Photoshop CS3 license error, cannot even be uninstalled

I have this Photoshop CS3 from a CS3 suite CD that I've been using forever. Since it still works even on new computers I have never felt the need to upgrade in all these years.

Now, today after a restart suddenly it gave me this "licensing error, please uninstall and reinstall" error message in all my Adobe programs, who knows why. In my older computer (win 8), this licensing error is easily fixed by restarting FLEXnet. My computer is now Win 11, and the FLEXnet fix no longer works.

I decide to uninstall as recommended. However the installer, that also doubles as the uninstaller, from the CD just refused to run altogether.

There's a loading bar that loads up, but once it fills, it disappears and nothing happens. There is no Uninstall.exe in the Adobe folder.

I tried uninstalling from the Control Panel, but nothing happens. Instead the Control Panel pops up this message that basically says "Photoshop doesn't exist" and de-lists it from the programs list. The program folder is actually still there, I touched nothing. It just suddenly doesn't work anymore, and now I can't uninstall it. I even downloaded the Adobe CC Cleaner program from Adobe, which does have the option to clean out and delete older CS versions. Even that cannot detect Photoshop and says "no CS3 programs are detected".

I wondered if Adobe just decided to lock down all the CS programs because it's no longer supported, but CS4, 5 and 6 installers still run. I guess it's only CS3 that's completely killed dead.

Can I just delete the folder manually since I can't uninstall it?

When a software company, like Adobe, ends support for a product it typically means that they will no longer be selling new licenses or providing updates (improvements, bug fixes, and technical support) for the specified product.

Historically, Microsoft has done a great job of maintaining software compatibility between various versions of Windows.  Hopefully, Windows 11 doesn' destroy that reputation.

Based on what your wrote, I would guess the problem is with Windows 11's update process, rather than Adobe trying to sabatage old customers who haven't yet updated.

(Though I'm sure Adobe won't be crying if customers who haven't updated in a while are compelled to spend more money purchasing their products)

Did you try running the CS3 installer again? Does it display any type of error when you try to launch the Setup application on the CD?

(Make sure you run it as Administrator)

https://www.google.com/search?q=adobe+photoshop+cs3+uninstaller&client=firefox-b-d&sca_esv=561811248&ei=ckTxZPWZHcHM0PEPmMGuqAk&oq=Photoshop+CS3+uninstaLLER&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGVBob3Rvc2hvcCBDUzMgdW5pbnN0YUxMRVIqAggAMgYQABgFGB4yCBAAGIoFGIYDMggQABiKBRiGAzIIEAAYigUYhgNIjCJQ7RFY7RFwAXgBkAEAmAFVoAFVqgEBMbgBAcgBAPgBAcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPiAwQYACBBiAYBkAYI&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

if already done, oh well.

Try using Revo Uninstaller https://www.revouninstaller.com/

I would as a last ditch, because the setup being unable to run means that I can't reinstall this program later. Like, if there's absolutely no helping this, I would go get the more updated version, but if I can I'd like to figure out why the setup seems to be blocked from running.

When a software company, like Adobe, ends support for a product it typically means that they will no longer be selling new licenses or providing updates (improvements, bug fixes, and technical support) for the specified product.

 

Historically, Microsoft has done a great job of maintaining software compatibility between various versions of Windows.  Hopefully, Windows 11 doesn' destroy that reputation.

Based on what your wrote, I would guess the problem is with Windows 11's update process, rather than Adobe trying to sabatage old customers who haven't yet updated.

(Though I'm sure Adobe won't be crying if customers who haven't updated in a while are compelled to spend more money purchasing their products)

 

Did you try running the CS3 installer again? Does it display any type of error when you try to launch the Setup application on the CD?

(Make sure you run it as Administrator)

I've run the installer/Setup.exe with Admin permissions. No error messages pop up. The installer loading bar just randomly disappears and nothing happens. 

It's almost like the computer has been "locked out" from being able to run the installer somehow. Apparently this was an issue that was known to happen even back when people were still using Windows 7, but the fixes I found online just don't work anymore.

Whatever made the licensing go awry basically just locks up all CS3 installation processes in this computer now, because I tried using the standalone installers (not the full suite), and the same thing happens. Probably registry? I don't know. Back when this computer was clean and fresh the installer runs just fine. I've ran a bunch of updates on this computer with no issue, and then one day I restart the computer and poof, suddenly all the Adobe programs licensings are messed up. I ran SFC, Virus scans, etc, nothing seems to have gone wrong.

Adobe Acrobat was unscathed. Installers for CS 4 and above can run just fine, and I was able to reinstall everything else. Photoshop is the only one left that's CS3 in my computer, so it's kind of stuck like this.

Edited by d_a_renoir, 01 September 2023 - 02:48 AM.

Update: I boot up the computer only to find the installation errors now hits the CS4 and CS5 programs too.

Trying to load up the programs gives me errors, and the programs becomes "ghost" programs that cannot be uninstalled too.

The installers now also doesn't work.

I honestly really don't know what's happening. Maybe Adobe programs are just unstable in general, but it's been fine for the past year or so, so I don't know what's causing things to mess up now.

The CS4 installer says there's some kind of error and it can't run, and the CS5 one gives me this error:

Exit Code: 7


-------------------------------------- Summary --------------------------------------


 - 0 fatal error(s), 63 error(s), 74 warning(s)





WARNING: DS013: Payload {D38116C8-C472-4BB0-AD6F-0C1DD1320D1D} AdobeHelp 4.0.0.0 is already installed and the session payload {7EABC54B-02C3-4DA1-9EB4-974CE7414066} AdobeHelp 3.4.0.0 has no upgrade/conflict relationship with it.


ERROR: DS013: Verifying payload integrity : Failed with code 1


WARNING: DW016: NOTE: Cannot set action to the payload {3F023875-4A52-4605-9DB6-A88D4A813E8D} Camera Profiles Installer 6.0.0.0 as it is already upgraded by the payload {539AEF15-3A2B-4A31-A587-7E90F7D9C700} Camera Profiles Installer 7.0.0.0


WARNING: DW016: NOTE: Cannot set action to the payload {3F023875-4A52-4605-9DB6-A88D4A813E8D} Camera Profiles Installer 6.0.0.0 as it is already upgraded by the payload {539AEF15-3A2B-4A31-A587-7E90F7D9C700} Camera Profiles Installer 7.0.0.0


WARNING: DW016: NOTE: Cannot set action to the payload {3F023875-4A52-4605-9DB6-A88D4A813E8D} Camera Profiles Installer 6.0.0.0 as it is already upgraded by the payload {539AEF15-3A2B-4A31-A587-7E90F7D9C700} Camera Profiles Installer 7.0.0.0


WARNING: DW016: NOTE: Cannot set action to the payload {3F023875-4A52-4605-9DB6-A88D4A813E8D} Camera Profiles Installer 6.0.0.0 as it is already upgraded by the payload {539AEF15-3A2B-4A31-A587-7E90F7D9C700} Camera Profiles Installer 7.0.0.0


WARNING: DW016: NOTE: Cannot set action to the payload {3F023875-4A52-4605-9DB6-A88D4A813E8D} Camera Profiles Installer 6.0.0.0 as it is already upgraded by the payload {539AEF15-3A2B-4A31-A587-7E90F7D9C700} Camera Profiles Installer 7.0.0.0


WARNING: DW016: NOTE: Cannot set action to the payload {3F023875-4A52-4605-9DB6-A88D4A813E8D} Camera Profiles Installer 6.0.0.0 as it is already upgraded by the payload {539AEF15-3A2B-4A31-A587-7E90F7D9C700} Camera Profiles Installer 7.0.0.0


WARNING: DW016: NOTE: Cannot set action to the payload {3F023875-4A52-4605-9DB6-A88D4A813E8D} Camera Profiles Installer 6.0.0.0 as it is already upgraded by the payload {539AEF15-3A2B-4A31-A587-7E90F7D9C700} Camera Profiles Installer 7.0.0.0


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {0D96CFE6-376D-44B8-808A-16F3BEB73263}


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {EE85C227-0148-4825-B659-6A1E142571EE}


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {6BC81374-1E33-4495-93E2-DD2B10D358EE}


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {23E445D5-FD83-4C50-A211-EB26A2975317}


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {D97AF04B-B70A-4862-BC25-31E6D9C4A529}


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {2EA9B52E-8613-41A0-9EEF-FF54AD4CC810}


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {970C9F3A-39C5-480B-BE51-7C70AB9F84DB}


WARNING: DW066: OS requirements not met for {E348E466-429A-4FB0-AFCF-8306C16BBFF1}


----------- Payload: {92D58719-BBC1-4CC3-A08B-56C9E884CC2C} Microsoft_VC80_CRT_x86 1.0.0.0 -----------


ERROR: Error 1402.Could not open key: UNKNOWN\Components\DA42BC89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1A1EE8\79AE5E9247F575A48B2B4D1F96111738.   Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel.


ERROR: Install MSI payload failed with error: 1603 - Fatal error during installation.

MSI Error message: Error 1402.Could not open key: UNKNOWN\Components\DA42BC89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1A1EE8\79AE5E9247F575A48B2B4D1F96111738.   Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel.


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure


WARNING: DW036: Payload cannot be installed due to dependent operation failure





ERROR: DW050: The following payload errors were found during install:


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe ExtendScript Toolkit CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC90_ATL_x86: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Linguistics CS5 x64: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC80_ATL_x86: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeColorNA CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobePDFL x64 CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - DynamiclinkSupport: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Flash CS5.5 Driver: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Flash CS5.5_AdobeMobileExtension_Flash11.5-en_US: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe XMP Panels CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Pixel Bender Toolkit: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Photoshop Camera Raw: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Extension Manager CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe XMP Panels CS5_3.1_AdobeXMPPanelsAll: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Flash Player 10 Plugin: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeColorCommonSetRGB: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Device Central CS5.5: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeColorCommonSetCMYK: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Photoshop Camera Raw (64 bit): Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC90_MFC_x86: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Media Encoder CS5.5 X64: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AIR for APPLE IOS Support (FP): Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Linguistics CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - PDF Settings CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeTypeSupport CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe CSXS Infrastructure CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Flash Player 10 ActiveX: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeHelp: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC90_ATL_x86_x64: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC90_CRT_x86_x64: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC80_CRT_x86: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Device Central CS5.5_DeviceCentral3.5LP-en_US: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Flash CS5.5_AdobeFlash11.5-en_USLanguagePack: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeCMaps x64 CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeTypeSupport x64 CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC90_MFC_x86_x64: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeColorJA CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeOutputModule: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe WinSoft Linguistics Plugin CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe WinSoft Linguistics Plugin CS5 x64: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC90_MFCLOC_x86: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobePDFL CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeCMaps CS5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe CSXS Extensions CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe ReviewPanel CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Player for Embedding x64 3.1: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe SwitchBoard 2.0: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC80_MFC_x86: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Player for Embedding 3.1: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Microsoft_VC80_MFCLOC_x86: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Flash CS5.5: Failed due to Language Pack installation failure


ERROR: DW050:  - SiteCatalyst NetAverages CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Flash CS5.5_AdobeMobileExtension_Flash11.5-mul: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeJRE: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Suite Shared Configuration CS5.5: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Adobe Bridge CS5.1: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - Photoshop Camera Raw_6.3_AdobeCameraRaw6.0All: Install failed


ERROR: DW050:  - AdobeColorEU CS5.5: Install failed


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



 

Edited by d_a_renoir, 02 September 2023 - 06:56 AM.

Edited by MoxieMomma, 02 September 2023 - 08:39 AM.

Hi:

It looks as if you're also being helped here:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects-discussions/old-cs3-after-effects-will-not-go-away-even-after-uninstall/td-p/14011388

Staff members & volunteers there may be best prepared to advise about licensing and install/uninstall issues, especially for such old, legacy versions of their applications.

This is a slightly different matter, since that one I just want to get rid of the unused program and it seems like Revo Uninstaller was able to do the job of uprooting the registries.

This time, I want to uninstall with the intention to reinstall, and I'm not able to get the installation to work.

Did you notice the “dependent operation failure” error messages?

Licensing issues notwithstanding, at some point, it’s likely going to be(come) impractical – if not impossible – to run very old, unsupported, legacy software on newer, incompatible platforms.

My only point was that the staff/gurus at the Adobe forum might be best situated to advise about the nuances and details of doing so. This would include assisting with problematic uninstalls & with associated licensing issues.

Other options might eventually include: upgrading your Adobe software to a newer, supported version; installing the old, unsupported versions in a VM; or moving to a similar product from a different software vendor.

Good luck!

Yeah, at the time of my asking that question, all the other softwares that I was using was still running fine. 

I've gone ahead and posted a new question in the Adobe forums with an updated description of the trouble I'm currently experiencing.

If there's no fixing this, then yeah, I suppose there's no choice but to upgrade. I didn't think I needed to because so far it was running okay even through my multiple OS changes. I guess at some point there's just  going to be a limit to the compatibility.