How Many Times Can You Install CS4? [Archive]

doug anderson

January 11th, 2009, 07:32 PM

Dear Folks: Can you install it infinite numbers of times on the same computer? How many different computers can you install it on before the software police cut you off?

Thanks,

D

Charles L Webster

January 11th, 2009, 09:49 PM

I believe the standard Adobe EULA says 2 computers, not to be used simultaneously, but I don't know if it can tell if they are both being used.

Since Adobe products use "call home" activation, I don't think the 3rd installation would work, but I don't know.

<Chas>

doug anderson

January 13th, 2009, 02:58 AM

Thanks, Charles.

D

Andrew Rodney

January 13th, 2009, 07:14 AM

Dear Folks: Can you install it infinite numbers of times on the same computer? How many different computers can you install it on before the software police cut you off?

You can install it on as many computers as you wish! But you can only activate two machines per license. That means deactivating on machine #2 before activating on machine #3. Very easy and quick to do (at least on the Mac, the command is accessible under the Help menu).

doug anderson

January 14th, 2009, 07:54 AM

You can install it on as many computers as you wish! But you can only activate two machines per license. That means deactivating on machine #2 before activating on machine #3. Very easy and quick to do (at least on the Mac, the command is accessible under the Help menu).

This gets better and better.

Thanks.

JohanElzenga

January 14th, 2009, 01:37 PM

Why would you want to install it multiple times on the same computer?

JohnZeman

January 14th, 2009, 04:13 PM

You can install it on as many computers as you wish! But you can only activate two machines per license. That means deactivating on machine #2 before activating on machine #3. Very easy and quick to do (at least on the Mac, the command is accessible under the Help menu).

In addition to that if you do like I do, and regularly clone and swap out the operating system hard drive, you do not have to deactivate/reactivate Photoshop during the process. At least that's true for CS3, I haven't upgraded to CS4.

JohanElzenga

January 16th, 2009, 08:49 AM

Do you use Macintosh or Windows? I've found that on a Macintosh that does indeed work, because the activation is written to an invisible file that gets cloned as well. I understand that on a Windows system the activation code is written to some special boot sector of the drive, which does normally not get cloned.

Rachel Foster

January 16th, 2009, 11:51 AM

Can you install it on a portable 350 gb hardrive instead of the C drive?

JohnZeman

January 16th, 2009, 03:09 PM

Johan I'm using Windows XP Pro.

Rachel although I've never tried it I would imagine you could install it on an external hard drive, however I'd be surprised if the Photoshop would run (licensed anyway) on any machine other than the one used to install the program in the first place. That's an interesting question.

doug anderson

January 18th, 2009, 02:28 PM

Why would you want to install it multiple times on the same computer?

Because some times reinstalling is the only thing that will correct a problem.

doug anderson

January 18th, 2009, 02:29 PM

Do you use Macintosh or Windows? I've found that on a Macintosh that does indeed work, because the activation is written to an invisible file that gets cloned as well. I understand that on a Windows system the activation code is written to some special boot sector of the drive, which does normally not get cloned.

I use Windows.

John Sheehy

January 18th, 2009, 04:00 PM

Johan I'm using Windows XP Pro.

Rachel although I've never tried it I would imagine you could install it on an external hard drive, however I'd be surprised if the Photoshop would run (licensed anyway) on any machine other than the one used to install the program in the first place. That's an interesting question.

You can activate it on two machines. At least I've done that with CS and CS2.