Can't uninstall older version of InDesign

[Sredni Vashtar]

My (licensed) copy of Indesign CS3 transferred to a new PC (Windows 10) but failed to run because of a licensing issue. It said to uninstall and reinstall, but there's no way I can get it to uninstall - just nothing happens. Anyone know a way round this problem?

[BobLevine]

CS3 is in no way shape or form supported under Windows 10. Additionally, the activation servers were shut down quite a while ago.

You say it transferred to a new PC? What does that mean?

[Sredni Vashtar]

I'm aware it's not supported any more (but does that mean it won't run under Windows 10? InDesign CS2 does!) 

InDesign CS3 was transferred along with other applications from my old Windows 7 PC using PCmover (a Microsoft supported program) . But the issue here is that I cannot uninstall InD CS3

[BobLevine]

That is an absolutely awful way to get Adobe applications, especially unsupported ancient versions installed.

Honestly, I'd blow the entire machine out and start from scratch.

[Sredni Vashtar]

Thanks - a totally unhelpful and dismissive reply. An absolutely awful way to respond to a legitimate query.

[BobLevine]

If you were looking for some magical answer you should have said so in the first place.

The fact that you don't like it doesn't change the facts. What you've done is going to cause issues going forward.

These apps do not migrate well (especially apps that pre-date Windows 7) and you've gone to new O/S on top of it. You've create a mess and the best way out of it is a clean install of Windows 10. Takes about 10-15 minutes, tops!

[Randy Hagan]

No, not really.

Because as much as you want a helpful reply, there really is none except the one Bob gave you. Maybe you find that unartful, and maybe it could have been phrased more graciously, but it's not inaccurate. Bob's being honest with you ... there's no magical answer to make InDesign CS3 work with Windows 10. Frankly, I'm amazed that you could get CS2 to operate in Windows 10, and curious that you blew that away for another ancient version of the program.

The idea that PCmover is approved by Microsoft really has no bearing on your issues. An InDesign installation puts a lot of files in a lot of differrent places when it's installed on a PC. To be kind it's rather fanciful to believe that programs would — or even should — operate the same way by passing old files tailored for an old operating system to another one three versions later than where you started. It's no exaggeration to say that trying to make that happen somehow is fraught with peril. As you've already discovered.

You're talking about a program that was introduced 13 years ago, and superceded a year later. If you contacted Adobe technical support, they'd tell you they haven't supported the program for a decade. Most of us are users here, and we're willing to help where we can — even where Adobe officially can't. But I'm pretty confident that nobody can help you with this.

I wish you good luck, but I strongly suspect you've run into a dead end at 200kph.

Randy

[Sredni Vashtar]

Thanks, Randy. But the question was how to uninstall the failed installation? Or are you saying there is no way except by a reinstall of the OS? 

I'm well aware that Adobe switched off activation servers etc. a long time ago but I've never had problems running InD CS3 on Windows 7, old though it is. It is a great program, does what I need it to do. Sadly I will have to continue using it on the old PC or use an alternative. As a non-professional user I'm not willing to fork out monthly for the CC version.

Incidentally, I didn't "blow away" CS2 - it's still running happily on Windows 10.

[Randy Hagan · Accepted solution]

Yes. Because, unfortunately, it'll take much longer to find the errant bit(s) of InDesign CS3 scattered across your system that are causing your problem. If you can find them. It's a rude cure, to be sure. But it's probably the only one which will work for you.

And if you're still running CS2 on the same machine, I'd suggest that you've got one more complication gumming up the works.

I understand your position. Perhaps you can find an old system with Win7, or failing that a newer system where you can do a Microsoft-created "blue disk" install of Windows 7, second-edition that'll get you by. Still no guarantees, but certainly a better chance for "moving over" your old InDesign CS3 install.