This is frustrating... I'm currently looking into getting myself a laptop so I can work on personal projects while on the move and, while most of them wouldn't need Adobe software or their analogues, I do frequently use Photoshop CS5, having bought the CS5 suite about 15 years ago, with some of a redundancy payout. The great irony there is that I bought it mainly to upgrade from PS4 and AI5 that I'd been using for absolutely ages. They still worked on the machine I was using 15 years ago (and might even still work on my current machine, albeit not optimally, being 32-bit apps in a 64-bit OS), but I'd been using CS5 at work and the additional applications were enough of an enticement to buy the full suite.

I'd anticipated that I might need to uninstall/deactivate software on my desktop before attempting to install on a new machine, but it hadn't occurred to me that the move toward online 'activation' back in the day might mean activation would no longer be possible now, regardless of any deactivation... And I found it annoying enough, back then, that I was required to be connected to the internet just to install software provided on CD-ROM.

Where I currently work, we're all using Creative Cloud - across both MacOS and Windows, depending on department - but it feels like a massive waste of resources (specifically money) to pay for software on a subscription model, and I'd never want to be doing that for myself. Online activation - and the loss of that facility after x-number of years - is retrospectively an even more cynical ploy that I'd thought at the time.

Looks like I'll be looking into a whole slew of Adobe alternatives to get that laptop set up...

I agree. I can't use CS5 on my Win 11 because "It is on too many computers". These computers are old and gone, I can't deactivate them.

On the computers that I do have, I have deactivated, but that doesn't help.

I totally agree with Steve.  I've been attempting to get my CS5 to print images in something other than shades of purple for several weeks now.  The thought occurred to me last night...and, after 'googling' if that was the case....IT SURE IS!!!   I'm not happy either.  I only use it for personal use for small 'wall-home' photos and don't want to purchase anything from Adobe that WOULD not run on a newer Windows platform.  

I tried to install CS5 on my Win11, but it said that there are too many computers in use. I removed it from the old computers that I have, but it still doesn't work. I only use it for IR work, but I still wish that I had it.

It works like a charm. Just be sure to avoid installing all the extra stuff (adobe player etc) because that will cause a runtime error during the installation process. Keep the installation at the bare minimum and you'll be good to go. PS CS5 is amazingly faster than the CC version on the same machine (13900K 128gb RTX3070). Same for Illustrator. After Effects works, no GPU support for new cards and it's way slower than the CC counterpart. That's a bummer, but you can live with it if you are not using it for heavy load of work. Also keep in mind that I couldn't find a way to make quicktime 7.X work, so no video support on compressed files inside PS. Hope this helps, even if it's a one year late reply  🙂

Registration or activation?

CS5 can still be activated (versions up to and including CS4 can no longer be activated) , provided you have the original serial number etc, but whether it will work without issue in Windows 11 I do not know.

Dave

Actually what I've heard is that the ability to register any older software has been disabled. Just looking for facts. I ahve both PS CS5 and Dreamweaver 6 that I'd like to install on my new Windows 11 system. Both are 64 bit as are my computers.