Adobe has retired the activation servers for Creative Suite 3 (CS3) and Acrobat 8 applications and has left CS3 users hanging. When the software is opened, a request for activation appears that cannot be activated because Adobe no longer has activation servers. Instead, you are told to request a new serial key for a 'special version' of the software that has to be installed to replace the original software. According to Adobe, the 'special version' of the software does not require activation.
After requesting a new serial key and installing the 'special version' twice, I still get the message that the software has to be activated. I have spent hours online and on the phone with customer support and no one seems to be able to resolve this issue. I now have Photoshop CS3 that I purchased for a substantial amount of money that I can no longer use because I can't activate it. Is anyone else having this problem and is there an answer? Adobe has retired the activation servers for Creative Suite 3 (CS3) and Acrobat 8 applications and has left CS3 users hanging. When the software is opened, a request for activation appears that cannot be activated because Adobe no longer has activation servers. Instead, you are told to request a new serial key for a 'special version' of the software that has to be installed to replace the original software.
According to Adobe, the 'special version' of the software does not require activation. After requesting a new serial key and installing the 'special version' twice, I still get the message that the software has to be activated. I have spent hours online and on the phone with customer support and no one seems to be able to resolve this issue. I now have Photoshop CS3 that I purchased for a substantial amount of money that I can no longer use because I can't activate it.
Is anyone else having this problem and is there an answer? 've followed the following instructions given by Nancy OShea. It worked:Activation or connection error CS3, Acrobat 8It's official. CS3 Activation Servers have been retired. If you have CS3 or Acrobat 8, see this help article for further details on how to obtain a replacement version & new serial number that does not require activation. This is not freeware. You will be asked to log-in with your Adobe ID and provide a valid CS3 serial number.NOTE: For best results, remove your old CS3 / Acrobat 8 BEFORE installing the replacement version.
Below is a link to the CS Cleaner Tool.If after installing replacement version you still see an Activation Countdown, remove the cache.db file from this folder.Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Adobe/Adobe PCD/cache/When prompted for serial number, enter the new one. And click on Never Register.Restart your computer. Since I have an old CS3 license, I did the swap, copied the serial number they gave me (Ctrl c/Ctrl v into Notepad) and downloaded the installer. I refused the akamai option and they let me download it via browser.I unpacked and ran the installer and restarted as asked.
(Windows 10)I launched CS3, pasted the serial number I had copied from Notepad and what I got was a Registration Screen. I clicked on Never Register and CS3 went through the splash screen and opened. I hope you got that serial number correct.I closed and restarted and it still launches. That's all I can tell you. I had CS2, CS6 Subscription version 13.1.2, CC, CC 2014, CC 2015, CC 2015.5 and CC 2017 installed and all up to date. I used the new CS3 link entered my CS3 serial followed the instructions.
Downloaded the new CS3 install and noted the serial number provided for me. I installed CS3 with the serial after entering that numbers there was a messaged about the activation server could not be connected to. That would not be normal for the no longer exist. Activation is not required. I then downloaded the CS3 Update patch and ACR 4.6 for CS3 and installed the patch and ACR 4.6.
I had no problem and also did not have the problem gener7 had, CC 2014 is still the default version of Photoshop one my machine. I only use newer version of Photoshop to test other users problems. They have too many issues IMO the should not ne you default Photoshop application. CS3 was one of the best version Adobe released, CS4 had GPU support added I never installed it.
CS5 had some issues. CS6 IMO was the buggiest version ever released. It took Adobe ever 5 months to release an update for CS6 that addressed the major issues. 506 core issues were fix with that update only then could I use CS6. If you ever installs CS6 make sure you install all the CS6 updates. CS6 needs them. CC 2014 is quite good.
I too have the same issue, i.e., after uninstalling the old version and installing the 'non-activating' version, it is still wants to reactivate the old serial number and never asks for the new one. After 2 hours waiting for a chat, final chatted with a tech who provided an answer that did not work. He saw I had versions 10 and was thinking that was CS4. I knew I had CS3, but he gave me the download for CS4. That did not work with the old or new serial number, as I expected. Tried to call phone support and hung up after an hour.
That was 2 days ago. Several hours ago I again called support and instead of waiting selected option for a call back. None yet?Is this the usual type of support from Adobe? If so, I will NOT pay a subscription for any of their new products. I went through the same scenario with Adobe support. Spent hours on chat explaining the problem and ended up receiving the same response.
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Dacal 300 software. I called and the answer was that I had to upgrade. What makes me so angry with this is that I paid for this license and now can't use it. I would have considered upgrading except for the fact that now Adobe has a subscription service. After paying for a license and then having to continue to pay to use the software for the rest of my life is unacceptable.
It's all about money! 've followed the following instructions given by Nancy OShea. It worked:Activation or connection error CS3, Acrobat 8It's official. CS3 Activation Servers have been retired. If you have CS3 or Acrobat 8, see this help article for further details on how to obtain a replacement version & new serial number that does not require activation.
This is not freeware. You will be asked to log-in with your Adobe ID and provide a valid CS3 serial number.NOTE: For best results, remove your old CS3 / Acrobat 8 BEFORE installing the replacement version. Below is a link to the CS Cleaner Tool.If after installing replacement version you still see an Activation Countdown, remove the cache.db file from this folder.Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Adobe/Adobe PCD/cache/When prompted for serial number, enter the new one.
And click on Never Register.Restart your computer. Have done all this repeatedly (last time removing the Cache.db) - NO SUCCESS.also, on using cloud cleaner (which I did each time) also says: To verify that the Adobe CC Cleaner Tool completed successfully, in a text editor such as TextEdit, open /Users/user name/Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool.log. Review the log file entries. If any of the entries indicate failure,.Don't know if this qualifies as failure,2017-11-08 13:09:29.265 Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool807:12985 Error in fetching HD product details error = 10so tried to contact and got same old runaround atIs there no one who can solve this problem? Using iMac late 2015 with Sierra 10.12.6.
Started again from scratch - even downloading again CC Cleaner and Installer - nothing showed in trash but clicked empty anyway (in case of ghosts). Shut down after completing installation - (successfully, per setup) - then got into PS using 'reactivate later' and tried update, activate, register - ALL said no connection, so no go. Turned on both wifi and ethernet - still says no connection (nothing new there - has been saying that for ages when I try to update)bottom line - same old: it didn't work. Chat = totally useless. Can't find phone number? Have one 800 number from 2010 - will try A.M. But doubt if it will do any good.
Seems they just don't want anything to do with users except collect their money and leave them up a tree. HOORAY!!!!The PCD must have been the key as I finally was able to open PS without receiving reactivate notice. Will check other components of CS3 but finally feel more positive about their being OK.Followed instruction carefully (only finding the PCD file per your MAC translation). In the middle of the first load, a box will open noting a missing AdobePDF.dll file. Use the browse button and find the file at c:Windows/sysWow64/ Once you have chosen this path, click okay. never happened and find no AdobePDF.dll file on my iMac.
Completed procedure and tried to open PS - got Not connected again but in the ReadMe installation download found reference to checking internet connection AND JAVASCRIPT. Of course, JavaScript NOT enabled so did so, got registrations page - still showing no connection but allowing me to click on Never Register and that was Open Sesame for PS. Later opened PS from dock - no problem - so far.Thanks so much for this advice.
I have lost about a week's work on this - feels like a year of life - but if this is really a 'permanent' fix, you and micheleu both deserve a bunch of medals!!!!!Thanks again. Adobe should really get a MAJOR kick in the ass from the Better Business Bureau or a BIG class action lawsuit. Causing these nightmares for people who put out major bucks for their software and then leaving them stranded in Nightmare Land because they are too cheap to give good support (I wonder how many Adobe executives have made millions $$$). There are lots of artists who are NOT techies using Adobe. I haven't yet started trying to get past the 'final activation step' with my CS3. My old G4 Mac finally died after 15+ years of faithful service, so after buying a refurbished Mac running OS 10.12, now I have a major battle to get CS3 functioning again.
If anyone is good at summarizing and simplifying instructions, all of the above has my brain overheated and smoking. Can anyone list the sequence of steps needed in order to get up and running? My mind is fried after reading all of this.
The last window I got to gave me mumbo-jumbo about firewalls and HTTPS. It says I have 25 days left - is it going to just quit working if I'm unable to jump through all the hoops mentioned on this page? (do U hear a faint voice crying out in the wilderness? (I did all my screaming last night - now I'm down to a faint voice).
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? 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.
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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? If you have the machines the software was activated on and they are working you should be able to extract the Product ID which is different to activation. Your post is slightly confusing as you talk about a MAC address by which I'm guessing you mean the unique ID of the network card in your computer rather than a Mac computer?
So I'll assume your on Windows as you have a Windows backup.Download a copy of Belarc Advisor which is freeIt will produce a list of serial numbers for most of the software on your PC. If you have a Mac you need the commercial version which is not free. If your CS3 was bought as an update to CS2 then this will not work as you'll also require the serial for CS2 -the upgrade qualifying product.You can download the installation media from here. If you have the machines the software was activated on and they are working you should be able to extract the Product ID which is different to activation. Your post is slightly confusing as you talk about a MAC address by which I'm guessing you mean the unique ID of the network card in your computer rather than a Mac computer? So I'll assume your on Windows as you have a Windows backup.Download a copy of Belarc Advisor which is freeIt will produce a list of serial numbers for most of the software on your PC.
If you have a Mac you need the commercial version which is not free. If your CS3 was bought as an update to CS2 then this will not work as you'll also require the serial for CS2 -the upgrade qualifying product.You can download the installation media from here. Honestly, I think Adobe is running a scam on all us. We had older versions that worked perfectly fine. They disabled those versions to force us to subscribe.
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I've 'chatted' with help numerous times to solve the problem,and nothing. My latest error after downloading their install folder 'Photoshop CS3 can't be installed because of a conflict with Photoshop CS3'.I run Windows 10 and had no issue. Been running my Photoshop for about a 1 1/2 years, no problem. I use Photoshop infrequently, so paying $20 a month to make them richer is useless to me.Goodluck to others. We're being held hostage through cyber terrorism. Good evening,I want to thank Gener7 with this answer and his shortcut.I bought an old camera (canon 1D mIII) and could not open the RAW files with my CS version.I found via the right plug-in but had also to find an old CS3 version.To day i Bought it in Holland for $ 30,00 and had ofcourse an problem with the activation.With the link from Gener7 i get an new activationcode and an program from Adobe to install CS3.After putting in de new code everything is working fine.ThanksGreetingsDirk Rotterdam Netherlands.