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“Activation – No connection” or “Internet connection not detected”
The obsolete activation servers for the Creative Suite 3 (CS3) and Acrobat 8 applications had to be removed. Without activation servers, the CS3 and Acrobat 8 applications display a connection error while attempting to verify a license. Affected applications include CS3 versions of Photoshop, InDesign, InCopy, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Flash Professional, Contribute, Fireworks, and Soundbooth, as well as Acrobat 8 Standard, Acrobat 8 Professional, and Acrobat 3D version 8.
Enter your current CS3 or Acrobat 8 serial number for one of the following options:
- Upgrade the last and the best- Take advantage of this special offer to upgrade to Creative Cloud (owners of CS3) or Acrobat DC (owners of Acrobat 8). Benefit from the world’s best creative tools or PDF solutions, including mobile apps, cloud storage and free updates, at an incredibly low price.
- Receive a new serial number and installation program- Get a new serial number and installation program to successfully reinstall CS3 or Acrobat 8 applications. These special versions do not require activation.
Here is the solution to the Adobe CS3 activation error. You will need an Adobe ID.
- Get a new CS3 serial code (free), because your old one is now useless. You can do this by going to https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/cs3-product-downloads.html and clicking on the Sign in link. What are my options?
- Download the new CS3 installer (link available on the page after login).
- When downloading the new installer, uninstall the old CS3.
- CRITICAL STEP – Delete the cache.db file from Program Files (x86) / Common Files / Adobe / Adobe PCD / cache.
- If you missed step 4. Ignore this step, nothing will change and you will get the activation error again. CRITICAL STEP – Delete the cache.db file from Program Files (x86) / Common Files / Adobe / Adobe PCD / cache.
- Restart
- Optional, if you want to be extremely thorough: Run Adobe Cleaner Tool (get it here https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html). Mine did not find anything to remove.
- Optional: restart
- Install Photoshop CS3 using the new CS3 installer
- Launch the program, rejoice when it asks you for your new serial code
