I have a used iMac, HD wiped, OS 10.6.8 freshly installed w/Rosetta, Photoshop Elements won't start saying "could not complete because of missing or invalid personalization info." previous owner's name still there preventing initialing?

You may have illegal applications, if the seller sold you the machine apps such as PS on it without any media that's exactly what you have and you got ripped off. However if you have all the original media then do an erase and install using the 10.6.x install disc, re-install 10.6.x, run the 10.6.8 Update Combo then and only then install your apps.

Adobe is big on "phone home" software for copy protection so I suspect what's happening is this:

When the original user installed PSE he probably registered it with Adobe under his name. Now when you try to install, PSE phones home and finds there is another user associated with that copy's unique ID and displays the message you see.

Sounds like you'll need a new copy of PSE.

I think Adobe allows their software to be installed on 2 computers only. However, if say you buy another computer and wish to install PSE on the new computer ( effectively a 3rd computer as far as Adobe is concerned ) PSE needs to be properly uninstalled ie not simply by uninstalling using the operating system's uninstall process. It needs to be uninstalled using the Adobe uninstall process that is contained within the software.

You should then be given a prompt as to whether you will be reinstalling on the same computer or if you wish to remove altogether. If the latter, then all traces are removed and the software can be (re) installed on the new computer.

If, unknown to yourself, the software had been installed on 2 computers and although you or the previous may have wiped the hard drive clean, as far as Adobe is concerned the software is still ' registered / assigned ' to 2 computers.

If the previous owner bought a new computer and installed their PSE on it, wiped the hard drive clean without properly uninstalling/removing PSE thentherein probably lies the prblem.

As Allan Jones said, it 's probably worth your while to purchase your own copy.

Hope this helps.