Photoshop CS3 Activation [CS3 is dead]

[matt_blodgett]

I purchased Photoshop CS3 several years ago, but have lost the installation disc along with the activation key.  I never registered the product on adobe's website.  I do have 2 machines that I have activated the software on previously.  In addition, I have a backed up copy of my photoshop folder from "Program Files" in Windows.  Is there any way to retrieve the activation key from my backed up folder?  Or can Adobe check based on my MAC address and find the key based on the 2 computers that have successfully activated previously?

[JJMack]

Adobe stole nothing they own Photoshop.  You purchased a licence to use CS3 which you you did for years.  When Abobe  declared CS3 life was ending Adobe provide their Old CS3 Customers a web URL they could use to downloads a new CS3 Installer to installs a CS3 version that does not need to be activated in case they wanted to install CS3 in the future for support was ending.  All old CS3 users needed to do was use the URL. Sign into their Adobe Account and Provide their CS3 Serial number.  The Web applet would then give them access to the new Installer download and a new serial number they needed to use to install their download.   Adobe has reciently taken down that Web applet.  Adobe offically has stoped all support for CS3.  You failed to get a copy you can use.  Even If you get a copy of that download you can not install it for you did not obtain a serial number to install it.  You old CS3 serial number is not  valid for the new installer. You failed to renew your CS3 licence and it can no longer be renewed.   I had no problem installing CS3 on my Windows 10 workstation for  I downloaded the new installer and obtained a new serial number for CS3 like I did for CS2. 

Both CS2 and CS3 are dead old 32bit software applications that are no longer available for purchase or download and there is no support for them at all. Even when installed they can not take advantage of  some of your OS features and some of  of your machine hardware.  CS3 was developed for older OS versions and older hardware. Adobe and other developers have newer image editing application for a reasonable prices that will work much better than CS3.

You will be better of with  a newer 64bit image editor application that are developed for current OS versions and current hardware.  You probably should stay away from Creative Cloud Photoshop.  Adobe support is very poor every update installs more and more bugs.  You need to keep several version od Photoshop installed so you will have a version the will work till Adobe fixes the next round of bugs.   Photoshop Element 2020 is under $100 and is not subscription software and it should work better than CS3 for you.

 Adobes policy is normal Products have a life span support ends. 

[micheller28009829]

I did get the new installer and a new serial number for my desktop that is Windows 10 and I am still using it now!  So you are saying if I ever have to reinstall on this same computer I will be able to???  We just cannot install it on new or additional?? 

[davescm]

It depends what you have Michelle. For a while a non activation download was made available from Adobe. If you have that installed it should re-install. If your copy requires activation, it will not.

Of course, as operating systems move on, old versions become incompatible as happened recently with Mac Catalina.

Dave

[JJMack]

Yes you should be able to install it.  To be legal you should not have it installed on more than two machines.  CS3 was a good version of Photoshop. Still its old and outdated.  I only use it to help others and to have access to removed features like Web Photo gallery and Picture package.  Updates made in to Plug-in support in Creative Cloud CS6 killed old Plug-ins like Web Photo gallery and Picture.   The last time they were distributed was in the optional CS5 plug-ins download.

Perpetual versions of Photoshop are also platform dependant.  CS3 being a 32 Application will not run on new Mac OS  only  64 bit applications can run on the current version of Mac OSX .  So its curtains for Mac users.  That may happen to Windows users in the future who know.  Nothing Last forever.....

[micanichi64]

If you have been backing up to an external disk with an app like Carbon Copy Cloner, it's possible to boot up from that disk to an older OS that contains a functioning, activated version of the CS you purchased (the $1800 Design Premium in my case). Though situated in the past, this works very well and is still useful if you say, run into issues when printing from Ps 2020 to an older Epson that you didn't have with your old Ps version.

That said, after visiting every [CS3 is dead] thread, I invested in a newer iMac and am subscribed to many of the latest Adobe apps via Creative Cloud. They work very well, just as my old Adobe CS did/does.

[davescm]

Hi

I don't understand your point on a $2000 investment two months ago. A full all applications CC subscription does not cost that and gives you the ability to update to Catalina compatible CC application versions. What exactly did you invest your $2000 in?

Dave

[micanichi64]

I have a working iMac with CS3 that after a crash required reactivation. I could not reactivate the software so in order to have working Adobe software again, I needed to buy a new computer which is what I did (the $2,000).

The tenor of the CS3 is dead threads is that you need the latest OS and hardware to run Adobe applications. That is understandable and costly.

ps The original Adobe software cost $1800, I think it should function as long as the computer on which was orginally installed remains in operation (it does and sits next to the new computer). There was no outward indication that CS3 would stop working at a certain point.

[JJMack]

Correct Apple moved on to support newer hardware and did not maintain their OS to be compatible with old application.  Microsoft does the best it can to protect users software investment in this regard.  And even has some compatibility options users can try to use to get some very old software running on windows 10.  Even they can not gets CS3 to install and activate  because Adobe retired their CS3 activation servers.  Before Adobe retired their CS3 activation servers they made and version of Photoshop  CS3 that does not need to be Activated for their old users still using CS3.   That will install and run on windows 10 it will not run on new Mac  operating system. Even if you downloaded the CS3 that does not require Activation you can not switch  to Windows  for your cs3 was Platform specific  Mac or PC.    Mac users must live with old apple software to use old CS3.

[micanichi64]

Agreed.