Illustrator installation problem - Unicode issue (Web Premium CS4; Windows 10 64bit)

[anna92700990]

I would be grateful for any answer as you are really my last hope...

A couple years ago I bought Adobe Web Premium CS4. At the beginning of this year I purchased a new laptop with Windows 10 64 bit on board. I installed CS4 - it went off without a hitch. Unfortunately, a few days ago I had to have my system reinstalled. After reinstalling and updating my laptop I tried again to install Adobe software. This time everything went well apart from Illustrator which I can't run. My problem resembles the one described here: Adobe Illustrator Spanish version crashes or doesn't start or launch | Windows 8.1 - the difference is my system language is Polish. Every time I try to launch the program the system inform me that Illustrator isn't compatible with my operating system and I should change the settings for the programs which don't support Unicode. Of course, I tried to do that but without success...

I've contacted Adobe experts but they didn't know the solution and sent me here. Is there any way to solve my issue? If not - can I download the English version of Illustrator? Although it is part of Web Premium, an Adobe consultant suggested it wouldn't work as I have serial number for Web Premium not for Illustrator itself.

Please help! I badly need Illustrator and can't afford new version.

[Ned Murphy]

Your license/serial number is only good for the product for which it was purchased, so as you were told, it will not work for an individual product when it is for a suite.  CS4 does not qualify for a language swap - that is only allowed for the most current release.

If you still have the older machine then you still have the option for using it to solve your need for the older software.

[anna92700990]

Thanks for your answer, Ned Murphy.

My previous laptop is 7 years old now (try to imagine: a 7-year-old laptop with Vista!) - it doesn't work efficiently any longer, so I'm afraid your answer can't solve my issue. At least I understand now why I am not allowed to install the English version of Illustrator, although it sounds rather ridiculous to me.

Is there any workaround?

[Ned Murphy]

I have a few machines all still working going back to Windows 95/1998.  I keep them because they do retain their ability to work with older programs, though I tend not to use them as much these days.  Window Vista and seven years is not all that bad if the machine still works.

Your only other option is likely to try to find someone selling an older version in whatever language you prefer, though it is likely to present the same problem no metter what language it involves, although I realize you already stated you spent all your money on the machine before realizing it also requires new tools to go with it.

[anna92700990 · Accepted solution]

Thanks again, Ned Murphy. The problem is I bought a new laptop because the old one was way too slooooow to work with more demanding programs (such as AI, for example). Still, I really do appreciate your efforts to comfort me. 

Fortunately, I've managed to find a solution. It's quite simple - all I had to do was to change the settings for the programs which don't support Unicode to the language of my operating system (in my case - Polish [sic!]). For anybody who encounter the same problem - you can find this option in Control Panel > Regional and Language Settings (in Windows 10 just Regions) as described here: How do you change language settings for non-unicode programs in Win10?

That's it. Everything works fine again - I can't believe it:)