Adobe Creative Suite 2.0 (CS2) installer fails partway through on some Intel-based Macs -- fixes

Several readers have reported an issue where the installer for Adobe Creative Suite 2.0 (CS2) [which includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and other apps] fails to properly install on Intel-based Macs.

MacFixIt reader Richard Totaro writes:

"There is a problem with the Adobe CS2 installer on my MacBook Pro 17.

"The Adobe installer fails miserably, freezing the MacBook as the installer prepares to quit at the end of the install process. The freeze occurs whether you do a complete install or just one product (e.g. Photoshop CS2 only). I tried installing in SafeBoot mode, and that failed too, as did an install to an external disk.

"The crashreporter log has no clues, but the console.log reports that the installer is trying to use the LM service as it crashes.

QuickTime 7.1 implicated -- removing the update Some users have found that the installation difficulties are only apparent on systems with the QuickTime 7.1 update installed.

As such, you can remove the QuickTime 7.1 update if you absolutely need to install the CS2 apps.

This can be accomplished by either performing an Archive and Install, then downloading and installing QuickTime 7.0.4, or by re-installing QuickTime 7.0.4 over QuickTime 7.1 with the aid of Pacifist as described in this tutorial.

Possible fix without removing QuickTime Some users have found that they are able to work around this problem by reversing the manual uninstall process offered by Adobe (i.e. place all listed components in the desired locations -- copying them from the installation disc -- rather than deleting them).

One reader writes:

"After a very frustrating day of failures, I have manually reversed the process that Adobe suggests in its uninstall guide and then validated - this worked for me."

Another fix -- don't install Version Cue Some users have also been able to produce a successful install by unchecking the Version Cue component for installation.

As we've noted in separate coverage, the presence of Version Cue can cause some serious issues, including startup failures.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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