150:30 error updated License repair guide for CS3, CS4, Acrobat 8-9 and Photoshop Elements 8

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Error 150:30 message "License for this product has stopped working" is displayed when Photoshop CS4 will not open because activation has been broken, usually on restore from backup such as MacOS Time Machine or migration from another computer.  This fix is for CS3, CS4, Acrobat 8 and 9 products and Photoshop Elements 8.

Since my old guide was lost in the transfer to the new forum software, I've updated and reposted it.

A simple fix would be to reinstall CS4, but given that installers have been removed from Adobe servers, and users likely lost track of their install media, this may not be possible.  The other answer is to download the License Recovery Repair Tool from Adobe. This saves a reinstall and having to re-apply all updates.

If the error is in Windows, running the repair tool is simple, it is a Windows executable.

Mac OS has a problem. Their repair app works only for OSX 10.6 which is easy to run. OSX 10.7 and above is a bit more complicated. It comes with a python script--LicenseRecover.py which can only be run on the MacOS Utility: Terminal.

Many users are not familar with this procedure, so I hope to break it down into easy to understand parts with screenshots to explain it. Go over the instructions until you understand them before attempting the repair.

Before I start, a warning that CS4 and similar Adobe progams are 32-bit apps and will not run in MacOS 10.15 Catalina which now allows only 64-bit apps. Don't upgrade if you want to keep CS4.

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First let's open and prepare Terminal.  Terminal is under /Applications/Utilities  Double-click Terminal.app to start. Type sudo python after the $ prompt, and add a space as shown below. It's needed to make the command run properly

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Next, click on https://www.adobe.com/support/contact/licensing.html for both the Windows and MacOS License Repair Tool. Mac users download the dmg file. Windows users download the zip file.

Double-click on the dmg file to mount the Disk on your Desktop.

Double-click on the disk and navigate to and select "LicenseRecover.py" (highlight).

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Next, drag the LicenseRecover.py file into the Terminal window.  If you see this command, you are successful and you can close the LicenseRecovery windows. Do not unmount or eject the Disk.

Now that the command is set up, press enter/return on your keyboard to run the script.

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Next you will be asked for your admin password. Usually that's your own account, but it could be a separate one.

You will not see dots or stars, and the cursor will not move in response to your keystrokes, so carefully type in the password and press Return/Enter.

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If you see this screen, you are good to go.  e  then press Enter/Return for English

n (Enter/Return) to start the repair or y if you forgot to close your Adobe apps.

[Nicole24959185rhd8]

hope this will be the correct place: just ran your suggestion and it worked perfectly, thank you so much!

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Again you will see the "are you sure?" screen, final instructions and a warning that this will take a few minutes.

Press Enter/Return to run the repair.

When the process is complete, you will get a message saying so. You may have to press Enter/Return to see the exit code telling you it's done. Usually that's "Tool exited with status = 32512"

Quit Teminal (cmd q) and restart Photoshop CS4 It should open without the 150:30 error and work as before.

That's it. Hope it saves you a reinstall.

Gene--

[Wolfram23726036uyta]

I know it has been a few years but this seems to be my best hope for error 150:30 following restoring CS4 from Time Machine after installing a new SSD. MacBook Air 2013, OS Sierra 10.12.6

The script is correct, however, when hitting return, I get this:

sudo: unable to stat /etc/sudoers: Permission denied

sudo: no valid sudoers sources found, quitting

sudo: unable to initialize policy plugin

Any help is appreciated!

[gener7]

Seems like an Mac OS permissions glitch that I am not familar with, so best hope is:

https://apple.stackexchange.com/ or any other Mac support communities you may know.

[Nicole24959185rhd8]

just ran your suggestion and it worked perfectly, thank you so much!

[Nicole24959185rhd8]

writing again in the correct place: just ran your suggestion and it worked perfectly, thank you so much!

[gener7]

Thanks for letting know. This post is the gift that keeps on giving. 🙂