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Adobe CS3 deactivation limits
Adobe's Creative Suite 3 imposes a limit of 20 deactivations per license. This is causing problems for users of cloned backups. MacFixIt reader Dee Dee Martin writes:
"I always try to remember to deactivate Adobe CS3 before cloning a backup, but yesterday (along with numerous other times) I forgot so I booted up from my clone, ran Photoshop and tried to deactivate. I got a big dialog box saying "Deactivation Failed" error code 194:14, call Adobe tech support.
"I was told there is a limit (21 times) that I could deactivate CS3 and I had reached that limit. Adobe made a 'one time exception' and restored my activation count (yes Adobe tracks this stuff), but I would have to completely erase CS3 (using level 3 of their CS3Clean script) obliterating all prefs, settings, tools, printer profiles etc."
There doesn't seem to be a workable solution for this issue at present.
Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.
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The only people I know that don't seem to have any problems with CS3 software activation/deactivation are the ones that are using stolen copies. They just laugh at me for paying retail whenever they hear of my activation/deactivation problems.
I don't know that is it 'necessary', but I try to play by the rules. Adobe allows 2 installed copies and since the activation process is linked to hard drives and not computers, if you had an _active_ copy on your laptop, desktop and a backup on an external clone Adobe would probably consider that 3 copies.
As IDCS3 continually crashes when placing images (or searching for images to place) in 'memory intensive' documents I set up a bootable Firewire drive so I can boot in Tiger when I am going to use IDCS3.
I have a backup clone of each system on another Firewire drive.
Further complications exist because I have a MacBook Pro for when I go to my clients and I still use GoLive from CS2.
I use the software in total compliance with its licence but when I get my activations wrong Adobe treats me like the enemy because of breeches of their terms".
It would be GOOD if Adobe and Apple could have a coffee together and agree to sort the problems out. But day after day to no avail I scan MacFixit for the silver bullet that will put me out of my misery.
One thing though. I work in an Apple Premium Store store and I make sure Leopard users are aware that the label 'Compatible with OS X Leopard'on the box is an outright lie.
Have to put this in too. Take a look at the packaging for the many CS3 variants and wonder how the company with the so called world best design software could make such a pig's breakfast of the artwork. Perhaps a clue to Adobe's slide in credibility in recent years.
Ever since Adobe started this activation scheme in CS2 it has been a PITA. The entire burden is on legal, paid users. When I had a hard drive failure I had to beg Adobe to reactivate CS2. Their representative said I should have "anticipated" it, and deactivated first. Would that everyone could anticipate a hard drive failure! Then there would never be any lost data.
I forgot to deactivate PS3 when I upgraded to Leopard yesterday so I suppose that means I've wasted one activation. Although based on a comment about Leopard compatibility... perhaps upgrading was a mistake?
I totally agree with the person that wrote it's the legal customers that pay the price for all this crud. At minimum they could just smile, ask for an explanation and then authorized the upgrade. There's no need to treat us badly. How many software pirates actually call Adobe when there's a problem?!
I clone my boot drive regularly and never deactivate it. It's not necessary so that's the first thing. If, for whatever reason you need to deactivate the program I think Adobe almost has you over a barrel. One option would be to download a cracked version. I see no ethical problem with this personally given the fact that you have paid for the product. I think Adobe's position is indefensible.
I'm confused here, I too but on a daily basis clone my boot drive to an external firewire drive. All my CS3 applications are always open and I've been cloning daily as a backup since the day CS3 was released. So what am I missing here?
Never had this issue with deactivation limits as as I haven't deactivated. Why deactivate? Or is this only a US thing? It seems that maybe there are differences with Adobe across the Pacific.
Never heard of this before.
So according to the experience of the original post (Dee Dee Martin) if you take over 21 trips, by your protocol, you would have burned thru all your activations and be up the creek without a paddle - unless Adobe decides to reinstate you. In effect you are being punished for following Adobe's "rules".
Aside from that it sucks they have ANY limits on this. Especially the same MAC address and serial. What do they care? Maybe I am downgrading over and over again as they fail to pull a borked patch from Adobe Updater. i don't know. None of their beeswax.
The market for sub-prime mortgages is wide open-so are Derivatives and several LARGE NY Banks are for sale -just prop them up with a loan from the FED before they crash. Or, go buy some of Miami's 5 year inventory of unsold condos-sooner or later (LATER) theyll be worth something...
And youll be doing something youre good at
- by Cowicide May 11, 2008 7:32 AM PDT
- Sigh, they are getting more and more like Microsoft every day. I'm rooting for Gimp and other alternative apps to finally give them a run for the money and hopefully force them to compete again or be brought down.
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(15 Comments)How about those nice fading effects they added to CS3 where it cripples older computers that can run it just fine otherwise. Yet, there's no option to turn the %$#$!! off. Or, the brilliant idea to eliminate ImageReady from CS3 without all of its vital components being brought into Photoshop despite the anger and numerous pleas of their paying customers who hate the Fireworks interface that Adobe didn't bother to update? *** are you doing, Adobe?
Adobe's draconian licensing schemes now make it seem like it would be better to just use a pirated version of their apps and keep the DVDs you pay for in the closet. Less hassle, perhaps.
I've been buying Adobe products since they started and this is the thanks I get. Punishment for being a loyal, paying customer for years on end.