Software - - PS 7 update

platscha@cs.com · #1 08-24-2002, 01:53 AM

There is a update 7.01 for photoshop but alot of people, myself included, cannot get it to download. I called adobe and apparently, even though I bought my software from Frys, a large computer store, my software has a ID that adobe says is pirated software. They are very nice and will give me a new number if I send in the receipt but, lord only knows where that is. There is a thread going on the adobe site and one of them gives a link to all the numbers (ID) that will not work, check it out if you have problems.
I was pretty surprised how many people have not been able to use it and how many numbers were bad, apparently your number is in the computer and the update gets it you don't even have to put it in and if you try to bypass that all hell breaks out in your computer, a very interesting forum subject.

john_opitz · #2 08-24-2002, 06:26 AM

Try this. When it gets unzipped in your temp. folder or whatever path you choose. Search for the "setup.exe" and click on it to install.

DannyRaphael · #3 08-24-2002, 06:48 AM

As Platscha noted this is definitely a serial # issue. Apparently the 7.01 installer was programmed to "ignore" certain serial numbers deemed associated with pirated software by Adobe.

Click here for an active discussion on this issue or check Adobe.com for additional info.

Thanks for posting this, Platscha.

= = = = = =
JOHN: Would you elaborate on the benefit of doing what you suggested?

Thx/Dannyr

john_opitz · #4 08-24-2002, 07:39 AM

Reading the first post more closely. There's nothing you can do for the pirated serial numbers. Other than what was posted.

Some of the installs. When it gets unzipped in the temp folder. You have to go in there and search for the "setup.exe." and click on it to install the updater. This is whats happening to most of the installs for it to load. What I do is unzip to my desktop and do that. This way I don't have to search through all those "other" temp folders. This is where the "read me" file comes in handy for these updaters. I mentioned the "setup.exe." on another tread in this forum as well. What I "thimk" is happening now is......if this is not done, "following the read me file" and the updater is not installing. People think it is a pirated version.
What I found"was a good one". One of my fellow photoshopers had this same problem"pirated serial numbers"(nothing to do with the updater though). I'm taking this out of context.
He told them...this is Adobe now he's speaking too....... "How can that be"... "A pirated version"........."I bought it from you people".
So I don't know what's going on with those numbers.

Blacknight · #5 08-24-2002, 10:10 AM

Whe I upgraded to 7, from 6, I got a whole new serial number. I had had the same one forever (since version 4, or before) and NOW I have a completely different series of numbers.

PERHAPS some are attempting to use their old numbers that they've used for years like I had before version 7. Just a thought.

platscha@cs.com · #6 08-24-2002, 11:27 PM

As was explained to me by adobe,
you instal whatever version of ps on your computer, the numbers are in your computer after you install, then you upgrade or in this case install a update, the update has something built into it that makes it reject certain numbers placed there by adobe, these are serial numbers that adobe has deemed pirated.
So, if you try to install the update and it hits one of those numbers it says there is a problem and will not recognize ps 7 or install, it makes not difference rather an ed version, 6, 5, full whatever, it all has to do with certain numbers. Evidently this does not apply to macs.
If interested in checking your numbers, I have the list, it was on the site but they pulled, I will email a copy if you want to check your number to see if that is why this is happening to you.
By the way, the same thing will happen if you purchase a disk, and if it is your number they wont give you a disk.

dcarr · #7 08-25-2002, 08:04 AM

I learned the hard way. My original ps5 had a "pirated" serial number. 3 years later when I wanted to upgrade to 7, I got the "can't find previous version" message. When I called Adobe, I was told send in the receipt. No way did I have it after 3 years!!
So I was stuck. On further search, I began to check out hack sites. Sure enough, my serial number was one of those offered on hack sites. It leads me to believe, perhaps I'm too cynical, that
someone in these large companies has no problem making lists of serials before they are shipped. Adobe red flags these numbers when more that one of the same tries to register.
Solution?? Now I scan all my reciepts for everything I buy into a file. At least I'll have it if problems arise.

ItzRandy · #8 08-25-2002, 12:46 PM

One of the big problems seems to be that people with legitimate serial numbers have had them knowingly/unknowingly compromised. Through any number of methods, Adobe has gathered up as many of these compromised numbers as possible and included them in the setup.ins file.

Many people are asking how their numbers could have been unknowingly compromised and the answer is simple. Hackers have created "Key Generators" which will generate random legitimate numbers. These numbers get passed around the internet and one of those numbers may have been yours.

To test this theory I downloaded one of these key generators and was astonished at how many serial numbers it generated that aren't on the watch list.

THERE IS A WORKAROUND or FIX but I will not post it here as it is a little less than legitimate and I don't want to get lambasted by the board gods.

But, for those of you who are a tad "irked" that your purchased serial number has been compromised, then I would check certain binaries or photoshop newsgroups to find this fix.

john_opitz · #9 08-26-2002, 07:50 AM

<<To test this theory I downloaded one of these key generators and was astonished at how many serial numbers it generated that aren't on the watch list.>>

Oh............That's real good.
You should tell this to Adobe........."If they want to break in....Their going to break in"........As the old saying goes.. And focus on programing...... And leave that stuff up to G-men. Or better yet.. It's cheaper to hire "Vito" (the guy with the bent nose) to look out for those who try to cut into the piece of the action.

Ed_L · #10 08-26-2002, 01:00 PM

This thread had me a little concerned. Guess I was one of the lucky ones because it went through without a problem at all.

Ed

Scott Rudy · #11 09-13-2002, 09:53 PM

One of the problems that software developers and manufatures are having to deal with is Key-Code generators. Even though you may have purchased your software from the actual software company doesn't matter, what matters is the fact that there are some programming geniuses out there that are building Key-Code generators for all types of software.

What happens is these Key-Code generators are being used to open software that has been pirated and either passed on freely or sold to other people. Sometimes the Key-Code generators are passed on with the pirated software or just one code is generated by the software pirate and passed on with the software.

The people that receive the pirate copy and or the Key-Code generators will inadvertently take there pirated software online for possible updates and patches, this is where duplicate Key-Code numbers are discovered and the number is now put on a pirated numbers list. The numbers list puts blocks into place watching for these numbers and has no way of knowing if the user is legal or not.

If you have had say PS-5 your Key-Code should have started out something like this PWK500U, then you upgraded to PS-6 the Key-Code would have started out something like this PWW600U. What we are looking at here is the fact that the codes are somewhat simular the 500U means version 5, the 600U means version 6. Simular with the beginning letters of the code, Photoshop "P", After Effects "E", Dimensions "D", Indesign "I", Photoshop Elements code is built from MS Visual Basic code generator which is simular to the Key-Code that you have to enter when you install any MS-OS or other MS software.

Key-Code generators are built into Developmental Programming Kits, people that are in school studying programming have access to these code generators along with people that work for the actual software developers (Adobe, Microsoft, etc.). So how secure are Key-Codes? Well our priates are not limited to 15 year old computer hackers.

From what I understand Adobe has already had some major problems with PS-7 pirated Key-Codes and they are now using a different code generator for the newer PS-7 shipments. Will this solve the problem? No, this will just slow down the pirating for a little while and supply a new challenge for the software pirating people, someone will solve it in no time.

When they changed the DVD copy protection code to keep people from illegally copying DVD's, the new code was on the Internet within two weeks. Where did it come from? An employee that worked for the company that developed the new copy protection code.

Macromedia Dreamweaver MX; there are two versions, the standard commercial version and the academic version. What's the difference? Price, the academic version costs less to make it affordable to students but there is one little catch. The academic version has a built in code generator that acts as a becon, if the academic version is used for commercial use or any web sites are built and published to the web, the software will emmit this built in code. Macromedia has a web spy that constantly looks for these codes searching for web sites constructed and published using the academic version of Dreamweaver.

Sorry for the long post but I thought it might be interesting to some of you.

DannyRaphael · #12 09-13-2002, 10:50 PM

Being so far removed from hacking, cracking and theft protection, this is facinating to me, Scott.

I've been reading several of your posts tonight. Each is a quality contribution.

~DannyR~

Scott Rudy · #13 09-13-2002, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DannyRaphael
Being so far removed from hacking, cracking and theft protection, this is facinating to me, Scott.

I've been reading several of your posts tonight. Each is a quality contribution.

~DannyR~

I'm no hacker or cracker but when I'm interested in a hardware or software product I try to learn as much as possible about it first. In doing product research I find infomation on protection rights and violations and somtimes links that take me to sites that explane more in depth the problems that software developers are having to deal with.

Funny thing is I saw a TV show about a hackers convention in Las Vegas and they told a lot about security problems and gave a web address to a site that explains a lot. Its been some time ago and I don't have the address anymore.