Install Adobe CS on Several PCs

So you’ve just bought the latest version of Adobe CS5, perhaps its the designer suite and you’ve installed it on your desktop computer and you think.  Hey I wish I could install this on my Laptop too.  I could work on some image editing down at the coffee shop and look all suave and designer guy-ish and pick up chicks with my Photoshop skills.  But how do I do that without getting the Activation problems from Adobe.  I mean you bought the software you just want to use it on several of your machines.  Its not like your handing it off to your friends or anything.  Well there is a way to essentially tell your computer to not allow Adobe’s software to contact the mothership.  This will allow you to install the software that you bought, on your laptop as well.  Sorry Mac folks this walkthrough is for PC’s get over yourselves.  If you can gain access via the console to edit your host file this technically will work for you Mac folks too.

Where was I – oh right you bought a copy of one of the CS suites and you want to install it on an additional computer that you – yourself will use.  first things first.  Don’t pop the disk into the laptop till we’re done.  Lets do this for Win7 as that’s what I’m using and it’ll also work for vista users and XP well it wont be an issue for you all.

Step 1.

Click on yee ol’ windows ‘Start‘ icon (if you don’t know where this is – there’s no help for you – just turn off your computer now).
Click on ‘All Programs‘ then Accessories then ‘Right-click‘ on ‘Notepad’ – select ‘Run as administrator‘.
(see screen shot that follows)

Why do you have to do this?  Well the securities in your machine don’t want you messing with the file we’re going to edit.At least not a regular basis. You can really have fun with some folks in the Hosts file.For example you could take the IP number for google and send it to latexlair.com., not that I’ve done that before – just sayin’ – that Bianca Beauchamp sure is a cutie.

But I digress.  Once the notepad  launches click ‘Open‘ then navigate to your Host file.  it’s here :     C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
you may need to select all file types from the drop down as by default your notepad is looking for only .txt files.

Select your host file and open it.  Hooray, your not a complete tool and deserve to be on a computer.  All sarcasm aside it’s downhill from here.

Step 2.Editing the Host file

Your host file should look something like this.

So if we look at the sample above where ever a line starts with a # its commented out.  That’s how you comment a Host file.  Which is to say that its just notes the computer knows to ignore everything on the line with the # at the start.  This is good for leaving yourself notes – which you wouldn’t have to keep doing if only you had laid off the pot back in college.  tsk tsk tsk.

what you need to do now is add the following to your host file.   (drum roll)

#Adobe IP Config
127.0.0.1 activate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns-3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 3dns-2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-2.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 adobe-dns-3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 ereg.wip3.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate-sea.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 wwis-dubc1-vip60.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 activate-sjc0.adobe.com
127.0.0.1  adobe.activate.com127.0.0.1  adobeereg.com
127.0.0.1  www.adobeereg.com
127.0.0.1  wwis-dubc1-vip60.adobe.com
127.0.0.1  125.252.224.90
127.0.0.1  125.252.224.91
127.0.0.1  hl2rcv.adobe.com

Just copy and paste that right in there.  Then save – bam your done.  But wait Mr tutorial guy what the hell did I just paste in there?  I’m not going to save this what if your trying to pull a fast on one me.  Well then cudo’s to you for having an adequate amount of paranoia to get you through the day.

Lets backtrack then, the Hosts file is like an address book.  When you type an address like www.yahoo.com into your browser, the Hosts file is consulted to see if you have the IP address, or “telephone number,” for that site.  If you do, then your computer will “call it” and the site will open.If not, your computer will ask your ISP’s (internet service provider) computer for the phone number before it can “call” that site.Most of the time, you do not have addresses in your “address book,” because you have not put any there.  Therefore, most of the time your computer asks for the IP address from your ISP to find sites, make sense?

All we’ve done is taken the ‘Phone Number’ that your adobe software was trying to use to call home and told it the line is busy.

Step 3.

Pop in your CS disk and install your programs.

 

 

Hope you enjoy using your ‘purchased’ software in more than one location.And remember to support the hard working folks that made the software and at least buy a legit copy of it.