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May 04, 2007
CS3: Switching platforms, free upgrades
Q. Can I switch my product from Windows to Mac or vice-versa?
A. Yes. Just call Adobe Customer Service (800-833-6687 in the US; 020 7365 0733 in the UK; more country-by-country numbers here) for assistance. The process, as I understand it, involves signing an agreement stating that you've destroyed the product on one platform, and in return Adobe will send you the product for the other platform. According to the service folks, there may be a cost involved; verification of product is required; and restrictions apply.
Q. Why are Customer Service hold times so long?
A. The CS3 launch is far and away the single biggest in Adobe's history, and during the first week or so I heard many stories of long waits on hold. I'm not surprised that the phone lines were slammed, and although I'm not hearing the reports now, you may want to open a Web support case instead of calling, or contact us during non-peak business hours.
Q. I purchased a CS2 product after CS3 was announced. Do I qualify for a free upgrade to CS3?
A. Yes. Again, call Customer Service in your region to discuss the details. Verification of CS2 product is required and restrictions apply. When in doubt, call; these folks are there help.
Comments
Fantastic! I haven't purchased CS3 or tried switching yet, but after purchasing my Mac Pro was hoping for the ability to switch platforms without paying the full cost. Kudos to Adobe for being lenient with their long time customers.
I just made the jump from CS1.1 on Windows to CS3 on a Mac. I'll vouch for the fact that the process wasn't too bad. It took a little extra effort, and I did need to send in the letter you mentioned, but all in all I'm a happy camper. (Oh, and since I was cross-platform upgrading rather than just moving platforms there wasn't any extra cost).
How about those who'll be making the switch from a PPC Mac to an Intel Mac in the next few months. My InDesign CS3 install disk contains both, but what will happen when I try to install on the Intel Mac?
Can I install and run both during a transition period as long as I don't use both at the same time? How about dual, laptop/desktop use, as long as only one is running at a time.
Inkling Books is just me. There's no one else who could even be running it here.
[CS3 apps are Universal Binaries, meaning they'll install and run natively on either PPC or Intel-based Macs. The license agreement permits you to install the app on two systems (e.g. a desktop and a laptop), and that's what product activation enforces. Activation puts a kind of token onto your machine, which you can elect to return (via Help->Deactivate) in order to free it up for use on another machine. So, I think you'll be all set. --J.]
Speaking of upgrades, I was looking at the store to find the upgrade pricing. I saw the "Product Activation" link, clicked it, and nothing happened. Clicked it again. Nothing happened. Anywho, it doesn't work in Safari if "Block pop-up windows" is enabled.
I know, kind of off-topic, but your post made me check out the pricing.
[Thanks for the heads up; I'll let the Store team know. --J.]
Oh, So I guess that answers my one question. Adobe CS3 does require activation then? The list doesn't mention any CS3 apps. I found that list on the activation FAQ McDealie.
[In short, yes. --J.]
Cross-platform relicensing is the minimum expected, but is not really enough. Many of us are dual platform users. Windows desktop/OS X laptop or vice versa. If we need to run PS in both (at different times) we need to purchase 2 licenses. Many software houses these days offer far more liberal licensing, allowing non-simultaneous use in 2 or more platforms for the same licensed user. Incidentally, that's the model Adobe offers with the new Lightroom.
im in the process of cross-upgrading. Adobes help center has been very friendly so far (when the 20 minutes sit-out on the phone is over ...)
Originally bought a ps 4.2 back in 97 and have just been upgrading since that. My only problem is to gather all the necessary old receipt + scanning my orig. cd's. Here in denmark father tax says i have to keep my old company accounting, receipts and stuff for five years - adobe calls for 10 years ...
[Really? That's a drag. I would expect that you can upgrade without much fuss as long as you keep your previous serial number. In the case of switching platforms, however, I can imagine your needing more documentation. --J.]
There has been a great deal of confusion on the U2U forums regarding cross-platform upgrades. I switched a few years ago and it was pretty painless, so it's good to see that things haven't changed.
However, and number of people have bought straight upgrades from one platform to another and wonder why theu don't work. Perhpas the online stores couls be more specific on this point, with a link to the x-grade policy? It might help out a number of people in future.
Just a thought.
[Agreed. What may not be obvious is that I do what I can to share information, and that getting things onto the blog sometimes takes some doing. So, the fact that this info is now in the public record one way or another makes me happy. --J.]
I'm currently running on Wintel but considering to switch to a Mac Pro this fall and upgrading to CS3. Will my CS3 recognize my CS2 disks / key that are for a different platform? Or should I get the windows version, then call like suggested?
[You'd need to buy the Windows version now, then make the switch if/when you go to the Mac. --J.]
Thank you for "semi-official" publishing this crossgrade possibility. You'll not find the smallest bit about that anywhere on the official Adobe site.
[Yeah, I don't know why the company is coy about some things. Say what you mean, do what you say, and move on. In any case, "hence the blog." --J.]
I'm currently in the middle of a crossgrade from CS2 Win to CS3 Mac. Signed already my "Letter of software destruction" and luckily found all the invoices from the entire upgrade path in my book keeping folders. Currently I'm waiting.
I'm grateful that Adobe lets me switch for the usual upgrade price with no extra costs. If I had to buy my entire Creative Suite for Mac again I wouldn't do it.
I had planned to do a cross-platform upgrade from windows to Mac and was very disappointed that I was refused. I started with Photoshop 2.5 while still on Windows 3.1 and have upgraded through Photoshop CS2, because I can't produce that original serial number I'd not being allowed to upgrade to CS3. I would be more than happy to return all disks I have going back to Photoshop 4 or 5 right through CS2 if that is what it takes.
I have purchased Elements 4.0 for Mac
as well as Lightroom 1.0 while waiting for the release of CS3. to be told the upgrade price would not apply to me after years of using Adobe products is very disappointing to a long time user and supporter of Photoshop.
[James, let me look into this one. There must be a better way to handle cases like yours. --J.]
With you there James, I can't find the original receipt for Photoshop 7 any more despite having CS1 and CS2 upgrade receipts. Hence I am not allowed to upgrade and have to buy the full version again.
[Hang on: are you trying to upgrade, or to upgrade and switch platforms at the same time? Just upgrading should be no problem using your CS1 or 2 serial number. (You're not required to show proof of ownership while making a purchase; you just need to supply your previous serial number while installing--something that the installer should do automatically if you've already got a previous version installed on that machine.) --J.]
Sucks big time. Its not just the price gouging in the UK which make me start to hate Adobe, although some people like Jack here are good.
[Thanks for saying so. :-) --J.]
Sorry Jack, I am trying to upgrade and cross platform at the same time.
[Ah, got it. I don't quite get this whole situation. I'm investigating. --J.]
just a slight update:
26 days and Still waiting - more disappointed than impressed
Began my cs3 crossgrade journey on may 3, 2007. Allready on the phone I told customerservice that it was kind of emergency since I had a total corrupted Parallelinstallation running out of space daily.
Got my letter of destruction and spent the whole weekend scanning my original cd's, collecting the different PS-serialnumbers and the receipts I still have in various formats. We are talking about licenses ranging a period of ten years - since ps 4.2.
It probably didnt speed things up that I also apply for a crossgrade for cs3 web standard (DreamWeaver version 1.2 and up plus plus) and adobe acrobat.
It all summed up to:
- 8 photoshop licensenumbers
- 13 other licencenumbers
- 15 Links to online versions of scans of original cd's
- 8 links to online pdf-versions of scanned receipts
and a lot of additional mail-info on the diff purchases whereof several were online/download purchases without hardcopys of the cd's
All the material I mailed back on may 7, 2007. The two letters of destruction were signed and faxed back to customerservice as they were asked.
Two days later i again contacted customer service 'following up on my case'. The message was that they had received the mail but not the faxes. Fortunately I had foreseen this so I could read them the printed activity report from my fax. Err - just a minute sir ... and then 'oh yes I found one of your faxes in another department but the other fax hadnt made it'. Silence when I told him that it was a two-paged fax and that they had received it precicely on bla bla bla
So I now also scanned the allready signed letters of destruction into pdfs which i then forwarded. The next day I received a mail that they had received my material and that it now were forwarded for further processing.
Its now 20 days since I send my material and still nothing but silence. Took the 20+ minutes wait for the customerservice center on the phone just to be told that it now wasn't a case for their own department anymore and that they (probably) would be back soon.
I could offcourse just get my programs for free on 'the big internet library' but I have since day one paid (a lot) for my software. Honesty may be the best policy but it sure ain't the fastest ...
Free upgrade for those that bought cs2 after cs3 was announced seems to have expired according to customer service. is there a link where this free upgrade was announced on adobe site because i can't find it.
20 Days feel lucky...Two n 1/2 Months, 2 Unanswered Recorded Delivery Letter’s, 20 or more emails, and at least 2 hours of chases up calls, multiple resends of documentation, I finally received the software, Very Poor Service. And All Cross Platform is a full version which your platform requires as a discounted price. Nothing Special just a Special Term: Cross Platform.
My experience of the cross-platform upgrade process concurs with others here. The whole process is a fiasco, with layers of incompetence built upon layers of incompetence, both at the management level in Adobe and at the customer service level. Who on earth are these people and why are they allowed to run riot in a corporation?
Has anyone here considered the insanity? I have CS3 Web Premium on my machine (expired). All I need to do is to type in a serial number. Asking me to send a Letter of Destruction is reasonable. Making sure of anything else Adobe needs to make sure of is reasonable. Insisting on shipping a physical box to me and quoting a time of 3 to 5 weeks? - an insane waste of time and money and a classic sign of a company that's big, bloated and out of touch with reality.
That's all before we even get to the fact that I was told one of my serial numbers won't 'decode' and I would have to provide them with a genuine serial. Pretty strange really, considering it's the one listed in my purchases download area on my account in Adobe's own online store and the one that is accepted by both the software and the online activation process. Needless to say, I spend a couple of hours copying their own information and sending it to them.
And then I was told that I couldn't cross-platform upgrade because Adobe doesn't ship to the country I've moved to... resulting in another round of communication explaining that not only does Adobe ship to this country, but it has an online store for this country.
And these are different people dealing with me, so there's no excuse.
And so it goes, on and on and on.
I already have the software. All I need is the serial number but Adobe doesn't seem to be competent enough to take my money and provide me with a serial number.
Cool products, naff company. Love the products, hate the company (especially the inept management).
[I'll drop you a line in hopes of sorting this out. Sorry that it's been such a pain. --J.]
> [I'll drop you a line in hopes of sorting this out.
> Sorry that it's been such a pain. --J.]
Thanks for replying. I really do appreciate it, especially now that Adobe Customer Services have stopped responding to me... and by the way, I was impeccably polite at all times.
I haven't got any further than the what I described above. There were other problems such as, the girl told me on the phone that Studio MX 2004 was not a valid upgrade path to CS3 Web Premium and could only be upgraded to CS3 Web Standard, but I think that's nailed now.
I live in Malta, having moved to live here in April this year. I simply use it as a base to work out of. While I was correct that Malta does have an online store (I bought Flex on the Adobe Malta store a couple of days ago), they were correct that Adobe doesn't ship boxes to Malta. The Malta store is download only, which is fine by me.
But I now find myself in the position of being forced to have a box shipped to me, but not being allowed to have a box shipped to me. I already have the software and I neither need nor want the box. All I need is a serial number that I am very happy buy.
This is crazy. I'm a valid customer, with a valid upgrade product, that I bought in my valid home country (the UK), living in a country with a valid online store and I have money that I want to give to Adobe.
All I need is a serial number which upon receipt of necessary paperwork (already done) and payment, could be emailed to me in a heartbeat. That would be the end of that - happy productive customer, and from Adobe's point of view "next customer please".
As it is, even if they were willing to ship the box that I don't want or need, Adobe would have to create an order, which would then go to a warehouse. A guy (or girl) would have to package it up for a guy with a truck to take it to a distribution terminal, where more guys with trucks would put it on a truck, which would take it to an aircraft, which would take it to an airport, which would put it on another truck, which would take it to a terminal, which would put it on another truck, which would take it to me, the customer.
This is my idea of customer service hell, although it doesn't even look as if I'm lucky enough to get the hell option since I'm forced to have a box that they won't let me have. Whose idea was all this?
Meanwhile, as the quoted "3 to 5 weeks" roll on, the customer is calling Adobe to find out where the package is. More time, money, lost productivity, lost reputation, pollution, a very unhappy customer, multiple angry blog posts across the internet...
Anyhow, genuinely, thanks for replying.
John, thanks again but there is now no need for you to intervene. You must be extremely busy anyway.
Things seem to be moving now. The problem with the license numbers was resolved. They had been noted down incorrectly at Adobe's end. I am also now getting prompt responses. (Maybe you did intervene?)
[I did. --J.]
What happens now is that I will pay for CS3 Web Premium from Malta and it will be shipped to the UK, either to friends or to one of the national newspapers I work for. Whoever gets it will open the box, read me the serial number and throw the box in the bin.
I did ask customer service if they could simply ship the box directly to the bin and just give me the serial number but that doesn't seem to be possible.
Anyhow, hopefully in a few weeks time I'll be up and running.
Take care.
J
Do you know if I will be allowed to change suites?
I have purchased production premium, but after attending an adobe conference, think design premium will be more beneficial to my needs.
[I don't know, but I can ask. --J.]
If you could, that would be great....! Thanks!
I have gotten mixed responses from Adobe, my professor, etc. as far as if I can cross-platform from Windows to Mac at some point with the educational version of Creative Suite Design Premium 3 I am going to be purchasing.
I understood at first that I would not be able to switch platforms when I decide to get a Mac and will then want to use my CS3 on that instead of my Dell laptop. On Adobe's website it says, "Upgrade pricing is available only for products listed above and requires a qualifying previous product on the same platform, with serial number."
But now in talking to Adobe support, it sounds like I could switch platforms.
I also understood, in talking to Adobe, that there would be no cost at all (other than shipping) to do a cross-platform switch only?
So I just want to verify (before I proceed to buy the Windows version) that this can, in fact, be done.
Thank you!
An update on my posts above. It's now several weeks since I was told by Adobe that I would be contacted for payment and have not heard a thing.
Several communications later, they tell me that I'm now on high priority but nothing ever happens.
Truly unbelievable. How complicated can it possibly be to simply call me and take my money! This is so bad.
Julian
[What a drag. Let me see what I can find out. --J.]
Thanks for posting this info. I just x-graded from pc to mac Adobe production premium via customer service. It was a headache. Then I bought and cross graded another version through sales and it was pretty easy.
Can anyone let me know the price of a cross-grade WIN - MAC studio CS3
[It's free, as stated in the article. --J.]
Hi,
I recently purchased CS3 Premium for Mac, I have an Intel Powerbook with basecamp installed and XP.
Am I able to get a serial no. to use the same licence on both OSX and XP?
[Short story: No, the licenses for Mac and Windows are sold separately, and having one doesn't mean you have the other. --J.]
I'm confused a bit by the different licencing policies I've read on here
I just bought an upgrade to CS3. In the past I have been able to put a copy on my lap-top and my desk top computer which was very convnenient. With this version you want to have both versions freely available, you need to buy a second copy.Now if you want to do this you have to deactivate one copy before you can activate another. This is taking copyright protection too far.
[What's the last version you used? You're able to install and activate Photoshop CS3 on two machines, just as you could in CS2 (and CS on Windows; the Mac copy protection code wasn't ready in that version). If you're finding that this isn't the case, something is not working properly, and I recommend calling Adobe technical support. --J.]
I also use Phase One's Capture One. They require you to activate before use, but permit a limited number of activations over the life of the product, which is much more user friendly. In the future, I think I will be doing without future updates of Photoshop and just stick with CS.
[As I say, please make sure that things are working as designed. --J.]
I am sure this isn't your department, John, but Adobe could sure use some improvement to this cross-grade, platform swap process. I wanted a Mac for a while, but my investment in the PC Creative Suite software kept me from buying one. When I found out about the cross-grade, I decided to take the plunge.
Over a month later and a half dozen calls to Adobe, I still do not know for sure what the status of my request is. I have had to repeatedly call to check the status and each time something else is different. The agent I was just on the phone with said that he has resubmitted the cross-grade request and I should call back in a couple days to check the status.
I'm sorry to rant, but this is really annoying. I am a legitimate customer. I have had projects delayed because of this. With Adobe being a big web player, I don't understand why this process isn't automated more. I don't understand why I have to supply serial numbers over the phone when they were in my LOD. I don't understand why I can't get notified when something significant happens with this my case.
I love just about everything about Adobe, but I wish that the customer service side of the business could be improved. I feel a little bad for posting this here, but it does seem relevant to the cross-grade discussion. As others have indicated, it's not a simple and straightforward as it seems like it will be.
[I'm sorry to hear about this, Peter. I don't know what causes these snafus. I do hope these cases are unusual, and that the vast majority are resolved quickly. That said, I really don't know. I'll look into it. --J.]
Hello, I was wondering if it was possible to switch platforms like this with Creative Suite CS2?
[No, as CS2 is no longer offered for sale. The method for switching is to call Customer Service, upgrade to CS3, and tell them you'd like to switch. --J.]
Update on my case (thanks, John, if you had something to do with it): it appears that you have to fax in the Letter of Destruction instead of attaching it to an e-mail. The LOD itself says that it can be returned via e-mail, and I had done that at least twice. The note I received from customer service today said they hadn't received it, so I figured I would try the fax route.
Got my fingers crossed that this is the last hiccup. Thanks again, John, for this blog entry and any further assistance you provided.
Quick update: received my cross-grade CS3 on January 22nd, over two months since I started the process. Now I can really start to enjoy my new Mac.
For anyone doing the cross grade: be patient and be proactive. Very rarely did I get updates from customer service. Even when my software eventually shipped (free, btw, which I wasn't expecting), I didn't know about it until I called and was given a tracking number (after first being told my order had been canceled).
I still say thank you to Adobe for allowing us to do this. CS3 Design Premium costs as much as my 24" iMac. I simply could not have afforded to switch if not for this cross-grade policy.
I have the education version of CS2 for Windows. Can I upgrade to CS3 (education version) and crossgrade to the Mac version at the same time?
[Yep; just call Customer Service. --J.]
I have the education version of CS2 (entire Creative suite with Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, etc.) How can I upgrade this to CS3 and how much will it cost? Am I better off upgrading my standard CS Photoshop version?
Hello, John. I found out about your blog on the LightRoom forum. Thanks for providing this info outlet on your blog.
Here's my situation: I currently have Adobe LR 1.3, Photoshop CS3, and Dream Weaver CS3 installed on a PC desktop. I've been wanting to get a mac book pro for some time, and I'm planning to do so pretty soon.
I would like to install these 3 adobe products on the mac book, and continue to use both the PC and Mac platforms.
I'm a little confused as to what my options are, and would appreciate your input.
[Sorry, Ade: your software license isn't cross platform, meaning that you have to pick one platform on which to use it. You can switch your license to the Mac by calling customer service, but they'll require you to sign a letter of destruction stating that you've gotten rid of the Windows media. --J.]
Thank you for your help.
-Ade
John,
If you're looking for another area within upgrades that Adobe is in need of improvement, its another aspect of "not screwing over longtime customers". In this case, its those who own multiple products that fully (or significantly) duplicate the current 'Creative Suite' bundled configurations.
I currently own InDesign, Acrobat, Illustrator & Photoshop, which are exactly the four primary Apps in the "CS3 Design Standard" product bundle. As such, does it not sound reasonable that I should be thus eligible to upgrade all four of them for the $399 CS3 Design Standard "Bundle" upgrade price?
Well, the answer from Adobe is "no". This is documented in Adobe's Customer Service center's Case #0200216498.
It is precisely because I'm a longtime faithful customer that I have multiple individual licence#s. And it is becuase of multiple licence#s (instead of a one neat CSx licence#) that makes my four (4) Apps bureaucratically ineligible for the CS3 DS upgrade price. Hey, that's Adobe's paperwork problem, not mine.
Thus, the only upgrade path to CS3 Design Std that I'm officially eligible for runs $899 (that's $500 more than the above upgrade price).
But what's apparently utterly lost on Adobe that because I already own all four apps, I can simply upgrade all four of them individually and only have to pay $759 (15% less).
Also lost on Adobe is that I have no compelling need for pulling all four of them up right now to the CS3 revision, so its also to my advantage (no Adobe's) to 'skip' upgrade if I really wanted to be a cheapskate.
I'm not trying to be a cheapskate...I simply don't enjoy being raked through the coals.
-hh
i want upgrade my photoshop cs
I have CS2 and am about to upgrade to CS3 but did not get a serial new serial number with the software. Do I use the CS2 serial number???
CR
[How is it possible you didn't get a new serial number? If you bought the software through a legitimate channel, you got a new number. --J.]
This is kinda on the point, but a year later...
Anyone know why I can't upgrade from my 3 month old CS3 Design Premium to the CS3 Masters Collection??
I've only had Design Premium for 3 months b ut realise I need CS3 Masters Collection because I'm getting more of that type of work.
Adobe won't let me upgrade to CS3 Masters - I have to buy the full version, leaving me with 2 copies of CS3 for a single user.
If I had CS1 or CS2 products, I could upgrade. But I've only got the latest version.
Stupid.
T...
Thanks John for the important information on how to change platform, and the help you are giving us, the customers.
Best
Tom N
I purchased CS2 education a couple of years ago, then purchased a regular retail CS3 upgrade a few months back. I called customer service to upgrade, provided serial numbers to both CS2 and CS3, and was told the CS2 number doesn't check out. I read it to the rep right off the original CD jewel case, but it won't check out. Any reason why a valid serial # such as this wouldn't check out?
[I don't know. Are you sure the company that sold you the CS2 number is reputable? --J.]
John,
Thanks for the response. The CS2 came from my school--the University of Chicago. So, I would assume so. Is it common for legit serial no's to not check out sometimes? Thanks again.
By the string of unflattering comments toward Adobe's Customer Service, I don't feel so alone now.
I placed the order on April 5th. My Letter of Software Destruction was received on April 11th. I've called several times since the receipt of the letter. Each time I've been told by a different representative that he/she will "personally" check the status of my cross-platform upgrade request, and that I should have the approval the following day. I've also been told that processing should take no longer than 48 hours for approval or denial a cross-platform upgrade request.
I have to say that my impression from the past 2 weeks of working with Adobe customer service representatives have been disappointing & unreliable at best.
It is obvious that no one "personally" checked into my inquiries. Nor is it apparent to me that anyone actually acted on my requests to expedite the processing after the allotted 48 hours has passed. If the 48 hour turn-around time isn't accurate, please stop telling customers so.
At this point, I would appreciate an idea from everyone who's been through this. How long did the entire process take from order to receiving the shipment of software? Calling for follow-ups have resulted in nothing but run-arounds & non-answers consistently dished out by friendly but incompetent CSR's---like many have already gone through.
Do you need a receipt to do the cross platform exchange? There is a guy at school that won CS3 Production at an Adobe/Maxon seminar and he's now selling it, BNIB unopened. The bad news is that it's for Windows. I would like to buy it and do the cross platform exchange but not sure if Adobe would deny my claim. The only proof he has is an email stating that he rightfully won the software. Also, I live in Canada.
Thanks
[I checked with Customer Service, and they tell me that the guy who originally won the product at the seminar should be the one that performs the cross-platform upgrade. After that you can purchase the product from him. Let me know if this is something you want to do so that I can have CS get in touch with you. --J.]
I am planning the switch from a PC to Mac and plan to upgrade all my Adobe software. If I buy the upgrade for a mac will my pc software serial numbers be accepted to qualify as a previous edition? Or will I have to go through the whole platform switch paperwork hassle? Thanks