How to Activate CS5.5 Offline!

[allan=ia]

I have a legitimate copy of CS5.5. Recently an MS update BSOD'd my SP4 (3rd time in two years - Grrr). I've reinstalled my CS5.5 (Acrobat and Dreamweaver only), but cannot activate online. I believe this is because my ISP now uses CG-NAT, so in effect I am double NATed and as a result CS5.5 thinks that I'm not connected to the internet - I AM, I'm posting this.

I was directed to an offline activation page, but CS5.5 does not generate activation request codes (it was designed in the days of telephone activation). CS5.5 only provides me with information that was meant to be given to adobe to validate the product. So how can I perform an offline activation for CS5.5?

[Richardnz]

I have had a reply which says it is the resolution. They say to uninstall the software, and then to download a copy of it via a link they sent me, and to then install this. They have given me some links to download the software version I have, which is the Master Collection. The explaination is that I was trying to install the software using an old method. I was installing via DVD that I purchased from a local retailer. I haven't yet tried this as it is still downloading as it is a 5GB file, but wondering if this solution was provided to anyone else, and if it worked. 

[allan=ia]

That is similar to where support ended up with my software and it has stalled. They downloaded a file from the archive as engineering said that the CD-ROM installer would no longer work. The problem with that from my end is that my Serial Number is for an upgrade version and therefore will not work with the copy that they downloaded because it's not an upgrade product. The support tech was trying to get me a new SN to proceed and see if that solution works, but I'm still waiting.

So if your copy is an original copy and not an upgrade it could well be worth the try. Please let me know how you get on.

[Richardnz]

Thanks. I have tried it but it still was not able to activate. This version however did give the option to activate over the telephone. However becuase I closed the actviation screen, and set it to attempt activation at next lauch, I can't get the activation screen to reappear. However I looked at the amt3.log file, and it still shows it is on the 30 day trial, and the deactviation is disabled in the menus. When it is activated, I should be able to 'deactviate ' it from the 'help' > 'Deactivate' tab in the menus. Do you know how to force the activation screen to reappear again? I think I have to wait for about 7 days for it to reappear, which is what happened last time. If I can force it to reappear again, I maybe able to see what he telephone activation process involves.

[allan=ia]

Hi Richard. I think you may be right in needing to wait 7 days. I have never found a way to force the activation screen to come up, but the support person did. But he changed so much I'm not sure which thing he tried worked. One thing that may work is to uninstall and reinstall. Given that you're not activated, there should be no need to deactivate, but if the de-install screen gives you the option (mine did), then I'd tick that box. I also suspect that once you get there, that you're likely to see the same screen as you can see further up in these posts. The Description 1 item in mine is only 25 characters long, so unless your screen gives you a 44 character version, neither you nor support are going to be able to use the off-line activation process.

[allan=ia]

Just to note Richard, I'm seeing messages from you which do not sho here and do not show in my private message area - so not sure how that all works. Just for the record, I understand that you tried the archived version that support told you to download and that still did not work. Is that correct, or are you still trying to get the activation screen back up?

Please respond directly on the thread so that we can maintain a record of the problem and hopefully, eventually a resolution.

[Richardnz]

Tahnks, I am not sure how that works either, I am just pressing the blue reply button in the thread. So I didn't know my messages weren't appearing on the public thread properly.

Yes I have installed the updated version via the link the Adobe support sent me, and that also doesn't actviate. Same internet connection error. The file link they sent had the word 'trial' in teh filename, so I think that used to be the version they had on their website at one stage which you could download to try out, and purchase online. So it is probably the most upto date version, but there were still application updates it needed to download after that. So I am not really any closer to getting it resolved either. I should be pretty simple for Adobe to work out what is going on here with their activation server, it probably just needs escalating to the right people in their organisation.

[Richardnz]

I see there was someone else on another thread in the last few days at https://community.adobe.com/t5/get-started/cannot-deactivate-cs5/m-p/10790886 who was wasn't able to deactivate their CS 5 software, and it was coming up with a similar 'no internet connection warning'. So I suspect this is affecting most people who are reinstalling or deactviating the software. I suspect there aren't a large number doing this due to it being an older version, and most people here would be using the monthly subscription version of the software, and haven't purhcased it outright.

My situation is that I am still waiting for one of their managers to provide me with a solution. With telling me that that I need to use a downloadable file, instead of the dvd I was sold, as things have changed at adobes end, suggest that they have certainly changed things at their end. But their solution didn't work, and it is still won't activate.  I just dont want to waste any further hours on it, and I don;t want my software non operational either. I understand with some older versions of CS, they provided people with versions that didn't need activating, after I understand they shut down the activation servers for older versions. So perhaps they will need to do that again for people who have purchased CS 5.5, so it doesn't risk expiring after 30 days of no actviation. 

[allan=ia]

Yes clearly we are both experiencing exactly the same thing. I managed to find my old CS3 dreamweaver disks (and serial number) and was able to download the non-activation version of Dreamweaver CS3 (just to make sure that I had it in case all else fails), but that does not solve the issue of the rest of CS5.5 not working. I now have a non functional system and cannot even use Acrobat as the support tech downloaded the archived version, but it will not accept my serial number as its a serial number for the upgrade disk.

At the very least as more and more people get to try deactivating and activating, this thread will provide evidence that they are not going mad and that it's a common problem. Hopefully it might eventually include a solution. A non-activation version of CS5/5.5 in the same vein as was done for CS3 would be a really good solution at this point.

I really do want my CS5.5 working and I have wasted hours and hours and hours on this problem running around in circles following non-solutions from Adobe.

[Jeff A Wright]

Allan_ia, thank you for your private message, I am showing that case ADB-10276544-N0L0 is still active and the errors you are experiencing continues to be investigated.  Please use the process listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/customer-support-portal.html to review your open support case.  

[allan=ia]

Okay, but I just hope that somewhere Adobe is seeing this as a multi-person problem and not wasting time treating each one as an individual case. If multiple people are experiencing the same problem, then it points to a common issue.

[slpProjects]

I can't deactivate and get CS5 out of my system. I need to clear C: drive space. Can't believe there is no fix for this still in 2023.

[kglad]

deactivating is unrelated to drive space.

did you use the adobe cleaner?

[slpProjects]

No. Where do I get it? I want to deactivate then uninstall. The programs are still in my computer, although I don't see them in my install/uninstall list.

[kglad]

https://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cs5clean.html

[Richardnz]

Jeff_A_Wright , I am also one of the affected customers by this and have ticket ADB-10337430-R9Z3 open for it . One problem with your support system, is that it doesn't show Adobes replies, I can only see my replies. So I am not sure if I have missed emails about it, as I haven't heard anything for several days on a solution. I was told it would be 48 hours and I would have a solution.  I have asked for it to be escalated to a New Zealand Manager. As this CS activation server problem seems to be affecting a growing number of people on different threads in the community forums, and it doesn't appear anyone has yet had it resolved,  it would make sense for Adobe to post some form of update here as to what is being done about it.

[Jeff A Wright]

Richardnz, I am sorry you are facing problems utilizing Creative Suite 5.5.  In addition to case ADB-10337430-R9Z3, you also have case ADB-10337858-J1Q9 and ADB-10337430-R9Z3 open and all three are pending your response.  You can use the process listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/customer-support-portal.html to update your recent support cases. If you are unable to do so, then please use a different web browser, smartphone, or tablet to update your active support cases.

In addition, the case notes indicate that you are encountering errors utilizing your serial number for Creative Suite 5.5. Regardless, you will want to continue updating your support cases so that the errors you are encountering are resolved.

[Richardnz]

Thanks, I am not sure how that works either, I am just pressing the blue reply button in the thread. So I didn't know my messages weren't appearing on the public thread properly.

Yes I have installed the updated version via the link the Adobe support sent me, and that also doesn't actviate. Same internet connection error. The file link they sent had the word 'trial' in teh filename, so I think that used to be the version they had on their website at one stage which you could download to try out, and purchase online. So it is probably the most upto date version, but there were still application updates it needed to download after that. So I am not really any closer to getting it resolved either. I should be pretty simple for Adobe to work out what is going on here with their activation server, it probably just needs escalating to the right people in their organisation.

I will also post this s a direct reply to you first post, so  hopefully it appears correctly

[PIXILAB]

Hi, i have the same "Missing Internet Connection" error but with deactivation of my Photoshop CS5 now. I had this problem in October or November already but it was solved by itself somehow. I was able to deactivate and reinstall Win10 with a fresh installation of PS then. Now the activation/deactivation seems to be broken again.

I can just see a blank page if i open https://activate.adobe.com/servlets/status.jsp and i'm unable to ping activate.adobe.com. I didn't receive any email about server problems or something else. Don't know what to do now. 😞

[Jeff A Wright]

Pixilab, and future posters who are facing activation errors with Creative Suite, please contact our support team at https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html, if the solutions listed in http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/activation-deactivation-products.html is not working for you.  Only our chat support team will be able to provide the required assistance to resolve activation errors.  This does require that you begin a chat session, using a browser that accepts cookies.  You can also use the process listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/customer-support-portal.html to update any recent support cases.

Creative Suite 5 and 5.5 were both released in 2010, so you will find that any support provided will be towards resolving activation and licensing errors only.  Our current software offerings use completely different licensing and activation technology, so please expect delays for any support requests that are not resolved by the steps listed in http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/activation-deactivation-products.html.

For more information regarding the future of the software titles included within Creative Suite see https://www.adobe.com/products/cs6.html.

[allan=ia]

Hi Jeff, Pixilab and all. I agree with Jeff that we all need to lodge support requests and work with support to resolve this problem. However, I also recommend that we keep in touch via this thread for the following reasons:

1) There is a common problem but we are each getting conflicting answers from different support operatives ranging from "we cannot help you - period" to " you can only off-line activate in the first 7-days after purchase".

2) There appears to be no common understanding within different support personel about the nature of the problem. For example, Jeff, you note that Richardnz's support notes show that support is awaiting a response from him, whereas as I understand it, he is awaiting a response from them as they said they would contact him within 48 hours. Also despite the notes apparently suggesting that his problem is his serial number not being accepted, I believe his problem is that the serial number is accepted but the product will not activate.

3) As per 2) above, I initially had 3 tickets closed off as solved and noted as "client not responding" even though the support person was telling me that they could not help me and directing me here. By sharing information here, we can at least help each other through this support process - this is after all a community support forum and we are the community experiencing the problem.  (I have learned much about navigating this support system since being here - its not like you use Adobe support etc on a regular basis and understand what to do.)

4) I strongly encourage everyone to keep up your contact with support even if they are not responding. This ensures that your ticket remains open. In my case, I was last told that I would recieve a response last Friday, but I have had no contact since last Thursday. Each day or two now I am posting a request on my support ticket for an update. This prevents someone from thinking that you have gone to sleep or solved the problem. To do this go to https://account.adobe.com/ , login to your account and click on Support History. Then click on your currrent open ticket(s) and post any status updates. (I believe, but have not tested that you can re-open a closed ticket by posting to that ticket). FWIW, while my ticket shows as still be active, despite my repeated requests for an update, I am not getting any response in relation to my open ticket.

As Jeff says this product is now out of support and we cannot expect more than the resolution of activation problems. However we can expect to have our legititmate problems with activation resolved. We paid for a product which Adobe chooses to require activation for it to work and which will not activate for reasons yet to be determined, but for which all evidence suggests that the Adobe activation servers are not responding to the CS5/5.5 activation request.

[Richardnz]

allan_ia I think I have managed to get this resolved. In Adobes supports last email to me, they provied me with what they called an 'activation number', which I presumed had to be entered if you select the' not able to connect to the internet option. But I couldn't get the activation page to reappear so I couldn't enter it, even though the log file showed that it still wasn't activated. The 'deactivate' buttons were also still greyed out in the software such as photoshop, which showed it hadn't activated.

However support then told me that is actually a new serial number. 

So using the downloadable link to the software, and using that new serial number, it did then successfully activate. Support also told me not to download any of the updates, even if I get popup. I believe it was an Adobe Acrobat X update that initially caused the activation problem for me it in the first place, as the software had been working fine in windows 7 until out of the blue I got an activation popup error, which wasn’t long after I applied the acrobat update. So there are about 1GB of CS 5.5 updates that I could download for it, but have been told not to install, as that may affect it's activation. It does seem that the activation system is a bit temperamental,  and it may have been updated in some way so not to work with older DVD versions of the software, so it doesn't appear to be  giving the correct error messages.  So I suspect anyone who is affected by this needs to get a new serial number generated, and to use the downloadable version of the software . I am not sure how it affects those who purchased via an upgrade, as that would probably make installation more difficult. I think part of the frustration is also that we are dealing with support in India, and I think there is a bit of a language barrier with them communicating things back to the customer. Hence why even though it was an activation error I was getting, where it said it couldn't connect to the internet, it appears that the error was related to the serial number and they weren't communicating that to me, and possibly the DVD version of the software having outdated activation files. So it appears only the downloadable version now can allow activation, and a new serial number needs to be used for it. I just hope it stays activated this time.  Also it doesn’t appear the manual activation method and URL is a valid way to activate it either

[allan=ia]

Great news Richard. After a week of silence, support have finally got back to me and asked for the Log files which I've generated and uploaded.

I wonder if the new serial # they have given you is one that does not need remote activation? (This is now how CS3 activation works. After they validate your original SN, they then provide a link to the software and provide a new serial number). My last contact before today was that they were trying to get me a new serial number for the downloaded version and that they would email it to me last Friday. Perhaps I too will have a new serial number before long and can activate the version that was downloaded last Thursday. Finger's crossed.

[Richardnz]

allan_ia I am sure you will get it resolved, as it is definitely solvable. You may need them to remotely do the reinstall for you, and remove some old configuration files, as uninstalling the old software doesn't get rid of all those old files. I was on the phone with them for the best part of two hours this last time going through the reinstall, and luckily it was a good outcome. Good luck.

[Anne_Loes]

Hi Jeff,

Sorry for sending both DM and replying here - but am still trying to figure out a solution.

In a chat with your support colleagues, it was stated that activation servers for 5.5 are no longer available.

Could this be the cause of the problems with activating (and deactivating?) 5.5?

Many thanks, kind regards,

Gregor Flüggen (on behalf of Anne Loes Nillesen).

[Jeff A Wright]

Gregor, please update your open support case using the process listed in https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/customer-support-portal.html regarding any errors you are facing with the activation process.  Only our chat support team will be able to provide any further assistance for the activation errors you are encountering.