CS3 from Windows to a Mac?

mcsolas · Jan 23, 2013

I have a CS3 license that I use to do some simple graphics editing with.

I just moved to a mac. I logged into adobe to try and download the apps and saw that it looks like my license is windows only. I had spoken with Adobe support a month ago and they said it could be done. Also thinking about ditching this suite altogether. I am not happy to be tied to such expensive software when really I just want to upgrade DW, PS and AI and I am looking at over $1000 to do so. I am considering it though. Just trying to see if there is any options. I would prefer just to use the license I have, but not sure how easy that will be.

CrickettGrrrl · Jan 23, 2013

mcsolas said:
I have a CS3 license that I use to do some simple graphics editing with.

I just moved to a mac. I logged into adobe to try and download the apps and saw that it looks like my license is windows only. I had spoken with Adobe support a month ago and they said it could be done. Also thinking about ditching this suite altogether. I am not happy to be tied to such expensive software when really I just want to upgrade DW, PS and AI and I am looking at over $1000 to do so. I am considering it though. Just trying to see if there is any options. I would prefer just to use the license I have, but not sure how easy that will be.

It's called a cross platform license transfer and yes, Adobe customer service should be able to help you with that, for free. I did a search and the top hits are from a few years ago, unfortunately, although I remember reading about this on MR fairly recently. Adobe used to charge a nominal fee for disks, but that's not an issue now.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/563862/

mcsolas · Jan 23, 2013

CrickettGrrrl said:
It's called a cross platform license transfer and yes, Adobe customer service should be able to help you with that, for free. I did a search and the top hits are from a few years ago, unfortunately, although I remember reading about this on MR fairly recently. Adobe used to charge a nominal fee for disks, but that's not an issue now.

Thanks! Your post just made my day! Now I know what to ask for when I call support.

edit: I just was on chat & asked to perform this transfer. The support rep. said that it can only be done for the Current Shipping Version of the software. In other words, they said because its a cs3 license, no.

Does anyone run cs3 via Winebottler or VirtualBox?

blesscheese · Jan 25, 2013

mcsolas said:
Thanks! Your post just made my day! Now I know what to ask for when I call support.

edit: I just was on chat & asked to perform this transfer. The support rep. said that it can only be done for the Current Shipping Version of the software. In other words, they said because its a cs3 license, no.

Does anyone run cs3 via Winebottler or VirtualBox?

You may also want to post this question on another forum board. In general, to run something on VirtualBox (or Parallels, or VMWare), you need to install the Windows OS via the install disk. For running some software, you may be better off installing a BootCamp partition on your drive, to run the software.

Wine (as in, Wine is not an emulator) doesn't emulate Windows...it simply runs the API's inside the MacOS (or inside Linux). It can be both an art and a science to getting something to run. Unless you like experimenting, you may be better off with an official emulator or Bootcamp.

mcsolas · Jan 25, 2013

blesscheese said:
You may also want to post this question on another forum board. In general, to run something on VirtualBox (or Parallels, or VMWare), you need to install the Windows OS via the install disk. For running some software, you may be better off installing a BootCamp partition on your drive, to run the software.

Wine (as in, Wine is not an emulator) doesn't emulate Windows...it simply runs the API's inside the MacOS (or inside Linux). It can be both an art and a science to getting something to run. Unless you like experimenting, you may be better off with an official emulator or Bootcamp.

I think I have a few threads open relating to similar matters. With VirtualBox, yes I have windowsxp pro running, it just couldnt see the Mac's file system. I have been all over the place as I try and find my footing on my new mac. Not having Beyond Compare is just bugging me right now but all I can do is keep looking for an alternative or rely on dreamweaver's built in ftp for now, I used to use it during the UltraDev days.

I installed the cs6 trial yesterday. Definitely bummed that I cant move cs3 over for the time being while I get settled in to this new operating system. I was considering an upgrade, but I just wanted to defer that for a few more months. Also I really didnt want to change all the GUI's at once. Leaving a little familiarity for a while was going to allow me to focus on OSX, but now I am relearning CS6 and that basically while still having to do my work. Its ok.. I guess in the long run its going to speed the process along. Its just going to be a busy couple of days...

blesscheese · Jan 25, 2013

mcsolas said:
With VirtualBox, yes I have windowsxp pro running, it just couldnt see the Mac's file system...

Quickly...I'm a little puzzled...After you install WinXP and have it up and running in VirtualBox, you next want to install your Windows CS3 program *inside* the XP virtual machine you are running in VirtualBox.

So, you won't be running it on the Mac side, you will be running it on the Windows side, inside VirtualBox...

mcsolas · Jan 25, 2013

blesscheese said:
Quickly...I'm a little puzzled...After you install WinXP and have it up and running in VirtualBox, you next want to install your Windows CS3 program *inside* the XP virtual machine you are running in VirtualBox.

So, you won't be running it on the Mac side, you will be running it on the Windows side, inside VirtualBox...

Yes I understand this and may still end up doing this. I decided to give cs6 a shot instead of trying to get cs3 running in virtualbox, mainly because I needed to get a few things done right away, so this gave me another month to figure out if I am going to get the upgrade or run cs3 in the manner you are suggesting.

Why I stopped moving forward with that one when I saw windows didnt see any of the files on the mac, as either way those are the files I would want to reference. I wasn't sure if thats specific to virtualbox but I was going to retry again soon with another VM solution. I want to use a file comparison app which doesnt have a mac version and also potentially cs3.

Im actively trying to find workflows that allow me to replace all my apps / workflows with native osx apps. Its been a long week. I apologize if some of the posts are a little all over the place.

blesscheese · Jan 25, 2013

mcsolas said:
Yes I understand this and may still end up doing this. I decided to give cs6 a shot instead of trying to get cs3 running in virtualbox, mainly because I needed to get a few things done right away, so this gave me another month to figure out if I am going to get the upgrade or run cs3 in the manner you are suggesting.

Why I stopped moving forward with that one when I saw windows didnt see any of the files on the mac, as either way those are the files I would want to reference. I wasn't sure if thats specific to virtualbox but I was going to retry again soon with another VM solution. I want to use a file comparison app which doesnt have a mac version and also potentially cs3.

Im actively trying to find workflows that allow me to replace all my apps / workflows with native osx apps. Its been a long week. I apologize if some of the posts are a little all over the place.

Upgrading sucks because you have to learn all new ways of doing things. I'm all for trying to stay with the old, "tried and true" methods.

I'm not a VirtualBox expert. I run Bootcamp myself. I know there are "cheap" programs that allow Windows to see Mac partition's, and programs that let Mac see Windows partitions. But, maybe the thing to try is to put all your files on an external drive, and see if VirtualBox can see that. Or maybe put the files you need on a flash drive, then both Mac and the XP virtual machine should be able to see them. That way, you can keep doing things the old way, and it can buy you more time learn new stuff.

mcsolas · Jan 25, 2013

blesscheese said:
Upgrading sucks because you have to learn all new ways of doing things. I'm all for trying to stay with the old, "tried and true" methods.

I'm not a VirtualBox expert. I run Bootcamp myself. I know there are "cheap" programs that allow Windows to see Mac partition's, and programs that let Mac see Windows partitions. But, maybe the thing to try is to put all your files on an external drive, and see if VirtualBox can see that. Or maybe put the files you need on a flash drive, then both Mac and the XP virtual machine should be able to see them. That way, you can keep doing things the old way, and it can buy you more time learn new stuff.

Yes. I was planning on focusing the differences between osx and w7 keyboard shortcuts and file systems. Now, I am doing that plus learning CS6 at essentially the same time. Oh well, just going to have to learn fast I guess.

This is what I see in the guide. http://guides.macrumors.com/A_Beginner's_Guide_to_Running_Windows_on_a_Mac
They mention VM Ware Fusion and Parallels Desktop having these characteristics:

Windows will be "stored" in a file on your Mac hard drive - because of the way that virtualization works, you will be able to move files between the Windows OS and Mac OS very easily

Like you said, there are no cheap options, but I am ok with that. Form follows function.. gotta go with what works. Even if I get my adobe install sorted out, I am still looking to see how I can run the file comparison utility I am really attached to.

blesscheese · Jan 25, 2013

mcsolas said:
Like you said, there are no cheap options, but I am ok with that. Form follows function.. gotta go with what works. Even if I get my adobe install sorted out, I am still looking to see how I can run the file comparison utility I am really attached to.

Well, "cheap" is a relative term...

MacFuse is free, but no longer being actively developed...it may not work on your newer system.

In bootcamp, I use a software by Paragon that allows the Windows side to see the Mac side (HFS+), and a similar program that allows the Mac side to see NTFS...check it out at this link. Each app is $20...not sure if there is a bundle deal.

Just noticed this at another website: Tuxera says it supports Parallels and VMWare, and has a 15 day trial.

I'm not sure how this behaves with VirtualBox, but I would like to think it would work...???

el-John-o · Jan 25, 2013

mcsolas said:
Yes I understand this and may still end up doing this. I decided to give cs6 a shot instead of trying to get cs3 running in virtualbox, mainly because I needed to get a few things done right away, so this gave me another month to figure out if I am going to get the upgrade or run cs3 in the manner you are suggesting.

Why I stopped moving forward with that one when I saw windows didnt see any of the files on the mac, as either way those are the files I would want to reference. I wasn't sure if thats specific to virtualbox but I was going to retry again soon with another VM solution. I want to use a file comparison app which doesnt have a mac version and also potentially cs3.

Im actively trying to find workflows that allow me to replace all my apps / workflows with native osx apps. Its been a long week. I apologize if some of the posts are a little all over the place.

It's not free, but Parallels DOES see the Mac files within Windows. Parallels does so by making a 'network' share of your files, so that Windows doesn't have to try and use an HFS file system, but rather read it over Samba.

Parallels is also a bit faster than virtualbox. It's worth mentioning though that you'll get the best performance running the Mac version of that software if at all possible.

fig · Jan 25, 2013

I've crossgraded before and I don't think the policy there has changed, if you were to upgrade they'd switch you over for free. And unfortunately if you're looking to do design work in any sort of professional capacity you don't have much choice as far as being tied to Adobe, sorry.

That being said, they do have their Creative Cloud program where you can subscribe to the software for like 50 bucks a month for everything. That would seem to be an ideal solution in your case.

el-John-o · Jan 25, 2013

fig said:
I've crossgraded before and I don't think the policy there has changed, if you were to upgrade they'd switch you over for free. And unfortunately if you're looking to do design work in any sort of professional capacity you don't have much choice as far as being tied to Adobe, sorry.

That being said, they do have their Creative Cloud program where you can subscribe to the software for like 50 bucks a month for everything. That would seem to be an ideal solution in your case.

I like the Creative Cloud program. It makes a lot of sense for professionals in the design field who are buying the latest version of Adobes software ANYWAY, it probably works out to spending about the same; but you aren't forking out a grand or more every couple years, but rather a consistent cost over time. You also get a few advantages over buying the software itself.

My only hope is that they don't do to it what Microsoft is wanting to do to Office, and making it the ONLY option. Folks like me don't want/need to upgrade to the latest all the time. I'm running CS6, but only because my wife took a photoshop class at the local college and got it for $100 through the class!

mcsolas · Jan 25, 2013

I have been considering it ( the creative cloud ). Not sure about the one year commitment. When its up, you've paid lets say 40-50% the upgrade cost to the cloud with no result, if you stop you have to pay for the upgrade. I think I will end up just upgrading next month and be done with it.

Laird Knox · Jan 25, 2013

I had the same feeling about their Creative Cloud offerings. Through the education discount I was able to get CC for $30 a month and that pushed me over the tipping point. The nice thing is that the license covers two systems (non-concurrent) so I am running the apps both on a Macbook and a Windows desktop.

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