Unable to install and run InDesign CS4 on my new laptop

[willmot1]

I'm trying to install my copy of InDesign CS4 on a new laptop, but Adobe thinks I'm again upgrading to CS4 from PageMaker 6.0 as I did in 2010 and will not let me complete the installation until I give them my PM6.0 serial number, which I discarded nine years ago and have no record of at all.  Adobe's claim that CS4 is too old to run on my new laptop is incorrect:  In December 2019 I received installation files from an Adobe tech-support agent that enabled me to access and run CS4 on a temporary trial basis, and the program ran like clockwork.  Now that the trial period has expired, however, every attempt to access CS4 has been stymied by Adobe's absurd demand for a long-discarded PM6.0 serial number.  The Help Desk techs had no additional suggestions for remedying this problem and therefore recommended that I log in to this forum and see if anyone else can offer a solution.  Needless to say, your suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[Scott Citron]

Mac or PC?

[willmot1]

PC, running latest version of Windows 10

[Ashutosh_Mishra · Accepted solution]

Hi Will,

Thanks for reaching out. Adobe CS4 is not compatible with Windows 10. It was never tested to work on Windows 10. I'd recommend upgrading to Creative Cloud to use the latest apps on creative.adobe.com/plans
Please check the CS4 system requirements on https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/system-requirements-old-versions.html#InDesignCS4systemrequirements for detailed information.

Hope it helps.

Regards,

Ashutosh

[Scott Citron]

There you go! Thanks Ashutosh.

[willmot1]

The Tech Support people told me the same thing several times, but if what you say is true, why was I able to run CS4 successively for three-plus years on my old Windows 10 PC and then for 30 days on my new Windows 10 PC?  I've had no problem at all running CS4 on a Windows 10 PC, and am still doing so on my older, slower laptop.  My only problem is the roadblock Adobe has thrown up as I try to install and use CS4 on the new, faster laptop.

[BobLevine]

Unsupported and won't work are certainly two different things. That said, every version of Window 10 adds a new level of complexity to running old software.

All that out of the way, you threw away the key to getting this all working and that's on you, not Adobe. If you registered the software there would be a record of the serial number. If not, I'm sorry, but there's just nothing anyone can do at this point.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Do you by chance have the laptop/desktop/drive that USED to have PM installed on it? You could use a program like Belarc Advisor on it, which among many other useful things, can provide a list of software licenses installed on a machine, some show even if it the prgram has been deleted (in some cases the license is stored in a hidden file somewhere separate than the program files (assuming the drive hasn't been reformatted since)).

[willmot1]

Unfortunately, no.  That PC was retired, wiped, and recycled in 2013 or 2014 after having been used only sparingly for the final year of its life.  The PC that replaced it during that final year was retired last summer and has since been wiped but not yet discarded; I'll reboot it to see if any traces remain of the software it ran while still in use, but am doubtful I'll find anything useful.  I also checked earlier into my Adobe history and found nothing related to PageMaker under any of the usernames, passwords, and email addresses I've employed over the last 15 years.  I usually register software and hardware alike following new purchases, so am both surprised and frustrated not to find any trace of having done so in the case of PageMaker 6.0 some 15-16 years ago.