Use old Photoshop on New [Windows] Computer

[Bradley22564628e0v0]

I recently got a new computer and was adding things to it that I have on my old one (12 years old). 

I was able to install my old Illustrator 10 from the disk, but not my old Photoshop disk I have (no code/serial # for it).

Is there a way to use my old Photoshop (6.0)? Can I download/copy it somehow from my old computer? I don't seem to have a code for it (like Illustrator) and have not registered it.

I'd be willing to get a somewhat never version, but do not want to pay a stupid subscription. I only use these programs a few times a year, so not worth buying and then having to keep paying for something I own. Can I buy a CS2/3, and use those without a subscription?

Thanks for any help!

[jane-e]

@Bradley22564628e0v0 

Photoshop is subscription only, and Adobe offers the current version and the one previous. The activation servers for CS2 and CS3 were shut down a long time ago. Your choices are:

• Subscribe. The Photography plan (annual) is payable at $9.99 per month
  https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/plans.html
• Purchase Photoshop Elements, which is quite robust.
  https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html

You can get a free trial for each. Be sure to cancel if it doesn't work out.

• You can look outside of Adobe. Do a Google search for alternatives.

"then having to keep paying for something I own."

To clarify, what you own is a license to use the software. You never own the software itself.

Jane

[Bradley22564628e0v0]

Thanks for replying.

But buing something, and having to keep paying is stupid.
I buy Computer games, Video games, Movies, and Everything else ONCE (unless I want a newer version). Why should I buy a program for my computer and have to pay multiple times (even when I don't use it)? That doesn't make sense.

Since I only occasionally use it (sometimes not for several months), I'm not wanting to waste money being charged all the time.

I've used Photoshop for 20 years, but if there's no way to get a version of it to just use what I buy, I guess I will have to look at other similar options. That's too bad.

[jane-e]

You're welcome, @Bradley22564628e0v0 . 

Adobe isn't the only company with subscriptions. Microsoft Office, Quicken, and Parallels have all moved to subscription. You might start with the trial for Microsoft Photoshop Elements 2022 and buy a license to use that if you decide you like it. I don't use it personally, but I've read about some folks who only upgrade when they buy a new computer that doesn't support their 10- or 12-year-old software.

Another option is that you can continue using what you have as long as you keep the same hardware and OS and as long as nothing fails.

And just in case you ever need it in the future: know that there is one Photoshop subscription that is not annual. It's monthly at a higher rate (31.49 per month), but the advantage is that it is not an annual contract so it can be cancelled at any time. You could use it for one month, for example.

Jane

[Ged_Traynor]

@jane-e  Microsoft Elements 2022 😁

[jane-e]

Thanks for the catch, @Ged_Traynor , it's fixed now! 🤣 (At least I said it right in my first reply when I gave the link.)

Jane

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

>>Microsoft Elements 2022

Give it time...😁

I believe Microsoft's gross is in the trillions; Adobe's is in the billions. 

[Conrad_C]

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@Bradley22564628e0v0 wrote:

I buy Computer games, Video games, Movies, and Everything else ONCE (unless I want a newer version). Why should I buy a program for my computer and have to pay multiple times (even when I don't use it)? That doesn't make sense.

---

Times have changed, and to many people, it does make sense.

I don’t say I totally agree with it. I have my own collection of fully purchased music and movies. But the fact is, today, all of the categories you listed are now more popular as subscriptions than as purchases.

Music? The big music store chains are long out of business; there are fewer places where you can buy an album. Instead, most people now subscribe to Spotify, Apple Music, or other music streaming services.

Movies? Fewer people buy DVD/Blu-ray disc players now; you can walk into many homes today where there is no optical disc player next to the TV, and where no computer has a disc player (almost no new computers have one). Instead, most people are subscribing to streaming movie services like Netflix, Apple TV, Disney, or Amazon Prime.

Games? The same thing. Game store chains where you can buy a game in person are dead, more people subscribe to XBox Game Pass, Apple Arcade, Playstation Now, and others.

Whether we agree with it or not, subscriptions are actually quite popular today, while purchases are less common.

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@Bradley22564628e0v0 wrote:

I've used Photoshop for 20 years, but if there's no way to get a version of it to just use what I buy, I guess I will have to look at other similar options. That's too bad.

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One good thing is that today, there are many Photoshop-like alternatives out there that are not based on a subscription. If you choose to look at other options, there are many out there. Adobe even offers one called Photoshop Elements, which is a straight purchase and under $100 (not a subscription). Although it’s a simpler application marketed as consumer software, because it’s so much newer than Photoshop 6, it can actually do a number of things that Photoshop 6 can’t.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

>>But buing [sic] something, and having to keep paying is stupid.

It's not "stupid" if one is using it professionally. If one can't afford $120-625 US per year, that is tax deductible, one should reconsider their business model. I used to purchase software updates every 2-3 years and for both Mac and Windows. Overall the subscription saves me money.

However, I could understand the occasional home user not wanting a subscription. 

[inalather]

Jane, are you saying that my licensed disc won't work if i try loading it on a new PC? (I cant find the damn thing right now anyway, but if its not going to work, i guess i can stop looking!) 

[Lumigraphics]

Licensed disc of what? What SPECIFIC version of what SPECIFIC software? What computer do you have?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

>>I recently got a new computer and was adding things to it that I have on my old one (12 years old). 

You neglected to even say what type of computer it was.

>>Is there a way to use my old Photoshop (6.0)? Can I download/copy it somehow from my old computer? 

No. (Even with the install disk, it would probably not install correctly.)

>>...but do not want to pay a stupid subscription. 

Either get Photoshop Elements as Jane-e mentioned.

If it's more of a money issue, take a look at open-source software such as GIMP and InkScape. 

>>Can I buy a CS2/3, and use those without a subscription?

It would be difficult to find a legal copy. There is a 99.9% chance that anything you will find will be bootleg or malware laden. 

If your new computer is a Mac, forget it--it won't run. It it's Windows, it will be a major problem to run with major glitches and crash constantly. You would not be able to ask Adobe for support and most likely, the forums wouldn't be able to help you once they hear your software version and ask your OS version. 

[Bradley22564628e0v0]

It's a CyberPower one. Not a Mac.

I don't know anything about Photoshop Elements (or that open source software), but might have to check them out.

I'd don't need support. Just to be able to adjust/edit pictures/photos once in a while and have always used photoshop for that. My 20 year old version did that on my old coputer for 12 years just fine. Feel that it should be able to on my new computer or a newer version should, but sounds like that's not possible.

Thanks for the reply.

[jane-e]

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@Bradley22564628e0v0 wrote:

Feel that it should be able to on my new computer or a newer version should, but sounds like that's not possible.

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I don't use Windows, but I have heard that some folks have gotten older versions of PS installed on Windows. I'm not sure about PS6. The OS  and hardware is what can stop the installation. In your case, however, you did not register the software and you don't have the serial number, so it won't be possible to try.

Jane

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

>>It's a CyberPower one. Not a Mac.

CyberPower is a computer brand name--While there are other OS types out there, for Photoshop, it is either a Mac or Windows computer.

Photoshop Elements is a surprising powerful, scaled down version of Photoshop. Last I looked, it doesn't do CMYK, but is fine with RBG and grayscale. If you were using a 20-year old version, Elements will probably be more powerful than the version you had.