Yes I have checked the keyboard for language. My control panel for Regional and Language Options is set to English (United States). The shortcuts work with photoshop 7 thats installed so I’m not sure whats going on. Thanks for the help though.
make sure some other app isn’t stealing your control key. many messaging apps (trillian for example) steal the crtl key as a "hot" key to call up the app.
I went into the keyboard shortcuts, and remapped a shortcut with the same keys. The ASCII characters were different than the default set for that shortcut.
So I switched keyboards to see if this would make a difference. It did not. When I did the remap shortcut the ASCII characters were the same as the original keyboard, not the program. I think the problem may be in the country definitions file. Maybe the wrong keyboard map?
One thing I have not tried is to chose a different country during the install?
I just went through the keyboard shortcut again to get an example of what I am talking about.
The keyboard shortcut for increasing the brush size. Normally is the Ctrl+[ But, when I try to reset that combination on the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+[ keys display as Ctrl+U with the 2 dots above the U, Ctrl+"+" is Ctrl+K. Every standard shortcut combination the keys show different characters.
Sadly, I’ve been having the same problem with mine. The only oddity with my install was that I had to manually remove Photoshop Elements 4.0 (the version with a bad uninstaller) in order to get the help files to set up properly.
Every other adobe package (like Bridge and Imageready) reads the CNTRL++ and CNTRL+- keys correctly, but they’re gibberish in CS2… so it’s definitely a problem with Photoshop itself.
I’m about getting desperate enough to just redo all of the hotkeys, but I’ve also noticed that my cursor keys don’t work when editing text which is probably related.
Do you have only a single keyboard defined, and is it English, as above? If you have more than one, or it is not standard UK or US English, that’s your problem.
Caryn Yes, you can go to Edit|Keyboard Shortcuts. You can remap the shortcuts there.
You will probably find that if you use the same shortcut keys, that they will display different characters than what is suppose to be shown. Like Ctrl+[ maybe Ctrl+Ü
At least that what I got when I remapped the shortcuts. I still say the the keyboard definition file is incorrect. But I don’t know if anyone at Adobe is reading this post? I’ve seen that there are several people with this problem.
From the first installation to the 30th. Set everything in Photoshop to default, The only way to get it to work is to remap with the same key combinations.
Tried resetting the Regional settings in the Control Panel, Tried different keyboards. Nothing but remapping the shortcut keys work.
Remapping the keys would be an acceptable ‘temporary’ solution if this could be applied to the arrow keys in order to nudge layers etc. I’m completely lost without these.
I’m wondering if upgrading to CS3 will fix things? I’m seriously tempted to do this… any thoughts?
I just installed a full version (not an upgrade) of PS CS3 on a new Vista system and am having the same problem with many shortcut keys not working. Am trying to find a solution now.
I just installed a full version (not an upgrade) of PS CS3 on a new >Vista system and am having the same problem with many shortcut keys not >working. Am trying to find a solution now.
Well, that’s good to know as I was seriously considering upgrading.
As it happens, I installed Photoshop CS2 on a brand new version of Windows XP. What I also did was copy my Photoshop preferences from my old PC onto my new one. I’m wondering if this could be the issue?
could be. you should save out the stuff you want to carry over (actions swatches, patterns, brushes etc.) not just copy the prefs over wholesale. there’s no guarantee of compatibility.
What I also did was copy my Photoshop preferences from my old PC onto my new one. I’m wondering if this could be the issue?
I’d like to know if that’s your issue, but for the record I didn’t copy over any PS preferences to mine. I couldn’t have a much cleaner install on a cleaner machine.
I haven’t had any luck solving the problem myself and have also filed a support ticket. I’ll report anything I learn.
Just found the same problem in a complete re-format and clean install of PS CS2 Full retail version on XP.
The arrow keys and "Home, End, Delete, PgUp and PgDn" are all returning weird (although regular) characters. e.g. "Up, Down, Left, Right" = "&, (, %, ".
I can use these keys normally in the windows within PS but on the stage, whether nudging or typing in a text box, it’s all a bit wrong.
Don’t suppose anyone’s got any bright ideas? Just installed the update from Adobe and checked that my version of Windows has only one language on it.
No solution for me yet, but here’s an update. So far tech support has suggested I reset my preferences (as already suggested in this forum). I had not set any preferences so this had no effect, but for anyone who would like to try, here’s what was suggested:
After clicking to launch Photoshop immediately press CTRL+SHIFT+ALT
Of course this didn’t work for me because my shortcut keys aren’t working, so they followed up with an alternative method:
Alternatively you can delete the preferences by going to the following directory, C:\Users\[User name]\App Data\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3.
Inside the Adobe Photoshop CS3 folder, you should see a folder named Adobe Photoshop CS3 Settings. Move that folder to the desktop and launch Photoshop.
Hope this helps someone. I’m still looking for a solution.
I also have a perfectly legitimate registered copy of CS2 and cannot use some of the shortcut keys. In particular the arrow keys do not so I am unable to nudge as well. I also cannot find them in the keyboard shortcuts to re-map them.
I got sidetracked and haven’t followed up with tech sppt on their last suggestion to clear preferences (which did not fix it for me). Probably the more people to file support tickets the better. I’ll follow up now and will report any progress.
I filed a ticket about 4 or 5 days ago and am still waiting to hear back from Adobe Support. I’m suspect they’re looking into the issue as a group problem rather than on an individual case.
Has anyone actually heard back from Adobe on this matter?
I never followed up with Adobe after their first suggested fix to restore defaults (see my previous posts). I just changed keyboard shortcuts to get the ones I needed.
My keyboard nudge (arrow keys) do work. I hadn’t tried those before so I don’t know if nudge always worked or not. It was the zoom shortcuts I had problems with and I just replaced those with my own (via Edit menu, Keyboard Shortcuts).
I wouldn’t expect any resolution from adobe. they’re not going to issue a fix to cs2. they’ll tell you to upgrade to cs3. MAYbe they’ll fix a legitimate bug in cs3 or it may wait until cs4. in no case will they fix a product that’s already been replaced. (this has happened before, vers 6 had a serious problem opening some files in later versions, the answer, upgrade).
Sadly, I did end up trying to install my copy on two different XP boxes… one refused to complete the installation, but I suspect that’s because of all the HP software bundled on it. The other, a cleaner box, simply had the exact same problem, even installing it as a 30-day trial instead of using the serial number.
So, it really does look like it’s a bug in CS2, at least in the disc I have.
So, lets see if this was a brand new copy I would have spent $650 and it has this problem. But since I had Photoshop 7 (which works fine…) I have an upgrade copy of CS2 that I spent $200 on that does not work. The fine folks at Adobe are going to tell me to spend ANOTHER $200 to upgrade to CS3. If that doesn’t work then I have just spent $400 for nothing. You are saying then that when they release CS4 I will then have to upgrade to that for another $200. And may be they fix it maybe they don’t?
If I ran my business that way, I’d be out of business.
I don’t know about anywhere else, but money doesn’t grown on trees around here. I have much more important things to throw away $600 on (THAT WORK…)
forgot to mention that i noticed on my version it says:: made in singapore
Sounds like you may be onto something! However for the record, I have a full (non-upgrade) licensed version of PS CS3, Made In USA, that I installed on a new clean Vista system and the zoom keyboard shortcuts did NOT work right out of the gate. However the nudge keys do work (now at least; I did not test after first install so not sure they always worked). I fixed the zoom by going into keyboard shortcuts and modifying those directly.
Hope you all come up with a fix for what sounds like more extensive keyboard issues in CS2.
My box says printed in Singapore, but the sticker says made in USA. So I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. We’ve bought three complete versions of CS2 for our computers at work, and the first two work flawlessly, but mine seems to have the keyboard bugs. I fixed the delete and brush size shortcuts with the keyboard shortcuts menu. And may I’m just blind, but can someone please help me with the nudge keys? I can’t find where to change them, if I can. I’m going crazy without them. Thanks
I had the exact same problem as everyone else. I resolved this issue by completely uninstalling the "Singapore" version including activation history, everything and installed a "Made in the USA" version of Photoshop CS2. I used the same serial number from the "Singapore" version, and then tested the zoom in/zoom out keyboard shortcuts, brackets keys, and nudging with the arrow keys, and everything worked! Hope this helps…
I’m using Windows XP and have installed CS2. Having this same problem with the brush sizes and the nudge/arrow shortcuts. It’s really really annoying, has anyone found any resolve to this – you don’t realise how much you miss something so simple!!
I’m having the same problem, especially with the brush size shortcut which I use a lot. I’m running CS2, new install on Windows XP Home.
The way that has just worked for me so far is to make a new set of keyboard shortcuts based on the defaults, go to where it says Brush size [ and press the key which is [ on my keyboard. As someone said above, this leads to me getting a wierd U with a circle on top (yup, I have an English keyboard etc) but I left it that this was the character I want to be my shortcut. Now I type [ and my brush resizes. As long as it goes on working I can handle it but it’s very disappointing to have got a bug that no one at Adobe seems to be going to fix. OK, so CS3 is out but it still cost a lot of money to buy CS2, can’t afford the upgrade and don’t have a need or a system that could handle it. Doesn’t my money still count even though I’m not in the ‘gotto have a new version of everything’ league?
I downloaded the Photoshop CS3 Trial from the Adobe website on my laptop AND my desktop. The desktop has Win XP Pro and the laptop has Win XP Home, and they both have Hungarian keyboards. The wierd thing is, everything works fine with the desktop computer, but on my laptop, photoshop seems to recognize my hungarian keyboard as an Americain one, since it types Z instead of Y, and so on! The thing is, I could simply change the keyboard shortcuts in order to have the keys I want, for example, if I want "CTRL+Z" to be the UNDO command, I could assign "CTRL+Y" for it and I would be done! BUT – and this is where it gets freaky – each time I launch Photoshop, it randomly recognizes my keyboard as a Hungarian one or as a USA one… so it changes almost at every launch… Really annoying!! Don’t know if I’m having the same problem as you guys, but maybe this can help, or maybe you can help!! Everything is fine on my Desktop!
I have the 30 DAY TRIAL of Photoshop CS3, with no serial and nothing!
Reading PECourtejoie’s comment made me think that would be a problem if I changed my keyboard layout globally as all my other programs correctly recognise my English language keyboard and I’ve also learned to touchtype with an English layout. Then I wondered about the Text tool in Photoshop and whether that too was going to be entering a U with a circle instead of a square bracket. Well whaddya know… it doesn’t, when it comes to text my Photoshop quite happily knows that I want a [.
So now I’m even more puzzled what is wrong with Photoshop!
Do Adobe Tech people read these forums at all? Should I be writing to their customer service department really?
Hey I *seem* to have solved my problem!! I realized that in Control Panel, Regional Settings whatever, keyboard layout, I had Hungarian Layout as well as USA Layout installed… Only the Hungarian layout was being used, the USA one was deactivated, logically, since I have a Hungarian keyboard… But I removed the USA Layout from the list, leaving only the Hungarian one… and Photoshop no longer choses randomly between these two!
By the way, in Photoshop, only the Kyboard Shortcuts, and text input boxes (such as when you type in a Font name manually) had this problem! So I seem to hav had the same problem as KathyE: When it came to text typing with the text tool, everything was fine!
Try removing all the keyboard layouts exept for the one that corresponds to your keyboard in control panel! It seems to have solved it for me, though Windows loves to change my keyboard settings every once in a while without asking… I think Microsoft does this to keep windows interesting and cool, you know, like it thinks on its own!! Quite cool huh, but I think it’s a bad joke!!
used the serial # on my box when prompted. it worked fine. nudging and keyboard mapping both work fine now. the only issue was i didn’t transfer the activation before i uninstalled my screwed up cs2 version. so now i have to call adobe support to get my software activated.
FWIW…just downloaded CS2 update 9.0.2 from Adobe…does not fix keyboard problem…’arrow keys/insert/home/page up/page down/delete/end’ do not work properly …use of these keys produces odd characters…
Full version CS2 on brand new Core2 Dell XPS410 – so I doubt it’s the keyboard itself…
Anybody heard from Adobe on this issue yet? DocMarc
You should read all of the responses to this thread before making such a snide little reply. As I said in my initial response to this thread I have Windows XP home edition. A number of other people have said the same. I don’t see what difference it makes when people post an issue especially as we all have the same or a similar issue.
I purchased and registered perfectly legitimate copy of this product and expect it to work like it’s supposed to. The fact that it doesn’t for me and for so many other people is not incentive for me to upgrade.
I wonder if these faulty cs 2’s have been brought from the same sources. I purchased mine on ebay £100. All sealed and legit. When i went to activate it the guy said we dont recognize the serial number.
The whole box was sealed and the jewel case sealed also
I also am (and said before) running Windows XP Home. I can only speak for myself but I was drawn to buy a full and legitimate, fully activatable version of CS2 by the drop in price once CS3 was released. My version was sold as for the UK yet it does also have that ‘made in Singapore’ label on the box. The Singapore keyboard may be different in layout?
I downloaded the tryout version of CS2 as linked to above but I’ve not tried this out yet. I hadn’t realised that the tryout was a full version. I’ll let you know if it works. I hope so because my workaround with reassigning the shortcuts is workable and I don’t want to end up breaking something partially fixed 😉
You should read all of the responses to this thread before making such a snide little reply.
it may have been little, but it wasn’t snide. do i have to read all 72 responses to offer help? ok then, forget it.
have fun!
I don’t see what difference it makes when people post an issue especially as we all have the same or a similar issue.
my reason for posting that was to point out that it’s odd for a problem to suddenly start affecting so many people so long after a program has been out on the market and has been relatively stable. you should consider a post before making a snide long reply.
The fact that it doesn’t for me and for so many other people is not incentive for me to upgrade.
….hmmmm..my CS2 version (which I paid $260 for) came in a sealed box, with a sealed CD and a complete high-end printed Users Manual…while the cd does indicate that it was Made in Singapore, it is silk screened with all of the Adobe patent #’s and logos…seems like a lot of effort to make a bootleg (if that’s what this is)…
Yeah, if this is a counterfeit, it’s a good one and Adobe isn’t admitting it. Mine also appeared completely genuine, so I’m going to assume it’s legit unless they tell me otherwise.
Interstingly enough, when I spoke with Adobe they were able to register the copy of PS over the phone. This would lead me to believe that they have the license on file and it was not registered to any other company/individual.
Also, has anyone purchased CS2 directly from Adobe that is experiencing this problem? (I apologize in advanced if this has already been covered).
dave milbut it may just be because they’ve only just started selling singapore versions or because they come with updates already added. Either way I have the same problem.
In following up some earlier suggestions, I uninstalled my version of CS2 with the non-working arrow keys and then installed the trial version of CS2 but quoting my own serial no; I thought I had it sussed – the arrow keys work just fine now …..but then I got prompted for activation … which shouldn’t have happened because when I uninstalled I chose the ‘keep activation status’ option …. as I had no need to transfer the activation because I was continuing to use the same PC ……..
then came the real nightmare – the serial no is no longer valid!!! – I have even spoken to Adobe and they confirm this ….but they are at a loss to explain how I activated the product using that same serial no back in May and have been using it for the last 3 months …… in fact it was even activated on both my desktop and laptop (which is permitted) ….but now Adobe no longer recognise it so I am in a situation where I can only use it for 30 days under the trial program ………. I am still in dialogue with Adobe in the hope they will give me a new serial no
How can it have been a legit serial no in May and not now?
I’ve gathered everything together of my version of Photoshop and there’s just no way this is a bootleg especially the glossy printed manual etc. The codes are traceable as having been part of a bulk order to a commercial organisation which would be what you’d expect for having come from a retailer.
Buying it after release of CS3? Well, only within days, that I’m writing about it now doesn’t mean I only just installed it, it’s just that I only just got around to doing a web search on the keyboard shortcut problem I was facing and found this thread. My guess is that the reseller wanted to sell off the excess CS2 before it got too dated. I still paid hundreds of pounds for it so it was hardly cheap!
Moderators here in this user-to-user forum are unpaid volunteers who keep things tidy and in line with forum rules, they do not represent Adobe. Problems such as these dubious disks are between the buyer and the seller, with Adobe Customer Service available via the web site and telephone to clarify the legality of copies.
It is a good idea in my opinion to buy from Adobe.
Today I’ll ring Adobe and do the phone activation with my Singapore version just to check that it’s legit. If it isn’t then it’s the most realistic fake I’ve ever seen, and someone’s put in a hell of a lot of effort in to making it look legit.
Lewis How did you get on with Adobe? I have escalated and raised a complaint – like you mine looks very real and it is hard to believe it is fake – I think maybe Adobe have just messed up the serial no validation …. mine was valid when I activated it the first time, but they are now saying it is not …. can only be something their end that has changed as I am still using the same serial no
Let me know how you get on …. it would be helpful to know of others who are now being told that previously legit software is now no longer valid
Has nobody had any feedback from Adobe on this issue yet? I haven’t found a way to do one to one messages here or I wouldn’t mess up the forums with continuing the topic if it’s dead but I’d really love to hear any news if possible? Thanks.
I have returned my copy to ebay seller. However, i am afraid to repurchase anymore less they turn out to be the same. I’m sure there are some genuine working ones but its chancy.
Adobe would not recognize the serial of mine and the keyboard was screwy. It’s obvious its a genuine product. My guess is that maybe some where stolen from singapore and so they wiped the serial numbers off their records. Although some were able to activate before but cant now. Could be a number of reasons. Cant afford to pay full price. Adobe should make some statement
I am new to this. It’s probably true that bargain priced software is almost certainly not legal and is easy shrink wrap a box. I have seen it openly shamelessly sold time and time again for £12 or less. Also, sellers have the front to tell you it is a copy when you email them on ebay. In Fact they overtly sold as copies everywhere.
Noneheless to print on a CD or DVD of this outstanding quality and the manual of impeccable finnish, eminence and distinction that I recieved is not so easy at all.
I think the main issue a number of us are suffering from is that we paid several hundreds of pounds for software that was being sold as genuine (not sold as a copy) – and when received, appeared genuine (CDs, manuals, boxed etc) and that Adobe allowed us to activate it using the serial nos we had – by Adobe allowing the initial activation it led us to believe we had genuine software; now they have removed these serial numbers from their activation system and are saying it is not genuine ….. in my opinion Adobe are partly responsible for the situation many of us are in. For me it is now too late to bo back to my eBay seller as I purchased it 3 months ago, PayPal are also not interested after this length of time either ….. if Adobe had failed the initial activation I could have returned the product and got my money back – now it is too late; I still have an open query with Adobe who are looking into the Lot No printed on the box to try and find out more about what has happened.
Yes, I’m in the same position as Wendy here, I used the activation as my test for whether to return the product. When the activation was accepted I believed I’d got a genuine copy. My agreement with the seller was that if it didn’t activate I would get a refund and if not via him then via the credit card company. Now we’ve paid off the credit card bill I have no comeback whatsoever.
Sigh. I’ve always been very careful about not buying counterfeitable media in the past but this time it just felt such a genuine product I went with it.
I will keep this message thread posted with any news from Adobe … Kathy, it might be worth you sending them a photo of the bottom of your box (with Lot no, bar code etc) for investigation … they may take more and quicker action if there are more of us complaining !!
Hello, I just purchased CS2 and installed it a week ago. (I purhased it on ebay for about $250, and it appears legit, with box, manual, etc. It says "Made in Singapore," like many of yours do.
I also am having the arrow key nudge problem and zoom problem. I haven’t checked into all of the other problems.
I was tempted to download the trial and use my serial number on it until one of you mentioned that Adobe no longer recognizes it. I will also talk to Adobe and hope that we have strength in numbers. 🙂
Adobe’s support center or whatever it’s called is down for maintenance, so I’ll check back later.
Also, I wanted to mention that I had the trial version of CS3 installed before I purchased and installed CS2. I also have Elements 4.0 on my machine. I just remembered that a couple of you mentioned those facts and wanted to see if there was a pattern.
Well, I tried to contact Adobe’s support and realized that the software that I am a victim of software piracy. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re all in the same boat.
Just like many of you said, everything appeared legit and sealed, and it even "let" me register the product online. That must have all been a front, because my "registered" software was not in my Adobe account, even a week after I "registered" it. When I tried to register again online, they told me that the serial number is invalid.
Not that I’m questioning any of what has been said here, but I read through the last 30 or so posts of this thread today and am surprised that, if the software is pirated, it is on a scale unlike anything I’ve heard of before. That is, if each copy sold included a profesionally printed/bound user’s manual, insert with serial number, quick start for keyboard shortcuts (don’t recall if that was with CS2 or not), a manufactured-quality CD with multicolored, authentic-looking label, cellophane-wrapped CD case and shrink-wrapped product package, then all that seems quite a costly extreme to go to for pirates. No doubt however, that if they can sell the software at significant yet still noticeably reduced prices, and do so in a substantial volume, that might still be a profitable enough venture to warrant such a scheme.
I would guess that Adobe does have more than one manufacturing and distributioni point for global sales, but maybe not. I know that if all looked in order but a CD said it was made in Singapore, I’d not give it a 2nd thought as being suspicious….until things go awry as they have here.
If this was some grand piracy scheme, it is one of such magnitude in complexity I’d nearly expect us to hear of it in the news, and even Adobe would surely issue some kind of formal announcement regarding the situation.
That last item you metioned, Kristen, about being able to register online once yet not again later, does sound strange also. It is as if – assuming the software was a pirated version – the software was hacked to provide some sort of front-ent to create a faux website for registering, in a fashion not unlike some of the phishing scams regarding banking or credit card accounts where a user gets bluffed into entering personal data at a website that merely collects the info.
Has anyone ever heard of a massive piracy scheme like this for some expensive software product? I may not be the most current on news, but this still all just sounds almost too outrageous to be anything other than an Adobe mistake where invalid serial numbers were issued for PS CS2.
I do empathize with any of you having the problems discussed here, and I sure hope something can be done to assist you in recovering lost funds or getting your software to work per design…whichever is the truly applicable answer.
I purchased a CS2 upgrade package from a retailer about a year ago, and it’s disc says "Made in Singapore", and I have no problems with the shortcut and/or nudge keys.
So it’s entirely possible that a new batch of discs were created in the Singapore production plant, that have some sort of code fault.
My guess is that a pirate has perfectly reproduced a CS2 package that was legitimately made in Singapore, such as yours, and has put stickers on the CD cases with the same serial numbers (or random ones), which Adobe has used to determine that certain copies of PS are, well, copies. Maybe the pirate also has contacts inside the Adobe supply chain and has obtained the perfectly reproduced packaging, CD design, etc. that way. In any event, it’s not so hard to copy the packaging and CD label. As to the printed manual, all the pirate had to do was buy a legal copy from Adobe and then reproduce it. Given the profits involved, it’s worth it to the pirates to spend a few renminbi on convincing copies.
If people have paid for these copies of PS that Adobe claims to be illegitimate by credit card, they can dispute the charge — even after paying the bill, within limits — on the grounds that the product has been determined by Adobe to be pirated and can’t be activated/registered (or more to the point, used). Amex/Visa/MC will then give you a temporary credit, subject to investigation. If the merchant can’t demonstrate that the copies are legit — and I doubt very much they will try, if they are fake — you get your money back for good.
I can see what Daryl was saying about it seeming too big to be true. Yet, I also get Michael’s point. In fact, spending more money and charging more for the software might just be the perfect thing for the pirate to do. After all, aren’t we all told that if a software price seems too good to be true then it is too good to be true?
What a perfect scam for a pirate to release software just as a new version is released so that innocent and well-meaning buyers assume that the reduced price isn’t really too good to be true but is just a result of the new version release. If it is, indeed, all piracy, it was certainly well-planned to target a well-meaning audience.
By the way, I was reading through my previous post and noticed a few typos. Sorry! One I will point out is that I tried to register by phone the second time, not online. I talked with someone in person.
and if you’re cracking/pirating the software, how dificult do you think it will be to add some code to link you to a fake activation site that makes you think you’ve activated w/adobe. then your 30 days "trial" are up and POW. see ya.
Best bet, i agree, is to report it to your credit card company.
and please note, if you paid 200 pounds or dollars or sheckles, you still thought you were getting over on paying 600+ for the actual app. so yes, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is still applies.
As I said, I’m not exactly all that "news savvy" and that story you linked is a whopper of deception! In saying what I did earlier, I also began to think that perhaps all those here who have reported problems were all purchasers of a full-license copy of PS. After all, the price of a full license, even once discounted for being a retired version of Photoshop, would still leave substantial room for profits once costs for duplication are subtracted. I do hope all affected are able to get their money back via a credit card dispute.
I do hope all affected are able to get their money back via a credit card dispute.
that we do agree on daryl. granted that news item was a year old, but it was so massive it stuck in my mind. (pirating the whole COMPANY – NEC – for cryin’ out loud! what brass!!!) that i had to use it as an example of what these people will do when there’s profit involved. there was TONS written on that and it’s all facinating. google for more if it interests you.
I hope i’m wrong, but i’m of the opinion most here have been duped by a massive high quality piracy ring. adobe should listen up and look into it if that’s true. if i were on adobe’s anti-piracy staff, 1st thing i’d do is try to obtain one of these bogus/legitimate copies and examine it 1st hand rather than through angry user’s antecdotes. it can mean nothing but bad things down the road for them if it is massive, high quality piracy and they do nothing…
oh dear …. it seems like credit card disputes can only be raised within 120 days of purchase…. and my purchase was May 7th! … so over 120 days ago ……… so I should have gone to the credit card company before I started pursuing it with Adobe (they have been investigating since late August which was still within 120 days!!)
Right.. well.. busy morning here. I’ve confirmed directly with a very helpful person at Adobe that my software is counterfeit. She asked that I give information as to who I purchased from and they will forward to their own fraud department. I advised her it seems to be a huge scheme so they are no doubt going to take it seriously. There’s no doubt the dealer I bought from has sold many more like mine. Whether he realises they are counterfeit himself is hard to know.
My purchase may just get in under 120 day limit. But I guess first I have to tangle with the Paypal complaint system. The first thing he will do is ask for me to send the software back but I guess I should try and hang on to it as proof?
Good luck with your claim Wendy.
I feel so dumb, I usually am very cautious when it comes to buying things that could be countefeit but as others have said, this was actually priced in a region that seemed convincing for something that had been superceded by CS3 and the stuff when it arrived seemed absolutely genuine.
If I get my money back and put it towards the full purchase price the trouble is I don’t think CS3 will even run on my cranky old machine. I’ve already hiked the RAM up to the max it’ll take but it’ll be touch and go.
Kathy – Are you able to provide the first name of the person at Adobe? The lady I am still dealing with did ask for details of this forum yesterday (when I said there had been others in the same boat) and yours was one of the messages I forwarded; it would be useful if it was the same person at Adobe that was co-ordinating their investigation.
I also feel dumb because like you I am always cautious and do always try to buy legal software; it will be hard to trust buying software from any source other than the manufacturer in future because of this, but maybe that is the hard lesson I have learnt; I do think that the scammers that have produced this software must have invested significant money to be counterfeiting to this standard and it is surely certain that Adbobe PS CS2 is not the only software being targetted – so manufacturers beware
Kathy – Paypal have an even shorter dispute term than the credit cards companies – just 45 days; eBay will investigate up to 60 days after the listing ends; I have already pursued both of these routes with no success
PS For all those that now believe they bought counterfeit CS2 from eBay – are you will to share the seller id? It would be helpful to know if it is the same seller…… mine was electricsilver who had been selling on ebay since 1992 and was a powerseller with Paypal protection and loads of good feedback; but strangely is now not selling anything and is not contactable!
After installing my copy of Photoshop CS2 on an XP machine and having some issues that I’ve never experienced I came to this forum and read every post.
I recently purchased my copy through Amazon.com from seller beachbum999 out of Florida.
My disc states that it was made in Singapore. Everything was sealed and looks 100% official, that is of course until I tried to activate it. Took my issue up with seller 20 minutes ago and await a response for reimbursement.
I too had issue with the Home/End and arrow keys not functioning or throwing out weird characters especially when dealing with text.
Heard back from the seller within 12 hours. He has offered me a full refund which was confirmed by Amazon.com. He said he was surprised that "my copy" was a pirated version although looking at his most recent feedback I am not the first one to notice this. [He was 95% positive feedback when I bought it though with nothing about Adobe Photoshop CS2 not working].
So at least good news for myself is that I am getting my money back, Amazon.com will be contacted thanks for the advice on that Dave.
If I hear of anything else I’ll let the community know.
I am dealing with this issue right now. I purchased a supposedly new, retail version of CS2 from Ebay seller drawg99. Everything looked fine until I installed and noticed no activation screen came up. It seemed to register okay. I was suspicious and nosing around online, found Tony’s website referrenced above. Sure enough, some of my keyboard shortcuts weren’t working. Also, the program didn’t appear in my account as a one of my registered products. I contacted Adobe and they confirmed that the serial number was invalid.
I was contacted by Christ Stickle, Adobe’s Anti-Piracy Enforcement Manager. He asked me to send him the software and all the packaging and receipts so he could open a case against the seller. I told him I had sent the software back, as the first person I talked to at Adobe had told me to do. He said no worries, and to tell him the seller’s Ebay ID. I don’t know what happened next, but I did notice that the seller took down all their CS2’s, and promptly put them back up the next day.
As you can see here <http://myworld.ebay.com/drawg99> This seller continues to sell Photoshop and is raking in positive feedback. I’m waiting to see if he will refund my money willingly before I leave my feedback. I find it hard to believe that I am the only one of his customers to receive counterfeit product. I’m guessing that they must be fooled by the fake registration and don’t know about activation. I can’t think of any other explanation.
Everyone here has found that the common denominator here could be a counterfeit copy of Photoshop. However, I’m experiencing this problem with my copy at work that my company bought, and yet the guy next to me with the same installation and supposedly same corporate key is NOT experiencing this problem. Only a couple of us at work are, even with the same installation.
Yep — we only have one copy of Photoshop for the company. Of the three people I sit near who I know are using PS, two of us are experiencing the shortcut problem, and one of us isn’t. There are a lot more people at the company who use Photoshop and none of them have complained about the shortcut issue except myself and one other person.
Just an update from here. (Wendy, I’ve sent you a couple of emails but not sure if you’re receiving them any more).
I’ve had no joy from Ebay or Paypal. The person I bought from was a powerseller with a shop with good feedback and he’s still selling the things after I’ve told him they are counterfeit. He’s refusing to answer messages and Ebay seems totally disinterested in following up the reports against him that we’ve given. It’s a shame we can’t remove the positive feedback we’ve given him!
I’ve hung onto my software as potential evidence should I ever be able to find a way to fight this.
Meanwhile, I checked some things out with the Trading standards people and those of us who used a credit card ARE still able to claim. The period is up to six years from when you should first have realised there was a problem with the item you bought. Our credit card company is arguing the toss with us at the moment but the advice from the Financial Ombudsman is that they will always say, ‘no’ first as an attempt to put you off. We’re persisting because I really want to put my two hundred quid towards a legitimate version! Before I realised there was a problem with the software I’d taken training in CS2 and was really loving it.
That way Adobe get to shout at eBay instead of you.
Ebay is a disgrace, no wonder it’s called thiefbay. What with fake software, Chinese fake Sandisk memory and huge numbers of escrow frauds on cars, the company is making a mint from criminal activities.
Adobe UK’s Anti-piracy chap is Najeeb Khan if reporting via VERO doesn’t produce any interest.
If you know the seller’s name and address, you can simply sue for return of your money. Send a bill and when they don’t pay, do a small claims procedure against them via < http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/claims/index.ht m> – you can issue a summons online.
Unfortunately, you can only report someone through Vero if you are the rights owner. So Adobe knows that people are selling illegal software through Ebay, they have an easy way to deal with it, yet they don’t? I don’t understand this at all.
Not so. The eBay VERO page for Adobe leads to an Adobe form to report piracy. I completed this and got into correspondence with Adobe’s anti-piracy guy in the USA:
Chris Stickle Enforcement Manager, Anti-Piracy Adobe Systems, Inc. 601 Townsend St. San Francisco, CA 94103 415.832.5187 415.832.5140 fax
But I’m already in touch with Chris Stickle. And in his email to me telling me that the software I had purchased was counterfeit, he told me to contact Ebay about it, which doesn’t make sense. He’s the one who has the power to shut down the seller, not me.
"Only the intellectual property rights owner can report potentially infringing items or listings through eBay’s VeRO Program".
A little update: the seller says he will refund my payment within 24 hours and they are going to contact Adobe about this matter. Sorry if I sound kind of upset. I’m thinking about all the people who are getting swindled by these sellers. And I really appreciate your site, Tony. It’s how I first suspected my software was counterfeit.
"But I’m already in touch with Chris Stickle. And in his email to me telling me that the software I had purchased was counterfeit, he told me to contact Ebay about it, which doesn’t make sense. He’s the one who has the power to shut down the seller, not me."
Yes, it is amazingly strange, and I had much the same reaction, only he wanted me to ship the fake s/w to the USA at my expense.
I’ve found Adobe UK more interested, but possibly only because a journalist approached them following on from my blog piece. They now have my counterfeit copy and were supposedly going to take action against the seller. But the same seller is still cheerfully flogging fakes off e-Bay UK 2 weeks later, 36 sold to date and 5 pending.
But why would they go to all the trouble of making an immaculate copy of the software.. but use a broken version? It doesn’t make sense at all. And why would they print about it being made in Singapore, surely that just gives a way to detect it’s pirate.
My guess is this was an identified problem batch that was stolen by an employee and sold. Hence the reason why it’s so legit looking but faulty. I’ve seen this happen before, were employees steal items that are to be thrown away.
I have the same problem with the arrow keys. My package said made in USA. After install, I clicked the button that asked if I wanted to register and the message came back that all was ok. What is the difference between registering and activating?
registration gets you free support for installation problems, lets you register your serial # with adobe in case you ever lose it or your disks – so they can get you running again, and gets you a free gift, like a professional font or training dvds or a design magazine subscription.
also activation is mandatory (except in the case of corporate multi seat licenses) where as registration is voluntary (but you’d be dumb not to register a 650 program in case you lose or break it!)
Thank you. I was wrong, when I clicked the button after the install, I assume it went out to Adobe for activation authorization. It did come back and said everything was ok, which means activated, not registered. But that is no guarantee that it is a legal version from what I read in this thread. I plan on upgrading to CS3 early next year, so I should find out then.
OK, I assume my software is activated, my mistake. Even though I went through a full install and asked it to verify with adobe at the end of the install, I have no guarantee that my software is legal, based on what I have read in this thread. If I upgrade to CS3 early next year, will it upgrade pirated software? If not, I may have some recourse with my seller (if within 180 days).
