CS Activation and HDD Reformat Questions...

[Eric Lamont]

With the new activation system Adobe has built in to CS, what happens if you need to reformat your HDD? Its the same PC, but if you reinstall it and it forces you to register again, wont it see that its already been registered?

My laptop is behaving VERY bizarrely this morning and I am just about to this point. I cant even run Defrag before the blue screen pops up saying windows has been shut down due to a serious error.

Ughhhh....

--
Eric Lamont
http://www.pbase.com/elamont

'Above all, it's hard learning to live with vivid mental images of scenes I cared for and failed to photograph' - Sam Abell

 

[Olga Johnson]

I had a couple of hard drive failures in one month a year ago. The first reinstallation only required a re-activation via my online connection. The second required a phone call.

A month ago I did some major surgery on my registry. PSCS required reactivation again which I managed to do online.

Olga

 

[UnderWater]

Worst case is you'll have to phone Adobe.
You sometimes have to phone Microsoft to reinstall the OS anyway.

--len

 

[Ed Beaver]

I went through a reformat and reinstall of CS and it wasn't a problem. As part of the installation you have to register/activate again, but as I recall it worked OK. Worst case you'll have call the 800 number they give you on the registration screen and tell them you had to reformat and reinstall. The hassle factor was minimal.

Ed

With the new activation system Adobe has built in to CS, what
happens if you need to reformat your HDD? Its the same PC, but if
you reinstall it and it forces you to register again, wont it see
that its already been registered?

My laptop is behaving VERY bizarrely this morning and I am just
about to this point. I cant even run Defrag before the blue screen
pops up saying windows has been shut down due to a serious error.

Ughhhh....

--
Eric Lamont
http://www.pbase.com/elamont

'Above all, it's hard learning to live with vivid mental images of
scenes I cared for and failed to photograph' - Sam Abell

 

[Eric Lamont]

a reformat may not be as bad as I was thinking. =) Hopefully it can still be avoided though. Things seem to have calmed down, but it was really rough there for awhile this morning. I have never seen a PC behave like that.

With the new activation system Adobe has built in to CS, what
happens if you need to reformat your HDD? Its the same PC, but if
you reinstall it and it forces you to register again, wont it see
that its already been registered?

My laptop is behaving VERY bizarrely this morning and I am just
about to this point. I cant even run Defrag before the blue screen
pops up saying windows has been shut down due to a serious error.

Ughhhh....

--
Eric Lamont
http://www.pbase.com/elamont

'Above all, it's hard learning to live with vivid mental images of
scenes I cared for and failed to photograph' - Sam Abell

--
Eric Lamont
http://www.pbase.com/elamont

'Above all, it's hard learning to live with vivid mental images of scenes I cared for and failed to photograph' - Sam Abell

 

[Per Inge Oestmoen]

I had a couple of hard drive failures in one month a year ago. The
first reinstallation only required a re-activation via my online
connection. The second required a phone call.
A month ago I did some major surgery on my registry. PSCS required
reactivation again which I managed to do online.

The most important question is this:

We purchase a license for software we need to access and work with our image files. The operating system and applications are necessary working tools we need to use our computers.

Why should we accept having to be forever dependent on a manufacturer's activation service in order to install and use the working tools we need to access and work with our pictures on our private computers?

That is the question.

Per Inge Oestmoen, Norway

 

[Olga Johnson]

Why should we accept having to be forever dependent on a
manufacturer's activation service in order to install and use the
working tools we need to access and work with our pictures on our
private computers?

As you noticed, I didn't express an opinion but merely stated what it took to get the software activated. I was particularly annoyed when I had to call to get the activation working. A message told me that everyone was in a meeting and to call at a later (hours later) time.

IMHO all these schemes are for all the honest folks. Those who are not honest know how to get around them.

Olga

 

[Scooter]

my photography computer is not online. Once I started all over, I chose not to let the machine see the light of the internet again because of all the trouble that comes with it. But I can't activate their product without it? I'd rather not be obligated to put the computer on the net.

yer pal,
Scooter

--
I'm Scooter, and I approve of this message.

 

[Stefan Bruckel]

Had to do just that, yesterday, with CS2. No problem, was able to register on line using the replacement computer. In about a week, perhaps, I'll have configured most programs again to work the way I want them...

 

[Jacques Cornell]

my photography computer is not online. Once I started all over, I
chose not to let the machine see the light of the internet again
because of all the trouble that comes with it. But I can't
activate their product without it? I'd rather not be obligated to
put the computer on the net.

Umm... I don't know how to say this without seeming rude, so please forgive me.

Maybe your next computer should be a Mac.

There, I said it. Sorry if I offended anyone. But, I find it absolutely inconceivable that people should be afraid to connect their computers to the Internet. The Internet is most people's reason for buying a computer these days. And, Internet access is almost a requirement for buying and upgrading software. In addition, in the world of professional photography, art buyers do not want to view printed portfolios any more. The first question out of a potential client's mouth is "Where can I view your website?"

I've read the reports about viruses and Windows, so I knew that people were struggling to keep their PCs safe. But, I had no idea it was so bad that people were actually disconnecting.

As a Mac user, I have never seen adware, spyware or viruses. There are zero, count 'em, zero viruses that affect OS X. OS X's built-in firewall is on by default. And, installation of an application requires an administrator password, so malware cannot self-install invisibly. I download files without a care in the world, and without anti-virus software, or anti-anything software for that matter, knowing with absolute certainty that my Mac will just keep purring along.

If you can't wait for Longhorn, check out OS X.

I honestly don't mean to be critical or start a flame war. But, the thought of having to disconnect for the sake of safety is just incredible to me. There's a better way.

--
'To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or
that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only
unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American
public.' -- Teddy Roosevelt

 

[Svein Eriksen]

You can call.

 

[Melbob]

I have had to re-format my hard drive after a virus infection, re-activate XP, PSCS and a bunch of plugins plus other programs... again just a few weeks later when XP continually "Blue screened". It SUCKS big time.

Had to buy another computer to keep it off the web so that I can have some peace of mind regardless of the fact that I have "secure IE, plus virus and firewall software etc. etc.

Next step is to discard the PC (operating system is far too incompetent and open to intrusion) and buy a MAC!
--
MelBob

 

[madmaxx]

There is a file in the PS folder and one d_word in the registry that you can save and it will run just fine.

The registry key is locked but you can get to it with registrar lite

 

[DerekW]

If your computer is till running, perhaps you can 'un-install' CS before reformatting - thereby saving any registration so that it installs fresh and clean the next time (after reformatting). Maybve Adobe has details about how this is done.

Personallly, I haven't gone past 7.0 because I didn't want the hassle of online registration. I want to install it on my home computer, laptop, and work computer without having to buy 3 separate copies. I only use one at any given time, so I'm not violating any part of the EULA.

And CS/CS2 doesn't seem to offer me any kind of improvement over what I already have in 7.0. My workflow is already tailored to it and I have many actions already setup. The results are consistent, reliable, and the process is (almost) foolproof. The last thing I want is a new surprise because Adobe changed the way a command is executed and now gives different results.

With all the hassle the companies are requiring these days, its no wonder that there is a wealth of info about how to bypass all their stupid tricks.

--
DerekW - Avid wrestling photographer.

 

[Stefan Bruckel]

Indeed, the idea to isolate at least some PCs from the WWW is increasinglyu of appeal. Or maybe go to a Mac for those of us who are not tied into corporate networks requiring Windows platform.

 

[Scooter]

that wasn't even close to rude. You're comments are on the money. I want very very much to switch to Mac, but to be honest, I just can't afford it right now. It's not inexpensive and, well, I've got a seven month old now. I've invested what disposable money I've had recently on some pretty fancy lenses. But I agree with you. I'm so very tired of dealing with internet corruption. I surf with a little antiquated laptop. I do maintain a photo storage site from here. Macs are so elegant and steady. Eventually I'll make the switch. Oh yeah, first I gotta get that fancy home theatre projector as well. ;-)

Thanks for your comments, because I really agree.

yer pal,
Scooter

--
I'm Scooter, and I approve of this message.

 

[Scooter]

--
I'm Scooter, and I approve of this message.

 

[Eugene Powers]

is paranoid does not mean that everyone of us is. I simply have Norton running and Zone alarm and I have my 3 computers on the net 24/7. That is right I don't shut down my computers, ever. I let HD and monitor to go to sleep to save on energy but that is about it.

On the other hand if something go wrong with a MAC there is very little help out where. If I have to find something about trouble I have with my computer all I have to do is Google and because there are so many users I get my answer right away.
Also, there more software written for PCs than MAC.

But if you think that you can download software indiscriminately, think again. It will only take one virus to bypass your password scheme and say goodbye to all your data. There is nothing infallible out where.

--
Eugene

Canon is the best when it is working. Sigma is the same way now.

 

[Eugene Powers]

is blue screening because you have hardware problem. If you think Macs don't have HW problems think again. I build my own computers and never have HW problems. The last blue screen I saw was in Windows 98.

--
Eugene

Canon is the best when it is working. Sigma is the same way now.

 

[Eugene Powers]

It allows you to save registration to another computer. I have not try it but I saw the option during uninstallation from my old laptop.

--
Eugene

Canon is the best when it is working. Sigma is the same way now.