PS CC 2018 on a Windows 8.1 PC suddenly CANCELLED!?

[matsholmberg]

I have a PC running Windows 8.1. It's an older PC, but it works perfectly. I have been using it as my main Photoshop station, with all the tools and displays needed to make the most of my images. 

Because Adobe chose to drop support for Win8, I'm "stuck" on PS version CC 2018 (or 19.1.7 to be precise). And that is perfectly fine! Not one of the newer features that has been added to PS over the past years has been useful to me. On the contrary actually. (I sometimes use a laptop with the latest version, so I can compare.) There are even features removed (like the 3D filters, that would let you create bump- and normal maps for 3D models)!

Now to the problem: Today when I opened PS, it stated I did not have a valid license. After a long chat with customer support, it appears my version was discontinued. Out of the blue! Not one warning! 
Their only "solution" was to update to Win 11 and use the latest version of PS. (Obviously not going to do that.) They then directed me here, to try and sort things out. 

I want to know how I can get a working license for the software that is installed on my PC, that runs perfectly (if I choose to "start a 7-day trial"), and that I pay a monthly subscription fee for. 
The way I percieve this is that Adobe now finally dropped Win8 completely, and does this by simply not allowing users to activate the license. For what reason? Why not let us users keep using an older version if we so choose? 

[jane-e]

They then directed me here, to try and sort things out. 

By @matsholmberg

Photoshop has been subscription only. Can you confirm that you have a paid subscription? If you had a pirated copy, there is nothing anyone can do. If you have a paid subscription, keep reading.

No one on this forum can see your billing details or help you to sort this out. Only Adobe Customer Care has access to your records. The volunteers on this forum cannot override anything Adobe says. Contact Adobe Customer Care again and this time get a case number at the beginning and ask for Tier 2 support.

Jane

[matsholmberg]

Thanks for the reply. 
I have been on the Photography Plan since 2015, when I got the PC in question.  Creative Cloud is up to date and works fine (I can run Bridge from it, see my software plans and so on). It's just PS that isn't able to get a license. 
When I click "purchase a new subscription" for CC 2018, when prompted to license the software, I get taken to a missing (404) webpage. 

I will ask for a Tier 2 support, thank you. 

[jane-e]

@matsholmberg 

Your paid subscription to Creative Cloud or the Photography Plan allows you to run previous versions.

I am a volunteer and cannot see your details. This is general information.

Jane

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@matsholmberg there are no licenses - it is subscription only. Go to https://account.adobe.com/profile and validate that you do have an active subscription. If you don't all you need to do is re-subscribe to the Photography plan and you should be able to continue to use CC2018.

[Lumigraphics]

Just understand that there is no guarantee of older software continuing to work. Windows 8 is no longer supported by either Microsoft or Adobe and if it dies, well, time to upgrade.

[matsholmberg]

Got a phonecall from customer service. The answer from Adobe is that my issue is due to Windows Update patching certain parts of the OS which causes the licence check to fail. Since they removed support for Win8, they will not adress this issue. 

If this is indeed the case, I can understand why Adobe would drop support, since it would require them to keep up with every old OS... How many still use Photoshop on Win8? I guess not many.  (Would be nice to know if any more people has run into this particular problem, and if someone has managed to find a solution.) 

I'll go over my options and post again if I manage to somehow solve this. Otherwise I guess it's over form PS CC 2018, which has served me well over the years. 

[Lumigraphics]

The solution is to upgrade to a supported version of Windows. Microsoft won't help you either.

Or get a Mac.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

You can reinstall CC2018 from ProDesign Tools: https://prodesigntools.com/adobe-cc-2018-direct-download-links.html

[Ryan-o]

I'm in the exact same boat as the OP - even had the same treatment from support (i.e. they sent me here), except I'm trying to use Lightroom Classic CC. I'm not clear on how reinstalling CC2018 will help. Won't I still need to be able to activate a license? And won't that fail? The icing on the cake was when I asked if there was a way to simply get my software working again or if I should just cancel my subscription, and the only response was support offered to transfer me to someone who could cancel my subscription for me. Nice.

[Lumigraphics]

What part of "Windows 8 is not supported" is confusing? That means Adobe will not help you run their software on Windows 8.

[Ryan-o]

The part where the issue is with their license server and they referred me to this community forum for support for a problem with their license server refusing to authorize my existing previously working software. I don't think any part of the problem the OP and I are experiencing has anything to do with Windows 8. It has to do with Adobe's license server refusing to authorize a subscription for an older version of software. I'm pretty confident (although I can't test it), that if I installed the exact same version of Lightroom on a Windows 10 PC, I'd have the same issue. The issue is with them refusing to authorize a license for an older version of their product. I'm a professional software developer. I understand dropping support for older versions and OS's. I'm not complaining about that. My beef is that, from my perspective, they have arbitrarily and intentionally disabled my working software without any notice or announcement and when I asked them where the notification was, the response was to offer to cancel my subscription. That isn't a customer-focused approach.

[Lumigraphics]

Community members can't help with licensing-related issues. That simple.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@Ryan-o what does your account say when you go to https://account.adobe.com/? Does it show an active subscription?

[Ryan-o]

@LumigraphicsYes - I agree. Which is why I thought it was dumb that Adobe support sent me here in the first place.

@kevYes, I have an active Photography Plan (20GB) with my next payment not due until 12/24.

[Triple Mirror34388810y9ns]

I’m currently using a 2013 iMac 27 inch desktop, with Sierra AOS. I’m unable to use my photoshop cc 2018 because I'm prompted to sign to Adobe when I try to open my photoshop app, however, when I sign in, it prompts me to use my Adobe sweet collection subscription but when I agree, it attempts to use the latest version of photoshop, and states that my computer AOS is too outdated.

can I still run photoshop 2018 on my current IMac if I'm an Adobe member?

[Lumigraphics]

You can upgrade to macOS Catalina on that computer, which would help. And try signing in with the Adobe CC app, and then simply launch Photoshop 2018.

But understand that both Apple and Adobe consider your computer to be obsolete and unsupported, and there will continue to be problems and security risks if you keep using it.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@Triple Mirror34388810y9ns can you upgrade your OS to High Sierra?

[Lumigraphics]

That computer will run Catalina.

[Triple Mirror34388810y9ns]

How do I download Catalina, when I last checked if it had any software updates available, it stated it had none...is there a way to double check and see if I can try to download Catalina a different way?

[Lumigraphics]

Catalina will be in the App Store.

[Lumigraphics]

FYI, I just picked up a Late 2012 11" MacBook Pro and put Catalina on it. Adobe still supports partially Catalina in the ACC app. You can install Photoshop, Bridge, InDesign, Illustrator but oddly not Lightroom. You get older versions like PS 22.2 and Bridge 12 but they run fine.

I don't recommend using an older machine like this (especially online) unless you know how to handle security issues.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Per Adobe support - @matsholmberg windows 8.1 cannot connect to the Adobe activation servers. Update your OS and it should resolve the issue.

[yochee123]

Hi there, I have the exact same problem! I just bought another full year adobe cloud license abo, but with this new license my old photoshop (CC2018) doesn't work anymore...  well, only as "7-day test version". Thing is: The day before prolonging the license it did work flawlessly. No notice, no warning. (cursing removed) Adobe, I had been paying for licenses the past 15 years and now I get kicked out just because I am still using my old computer with the old software (flawlessly! up until now).

BTW

Adobe Acrobat still works,

Indesign, Premiere, AE, everything CC2018 don`t, however they are the newest versions running on Win8.1.

I need my "old" computer with Win8.1. and some pre-vulcan GPU-drivers as I have some interactive installations and versions of VJ programs running best on this machine, and sometimes I need Adobe PS on it. Really badly.

*HELP*

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@yochee123 unforunately you are running an almost 6 year old setup - there does come a point where it is no longer supported or in this case, requires an OS update to continue validating with the servers.