Will Adobe deactivate old machines for me..?

[Reach]

Hello, I recently sold my old Powermac and bought a Mac Pro, and ran into a problem with CS3, as I did not deactivate on the powermac before I formatted/sold it..

Now I can't activate it on my Mac Pro because it says I have used the max number of activations..

Anyone been here, sent a mail to Apple, just looking for reports on whether or not they are helpful in such cases...?

 

[irishgrizzly]

I don't think Apple would help you. Did you call Adobe?

 

[Reach]

I don't think Apple would help you. Did you call Adobe?

I meant Adobe of course, but they're response to my mail was utterly unhelpful. They could not deactivate, so I would have to deactivate on the sold computer....?! What? Do they think I sold it with CS3 on it or something? I just erased the drives and installed a fresh OSX on it, and didn't think about uninstalling and deactivating or any such nonsense..

Anyway, I called them too, and there was no way they could reset or remove the old machine or anything. Only option was to activate over the telephone, which worked fine I guess. A bit of a hassle, but at least a solution that works..

Still stupid, I expect LESS hassle when I pay for applications, not more..

 

[7on]

You might just have to crack it if they won't help you.

But that's also the reason I am sticking with my copy of CS1, no activation requirements. Hopefully by the time it stops working software in general will stop treating their legit customers like crooks.

 

[Sun Baked]

You are crooks ....

 

[aross99]

They have to be able to reset this for you. What if your hard drive crashed, or something?

I'm sure they are going to make it difficult for you though, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear that you had to do it over the phone.

I miss the days before CS1 when you could load the apps as many times as you needed to, but could only have one copy running at a time...

 

[Boemer]

They have to be able to reset this for you. What if your hard drive crashed, or something?

I'm sure they are going to make it difficult for you though, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear that you had to do it over the phone.

I miss the days before CS1 when you could load the apps as many times as you needed to, but could only have one copy running at a time...

I had that problem with CS1 a few years ago, I bought a harddisk, which gave me problems every few weeks, so I had to reinstall everything a few times. Then I went back an got my self a new hdd. But everytime I had to call them and explain. I don't want to explain anymore, I pay a lot of money for it, so it should just work.

That's why every next version, I only got it, when I got an activation-crack/keygen. I bought it, so I can use my own serial number. But I use the keygen to activate the product.

I think the activation is just a big irritating event, if they want to prevent it being installed more than once, they should use a 'dongle' on the usb or something like that. Apple uses it for its Pro Logic program. After which you can change your hardware, reinstall it as often as you like....

 

[chaosbunny]

I had that problem with CS1 a few years ago, I bought a harddisk, which gave me problems every few weeks, so I had to reinstall everything a few times. Then I went back an got my self a new hdd. But everytime I had to call them and explain. I don't want to explain anymore, I pay a lot of money for it, so it should just work.

That's why every next version, I only got it, when I got an activation-crack/keygen. I bought it, so I can use my own serial number. But I use the keygen to activate the product.

I think the activation is just a big irritating event, if they want to prevent it being installed more than once, they should use a 'dongle' on the usb or something like that. Apple uses it for its Pro Logic program. After which you can change your hardware, reinstall it as often as you like....

Well a dongle is a pain for laptop users...

As someone who has had his own share of CS3 activation problems I agree that it is ridiculous that you have more problems with software you paid for than cracked software.

 

[Reach]

I had that problem with CS1 a few years ago, I bought a harddisk, which gave me problems every few weeks, so I had to reinstall everything a few times. Then I went back an got my self a new hdd. But everytime I had to call them and explain. I don't want to explain anymore, I pay a lot of money for it, so it should just work.

That's why every next version, I only got it, when I got an activation-crack/keygen. I bought it, so I can use my own serial number. But I use the keygen to activate the product.

I think the activation is just a big irritating event, if they want to prevent it being installed more than once, they should use a 'dongle' on the usb or something like that. Apple uses it for its Pro Logic program. After which you can change your hardware, reinstall it as often as you like....

Well, Apple has actually gotten it. They removed the dongle (which was a remnant from the company that made Logic, Apple just bought it), and they have no activation. Same with Final Cut Studio. I have bought all these applications, but Apples apps are the only ones I'm glad I bought.. Adobe is just a hassle with activation, and they didn't even include manuals with the Design Premium CS3 I bought. Sent them a mail about it, and I could buy it from them.. Morons. At least Apple gets me to buy more stuff this way, I even bought Aperture now, even if I don't need it THAT bad.

 

[Boemer]

Well, Apple has actually gotten it. They removed the dongle (which was a remnant from the company that made Logic, Apple just bought it), and they have no activation. Same with Final Cut Studio. I have bought all these applications, but Apples apps are the only ones I'm glad I bought.. Adobe is just a hassle with activation, and they didn't even include manuals with the Design Premium CS3 I bought. Sent them a mail about it, and I could buy it from them.. Morons. At least Apple gets me to buy more stuff this way, I even bought Aperture now, even if I don't need it THAT bad.

When you bought Adobe stuff online, you could check that option, it would have cost you lets say 20 euro more or so. I did that with CS1 version, got those books, looked once through them and never opened them again. There is nothing interesting in those books. I bought some Total Training DVD's which gave me all the information I needed. Linda.com is also a good alternativ. Those books from Adobe are probably better served when used in a camp fire.

That Activation madness was one of the reasons I switched from windows. But I needed those Adobe programs, and didn't want to relearn everything again...

 

[Reach]

When you bought Adobe stuff online, you could check that option, it would have cost you lets say 20 euro more or so. I did that with CS1 version, got those books, looked once through them and never opened them again. There is nothing interesting in those books. I bought some Total Training DVD's which gave me all the information I needed. Linda.com is also a good alternativ. Those books from Adobe are probably better served when used in a camp fire.

That Activation madness was one of the reasons I switched from windows. But I needed those Adobe programs, and didn't want to relearn everything again...

I love and use Lynda, but take a look at what kind of documentation Apple ships with Logic/Final Cut Studio, and we'd be very different if you can't see the value in that. It's different ways of learning, and I love both. The amount of information in the Apple-manuals are great though, far more, and much easier to reference, than some movie. To me at least.

 

[Boemer]

I love and use Lynda, but take a look at what kind of documentation Apple ships with Logic/Final Cut Studio, and we'd be very different if you can't see the value in that. It's different ways of learning, and I love both. The amount of information in the Apple-manuals are great though, far more, and much easier to reference, than some movie. To me at least.

It's possible, I do not have Logic Pro, or Final Cut Studio. I only know the books that I got with Adobe CS Design, I looked through them, and didn't find anything usefull in them. It's totally possible, that the stuff Apple send with there pro programs is much much better.

But the info I got with my Mac Pro was near useless. Just start the computer and it works fine, but when you change the HDD (I bought a bigger one extern), then you're out of luck, in the manuel, there is written nothing about how to partition a new harddisk. I just found it out by luck.