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Participant
June 18, 2019
Answered

Screwed by Adobe [CS6 serial number revoked by Adobe]

  • June 18, 2019
  • 6 replies
  • 8130 views

Imagine going to an authorised VW dealership and buying a brand new Golf.  You pay a lot of money for it, but you love it.  A week later, the dealership takes your new Golf away.  When you eventually find out that they took it away, you ask WHY???  They say, so sorry, but you have non genuine VW parts in your vehicle, so you can no longer have it.  Pulling your hair out, you tell them that you bought it FROM THEIR DEALERSHIP. Oh, so so sorry that this happened to you.

This is what Adobe has done to me today.

I purchased CS4 from B&H in 2009, registered it with the serial number.

I then purchased CS5 from Adobe,

and in 2012, I purchased CS6 from Adobe.

Just this weekend, I had to reinstall it.

Alas - your serial number has been revoked.

I have been trying to prove that I purchased these products from Adobe, and that THEY gave me the serial numbers.

I managed to find Adobe's "Thank you for the purchase" email, sent directly after making the CS6 purchase, and then another with my serial number for CS6.

Even today, on my account, there is a record of my registered CS4, the CS5 purchase and the CS6 order number and serial number.

But I don't have the invoice, which is what they are asking for.

That's how they are going to screw me.

I recently purchased CC, running on my new iMac.  But I still want my CS6 running on my old iMac.

I purchased all this software.  Adobe owes me MY CS6 serial number!

Has this happened to anyone else?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Nancy OShea

    An alternative to downgrading is to run a virtual machine with an older, compatible MacOS installation. VMWare Fusion ($80) allows you to run nearly any version of the previous MacOS environment up to the latest MacOS release. There will be a performance reduction but it will still allow you to run 32 bit apps under Catalina. You can also restore an old Time Machine backup to a Fusion VM, restoring all of your previous applications, configurations and files. This should include a functional Adobe installation. If the Adobe license manager balks at allowing you access to your paid version you can petition Adobe for a resolution.


    It's 2020 now.  As an update to this old discussion, Adobe Customer Care Agents cannot help you with anything related to CS software except an activation count reset.  Creative Suite is discontinued, unsupported and no longer receiving updates.  Use at your own risk. 

     

    6 replies

    Participant
    June 9, 2021

    I will like to add my name to the 'screwed by Adobe' list.

     

    We purchased a copy of CS5 Design SUITE via a lisenced reseller whose name is STILL on their website.

     

    With one redemption code we got from Adobe's OWN WEBSITE. We got TWO serial codes - one for CS5 and one for Acrobat. That is the entire design suite.

     

    We are on a photoshop subscription now because it is the one program we use frequently. But we pull illustrator and INDD files from our archives once in a while. With the upgrade to a new desktop, MAGICALLY, the CS5 serial is revoked because it is 'pirated'. But the Acrobat 9 is 'still genuine'.

     

    So... half the suit is suddenly pirated? 

     

    Support India was absolutely rude. First she tells me I bought a pirate. Then she tells me the reseller isn't genuine, "it's not on adobe's site! Go to Adobe.com to check!" until I yelled over her to go look under Hong Kong region - then she let that argument drop. And then she tried to tell me the reason why my serial doesn't work is because I'm in North America now so the region is bad - but my Acrobat installation as of last week worked fine and just the CS5 half is 'invalid' - so she let that argument drop too. And now she tells me I have to go back 10 years to find a 'proof of purchase' to 'escalate' (not fix) this.

     

    Meanwhile we receive an email from Adobe support saying if it is a real pirate then the entire suite (BOTH serials) shouldn't work - which isn't the chase. Meanwhile in live chat support the guy is telling me that the acrobat code is genuine but the CS5 half is pirated and the only resolution is "buy our sub, discounted!"

     

    Yes, this is happening to me right now and I am waiting on said Platinum reseller to MAYBE look into their archives of 10 years and give me a proof of purchase (like that is going to happen).

     

    You are not alone.

    Participant
    August 24, 2020

    It is complet bs....adobe should be in a class action law suit for this.  I to had my license revoked after a sucessfull regristration and use for 3 years.  They have the gall to tell me i was dupped... If so,  then Adobe is a unsrouplous and illegal and willingly allow retailers like @ebay to sell their products, receive the compensation only to steal your property 3 years later.  This should be held accountable.  Coinidentially after 3 years and all you can do is produce an email stating what your bought, they tell you that for 3 years your were dupped.  So for three years it was ok,  now it isn't?????  registered my my email and IP's.  No, its because they ripped it off me.  Scum. 

    Briar Patch Ken
    Participant
    December 12, 2019

    I have also been SCREWED by Adobe when I purchased perpetual Photoshop CS6 licence and installed it on my Laptop (Windows).  When I bought a new desktop (Mac) I asked why the dual OS version did not work on my Mac and they gave me a new serial number which worked until the latest MAC OS upgrade....  So I went back to my laptop (Windows) to continue working and it no longer worked... serial number revoked...  Chatted with Adobe and they said they could do nothing because the "one time OS change policy" did not allow it.....  I do not understand why they revoked my existing and operating laptop Windows version ( maaybe greed has something to do with it and keeping customers was the old way).  Been a Photoshop user since 1998 and am very disappointed in Adobe.   Looking for alternatives like Affinity (sadly)....

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    December 13, 2019

    Adobe did not create your predicament.  You did when you upgraded your Mac OS to Catalina without checking compatibility first.  A 2020 operating system needs compatible 2020 software.  Catalina killed all possibility of running older 32-bit apps which is what legacy software is.  The best advice I have is to revert back to your old operating system and stay there.    Or get a 1 year Photography Plan for $10/month.  Your choice. 

    https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

     

     

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    Participant
    August 9, 2020

    An alternative to downgrading is to run a virtual machine with an older, compatible MacOS installation. VMWare Fusion ($80) allows you to run nearly any version of the previous MacOS environment up to the latest MacOS release. There will be a performance reduction but it will still allow you to run 32 bit apps under Catalina. You can also restore an old Time Machine backup to a Fusion VM, restoring all of your previous applications, configurations and files. This should include a functional Adobe installation. If the Adobe license manager balks at allowing you access to your paid version you can petition Adobe for a resolution.

    Kat14
    Participant
    July 6, 2019

    I called adobe and purchased through them. Same thing happened to me. I purchased Primmer pro too. It works fine.

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    July 6, 2019

    Users that have a legal Adobe Licence to use Products like Perpetual Photoshop tha can not install their Products have to work with Adobe support to get the Product installed.  User here do not work for Adobe and we cans not access and modify Adobe's Activation Servers databases.  Users need to use Adobe Customer support to get their Adobe Products installed.

    JJMack
    JJMack
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 19, 2019

    It sound like your CS6 Perpetual serial was for an upgrade from CS5.  When you install CS6 you will need to provide your CS6 Upgrade Serial and your CS5 serial.  The only qualifying product for a CS6 upgrade was CS5.

    JJMack
    zactknAuthor
    Participant
    June 19, 2019

    Well the Install doesn’t get that far. it prompts me for the CS6 serial number and goes no further. I have a legit CS5 serial number.

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 19, 2019

    Then You need to deal directly with Adobe. Adobe users here can not help only Adobe can. Are you sure that you are entering the serials registered to you Adobe User account at Adobe.com.  Manage you account  then look for My products Adobe should show you all your serial numbers for CS4, CS5 and CS6 version 13 is CS6

    JJMack
    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 18, 2019

    It sounds like CS4 was your qualifying product and that serial number is not genuine.  And since everything else is an upgrade on top of that purchase, you're kind of stuck.  Unfortunately, this is a user-to-user forum.  Nobody here can help you.   I think your complaint isn't with Adobe but the company B&H who sold you the qualifying product.  And that's who you need to settle this with.

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    zactknAuthor
    Participant
    June 18, 2019

    No Nancy

    B&H gave me a legit serial number.

    Adobe is happy with it, as well as with my CS5 serial number.

    It's the CS6 serial number that they have an issue with, even though I purchased it from Adobe.

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 18, 2019

    Then you must settle this with Adobe Customer Care.

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert