears to help some users get beyond the FW licensing loop.

Hope that helps.  Good luck.

[photo coach]

I’m also trying everything. Nothing has worked so far. I’m still working on Adobe support to either get me a serial code that works or a script to disable the trial period lockout, which is frankly stupid at this point. If they don’t care about the product, why even bother keeping it locked? All I want is to run the damn app so I can export as many files as I can find. I’m just annoyed that I can’t even reset the trial period any more.

Nothing. Not one lousy hack works when none of it even matters to Adobe any more. So so stupid.

[Nancy OShea]

Merged with original post.  There's no point in cross posting. 

I'm sorry to say, this user-to-user community is your only resource for help with discontinued software. Adobe support will refer you back to this forum.

Fireworks alternative that can open layered PNG files.
- PhotoPea: https://www.photopea.com/

[rayek.elfin]

I was in the same boat, and although I am a paying Creative Cloud customer I could not get Fireworks' licensing to consistently work.

While I do not condone "unofficial" methods, in the end I found a "portable solution" that just works.

It is rather unfortunate that I had to resort to that method to work around the licensing problems. But it is what it is. I do agree with you @photo coach that an unlocked version for customers would be welcomed.

[Paul-M]

Assuming you're on a Windows machine? No need for the Muse workaround, try the below options (tested on Windows 10 and Windows 11):

1) Launch the Creative Cloud app

2) From your  profile icon (top right) click sign out

3) Then, Select file => Exit Creative Cloud (top left) to exit the Creative Cloud app

4) Now launch Fireworks, you will be prompted to login with your Adobe sign in details, do so

5) If you see a 'license this software' button click it, that should do the job.

*If the above does not work try this:

1) Uninstall Fireworks from your machine

2) Rename the following folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE to OOBE_BK

3) Download an offline Fireworks installer from here (these are official Adobe installers), be sure to visit this page first and sign in with your Adobe login to set an Adobe cookie, otherwise the download will not work.

4) Now install Fireworks with the offline installer you downloaded

5) Make sure you turn off automatic updates in the Creative Cloud app (in preferences=>apps) afterwards, otherwise it will update Fireworks and you may get the same issue again.

6) See if Fireworks will now launch, if presented with a 'license this software' button click it.

[photo coach]

Nope this definitely doesn’t work. I’ve completely clean uninstalled CC and then reinstalled:

1. One time with Fireworks only, without CC

2. One time with CC first and then Fireworks from within CC.

No joy.

So far, my solution has been finding a CS5 image of the Master Collection and installing that, because I still have the serial numbers for CS4 and the upgrade to CS5. It’s just really customer unfriendly to say, well, we no longer support that so the money you spent on it is down the sewer; sorry, not sorry, it’s your problem. I’m not even asking for support. All I want is to not be cut off from using software I already paid for and was working fine on the system I left intact for it to run.

When people ask me why I’m so negative about Adobe, this is one of those reasons.

[photo coach]

So this just gets better and better. I uninstalled all my CC2020 apps because of this mess with Fireworks. But now, there doesn’t seem to be a way to reinstall the 2020 apps!

Great work Adobe. Seriously. You’ve checked every single box for Frustrate The User Through UX and UI At Every Possible Turn And Make Them Spend 8 Hours Of Their Work Day Trying To Install Software Instead Of Use It. 10 out of 10!

[photo coach]

And also, no, not Windows. Mac.

[Paul-M]

ah no.... Good luck, you can still download an offline installer from the link in my previous post, give that a try.

[Nancy OShea]

Which Mac version?  Be specific.

[Nancy OShea]

CS5 and CS6 are on life support. But they can still be activated providing you have the following:
1. your 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) and if it was an upgrade, a qualifying serial number from an older product,
3. an older operating system that can support legacy 32-bit apps.

NOTE 1 : Creative Suite installers won't work on macOS Sierra, High Sierra or Mojave without terminal workarounds. See the help article below.
https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/install-creative-suite-mac-os-sierra.html

NOTE 2: Legacy Creative Suite will never run on Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura...

It's incompatible.

[Derrick229284017cwh]

This kinda works. Thanks for the suggestion. It is just another snag on another old work around. So I got it work on Windows by:

1. Logging out.
2. Opening Muse (not Fireworks). This is the old workaround. Now you just have to add the logout phase.
3. Logging into CC.
4. Validating CC.
5. Opening Fireworks. 

[Driven Republic]

What do you mean by logout phase?

[Derrick229284017cwh]

You need to logout of Creative Cloud. This actually forces Muse (Not Fireworks) to give you a login screen.