CS4 problems

[cameron24706014gi56]

I have had my CS4 for over 10 years. Today it won't open. None of my Indesign files will open. I use MAC OS 10.11.6  Has something happened at Adobe to stop me using this version? I only use it for domestic stuff so cannot afford to buy a new annual package.

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

CS4 is completely unsupported on 10.11. I think, but not sure the latest supported O/S was 10.6. You are, unfortunately on your own with hardware and software that is well over 10 years old.

Good luck.

[cameron24706014gi56]

Hmmmm. Thanks anyway!

[jane-e]

@cameron24706014gi56 

You can try resetting Preferences to see if you have any luck:

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/setting-preferences.html

Don't try to uninstall / reinstall, as the activation servers for CS4 have been shut down and you won't be able to reactivate.

Jane

[cameron24706014gi56]

thanks very much

[Jeffrey_Smith]

Did you recently upgrade Java? If so, a newer version of Java can prevent older software from running. There is a utility to revert to an older version of Java if this is the case.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

"Has something happened at Adobe to stop me using this version?"

No, there's no "kill" switch or other such intrusion by Adobe that anyone is aware of. Yes, they did do it for Flash, but there was more than fair warning that that was going to happen.

As Bob mentions, 10.11 is not at all a supported OS. Although some have been able to keep it running in 10.11, it has always been on borrowed time, and it doesn't take much to throw it off. One prime example: CS4 required the OLD Java 6 infrastructure to run, so many people lost their apps if they upgraded to a newer Java.