Install PS CS2 on a Win 11 Desktop?

[Robert30543937znuh]

I'm a registered owner of PS CS2 and have used it for yrs on a defunct Win 7 machine. Trying to install it on a new Win 11 unit, and having a difficult time in doing so. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Ged_Traynor · Accepted solution]

@Robert30543937znuh the activation servers for CS4, CS3 and CS2 have been shutdown, so even if you could install it you won't be able to activate it

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite.html

[thatsmauri]

Adobe had to retire their aging activation servers for earlier versions of the Creative Suite several years ago, making it impossible to activate Creative Suite 2 products nowadays.

• https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite.html

Even if they were still up and running and you could activate it, there's no guarantee that these older products will run flawlessly on Windows 11.

Edit: Argh... Ged was faster 😄

[jane-e]

Edit: Argh... Ged was faster 😄

By @thatsmauri

Ged is always faster. He types 1000 wpm! 🙂

Jane

[Retune]

After Adobe killed the activation servers, they made an activation-free version available to licensed users here:

<dead link removed-kglad>

Unfortunately, this link is not currently active, and redirects to a generic page with no useful information, though you may still be able to access the old page <edit-kglad>. Whether CS2 works on Windows 11 is another issue (I have successfully installed CS3 on W11 using a similar activation-free installer that Adobe used to provide, but I recall CS2 being problematic on W10). Even if it does work, CS2 has some significant known security vulnerabilities that were only patched in later versions.

[Russ_in_VT]

I have the old activation-free version but it's not installing properly on Windows 11. Is there a way to activate compatibility mode installation?

[D Fosse]

Case in point, as was pointed out above: even if it could be activated, there's no guarantee that 20 year old (!) software will work in a modern operating system on modern hardware.

[Russ_in_VT]

It did install in compatibility mode and appears to be running fine.

[j.klein]

I haven't tried it on Win 11, but on Win 10, installing and running CS2 worked for me, if i installed the apps (Photoshop, Illustrator etc) individually (i.e. with their individual setup.exe's). However, if instead, i used the setup.exe for the entire suite, i ran into some licensing problems.

[D Fosse]

@j.klein   Once the 30 day trial period is out, it will stop working.

(BTW - a suite serial number will not be accepted for an individual application, and vice versa).

[j.klein]

I've been using my installation for years already though.. it will ask me to register every time i open a CS2 app, but thats something different i reckon.. and i can just cancel that dialog and start working.. 

I was given a set of serial numbers (win / mac, single apps and suite). I bought it as a student from my university, so maybe its some special thingy.. it looks quite normal to me though..

[D Fosse]

There's no way to activate it when that time comes. The servers are permanently shut down.

[j.klein]

Ok, i went to check my install files, they contain a substring "NonRet" which probably stands for non-retail. According to ChatGPT, this makes sense, as i bought CS2 as a student from my university and also, because such "academic" licences may have been pre-activated and therefore need no activation after 30 days. So i guess i'm lucky .. and thankful 🙂