Don't order the Academic version of CS5

[tshirk]

The academic version of all Adobe products offer a very attractive price.  the problem is, you can't install them.  I just received my cs5 suite, and I can't even get a serial number.  it seems that they haven't entered the product codes into their licensing system.  I just spent a frustrating two hours talking to support (several agents), who all said I was typing the product code wrong.  Come on, Adobe, I am a gradute student working on my master's degree with an undergrad degree in English.  You can't attend school in this day and age without using a laptop in every class.  The bottom line is you can't get past step one in getting your serial number, because the product code is not recognized.  This is going to require requesting a refund.  This is only because of the academic licensing scheme that Adobe uses.  I'm sure regular purchasers are not having this problem.

[Guest]

Graduate.

[tshirk]

Ooops.  Now I guess I'm not going to graduate!

[Guest]

Sorry, I just had to do it.....

Try this e-mail address: adbecare@adobe.com

Tell them what is happening to you.

If you have time there is a big history with Academic serial number problems in the past too.

Good luck in the serial number chase and your Masters.

[BLUDVLZ_24]

My academic version of CS5 arrives tomorrow. I'll look for it and chime back to see if I have the same issue.

[BLUDVLZ_24]

Just got my copy last night. No issues with install. Everything worked flawlessly.

[Am_I_Lame?]

Your "copy" of what, precisely?  So far we've only confirmed this is a problem for the Student & Teacher Edition of some CS5 suites, not individual products.  And, where/how did you purchase it?

[Guest]

see post #3

[tshirk]

The Ident-E web site now has a banner acknowledging the problem and saying that they hope the problem will be corrected by the end of the day today.  I tried again a few minutes ago, and it did not work, but hopefully this will be corrected soon.

[Am_I_Lame?]

Hey, tshirk, can you post the link to where you saw that banner acknowledging the problem?  I wasn't able to find it at https://www.identit-e.com/default/index/welcome/p/2 and I'm still not having any luck getting it to recognize my product code.  And it's the end of the (business) day.  Thanks.

[tshirk]

The message is gone because it is working now (at least for me).  However, I still have to wait two days even though

I emailed all the documentation three weeks ago. (sigh).

[Am_I_Lame?]

Did they send you an e-mail saying the site was working?  That's what they said they'd do in their response to my complaint.  I haven't heard anything yet.  To make matters worse, now those jerks at identit-e are blocking my IP address when I try to submit my product code:  "Your IP address has been blocked by our system. Please contact Customer Service for resolution of this issue."  No matter.  I can still get to them through tor, but I still get the non-existent product code error.

[tshirk]

They didn't send me an email; I just decided to try it, and it worked.  I'm still upset that I sent them (not adobe) the documents, yet I had to upload them again, and I still have to wait two days.  My main program is Premiere, and a lot of stuff doesn't work in the trial, so I'm not even going to bother installing the trial.

[John T Smith]

>sent them (not adobe) the documents, yet I had to upload them again

According to what I've read at https://www.identit-e.com/default/index/welcome/p/7 the process is you send your proof DURING the session where you send them the product code from inside the shipped container... so your proof is linked to your individual process and, I suppose, a "case number" for that individual product code

Sending anything in advance is not going to help, since it is not linked to the product code you find with your order

[hotel22]

Check out this link

http://www.adobe.com/education/students/studentteacheredition/faq.html

[tshirk]

More problems!  They can't process the return because I don't have a serial number, which I cannot obtain.  I cannot obtain the serial number becuase the product code has not yet been uploaded to the verification site, so when I type in the product code, it tells me it doesn't exist.  They have escalated the event to a priority 1, but they are unable to process a refund at this time.  I have been told to check my email.

[hotel22]

Check out the Ikbs regarding refund for educational version.

[David Ayars]

I downloaded academic Photoshop CS5 from the Adobe education store a couple of days ago--again, just PS CS5, not a CS5 suite, and downloaded, not shipped software, and the $300 version, not the $200 Student and Teacher edition--and everything went fine.  I emailed in the proof of eligibility as requested, Adobe authorized it, and the serial number worked, and I was up and running about 90 minutes after paying for the software.  So as always with things like this, your mileage may vary.

[John T Smith]

VERY interesting!

As soon as the education store I use has stock to sell (has an agreement with Washington State Univ for the "low" cost version) I plan to order CS5 Master Collection... which, I understand, requires me to email Adobe with a "proof of purchase" code from inside the box to then receive a serial number for the install

Hopefully, by time I can order (might be May 7, if their stock from Adobe arrives as scheduled) and then the box arrives, this problem will be fixed at Adobe and I will receive a serial number in a timely fashion AND it will work to install

[tshirk]

Actually, I emailed all my proof of eligibility almost a month ago when I ordered the suite.  Everything

was fine along those lines. The problem is that Adobe uses a third-party eligibilty web

site that can't recognize the suite's new product number.

[John T Smith]

According to this https://www.identit-e.com/default/index/welcome/p/7 you only send proof AFTER you have the product, because the first step is...

Step 1—Identify Your Product
The product you purchased will contain a unique product code that can be found printed on or placed inside the product box. You will be asked to enter this product code to start the eligibility verification process.

This is, of course, for the "lowest cost" version, not the version generally available at any Education store

You may only buy this version if your particular organization has a signed agreement with Adobe

That is the version I plan to buy, just as soon as the WSU affiliated store has product to sell... but instead of selecting priority shipping, I may just use standard ground shipping to give Adobe a few more days to fix the problem

[tshirk]

And that is the problem, when I enter the product code, it says the product code is invalid.  I can never

get beyond step 1.

[John T Smith]

tshirk wrote:

And that is the problem, when I enter the product code, it says the product code is invalid.  I can never get beyond step 1.

Well, the store I use (affiliated with Washington State U) has now changed their possible sale date to May 20

Hopefully, by the time I am able to buy, Adobe will have this problem fixed and the serial number process will work

Until then... I guess I'm going to have to take a look at the software that came with my Canon Vixia, to see what it will do with the AVCHD files

[tshirk]

It seems some of you are getting a serial number, and getting the program activated.  I noticed that the "Product Code" is as long a serial number, and it appears that it unique for each set of disks shipped. (the number is on a sticker that is attached to the product).  So maybe it is just my product code that is bad.  But why is Adobe unwilling to send me another one?  (rhetorical question) Maybe I just haven't been connected to anyone in support who really knows what's going on.  Does anyone know how to go ahold of someone who actually understands this convoluted process? (or is that impossible!)

To those of you who have had success, did you type a product code into the edu-validate web site, and after that get a serial number; or did you get a serial number with the product?

[Chris Cox]

Maybe I just haven't been connected to anyone in support who really knows what's going on

All too likely.

Does anyone know how to go ahold of someone who actually understands this convoluted process?

Email details of your problem and the customer support issues to adbecare@adobe.com  (yes, there is no 'o' in the name)

That's the escalation process for customer support and tech support breakdowns.