Serial # Issue

CP
Posted By
Christopher_Pasatieri
Mar 29, 2009
Views
381
Replies
5
Status
Closed
OK, my copy of CS4 did come from eBay, but it seems to be legit. I am running Vista Home Premium with plenty of RAM and HD space.

When I install Photoshop, either from the DVD or download, and enter my serial # it gives me the green check mark and brings me to the registration screen. I fill it out, and it then brings me into PS.

Now, when I close PS and restart, it again asks for a serial #. I enter the same number again and I get a red "X" and have to use a 30 day trial option.

What is going on? Anyone ever have this problem?

Thanks,
CP

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– in 4 materials (clay versions included)

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BL
Bob Levine
Mar 29, 2009
OK, my copy of CS4 did come from eBay, but it seems to be legit.

If you got a legit copy of software on eBay you’ll be in a very small minority. Some of the pirated stuff there is so "good" even the sellers don’t know it’s fake.

Call Adobe and see what they have to say.

Bob
DM
dave_milbut
Mar 29, 2009
why wouldn’t you buy it from an actual store? or a big name seller like amazon? or directly from adobe?

why? trying to save some money.

"Caveat emptor."

"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

"Sad but true." – Metallica
SS
Steve Sprengel
Mar 29, 2009
I assume the process you are describing is "Activation" not just entering the serial# during the install.

If I remember, the initial acceptance of your serial# during the install would be just a local check to see if the serial# is consistent with how serial numbers for CS4 are supposed to be formed.

Once activated, at some point Photoshop will connect with Adobe’s servers to check whether or not it is a legit one as far as what products serial#s have been sold and what serial#s seem to be in mass-use due to piracy, and presumably this is where the red X comes from…either that the serial# you are using has been used multiple times, already, or the serial# you have used has not been printed onto the inside packaging of a shrink-wrapped retail Photoshop.

It used to be that PS would only check the serial# at the time of activation and you could run a pirated version as long as you didn’t connect to the internet as you were installing, but this was too easy to defeat with a keygen so Adobe got smart and doesn’t tell you when they check and you can’t stay disconnected from the internet forever.

If you didn’t pay full price for your eBay copy and it didn’t come shrink-wrapped with a serial# inside, then it is doubtful it is legit.
DM
dave_milbut
Mar 29, 2009
and it didn’t come shrink-wrapped with a serial# inside, then it is doubtful it is legit.

that’s no longer a guarantee. lots of reports of fully legit looking cs3 copies with shrink wrap and color manuals. the technology is out there. i guess a pirate may think you’ll pay 500 bux for a 600 dollar program if you’re trying to stay legit, where you might question 100 bux for that $600 program.
O
Ozzwoman9
Mar 30, 2009
We had that problem when installing CS3 here a few months back (right before CS4 was released). We had a legit copy and our local Mac Headquarters did the installation. On one of the computers it kept asking for the serial# like that. I think the solution was for tech support to give us a new serial #.

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