Error 16 - Have tried everything 10 times

[gboycott1]

Okay, I'm on Windows 7 and the only product I'm currently interested in is Photoshop CC.2018.

I am on a 64 bit machine, AMD processor.  Tons of memory and GPU power.

First move as a total N00b...follow instructions.  Uninstall Photoshop and reinstall photoshop.

Error 16.

Second move:  Run as Administrator.  Hey, it worked!  For one day.

Woke up today:  Error 16

Found instructions to fix permissions and change search option on this site.  I have done that, probably 10 times now.  It doesn't work.  Yes, I've rebooted.

Did a run of your "Obliterate all Adobe software" utility and reinstalled after that, didn't work.

Enabled Guest Account, restored "Everyone" to relevant folders.

Error 16.

I contacted chat support from Adobe and let them have their way with my computer, and watched them for 2 hours do everything I already did, and a whole lot slower.  When they asked me to reboot, I did, and they were gone, no way to get them back evidently with the software they put on the computer.

Tried to log back in to support in the link given in the email to me, and it sent me on a "enter your password" endless loop.

So now you know everything I've been through.  I am BEGGING YOU, I  implore you...do not address me like a n00b or like you're following a script.  I swear, I will absolutely lose it.  Please read what I wrote about what I did and don't ask me redundant questions.  Your usual responses do not work for whatever reason.

Please just make your product work properly and tell me how to get back to what I need to do with it.

[SG...]

Hi,

I'm seeing if I can get someone to help you out. What version of the Creative Desktop application do you have running? Release notes for the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app

regards,

steve

[gboycott1]

I'm at work and I'm not sure, but let me put it this way:  I just redowned it and installed it yesterday, so it's from your site whatever Adobe is putting out right now.  I can check properly tomorrow morning.

[gboycott1]

4.3.0.256 is my version of Creative Cloud.

[SG...]

Hi,

Thx, that is indeed the latest. The person I had in mind to help you out is not available this week. I'm going to send you a DM to continue the discussion for now, if that's ok?

regards,

steve

[gboycott1]

Hello, just a gentle reminder that I exist and my problem is not resolved in the least.  Thanks.

[gboycott1]

So, thought I'd drop in and just kind of remind everyone that this problem is not resolved. 

[gboycott1]

Hey all!  A whole new day coming to a close and still no resolution to this problem and 2 days without any communication at all.  I'd really love some sort of game-plan for getting me into the Photoshop CC 2018 I'm paying for.

Thanks.

-G

[SG...]

Hi Greg,

Since my efforts didn't pan out, I'm trying to escalate your case.

regards,

steve

[gboycott1]

Steve I received an email yesterday to download amtlib.dll and replace it and check my permissions again, it didn't work.  Not sure if that was via you or the result of next-level support from live-chat. 

Anyway, it would seem via that route that I cannot communicate two-ways because it's an automated robot system.

Really, really incredibly frustrating.  The robot says my case is "closed"....WHAT???  How can I be closed if the solution doesn't work?

Adobe
Case ADB-411021-C6N8 is Closed

Dear Greg ,

Apologies, but this is an automated email account. If
you need to work with an Adobe Customer Care professional again, please visit
our Contact Page. Be
sure to share your case number with us so that we can help you more
quickly.

Thanks for contacting us,

Adobe Customer Care

Visit us at Adobe Support to find more self-help, troubleshooting, and learning
resources.

---------

So they want me to start all over again???

Also the case numbers don't even match...

"Escalated Case" is CRM:0829313

WONT ANYONE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM???

I feel like I'm being passed around like a hot potato.  Who is responsible over there?

Thank you.

[Guest]

Hi

Have you tried this

Configuration error in Adobe Creative Cloud

[gboycott1]

You have absolutely GOT to be kidding me, have you read nothing I've written, ged2016???

[Guest]

Yes I have and I've just read it again and I don't see any mention of you trying what I posted

Sorry for wasting your time but I was only trying to help

Good Luck

[gboycott1]

If you read my original post you will see that not only did I do that already multiple times

"Found instructions to fix permissions and change search option on this site.  I have done that, probably 10 times now.  It doesn't work.  Yes, I've rebooted."

But also tech support did them several times over two days.

---

"I'm only trying to help"

If you read my post, you can read where I BEGGED and IMPLORED people not to give me day-1 N00b answers.

The reason?  I'm going to snap, because I've lost now going two-weeks of photo-editing ability meanwhile paying subscription.

[War Unicorn]

It's not really a "N00b answer" but most likely something one might not want to hear: You may have to go scorched earth and reformat your system, especially if it's been some time since.

It's not out of the realm of possibility that something might be corrupt on the Windows end of things. (It sure wouldn't be the first time.) The reason why I'm suggesting this is the usual avenues that would normally solve the problem aren't working at all. That's not a great sign.

[gboycott1]

Scorched Earth is something I'm holding on to as a last resort.

Reason 1:  Any other software on the planet (Including PS cs6) install just fine, no problems, don't crash etc.  So why the voodoo with CC products?  This is something they should be able to solve.

Let's say, hypothetically, that a friend told me that he/she had exact same problem *but* was able to find and use a "Portable" version (if you don't know, that's (allegedly) a version of the software that's been excised from CC tentacles and procedures.  You don't install it (according to hypothetical sources) it just runs.

So the actual software, the part that I, the end user, would use...works fine.  In fact, it ran for one day before coming up with this Error 16 nightmare.

So because Adobe has seen fit to attach the software to endless tentacles and hoops for my PC to jump through in order to fire up the program, I need to go through the horrible process of starting all over with my entire system???

Insanity.  Fix the problem, even if it means chopping off some draconian tentacles!

Reason 2:  If I'm going to start over, I'm going to do it properly...bigger SSD drive, newer OS.  I just don't have that kind of money right now.  My system meets and exceeds all requirements to run CC2018 as it is, so having purchased it, I expect it to work hassle-free and free of additional expense.  I am considering legal action for my time lost in good faith with this company, at least "free consultation" to see if there's a case that can be made.

Steve here seems to be trying his best but it's not, evidently, his particular job.  No, the people who actually do Tech Support have gone to permanent lunch, it seems.

I really thought of Adobe as one of the most respectable software companies in existence, what a rude awakening this has been!

[War Unicorn]

CS6 might be the precursor to CC, but CC is definitely not CS6 either, not with all the new features and tools they've added.

I have no idea what's happened to your system at the OS-level; Error 16 is an issue that can't be remedied in your case using the usual solution (per @ged2016's suggestion). Anything could have happened, from corruption due to things such as power sags to virus or spyware infection. Other apps working fine is not really indicative that it's Photoshop CC at fault; it could be CC is exploiting an issue at the system-level, for example. Others running Photoshop CC 2018 on Windows aren't having the same issue.

If anything, formatting your system can help rule out anything possibly wrong on your end. That is, of course, a last resort but the option is there if you really want to get to the bottom of this rather than having to wait on someone for an answer. (Luckily, reformatting a system isn't as bad as it used to be; things like email and browser bookmarks are saved off-system...actually, I don't know if that's a good thing, but whatever.)

[favianandresb · Accepted solution]

Hi, after days trying to solve the same problem I finally found a really simple solution here: How to Fix Photoshop cc Configuration Error 16 - YouTube

Hope it works for you too. See ya and good luck!