Help with reinstalling Photoshop CS5 after CS3 disaster

[davidh44661576]

Help!!

I have been using PS CS3 and CS5 for years.  2 days ago I got a notice on CS3 that my software wouldn't work in 5 days if I didn't re-register the product, something about a server crash.  So I did exactly what they asked for, and it wouldn't install.  After several hours of frustration I got the Chat help.  The technician asked me to delete a subfolder in my C drive Adobe folder.

Not only did this not work, but it proceeded to make CS5 - also on my computer - nonfunctional.  Another 3 chat sessions, and they are telling me to contact them after 5-7 business days.

SAY WHAT??!?

So I uninstalled and reinstalled CS5, which was in 2 parts from the download menu.  An "English Universal" and an English International" part.  The .exe file opened no problem, the .7z file seemed to have trouble opening and wanted to know what app I wanted to use to open it.  Strange.  But it did unzip, in a folder on my desktop.  When I opened the installer it asked for my product license.  I put it in, and it acknowleged it as a valid license. So when I hit "Next" it opened another window that said although it was a valid license number, it wasn't for CS5.  Even though on my product page on the Adobe site it says it is for PS extended, CS5.  No mistake.

So now I am stuck.  I tried to use a restore point on my computer from only three days ago, and although the PS icons are back of course they won't launch.  it gives me an error box saying to uninstall and reinstall the program, and if it doesn;'t work to go to customer support and tell them about an "Error 1" message. Great - they don't want to let me use the on-line Chat support for 5-7 days.  I tried to reinstall and do what the FAQ section of this Forum suggested, to go to the installer box and Ctrl/Shift double click to get a "code" to revalidate my product code.  But I need to read it to an Adobe representative and enter another code they are supposed to give to fix the product registration number problem.

How do I get around this??  By doing what Adobe asked for CS3, their techs have now left me without CS3 AND CS5. And they don't want  me to ask them for help on the on-line chat for 5-7 business days, according to the chat transcript.  Is there a different way around this problem??  I took several screen shots of the installer glitches, if that helps and will try to upload them here.

Thanks to any and all help on this problem.  If there is another way to get tech help from Adobe, I am all ears.  I feel insulted that after spending $750 for PS and then another $140 in upgrades from CS3 to CS5 that they won't help me after trying to do what they asked about re-registering CS3 and all the problems it created.

[Graphics removed that showed S/N, please do not post your serial number, as someone could take it - Mod]

Sincerely,

Dave H.

[gener7]

For CS3, the activation servers are forever closed. Adobe will provide you with a new CS3 installer and serial number.

You will be entering your old CS3 serial number to get the new installer and serial.

Activation or connection error when starting CS3 or Acrobat 8

[gener7]

Next, on the CS5 install page, You download the .exe file and the .7z  When you run the .exe, it will unpack the 7z to create a folder with the installer inside.

Download Adobe Creative Suite 5 products    English Universal and Standard are the same thing.

You enter your 24 digit CS5 serial carefully. If this is an upgrade, it will ask for the old CS3 serial number as a qualifying product.

If this CS5 serial is part of a Suite, then it won't work on a single Photoshop product.

Let me know how it goes.

[davidh44661576]

Gener 7,

THANK YOU for taking the time to address the problem.  Out of frustration I took advantage of the current "discount" offer of PS CC for $10.00 a month while I get PS CS5 back.  For the cost of an upgrade from CS3 to CS5, I get to use the CC version for a year....

I suspect that the problem all along was, as you identified, the "upgrade" product license.  Indeed, I had upgraded from CS3 to PS CS5 back in 2011.  Both numbers are listed on the "products" section of my Adobe account.  I assumed (wrongly, I guess) that the PS extended CS5 number as listed by Adobe was the one to apply to the installer.   Oh well....nobody ever guarenteed that the universe has to make sense!

Again, muchos gracias for taking the time to help me.  I'll let you know if I succeed in getting either version to work again. I am ready to give up on CS3,  as I didn't use it much anymore, but I would like to have CS5 back again.  It was my "workhorse" for my astrophotography image processing, and I'd like it in my back pocket if I run into problems with PS CC.

Gratefully,

Dave

[davescm]

David

If you now have a licence for CC - the desktop app also allows you to install previous versions alongside the current version (all the way back to CS6)

Dave

[gener7]

Hi Dave,

The idea is a thorny issue with many (rent vs own), but you get to use Photoshop on either PCs or Macs, and in any language version.

Moving from one to another is as simple as signing out and signing in.

More importantly, the OS that CS5 was happy with becomes a problem as you advance your hardware and OS. One major snag are the newer high resolution screens that CS5 and earlier cannot scale to. Another is Camera Raw if you are a photographer. v6.7 is as far as you can go with CS5, and v10 is much nicer and will cover most of the newer models since 2011. And as Dave (cm) pointed out, previous versions.

With the subscription, you are constantly fed major and minor upgrades, no more upgrade fees. You pay much more for a cellphone, electricity, insurance and so forth and it's a tiny expense compared to those.

So read up on all the new tools that will move you along quicker.

Happy Photoshopping,

Gene