Backing up the Photoshop CS3 "activation file"

FK
Posted By
Father Kodak
May 25, 2009
Views
2594
Replies
17
Status
Closed
About a month ago, Windows stopped working on my desktop system, so I had to wipe the C partition and reload Windows and all my applications. Since I also have CS 3 installed on my laptop, I was unable to do an online activation when I re-installed CS3 on my desktop. Fortunately, Adobe will allow you to re-activate CS3 after you explain the situation to them by phone.

Obviously I don’t want to repeat this experience. But I almost did, when my _laptop_ wouldn’t boot up after I made some changes to Windows. Fortunately I was able to recover this time.

So now I’m thinking that when Adobe activates CS3, it either creates an "activation file." I know that Microsoft does that when you activate Windows, and you can back up that file in case you have to re-install.

Anyone know if Adobe does the same? File name?

How to Master Sharpening in Photoshop

Give your photos a professional finish with sharpening in Photoshop. Learn to enhance details, create contrast, and prepare your images for print, web, and social media.

JJ
John J
May 26, 2009
Father Kodak wrote:

So now I’m thinking that when Adobe activates CS3, it either creates an "activation file." I know that Microsoft does that when you activate Windows, and you can back up that file in case you have to re-install.

Anyone know if Adobe does the same? File name?

Adobe uses Macrovision’s protection scheme. They write to an inaccessible are of the fixed/hard drive and the internal ID key is contrived using unknown (~to me) information regarding your hard drive configuration. You are pretty much out of luck getting around this.
FK
Father Kodak
May 26, 2009
On Tue, 26 May 2009 08:16:52 -0500, John Joseph
wrote:

Father Kodak wrote:

Anyone know if Adobe does the same? File name?

Adobe uses Macrovision’s protection scheme. They write to an inaccessible are of the fixed/hard drive and the internal ID key is

Track 0? Cylinder 0?

contrived using unknown (~to me) information regarding your hard drive configuration. You are pretty much out of luck getting around this.

Does that mean that this internal ID key is not even backed up with imaging programs like Ghost? Or file-based backup programs that allow a full restoration of the C: dive? If that is the case, that is pretty bad.

Father Kodak
NE
nesredep egrob
May 26, 2009
R
Rob
May 27, 2009
Father Kodak wrote:
On Tue, 26 May 2009 08:16:52 -0500, John Joseph
wrote:

Father Kodak wrote:

Anyone know if Adobe does the same? File name?
Adobe uses Macrovision’s protection scheme. They write to an inaccessible are of the fixed/hard drive and the internal ID key is

Track 0? Cylinder 0?

contrived using unknown (~to me) information regarding your hard drive configuration. You are pretty much out of luck getting around this.

Does that mean that this internal ID key is not even backed up with imaging programs like Ghost? Or file-based backup programs that allow a full restoration of the C: dive? If that is the case, that is pretty bad.

Father Kodak

As I understand its in the root of the HDD, where the factory settings are, which you can’t/don’t access. The only way to delete it is with a full deep format of the drive(write all 0’s over the whole surface)this takes hours. Unlike what you usually do with formatting is just write over the allocation table.
R
Rob
May 27, 2009
John Joseph wrote:
Father Kodak wrote:

So now I’m thinking that when Adobe activates CS3, it either creates an "activation file." I know that Microsoft does that when you activate Windows, and you can back up that file in case you have to re-install.

Anyone know if Adobe does the same? File name?

Adobe uses Macrovision’s protection scheme. They write to an inaccessible are of the fixed/hard drive and the internal ID key is contrived using unknown (~to me) information regarding your hard drive configuration. You are pretty much out of luck getting around this.

and the activation is heaps better with CS4 not as many problems, I don’t think they use Macrovision scheme or that itself has been improved.
TB
Tom Brown
May 27, 2009
Get Acronis – from that you can if you have a spare Hard drive and you can connect it to the computer so it becomes a part of the computer – you then chose
the ‘Clone disk’ and you have an exact copy of your present state of the whole
disk – perfectly legal and perfectly sure – that also get you past having to
contact Microsoft if you disk goes down again – as it will some time. I speak as
one who lost a 200GB and replaced it with a 500GB – everything intact and ready
for use.

B|rge in sunny Perth, Australia

Does this work with the normal Acronis full backup, or is it only with Clone Disk??

Leo in sunny Auckland – NZ

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4108 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
V
Voivod
May 27, 2009
On Wed, 27 May 2009 23:15:35 +1200, "Tom Brown" scribbled:

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4108 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

Why the fuck is this checking plain text for viri?
JJ
John J
May 27, 2009
Voivod wrote:
On Wed, 27 May 2009 23:15:35 +1200, "Tom Brown" scribbled:

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4108 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

Why the fuck is this checking plain text for viri?

You are a virus.
J
Joel
May 27, 2009
"Tom Brown" wrote:

Get Acronis – from that you can if you have a spare Hard drive and you can connect it to the computer so it becomes a part of the computer – you then chose
the ‘Clone disk’ and you have an exact copy of your present state of the whole
disk – perfectly legal and perfectly sure – that also get you past having to
contact Microsoft if you disk goes down again – as it will some time. I speak as
one who lost a 200GB and replaced it with a 500GB – everything intact and ready
for use.

B|rge in sunny Perth, Australia

Does this work with the normal Acronis full backup, or is it only with Clone Disk??

I don’t know about Clone Disk as well as CS4 which I don’t have, and CS3 which I am using but haven’t run into copy protection problem. But with my CS2 I ran into the problem which I believe the Hard Drive Defragger caused the problem, and I just used the help from cracker. I had problem with CS2 2-3 times, and so far none on the CS3

And *if* Adobe works the way I think it does (or similar to some other) then the chance of using Clone Disk won’t do the trick, because a slightly change in the system may require a different System ID. Some program will give a different system-ID everytime you install the program. What I mean that may be within seconds/minutes, and this is based on few registered sharewares I have.

Leo in sunny Auckland – NZ
J
Joel
May 27, 2009
Rob wrote:

Father Kodak wrote:
On Tue, 26 May 2009 08:16:52 -0500, John Joseph
wrote:

Father Kodak wrote:

Anyone know if Adobe does the same? File name?
Adobe uses Macrovision’s protection scheme. They write to an inaccessible are of the fixed/hard drive and the internal ID key is

Track 0? Cylinder 0?

contrived using unknown (~to me) information regarding your hard drive configuration. You are pretty much out of luck getting around this.

Does that mean that this internal ID key is not even backed up with imaging programs like Ghost? Or file-based backup programs that allow a full restoration of the C: dive? If that is the case, that is pretty bad.

Father Kodak

As I understand its in the root of the HDD, where the factory settings are, which you can’t/don’t access. The only way to delete it is with a full deep format of the drive(write all 0’s over the whole surface)this takes hours. Unlike what you usually do with formatting is just write over the allocation table.

Me? if I run into the problem then I may just search for help from backer world. But so far, I haven’t had any problem with CS3 yet, but I did have some problem with CS2 which I didn’t bother to call Adobe but replaced it with the cracked version instead.

As I have mtnioned in other message that I believe (1) once the hard drive defragger caused the problem, and (2) the second time caused by anti-virus program or something I can’t remember.
V
Voivod
May 27, 2009
On Wed, 27 May 2009 08:51:23 -0500, John Joseph
scribbled:

Voivod wrote:
On Wed, 27 May 2009 23:15:35 +1200, "Tom Brown" scribbled:

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4108 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

Why the fuck is this checking plain text for viri?

You are a virus.

Take the comedy act on the road… maybe you’ll get hit by a bus.
JS
John Stafford
May 27, 2009
On 5/27/09 10:20 AM, in article
, "Voivod"
wrote:

On Wed, 27 May 2009 08:51:23 -0500, John Joseph
scribbled:

Voivod wrote:
On Wed, 27 May 2009 23:15:35 +1200, "Tom Brown" scribbled:

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4108 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

Why the fuck is this checking plain text for viri?

You are a virus.

Take the comedy act on the road… maybe you’ll get hit by a bus.

Actually that’s a good one-liner. I laughed. Thanks.
NE
nesredep egrob
May 28, 2009
On Wed, 27 May 2009 23:15:35 +1200, "Tom Brown" wrote:

Get Acronis – from that you can if you have a spare Hard drive and you can connect it to the computer so it becomes a part of the computer – you then chose
the ‘Clone disk’ and you have an exact copy of your present state of the whole
disk – perfectly legal and perfectly sure – that also get you past having to
contact Microsoft if you disk goes down again – as it will some time. I speak as
one who lost a 200GB and replaced it with a 500GB – everything intact and ready
for use.

B|rge in sunny Perth, Australia

Does this work with the normal Acronis full backup, or is it only with Clone Disk??

Leo in sunny Auckland – NZ

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4108 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
You need a spare hard disk that you are prepared to place in the computer. That disk should be clean. Clone is really meant to be used when you want another, bigger or newer hard disk to take the place of the one in use Børge in sunny Perth, Australia
K
Krypto
May 28, 2009
With Norton Ghost you have to use "Forensic’ Mode in ordder to copy the entire dirve including the elusive last bytes of that sector.
This works!
J
Joel
May 29, 2009
You mean you did try it? I don’t use it but just wanna know, and also wanna make sure.
FK
Father Kodak
May 29, 2009
On Wed, 27 May 2009 07:56:01 +0800, nesredep egrob <Long. -31,48.21 Lat. 115,47.40> wrote:

On Mon, 25 May 2009 15:05:23 -0400, Father Kodak
wrote:

About a month ago, Windows stopped working on my desktop system, so I had to wipe the C partition and reload Windows and all my applications. Since I also have CS 3 installed on my laptop, I was unable to do an online activation when I re-installed CS3 on my desktop. Fortunately, Adobe will allow you to re-activate CS3 after you explain the situation to them by phone.

Get Acronis – from that you can if you have a spare Hard drive and you can connect it to the computer so it becomes a part of the computer – you then chose the ‘Clone disk’ and you have an exact copy of your present state of the whole disk – perfectly legal and perfectly sure – that also get you past having to contact Microsoft if you disk goes down again – as it will some time. I speak as one who lost a 200GB and replaced it with a 500GB – everything intact and ready

After the experience described above tried to clone the disk drive in my Lenovo laptop onto a larger drive, using Norton Ghost 12. Darn thing simply did not work! I did the process 3 times to make sure it wasn’t some kind of fluke error. No joy (in Mudville that day.)

Father Kodak
FK
Father Kodak
May 29, 2009
On Thu, 28 May 2009 18:40:18 -0500, Krypto
wrote:

With Norton Ghost you have to use "Forensic’ Mode in ordder to copy the entire dirve including the elusive last bytes of that sector.
This works!

I don’t remember seeing that mode, but I will have to try that as soon as I return from this business trip.

Father Kodak

Master Retouching Hair

Learn how to rescue details, remove flyaways, add volume, and enhance the definition of hair in any photo. We break down every tool and technique in Photoshop to get picture-perfect hair, every time.

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections