ckcpeace

Q: CS4 no longer works after upgrade to Maverick

I upgraded my MacBook Pro OS two weeks ago to Maverick (I used my external harddrive to grab my applications and files). Since then, I'm unable to open Photoshop (or other CS4 applications). Initial error was about licensing stopped... I used a forum to get ideas for deleteing FlexNet Publisher, etc to no avail. I have OS X 10.9.

 

This didn't work this morning either - LicenseRecoveryLauncher didn't run.

 

What can I do to save my Adobe Creative Suite? Is it possible without uninstalling/reinstalling? (I don't have the discs or licensing key at this point).

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 7, 2013 6:25 AM

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Q: CS4 no longer works after upgrade to Maverick

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  • by geezah,

    geezah geezah Mar 13, 2014 2:29 PM in response to ckcpeace
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 13, 2014 2:29 PM in response to ckcpeace

    Found an automated Terminal command from Linus Neumann that worked perfectly.  Amazing stuff actually.

     

    http://www.linus-neumann.de/2009/12/26/fixed-error-15030-adobe-cs4-licensing-pro blem/

     

    Hope this helps someone!

  • by Garrett Jackson,

    Garrett Jackson Garrett Jackson Mar 13, 2014 2:59 PM in response to SilverMacuser
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Notebooks
    Mar 13, 2014 2:59 PM in response to SilverMacuser

    You said there was no "FlexNet Publisher" folder in the preferences folder.  The following worked for me and some others:

     

    On my new machine there was no "FlexNet Publisher" folder in the preferences folder!  I checked the old machine and the folder was present.  I moved a copy of the folder from the old machine to the [hard drive}/Library/Preferences/ folder on the new machine and now PS4 loaded without problem!

     

    It seems that the Migration Assistant doesn't move the "FlexNet Publisher" folder over for some reason. Note this is the the Preferences folder the top System level Library, not in the User Library folder.

     


  • by nkell,

    nkell nkell Apr 10, 2014 8:42 AM in response to peter.steiner
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 10, 2014 8:42 AM in response to peter.steiner

    thank you

     

    this worked for me - with a slight path change

     

    I typed into terminal

     

    sudo python

     

    then dragged the 'LicenseRecover.py' file from LicenseRecovery

     

    Screen Shot 2014-04-10 at 16.38.54.png

     

    hit RETURN and I was asked to choose English or Japanse to run the adobe tool

  • by Adaley247,

    Adaley247 Adaley247 Apr 22, 2014 8:06 PM in response to Garrett Jackson
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Apr 22, 2014 8:06 PM in response to Garrett Jackson

    Hi Garrett or anyone else who can help this solution seemed to work for everyone but me.  Can you help ?

     

    So I upgraded from Snowleopard to Mavericks version 10.9.2 .   

    I was using Adobe suite CS4 with snowleopard and now it does not work with Mavericks version 10.9.2

    I did see that the Flexnet Publisher folder was there with snowleopard and is not there with Mavericks.

    I used timemachine and accessed my backup found  and copied and pasted the flexnet folder.   When I access the mavericks library it shows the flexnet folder is there .   So what did I miss ?  What am I doing wrong.

    This is so frustrating.    this is all pretty new to me so please be patient.

     

    thanks

  • by EStrijbos,

    EStrijbos EStrijbos Apr 22, 2014 8:19 PM in response to Adaley247
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 22, 2014 8:19 PM in response to Adaley247

    ru sure you put it in the correct library?

    [hard drive}/Library/Preferences/

     

    and what is in your Flexnet Publisher folder?

  • by Adaley247,

    Adaley247 Adaley247 Apr 23, 2014 12:24 PM in response to EStrijbos
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Apr 23, 2014 12:24 PM in response to EStrijbos

    Screen Shot from Backup snow leopard.png

    Here is the Screen shot of Flexnet  from my

    Snowleopard Backup before upgrading to Mavericks.

    screen shot from library on mavericks.png

    There was no Flexnet Publisher in the library after the Mavericks so I did a copy paste and this is what now shows up in the Library now on mavericks.  so it looks the same to me.

    I accessed the Library on the snow leopard backup and the Mavericks as follows:

     

    Snow leopard Backup

    Finder Screen

    (option) 4

    Library

    Preferences

    Flexnet Publisher ( was there on Snowleopard Backup )

     

    Back to Mavericks

    Finder Screen

    (option 4 )

    Library

    Preferences

    No Flexnet Publisher on Mavericks

     

    Went back to the snow leopard backup

    Copied ( Flexnet Folder )

    Pasted into Mavericks Library / Preferences

     

    What am I doing wrong ?

  • by Garrett Jackson,

    Garrett Jackson Garrett Jackson Apr 23, 2014 2:01 PM in response to Adaley247
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 23, 2014 2:01 PM in response to Adaley247

    I don't know what to say.  It sounds like you have moved the Flexnet Pulisher folder, which has worked for some people.  As was suggested above, make sure it is the top Library folder on your hard drive.  Not HD /System/Library.

     

    I am no expert on Adobe's security/license procedures / software.  I stumbled on the issue with the Flexnet Publisher Folder issue and just got lucky. 

     

    I was ready to uninstall and deauthorize the whole creative suite and reinstall it.  That's a pain but it seems that should work.

     

    Sorry I can't be more help.

  • by Adaley247,

    Adaley247 Adaley247 Apr 23, 2014 2:22 PM in response to Garrett Jackson
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Apr 23, 2014 2:22 PM in response to Garrett Jackson

    Hi again,

    So do you think if I downgrade back to snowleopard from my backup that everything would work again ?

  • by Garrett Jackson,

    Garrett Jackson Garrett Jackson Apr 23, 2014 2:37 PM in response to Adaley247
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 23, 2014 2:37 PM in response to Adaley247

    Looking at your screen prints, it looks like the Flexnet Publisher folder is in your /Users/username/Library/Preferences folder

     

    not the /Library/Preferences folder.

     

    On my machine the Flash CS4 Prefences is in my  /Users/username/Library/Preferences folder, a differenct folder than Flexnet Publisher.

     

    From finder menu bar use the Go - Go To Folder command and type in just:

     

    /Library

     

    and make sure that is where you copied the Flexnet Publisher Folder.

  • by mary137,

    mary137 mary137 May 22, 2014 10:17 AM in response to nkell
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 22, 2014 10:17 AM in response to nkell

    Thanks nkell, I had tried a couple of variations of this as well and it didn't work. Spent 4 hours with Adobe support and they never suggested it.  Saw your post and retried a couple more variations and problem solved.  Adobe said cs4 was not compatible with mavericks and asked if I wanted to buy the new version!  Poor timing of a sales opportunity after 4 lost hours and them not knowing how to solve the problem.

  • by nkell,

    nkell nkell May 23, 2014 3:23 AM in response to mary137
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 23, 2014 3:23 AM in response to mary137

    thanks for the post - that's great! - they just want to sell the new stuff - but it is not always possible - I additionally work with and maintain about 10 macs in a youth centre - we have CS4 but there is no way we are going to be able to afford CS6 - plus the idea that it is all virtual and rolling doesn't really go down well with the admin department - it took months for me to get them to agree to me buying an app via the app store - but I am slowly upgrading them to Mavericks after testing on my home machine.

  • by emillipede,

    emillipede emillipede Jun 2, 2014 7:38 PM in response to peter.steiner
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 2, 2014 7:38 PM in response to peter.steiner

    I had all of the same problems as peter.steiner, but this solution worked as well. Thanks!

  • by Teej_LA,

    Teej_LA Teej_LA Mar 18, 2016 2:26 PM in response to peter.steiner
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Mar 18, 2016 2:26 PM in response to peter.steiner

    Dear Peter.Steiner,

     

    I cannot thank you enough for posting this solution in response to ckcpeace, which also worked for me when all others had failed.

     

    Understand that I've been unable to access any of my apps in CS4 (Photoshop, Bridge, InDesign, Flash, Fireworks, Illustrator) since October 2015 (It's now March 18, 2016), and had all but given up.

     

    Back in October, when I first encountered "Error 150:30," I wasted more than 15 hours seeking, and attempting, multiple solutions, but none worked for me. As many other Mac users have stated, no "FlexNet" or "Adobe PCD" folders existed in my system library. Let me clarify that: No folders, or files of any type, with the names "FlexNet" or "Adobe PCD" existed anywhere on my computer.


    I encountered the License Recovery app solution early on, but after downloading and attempting to launch it several times, I finally gave up (double clicking the app failed to open it … indeed, the last time I tried this I recall seeing a prompt that said the License Recovery app "does not exist" on this computer).


    It was about November 1, 2015, when I threw up my hands and walked away from it.


    A couple months later, once I'd forgotten how frustrating the situation had been, I tried again, but with the same miserable result.


    And now, here I am, on March 18, 2016, determined to fix it. I was reading an Adobe forum on the problem when I happened upon a reference to the same solution you posted, i.e. to access the LicenseRecovery application via the Terminal window. However, having been burned by advice in the Adobe forums before, I wanted to see if anyone in the Apple forums could vouch for it. That's how I found your post in this forum.


    The key to success was step No. 4, which I followed exactly as written.


    After that, I was able to open Photoshop and my other CS4 applications for the first time in five months!


    I was so happy I nearly upended my desk in celebration. Thank you. Thank you.

  • by tschull,

    tschull tschull Sep 11, 2016 5:53 AM in response to peter.steiner
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 11, 2016 5:53 AM in response to peter.steiner

    This worked perfectly for me.  Thank you!

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