Adobe Photoshop HELP!!!!

[joethelion]

(edit)
I just realized the title of this was just for "Photoshop" but - obviously it's for the entire creative suite, and for some reason, I don't seem to be able to re-title this thread...

Ok - so

A week or so ago - someone spilled a glass of water on my laptop. The computer was RUINED, however - I was lucky enough to be able to salvage the hard drive.

It's now sitting in a "hard drive caddy" and basically just exists as an additional external drive.

I then went out and bought a new MacBook Pro, and ran "Migration Assistant."

Now here comes the problem... whenever I open any of the "Creative Suite" applications, I get a warning that's says:

Our records indicate that this serial number has already been used to set up and activate Creative Suite 4 Web Premium on two other machines, which is the maximum allowed.

Annnnddddddd OF COURSE I DON'T HAVE MY INSTALLATION DISCS HANDY (I moved from the US to Scotland for a two-year MFA program in Glasgow) -> It's pretty much going to be impossible to get the discs any time soon. They're sitting in a random box somewhere in storage in my parents' basement.

I just tried running the uninstaller (that was on the old hard drive) for just "Adobe Flash CS4" as I don't really use it... and instead of deleting it off the old drive - it removed it from my new hard drive. I now can't run it off the old drive either.

so is there ANY way I can get around this? I mean - my old computer has ceased to exist. I can't just run the programs from my old HD (I just tried - and I still get the warning message) and I don't want to pay out the wazzoooo for Cs5 (you can't can't even just pay to "add a new license" - I just tried, it just leads me to the purchase Cs5 page)

and after buying a freaking new computer, I don't have the money to really go out and buy super expensive software...

HELP!!!!!!!!

[Dunwho]

Did you register your suite with Adobe? Because if you did, you could call them and they could sort something out for you, especially if there si some way you could confirm you are who you are, like by them sending you an email or something to the address you registered with them.

They may be able to remove the lock on downloads if you explain the situation.

Thats the best i can do... otherwise you could try and download a crack, but itd be a shame to have to do that if you have a legit version of the software.

[TheBang]

Yup, you gotta call Adobe, and they'll be able to sort out your licensing (or, since you're in Scotland, your licencing).

[joethelion]

thanks - yea... I figured that would probably what I'd have to do.

I mentioned it over on another board - and that was someone else's response as well
(I just hope I actually registered with them... I don't actually remember doing it)

[BrotherLovesDub]

One other thing to try. If you can boot from the other HD, you can deactivate that computer. Reboot with the hard drive connected and hold down Option. When it gives you the choice of drives to boot from, chose the old HD. You should be able to navigate to the Adobe activation area where you can deactivate that hardware.

[BrotherLovesDub]

Deactivate on one computer before using your software on another
Before trying to activate on a different computer, deactivate on the computer on which you last used the product.

Important: Uninstalling your product on one computer does not deactivate it on that computer. Explicitly deactivate by following these directions.

Make sure that you are connected to the Internet.
In Creative Suite 4 and 5, choose Help > Deactivate. In Creative Suite 5, deactivate on virtual machines after you finish working on them.
In Creative Suite 3, choose Help > Deactivate to start the Deactivation wizard. When you finish, select Erase My Serial Number From This Computer.
If you uninstalled your software without deactivating, reinstall on the old computer and deactivate. If your old computer is not available, contact Adobe Support.

[TheBang]

I don't think that will actually work. The activations are tied to a specific hardware configuration. So, in order to deactivate a specific computer, you have to be running the deactivation from that specific computer. Since, as joethelion mentioned, that computer no longer exists, simply running it from the old hard drive is not sufficient.

As the article you pasted says: "If your old computer is not available, contact Adobe Support."

[BrotherLovesDub]

doh! good catch todd.

[stimpee]

Had this problem many times as a sysadmin, and calling Adobe is the only way to fix this. they can deauth your machines so that you can reinstall. Just as long as you have the serial/registration info handy. Even then you can give them a sob story and it usually works. Same goes for Microsoft and activation problems. Change too much equipment in your PC and MS thinks its a new PC. give em a call and they fix it quick.