Installation from CS 5 Standard on my new Computer with Windows 11

Report · Oct 06, 2024

My questions:

Hello Adobe Community

My problem is the following: I had to buy a new PC with Windows 11, because my old PC cannot be upgraded to Windows 11.
I have now reinstalled all the programs, including the Creative Suite CS 5 Standard. The software was previously used on the old PC and on a laptop, but was never used at the same time.

After installing it on the new PC, I was able to log in and register without any problems. But the next day I was asked to log in and register again. But this no longer worked, a message came up saying that there was a timeout for the activation of CS 5. I tried several times, but it no longer worked.

How can I solve the problem? I have to produce my newspaper for our community on this PC, although only every 3 months, but it is therefore very important that it works again as soon as possible. I am grateful for any help you can give me. Let me know what I can do.

Thank you very much.

Kind regards

Werner

Report · Oct 21, 2024

Well, I wasn't going to name names but since you did, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Report · May 10, 2025

Hi Bob!
I was searching help here for the same kind of issue. I understand, that there is no way around. I am not a design professional, I don't make a financial return on investment on this, and therefore, renting software is just not an option for me. I only want to use a program I bought with a valid license, valid to use it as long as I want.

I really appreciate your willingness to help others on that forum, howeve,r as you may guess, your answers here trigger me a bit:

When I bought CS 5.5 Design Premium, sure, I did not expect no warranty for updates etc. after more than 10 years.

Anyway, I can't accept the statement "Adobe's chosen business model is what it is". Can violating a contract be a valid business model I should have to accept?

When they sold me my software, there declared business model was:

"Adobe sells working software that the client can use as long as he wants." I paid the price they asked for exactly this. That was a contract.

It was their choice to make the software internet-activated. I think that just shutting down theses activation-servers and replying over the support-chat "no support after live-time" is IMHO a violation of the contract. As a matter of fact, they remotely destroyed the product they sold me.

So the only option left for me is to look for the competition.

The bitter part of it is, that Adobe knows very well, that no single customer will start a lawsuit for what a single software package may be worth...

The argument that a software company would not survive does not seems to be a valid arument to me, by the way. They signed a contract, and there was no option for them in this contract, that gives them the right to remotely destroy the product they sold to me whenever they believe it's time... And de facto, that's what tey do today.

Report · May 10, 2025

@UDiego

Please, don't get me wrong, I fully sympathise with you and others, that any version before CC should still be available to be activated.

But, everyone complaining - should read "§6 Limited Warranty" carefully - it's for CS5 but I don't think it has been changed:

https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/legal/licenses-terms/pdf/CS5.pdf

Unless, my interpretation is wrong?

Report · May 10, 2025

I think even more to the point is Section 5 which states, in part:

"...(c) you acknowledge that any obligation Adobe may have to support the previous version(s) may end upon the availability of the upgrade or update..."

While they are talking specifically about your use of an upgrade from a previous version in this section, I think their case would be quite strong that they are not obligated to make old versions work forever once newer ones have been available to you.

For the record, I also think this is pretty shabby, but I do understand the thinking behind it.

Report · May 10, 2025

Right. I have my own beefs but honestly, I can't blame any company for not supporting 14 year old software.

Report · May 10, 2025

Did you update your OS to a more recent version?

Report · May 10, 2025

I get the frustration but the software was supported on what was then (13 years ago!) current hardware and operating systems. That would be Windows XP, if my memory serves me. They did not destroy the product; they'd probably make the argument that you tried to use it in a manner incompatible with its intent. If your original installation on the original machine was still running, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

Don't get me wrong, Adobe has clearly left hobbyists such as yourself behind for the most part but don't forget, you can always pay for a single month if you need to update an old file.

Finally, I wouldn't have even bothered with the above but you called me out, so you got my $0.02 in response.

Report · May 10, 2025

Hi Bob!
I was searching help here for the same kind of issue.
By @UDiego

In addition to what others have already said, as far as I understand you had an Educational Version of the software. I think you already got all the answers here some four years ago:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/download-install-discussions/need-new-media-or-download-link-for-cs5-...

Report · May 11, 2025

Nice find, @leo.r! Worth noting that most of that discussion contained what I think was incorrect info. IIRC, the discs for all versions were identical. Whether upgrade, education, or full commercial, the only thing that was different was the serial number which triggered the way the install worked.

Report · May 11, 2025

In reply to the post below from Udiego, I'm with you on this. It's not like CS5 wn't work on Windows 11, it works fine. Nobody is asking Adobe to rewrite software to make it work on 11, that would be unreasonable if that was the cause of this. Nor are we asking for updates, like the ability to use more modern RAW files. That sort of upgrade would be expected to require payment. It's that people who paid for it on the understanding it was a one-off price are being denied the use of it purely becaue the server that allows them to use it on a new computer isn't allowing them to re-register it. I gather because it has been taken out of use, but it remains unclear.

I tthink it is iffy to say the least. It left me annoyed, and 'looking for the competition', as you put it, after over 30 years with adobe. I looked. I have found. And more to the point, I have found something I can pay for as a one-off and not a lease, which fits my business model. Adobe must go with the model that works for them in the future, of course, though personally I don't think that they should go back on old promises, ven if only the spirit and not the letter of them. (There is something wrong with customer relations when a company strts pointing to obscure readings of fine print, to my mind. ) And by the same token, I will go with a business model that suits me. Which means going elsewhere. [I will not name where I'm going, as that would not be fair here.]

(the section of your post I m replying to follows)

"

Anyway, I can't accept the statement "Adobe's chosen business model is what it is". Can violating a contract be a valid business model I should have to accept?

When they sold me my software, there declared business model was:

"Adobe sells working software that the client can use as long as he wants." I paid the price they asked for exactly this. That was a contract.

It was their choice to make the software internet-activated. I think that just shutting down theses activation-servers and replying over the support-chat "no support after live-time" is IMHO a violation of the contract. As a matter of fact, they remotely destroyed the product they sold me.

So the only option left for me is to look for the competition."

Report · May 11, 2025

becaue the server that allows them to use it on a new computer isn't allowing them to re-register it. I gather because it has been taken out of use, but it remains unclear.
By @Rokeby Wilson

That "server" is also a piece of software. It requires maintenance and updates to remain operational. For example, new Windows updates may introduce various incompatibilities, or new security updates are required, etc. etc. It's not like if you let that "server" just sit there unattended for 10+ years, it will magically keep performing as expected while the entire computer industry and internet technologies keep moving forward and changing around.

Report · May 12, 2025

@Robert at ID-Tasker

Thanks for your reply, and thanks for the other replies!
I don't think your interpretation is correct, Robert, because it's not about warranty services at all.

I would of course not ask for support for an old product. I wouldn't of course held Adobe responsible to make old software work on much newer operating systems.

However, if I decide to use the software that I purchased on an old computer with an OS that software was made for (respecting of course the terms of the contract like installing it only on one device at a time), I think I am entitled to do so, because I bought that software. Even if it is 10 years after purchase. It is, I think, a violation of a contract when Adobe makes this de-facto-impossible.

The technical solution would have been easy, though:

Adobe should disable the need for activation with the last update of a purchased product, before shutting down the activation server.

If I remember well, Adobe did exactly this with an even older Photoshop-version I used. The last version did not anymore require activation for installation and therefore, installation continued working even after the activation server for this particular version had been shut down. I was still able to download this on my adobe account. This was a really fair approach by Adobe.

I agree that software developpers have to make a living too. But as in any other business, coders at Adobe are certainly smart enough to convince their customers to buy new products because of improved features. I really think it is not worthy of such a great company as Adobe to force its clients to buy or rent new versions using chicanery rather than convincing the customers with their new outstanding features.

Report · May 12, 2025

@UDiego

Adobe "freed" CS2.

Report · May 12, 2025

Adobe should disable the need for activation with the last update of a purchased product, before shutting down the activation server.

By @UDiego

I suspect the reason they no longer do that is the massive pirating that occurred. Only registered users were supposed to get non-activation versions, but the links leaked out so anyone who wanted it, even though it was older, was able to dowload and use the product for free.

One thing you need to remember is that you did not buy the software, but rather permission to use the software under certain conditions (a license). I don't like it any more than you do, but I believe under the terms of that license Adobe has the right to stop maintaining the actvation server.

Report · May 12, 2025

Leaked? I remember that fiasco and just about every major website was reporting that Adobe had made CS2 free for everyone.

By the time it all died down, who knows how many people downloaded the activation free versions. I think when the same thing happened with CS3 they handled it a bit differently but at this point, there can't be that many people using them anymore.

They're certainly not going to be any kind of priority for Adobe and there's nothing any of us can do here.

Report · May 12, 2025

While ther might not be "a lot" of peoiple using old pirated software these days, I think there had to have been an impact on the bottom line for Adobe. There are still many, many, "small" users who don't need the newer bells and whistles of the Creative Cloud versions for whom even CS2 migh prove adeqaute if they could get it to run.

Report · May 12, 2025

While all of these considerations may be true, and while I understand the trouble with illicit software copies, I still don't see why the (honest) customer has to pay the price for it.

Regardless of whether it is technically a purchase or a licensing, the license agreement states, that I can use the software, as long as I respect the license agreement. Well, I do respect my duties out of that agreement. Adobe doesn't, as I can't use the software anymore, due to decisions of Adobe. That's just not right.
Obviousely, this concerns many Adobe - customers. Searching around, I found this:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/adobe-please-fulfill-your-promise/td-...
With this, Adobe confirms explicitly that a perpetual license should be just this: Perpetual. Even when an activation-system is in place. Well, perpetual is not perpetual anymore. At least not for many customers and many products.

Report · May 12, 2025

Section 11 of the EULA contians this line: "This agreement may only be modified in writing, signed by an authorized officer of Adobe."

Would you care to make any bets on whether such a written document exists in the Adobe archives? There's no language stating they have to distribute such a document.

Report · May 12, 2025

An agreement is, by definition, agreed. At least among two parties. A modification needs to be agreed between the same parties.

But there is not only the agreement, that is at stake: There are legal limits to agreements or contracts. In particular, general conditions of companies, like software license agreements, have to observe severe standards. In particular, all important conditions are only legally binding, if they are particularly highlighted at the moment the contract is concluded.

An "expiry date" for a software would be very typically be such a condition, that I'm sure, it would not be considered as valid or binding by a judge, if it's only part of the general conditions (licensing agreement) and not highlighted just where you push the "I agree" bottom on the website where you want to get the software and pay for it.

This would be the legal situation in most of continental Europe at least. I can’t judge for other jurisdictions though.

Report · Nov 08, 2024

I fully agree. Funny enough I didn't even realize adobe switched to monthly subscriptions until today when I was searching to buy the upgrade. I wish I could just buy it at a one time fee - the monthly situation is not ideal or even cost effective for me. I run a similar business to a non-for-profit.. so there's not extra funds for me to just pay a subscription permanently. I would be happy to buy the full suite like I did for CS5. Def disappointed. I get it for businesses that use it enough, or make enough money to cover the costs - but this isn't my case. It's unfortunate.

Report · Nov 08, 2024

You can buy the Monthly plan where you pay a little more and just buy it for the month or months you need InDesign for.

Report · May 10, 2025

Indirectly, and I'm sure unintentionally, you just made Adobe's case for subscription software.

Report · May 10, 2025

@BobLevine if that last comment was directed at me I don't think my comment "makes the case" for subscriptions as much as it explains the corporate logic for abandoning perpetual license maintenance. A few layers could probably get rich arguing this one.

Report · May 10, 2025

@Peter Spier

No, it was for the poster who said they weren’t even aware of the subscription model, which is now 13 years old.

Report · May 10, 2025

@Peter Spier

No, it was for the poster [...]

By @BobLevine

That's why we all should quote at least part of the reply we're responding to 😉