Help reinstalling Photoshop 7 to Win 10

[Eric30700670akic]

1. Version of the app - Photoshop 7 (from disk)
2. Platform and OS version -  HP Compaq 8200 Elite running Windows 10 Pro
3. Basic steps to reproduce the problem - tried everything!
4. Expected result and actual result - get this reinstalled and working again!

OK, everything worked fine until yesterday... while I was dealing with a 4hr wait at the VA for medical care, a storm knocked out power back at my home. This happens frequently out here so didn't expect the trouble I got. Something happened to my audio drivers and Windblows recommended a reinstall. After I did this, I lost everything that was not on my external harddrive and have had to spend all night and day today trying to get things back in order. However, when I went to reinstall my Photoshop 7 from disk (aside from the normal Win 10 issues), I get this message:

"Verification Error: A qualifying version of Photoshop was not detected.
Please try again or cancel the installation.
If you have a valid copy of Photoshop that was not detected, please call Adobe Customer Service for assistance."

1. Do I have to have an older version of Photoshop installed? [cursing removed] I've never had an older version. This program installed and ran in every computer I've had, INCLUDING this one up to last night! I even tried different options ("Search harddrive for prior installation", "Search specific folder for prior installation" [original folder was still in directory], and "Verify original Photoshop media" [from the actual disk]) in the numerous install attempts.

I have a valid key and there hasn't been an issue with this since I bought this necessary program over 20-years ago. It's installed on all 5 PC's I've had in this time with no issues other than the setup shennanigans common to Windows 10 (startup won't run without copying to hardrive and running from there).

I'm a disabled vet living off the sad but humerous $950/mo the VA gives me and I simply cannot afford to go out and buy or lease another copy of a program I already paid hundreds for. I make $20-$40 a month scanning old pics for people and enhancing them using PS7... that might seem like chump-change but it fills the tank or pays for a prescription and it's work I'm still able to do.

If anyone can help, please advise. I'm out of ideas.

Thanks,

~Eric

[Nancy OShea]

Photoshop 7 from 20+ years ago?

Oh my 😱!

Sounds like this was an upgrade from a previous version -- probably Photoshop 5 or 6.  Do you have installation disks for the qualifying product?

[Eric30700670akic]

No, it's Photoshop 7, stand-alone progy... my brother bought me it back in 02 or 03. Got disk & registry # and it worked perfectly on numerous systems until last night/today. Like I mentioned, I've had it on other computers and differing OS's starting with Win 95, 98, Vista, 2000/NT, Me, XP and now 10. This was a valuable tool whether cropping, resizing or visual enhancements as well as artistic work I did for fun or the afore mentioned side-hustle for chump-change that sustains me... truly a critical part of my life.

I installed and ran on W10 with no issues until last night... I've done 4 other "clean install's" or "restore system" on this piece of crap because Microsh!t is an evil entity that kills their older OS's to get you to buy new ones (yea, they do this!).

I've never got the "older version needed" message before; even on this system through 4 other "restore system's" and reinstallation. I tried to download a PS4 trial to have the markers on my system but it had a virus and required another "restore system" - 5 hour effort.

So... I'm going to try to delete the files I created using the disk to C: method since there's no trace of them in the Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features end.

I can't figure for the life of me why this program won't install on this system for the 5th time when it was installed and ran perfectly before. Maybe this "delete and try again" thing might work... I'll post here if it does.

Thank you for your timely reply; hope any additional info I gave helps.

Blessings to you...

~Eric

[Eric30700670akic]

OK, removing the "copied from disk to hard drive" method did NOT work... still shows "Verification Error: A qualifying version of Photoshop was not detected.
Please try again or cancel the installation.
If you have a valid copy of Photoshop that was not detected, please call Adobe Customer Service for assistance." thing.

THIS IS A PURCHASED AND LICENSED PROGRAM that has worked for 20+ years over multiple computers and OS's!

Is this hopeless? Has my side hustle and 20+ years personal enjoyment come to an end and I'm being forced to shell out hundreds or a monthly fee I simply cannot work into my extremely lean budget?

It worked yesterday... it won't work today... WTF?

Imma bout to take a 12-gauge to this POS computer then go "Who is John Galt" on the world, withdraw completely, then find a cave where I can say "screw your old pic's, not worth my time & effort" and do cave drawings instead of digital artwork!

Guess Adobe went the way of Microshaft... "buy our latest crap or we'll shut your crap off and make you!"

So sick of this!

[Eric30700670akic]

UPDATE - INSTALLATION FIXED!!!

This is bizarre, I have no explanation for it...

I had a couple other programs I needed to install that I luckily had backed up on my external harddrive. One required the "install in safe mode" technique. It went smooth. I thought, give Photoshop another try, and ran the installer from the copy I made on my C: drive (like I did many times before). THIS TIME IT WORKED! The only thing I can figure is it needed the external drive connected to work. It doesn't make sence... I have a stand-alone disk installinbg on the CPU's harddrive... why would it need the external drive connected to work? Was having the tens of thousands of .psd pics I've made over the years present the key to the "previous version" thing?

I don't have a clue but I am SO THANKFUL it's back up and running! I didn't realize how much I relied on this program until it was gone for 48-hours. I take pics from my phone, crop, resize, enhance, etc. I make Meme's, use it to edit and save pics from the net... so many personal uses outside the side hustle of digitizing, enhancing and restoring old family pictures.

Well, all is good now.

IF ANYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAS THE SAME ISSUE... MAKE SURE YOUR EXTERNAL HARDDRIVE IS PLUGGED IN; THAT WORKED FOR SOME STRANGE REASON.

Thank you Adobe community for the time and attention on this!

Have a blessed day!

~Eric

[Nancy OShea]

It's highly unlikely that anyone here is using 20+ year old software. But I'm glad you were able to get your issue sorted. 

Best of luck to you.

[Jeff Arola]

Thank you for posting your experience and hopefully it'll help others, although i've never seen what your describing unless i was installing an actual photoshop upgrade edition.

Oh and thanks for your service!