Adobe CS6 License Key Keeps Changing

[mattw72914156]

OK so this is a weird one.   I purchased Adobe Photoshop CS6 from Amazon back in 2012.  Until last month I have used it without issue.   A couple of weeks ago I open up PS CS6 and I get a screen saying "Photoshop Extended Trial - 30 days remaining".   I don't even have PS extended, just regular PS CS6.   So I open a chat with Adobe support and he asks me for my license number.   I open up Belarc Advisor and give him the license  number.   The support rep tells me it's a 30 day trial license number.   So I go and dig in my closet and find my original software box and sure enough the license on the box doesn't match the one Belarc is telling me.   So I open up CS 6 and put in the license number from the box and we're all good.  

A week goes by and I get the message again.   I open up Belarc Advisor and sure enough my license number has changed again!   Not to the same number as last time but a different number.     Again, I enter the license key from my software box and we're all good.   I check Belarc and it shows me the correct license number.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be changing the license key on my system?

TIA

Matt.

[JJMack]

It sounds like you install Photoshop CC trial and the creative cloud desktop application  Updated  your Perpetual's CS6 to Creative Cloud CS6 Extended and now your trial of Creative cloud has expired.  Uninstall all version of Photoshop. Download Adobe Cleaner and run it to make sure all traces of Photoshop has been removed.  Then Install CS6 using you perpetual CS6 serial. If its an upgrade from CS5 serial you will need your CS5 serial.  You can get them from you Account on Adobe.com Manage account manage plans then look under My products you registered products serials will be shown.

Use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems

Download Adobe Creative Suite 6 applications

There are three versions of CS6  Perpetual Windows Cs6 version 13.0.1.3  Perpetual Mac CS6 version 13.0.6 and Creative Cloud CS6 Extended version 13.1.2

[mattw72914156]

Hey JJ - Thanks for the prompt response.   I will try your solution, but that's not what has happened.   When I told the Adobe Support Rep my license number (the wrong one from Belarc) he read me back the email address associated with that trial license and I did not recognize it.     I don't ever recall downloading CS6 Extended from the Creative Cloud.  

Will let you know how I get on.

Thanks!

[JJMack]

Did you install a trial id Photoshop CC if you did the creative cloud desktop application may have updated your CS6 perpetual version to the creative cloud version of CS6.  You CS6 serial should be  in your my products on adobe.com

[D Fosse]

What's Belarc? never heard of it. If it's giving you a different number that the one printed on the box, it obviously doesn't know what it's doing and you should stop trusting it.

Anyway, what happens here is that the licensing module fails, and reverts to trial mode. That's when it becomes Extended, because the code is the same, the license number determines what features are available.

There are Adobe help pages covering this and there are things to try. Don't have time to look for them now, but do a search.

[John Waller]

Belarc is a PC audit tool which has been around for years.

Products: Belarc Advisor

I’ve used it often over the years and I’ve always found it useful and accurate.

in this case though, I’m not sure if Belarc is helping or hindering the situation.

[Test Screen Name]

You don't have to install CS6. If you have, or ever tried, Creative Cloud on the same computer it will have messed up your licensing. Really not compatible. Wipe and start again.

[mattw72914156]

D Fosse - Respectfully, that is probably the least helpful answer I have received in any forum.

[D Fosse]

It was more helpful than you think. I did give you the explanation for this, which seems to be half of your question:

I get a screen saying "Photoshop Extended Trial - 30 days remaining".   I don't even have PS extended, just regular PS CS6.

OK, sorry about the Belarc comment if this is commonly used to keep track of serial numbers. I genuinely never have heard of it. I keep all my serial numbers in a .txt file with backup.

I'm fairly confident that for some reason, your licensing module is failing, and that's why it reverts to trial mode (which is always extended). It was a weakness with the old licensing model.

I'm travelling with only a laptop and erratic internet connection at the moment, and I don't have these Adobe help pages bookmarked. So I would have to do a search just like you.

[tahatan · Accepted solution]

All - Thanks for the help.   It looks like a full uninstall and re-install has resolved the issue.

Best,

Matt.