Older versions of Photoshop compatible with Windows 10 Pro 1511?

[troublesomecomputer]

Hi all,

Long story short, my computer has run into some issues, and was only able to be fixed up by being set up to run on an older version of Windows 10. The earliest version it could be set up to was the Windows 10 Pro 1511, which is regretfully incompatible with the latest version of Photoshop (the one I have been subscribed to for the past 2 years).

I would like to instead purchase a license to an older version of Photoshop that IS compatible with the 1511. I have been unable to find which said versions are compatible with my computer's current Windows situation. 

Input would be SO appreciated! 

Thank you in advance.

[JJMack]

The problem is Adobe no longer markets old  perpetual Photoshop version. Adobe only market subscription for creative cloud products these days. You will find many scams and cracks on the web for old PS versions.

[davescm]

The only version sold is Photoshop CC. The only supported versions of CC are v20 and v21 i.e. the current and previous version.

Dave

[digi5CD9]

My version of PS 6.0 worked fine until the latest Windows 10 update. This is totally unacceptable! Call me a conspitacy theorist but I doubt this was an accident... more like a collusion between Adobe and Microsoft. Microsoft could easily create a "fix" for this problem and yet here we are having to BUY new software on a monthly basis to replace that which was purchased with a lifetime user agreement. Shame on all involved!

[Test Screen Name]

Microsoft used to work hard to keep old apps working, but they seem to have lost interest in that. Of course, Adobe will be pleased too get you up to date, from $10 per month. Adobe will tell you that supporting an incompatible system is a NEW FEATURE, and for new features, you naturally have to pay.

If you want to see really agressive forced upgrades, try Apple. If you'd been a Mac user, Photoshop 6.0 would have stopped working around 2001, CS2 around 2011, CS6 and CC up to 2018 around 2019. All today's Mac apps are scheduled for death around 2022.

[Warren Heaton]

Hello Test Screen Name:

The information that you provided is incorrect.

Photoshop CS6 runs under macOS up to macOS 10.13 High Sierra.  Due to changes in QuickTime as a system driver for time-based media, it may be more stable under macOS 10.12 Sierra when using features that rely on QuickTime.   This is true of all of the main CS applications (Illustrator, After Effects, InDesign, Premiere Pro,  Media Encoder, and Audition).

On both Mac and Windows, Adobe supports the current OS and the prior two OS versions.  With macOS 11 Big Sur being released just this month, macOS 10.13 High Sierra is now four versions back instead of three.  As such, the latest version of some Adobe software like Photoshop version 22.0.1, Illustrator 25.0.1, InDesign 16.0, and XD version 35.1.12 will show as "not compatible" in Creative Cloud Desktop; however, some current versions like After Effects 17.5.1, Premiere Pro 14.6, Media Encoder 14.6 are still compatible with High Sierra.  But, again, based on Adobe's policy to support the current and two versions prior, users of High Sierra can expect support to end soon for all Adobe applications.  That said, the versions that have always been compatible with High Sierra (including CS6) will remain so.  Of course, anything CC2018 and older is no longer supported by Adobe.  Users who continue to run old Adobe software with a compatible OS (Mac or Windows) do so without support available from Adobe.

Regarding "all today's Mac apps are scheduled for death around 2022", that is not accurate.  Intel-based applications that are not updated to Universal will run under Rosetta 2 on Apple Silicon-based Macs.  So far, many applications that ran well under macOS Mojave and macOS Catalina run fine under emulation.  However, Intel-based applications will continue to run on Intel-based Macs and Silicon-based applications run on each.  For example, Final Cut Pro X 10.5 runs on both Intel-based Macs and Silicon-based Macs.  The main reason to upgrade hardware at this time is for the significant performance boosts; however, if an Intel-based Mac is running fine users can use it for years to come.

Regardless of platform, if users choose to run older software, they must maintain compatible OS and hardware.

[Test Screen Name]

Warren, I stand by my dates, though 2022 is speculation of course.  I base this on when a new macOS kills old apps, because while upgrading MacOS is optional, new Macs very quickly come with the new system. Of course, old apps keep running on old Macs and old systems, at least until Apple finds a way to put a stop to such unprofitable nonsense.

So... " CS2 [would have stopped working] around 2011" CS2 was not Intel native so it relied on Rosetta. Rosetta was available from 2007, but not in MacOS 10.7, released 2011.

"CS6 and CC up to 2018 around 2019" All of the apps up to CC 2019 were killed in 2019 by Catalina. Not by the 64-bit requirement only, but crucially by the requirement for Notarization.

"All today's Mac apps are scheduled for death around 2022." Here is where we get to speculation. Since new Macs will all be ARM based soon, all existing apps (assuming no retail apps are M1 yet) depend on Rosetta 2. Rosetta 1 had a life of 4 years, but I expect Rosetta 2 to have a life of only 2 years. I base this figure, rather randomly, on Apple talking about a "2 year transition" to ARM. What else can they mean, but the lifespan of Rosetta 2, presumably gone in MacOS 11.2, late 2022.

[Warren Heaton]

What you are explaining now is not what you said earlier.

Thank, the second tome around, for clarification so that beginning and intermediate Mac users are not mislead.

[JJMack]

It is you Photoshop 6 has expired its not longer is alive.  You need to accept this however you have a choice you can continue the live in the past and use dead software and old hardware that still functions. When your lifetime is over you will have no choice you will be dead.  It does not matter If Adobe or Microsoft killed Photoshop 6 or it died of old age in the current world Photoshop 6 is dead.  I do not need to call you anything you just need to face reality.

[D Fosse]

"they seem to have lost interest in that."

Indeed, and that's probably why Microsoft stopped trying. They saw what Apple regularly got away with.

That's probably also why Adobe now requires a relatively recent Windows version (currently 1809). That's on par with the Mac requirement for Mojave or later.

[davescm]

Conspiracy theory ?????

Are you suggesting that Adobe's developers should have looked forward twenty years and made sure that Photoshop was written to be compatible with hardware and software that would be current today. Perhaps you could look forward and advise Adobe's developers now what hardware and software will be current in 2040 so that they can ensure today's version is compatible.

As was said above Microsoft did a pretty good job of retaining backward compatibility but there comes a point where old APIs are holding you back and you have to let them go. We all complain of bugs when all combinations of operating systems and drivers are not fully tested, or slowness when we are still using ancient APIs.

Either freeze the whole system (hardware which is both PCs and cameras, operating system software and application software) or be prepared to keep all three in sync as you update.

Dave

[digi5CD9]

I'm suggesting... we're talking about Microsoft. One minute EVERYTHING I
had and was working fine... the next minute stuff stops working. The update
shouldn't have been required until I needed it and chose to download it. I
guess it was for my own good... right? In the words of Cool Hand Luke... "I
wish you'd stop being so good to me boss."

[D Fosse]

It isn't. The semi-annual version updates are optional until you choose to install it. They just sit there patiently waiting.

Sooner or later I suppose it becomes more insistent because of security concerns, but the point is that you have time to do some research - you don't have to install it before you want to. 

[Jacqueline6C19]

Agree with you 100 percent, why did I pay for a lifetime user agreement and then just because the Windows version changed, I am now expected to repurchase programs at high cost, or monthly fees!  This is absolutely unacceptable.  And if I want to upgrade my versions that should be my decision, if I am happy with the version I used, not the decision of multi-billionare companies forcing us to have to re-purchase programs.  Agree, again this is shameful.  I have so many programs, many in graphics, I had been using for years (PAID A LOT) very happy with them, so yes SHAME on all involved!!!  And with the many programs I have the cost to replace them would be astronomical since I have again, PAID a lot for them in the first place!  And does feel like collusion between the two companies and many others companies are following the disgraceful practice of making us re-purchase or pay monthly for the programs we are happy with already!

[D Fosse]

"I am now expected to repurchase programs at high cost, or monthly fees! This is absolutely unacceptable. And if I want to upgrade my versions that should be my decision"

You misunderstand. There's no re-purchasing involved. The subscription is valid for any and all CC version you may or may not have.

And it is entirely your choice to upgrade or not. You don't have to update if you don't want to.

However, what has changed recently, is that the older versions are no longer supported or offered for download. Only the current and the one previous version is now available in the CC app. That is an inconvenience and a problem for people with old operating systems/hardware who can't run the latest versions.

But you should still be able to find older offline installers here: https://prodesigntools.com/ 

[JJMack]

Lifetime is a duration you do not have control over unless you prematurely end yours. CS2 lifetime  is over.  Its corpse can be used with old stuff.

[Warren Heaton]

Software never dies.  It just become legacy.

"Its corpse can be used with old stuff" is a great way to put it.

[Jacqueline6C19]

Also, why can't we just re-download and add our registration key in?  That is the fair and honest way to do business and take care of customers.  But, they want the money from us to re-purchase new or monthly fees!  Fair and honest doesn't seem in the vocabulary of these multi-billion dollar companies!

[Warren Heaton]

If you have the installer, the serial number, and the compatible OS then it will probably work.

The better bet is that it's already installed.

However, it is no longer supported bu Adobe if something does not go as expected.