Licensed copy of Photoshop CS2

pistolero · 15-01-2015 5:10pm #1

Hi, I bought a copy of Photopshop CS2 some years back. It is a legitimate copy and I registered it with Adobe. I am now trying to install it to a new PC, however I am being asked to re-register it ( the Email I used for the initial reg is long defunct) and "activate it" which I cannot do either by phone or on line. I am getting a message telling me I can continue with a trial?? for the next xx days. This is happening each time I open the software with the "trial" period running down. I know from reading the Adobe site they no longer support CS2 but surely there is no restriction to using a product I legitimately own? Any advise appreciated. Thanks.

whomitconcerns · 15-01-2015 5:12pm

A quick google answers your question

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1195856

Try it next time

advertsfox · 15-01-2015 5:13pm

It's free now from Adobe:

License: <snip>

http://www.redmondpie.com/download-adobe-photoshop-cs2-for-free-legally-while-you-still-can/

pistolero · 16-01-2015 1:05pm

Thanks for that!!,( I'm sure there was an effort at help in there somewhere), actually did Google and did read.- My question was why I could not use the software disc I legitimately bought and own. I fully accept the fact that support is no longer provided, my issue is that I have to go through getting an "Adobe ID" ( so they can bombard me with spam). I was curious if anyone else had same issue and had a way of installing using my disc. Thanks.

advertsfox · 16-01-2015 1:06pm

pistolero wrote: »

Thanks for that!!,( I'm sure there was an effort at help in there somewhere), actually did Google and did read.- My question was why I could not use the software disc I legitimately bought and own. I fully accept the fact that support is no longer provided, my issue is that I have to go through getting an "Adobe ID" ( so they can bombard me with spam). I was curious if anyone else had same issue and had a way of installing using my disc. Thanks.

Yes of course, just use that license I post with your CD. The Adobe ID option should be skippable with the Do Not Register option.

yoyo · 16-01-2015 7:04pm

Mod: I have removed the activation number from this post as it has not been confirmed officially from Adobe this is actually free for all. My understanding was that only customers who had CS2 licenses could use this to activate their software post activation server shutdown.

Nick

advertsfox · 16-01-2015 11:17pm

yoyo wrote: »

Mod: I have removed the activation number from this post as it has not been confirmed officially from Adobe this is actually free for all. My understanding was that only customers who had CS2 licenses could use this to activate their software post activation server shutdown.

Nick

This is not the case, they merely ask you to sign up to an Adobe account to view the license and download link, both of which are freely available all over the internet.

Kavrocks · 16-01-2015 11:25pm

pistolero wrote: »

Thanks for that!!,( I'm sure there was an effort at help in there somewhere), actually did Google and did read.- My question was why I could not use the software disc I legitimately bought and own.

And your question is answered in the Adobe forum link already posted.

pistolero · 17-01-2015 6:02pm

Link tells me how not to use the disc I bought- I want to use it , its mine- I paid for it. It seems that replies I get, although appreciated and trying to explain do not see the issue. If I install using the disc I am advised it is a trial version, registered or not and is usable only for the duration of the trial. It is this i do not agree with and was looking to see if there was a solution. Thanks.

mordeith · 17-01-2015 6:23pm

pistolero wrote: »

Link tells me how not to use the disc I bought- I want to use it , its mine- I paid for it. It seems that replies I get, although appreciated and trying to explain do not see the issue. If I install using the disc I am advised it is a trial version, registered or not and is usable only for the duration of the trial. It is this i do not agree with and was looking to see if there was a solution. Thanks.

Have you still got the original license key?
If not then just get the Adobe ID (if that will solve the problem). I know you mentioned spam as a concern but I have an Adobe ID and get no spam from them at all.

Kavrocks · 17-01-2015 7:44pm

pistolero wrote: »

Link tells me how not to use the disc I bought- I want to use it , its mine- I paid for it. It seems that replies I get, although appreciated and trying to explain do not see the issue. If I install using the disc I am advised it is a trial version, registered or not and is usable only for the duration of the trial. It is this i do not agree with and was looking to see if there was a solution. Thanks.

I think I now understand your issue and what you want an answer to.

Most software from a company like Adobe, Microsoft, etc. that comes on a CD is a trial version until activated. The activation key is included with the purchased copy. Once you activate the software it loses its trial status and you can use all of the features you paid for for the time period you paid for the license for.

Software is distributed this way to prevent piracy and illegal copying. You can use the software that came on the CD which you do own, you are just required to activate it first as a security measure. Activating it is not preventing you from using the software on the disc. When you first installed the software you went through the exact same process as you now have to. If you installed Microsoft Office it would also be the same process. You may disagree with companies disseminating their software in this fashion and requiring you to activate it but it is the best method they have to prevent piracy.

An example may help. If for instance Adobe sold CS2 with a full copy on the CD which didn't need to be activated what would stop 1 person buying a copy of it and distributing that copy to everybody else? The process of requiring activation gives Adobe control over who uses their software and helps them cut down on lost revenue through piracy.

To sum up, the solution to your problem is activate the software that came with your CD using the key which also came with your CD. If that does not work, head to the link on the Adobe forums to solve any problems.

Might I suggest next time you be a little nicer to people trying to help you and realise that maybe your question wasn't phrased particularly clearly.

pistolero · 19-01-2015 2:54pm

Hi, I did activate it when I originally bought it- I used an Email that is no longer valid. Now I have a new PC and when I try to install I cannot use the original activation or the security numbers. Phone and online activation using my key numbers is not available.
Yes - perhaps I can avail of a "free" version- as I understand it you are not supposed to use the "free" activation key unless you have a purchased version ( so much for anti piracy procedures) - I am certain everyone will abide by that!.
So I have a valid product that I paid a lot of money for and as far as I can see I am being prevented from using it as I see fit- I have a problem with that and it was this I was questioning.
I am not at all certain which features of the "free" version are available or if this "gift" will be there for ever- for instance when I change PC again.
I know that this is an issue that unless you actually bought the product is probably difficult to grasp and I know there are those who might take the view that this is just hard luck - I do not.
I do appreciate any input and I do not believe that at any time I was rude or not appreciative, my apologies if that is how someone interpreted anything I wrote..
I did however think that it would be reasonable for someone who is suggesting I "read" something first to perhaps ask if I had, and maybe even take a read themselves and see if what was being asked was in fact resolved in the piece being suggested. Maybe it was my response to this that someone felt caused offence!!
Thanks Again.

advertsfox · 19-01-2015 3:18pm

pistolero wrote: »

Yes - perhaps I can avail of a "free" version- as I understand it you are not supposed to use the "free" activation key unless you have a purchased version ( so much for anti piracy procedures) - I am certain everyone will abide by that!

Again this is completely not true, the software is 10 years old and they have done this to actually save money / effort by not having to keep the activation servers running to support legitimate installs of the 10-year-old CS2. Install it on a million PC's if you want, Adobe don't care anymore as it's out of date.

http://gizmodo.com/5973730/grab-photoshop-and-cs2-for-absolutely-free-right-here

Forget about your CD and old license, it's worth nothing anymore. Download it legitimately from Adobe, sign in with your Adobe ID and the download link and identical shared license key (1045-1412-5685-1654-6343-1431) are visible. Adobe's posted reason (once you sign in) for the now free software is:

helpx.adobe.com wrote:

Adobe has disabled the activation server for CS2 products, including Acrobat 7, because of a technical issue. These products were released more than seven years ago, do not run on many modern operating systems, and are no longer supported.

https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?loc=en&e=cs2_downloads

pistolero · 20-01-2015 3:41pm

I stand corrected. Cheers.

Licensed copy of Photoshop CS2

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