Restart Your 30 Day CS5 Trial
Adobe CS5 (Adobe Creative Suite 5) is some pretty expensive software. Lucky for us, they have a trial option available. The Adobe CS5 Trial lasts for 30 days, after which the program will automatically close itself after launch. During this 30 day trial period, you also have the option to enter a license key to unlock the program.
Now you might be wondering how to restart the Adobe CS5 trial so that you can keep using the program. Good question. Most people try uninstalling and then re-installing the software, and guess what, adobe hides files on your computer that don’t get deleted during the uninstall. Because of this, when you re-install the Adobe CS5 trial, your trial period will still be expired!
But there is a way around this little problem. By following the easy steps in this how to tutorial, I will show you the process of how to restart your Adobe CS5 Trial so that you can continue using the Adobe Creative Suite tools for another 30 days. This works for Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection, and any other CS5 packages offered as well.
Instructions:
1.) Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe PCD
Adobe Common Files PCD Location
2.) Delete the file named “pcd”
3.) Open the “cache” folder
4.) Delete the file named “cache”
5.) Edit your “Hosts” file to prevent your Adobe CS5 programs from communicating with Adobe.
Editing your hosts file is a relatively easy task (See image below). Navigate to Computer -> Local Disk (C:) -> Windows -> System32 -> Drivers -> etc -> hosts. Or you can simply type “hosts” into the search bar when you are inside the folder “System32″.
You will need to change the security of the hosts file in order to edit it. Right click it, select properties and then select the security tab. You will need to grant regular users “Full Control” in order to edit this file.
WARNING: You should remove these full control privileges from the regular users group after editing the file for system security purposes.
Add the following lines to the bottom of the file:
127.0.0.1 activate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.com
This essentially tells your computer that when you attempt to navigate to either activate.adobe.com or practivate.adobe.com, rather than being directed to those addresses, your computer will loop that navigation back to itself, and your Adobe programs will fail to reach the adobe activation destination. “127.0.0.1″ is your computers own loopback IP address.
Click for full size
I’m actually not sure if that whole hosts file editing part is absolutely necessary, but it doesn’t seem like it could hurt. I’m not sure if Adobe attempts to keep track of trial users on their end.
Now the next time you open an Adobe CS5 program, you will be prompted to accept the license agreement and start a new trial.
Adobe CS5 Start Trial Screen
Drawbacks to using an Adobe CS5 Trial
There are some drawbacks to using an Adobe CS5 Trial. Adobe has hidden limits and disabled features in many of their trial version programs. For example, Adobe Premiere Pro will not include audio in many popular video formats because they want people to actually buy the software to get all of the features. This workaround will not work for those situations. But in the event that you absolutely need to use your Adobe CS5 trial for a few more days while you wait for your full copy to arrive, this is a solution which can help you.
This solutions is probably against Adobe’s Software License Agreement. If you use this software and profit from it in any way, you should really purchase it. Student’s can get some great prices with Adobe’s student discount program.
The Amazon.com Link to the right is the cost of the Student / Teacher edition of Adobe CS5 Design Standard which includes Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended, Adobe Illustrator CS5 and Adobe InDesign CS5. An extremely reasonable price if you ask me.
Waste of time. Does not work.
It didn’t work for me D: it came up that my trial had expired and that I had to purchase it. I followed the above steps and done everything you said. I even signed up to Adobe with a new e-mail adress, and that didn’t work. Can anyone help?
It opens window for the licence agreement, I click agree, nothing. Nothing happens, nothing opens, click the shortcut again licence window again. What have I done wrong.
(p.s. I’ve got CS4)
And what about the Mac users? how they reset that?
Anyone knows?
Thanks
James.
Try using Little Sniitch. YOu can tehn tell it not to allow contact with Adobe ar anyother software company.
You may need to use veriosn 2.2 beta.
Good Luck
this worked as well as if i had waved a rancid hot dog over my laptop, screaming “oogaboogaraggabagga” naked, with a chicken stuck in my ear.
thanks bro……
Worked on CS5. Thanks
Ano- I followed all the steps up until typing the
127.0.0.1 activate. adobe .com at bottom of file as I couldn’t work out how to do that- was looking at the “Host Properties” security tab and couldn’t see where to type it-
could you help
Has anyone thought about how the adobe download assistant itself can be keeping track of which computer it’s on and hence is preventing you from re-starting the trial because it still knows through that software?? Just a thought…
its show
“configuration error”
its not work
I cant find the folder “Adobe PCD” !! what I can to do ?
Didn’t work- what a shame-error 101 comes up with the assistant- any other tips anyone- I urgently need to get a poster out today
actually- it’s probably coz i didn’t type the 127.0.0.1 activate. adobe .com at bottom of file as I couldn’t work out how to do that- was looking at the “Host Properties” security tab and couldn’t see where to type it- anyone??
it worked for me. my trial has been expired yesterday and i tried it right now.
i use win 7 , 64bit and i have zone alarm installed to prevent these software from connecting to their activation server.
thank you very much
IT WORKS, however the HOS PART is not clear explained , I understand until GIVE PERMISSIONS, after that, I dont know what to do, add “127.0.0.1 activate.adobe.com” this WHERE?, I CILIK ADD , and then, please assit
not work with illustrator cs5 and flash pro cs5
it actually worked for me
thanks a lot! saved me money and time!!
I have a question, I was given a CD with the Full Creative CS 5 Master and unfortunately the person who I paid to install it on my computer didn’t give me the Serial Number, I was able to find it but now I am trying to load the same exact software on another computer and it says that the Serial Number isn’t valid. Do you know how I can transfer the application from one MAC to another, I’ve tried everything! and I desperately need it on the other computer, I am also considering deleting it from this computer and just uploading it to the other but I’m afraid I will lose the program entirely since the guy after he told me I could put it on another computer has said that I can’t now. Any help would be really appreciated.
Sounds nice when you read through the instructions – but this doesn’t actually work…
its C:\program files (x86) for windows 64 bit
omg! it works! the cracks/keygen didn’t work for it but this works!
thanks!
This worked for me!
Worked for me before, but doesn’t work now. Trial just expired today
Worked perfectly. Immediately restarted the trial. Very helpful. Thank you.
Hey, when i go to the adobe folder, there’s so such file as “Adobe PCD”.
I got windows 7, but all my options/folders are:
-Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 (64 bit)
-APE
-Camera Raw 6
-Fonts Recommended
-Fonts Required
-HelpCfg
-Linguistics
-PDFL
-Plug-Ins
-TypeSupport
half works on cs 5.1 suite photoshop loads but other applications give the configuration error as they need the PCD file to run.
It’s work for me like a charm
thanks a lot!
Broke interior design student with no cash to buy this program that I need for class. Instructions worked!!!! Thanks you just made my semester:)
Don’t forget to run photoshop cs5 as administrator, otherwise it may not be able to re-write the cache folder, which results in an error. Probably that error you said jitu.
needed just one more stinkin’ day–thanks, you saved my project!
how do i do this if i have a mac?
Worked like a charm. Thank you!
Thanks bro,
Now is my (illegal) Adobe Master Collection CS4 totally ruined.
I get an error with every program I open.
Now my schoolwork is fucked.
I’m desperate. Anyone help?
Not for CS5.5 either, if you remove either file it gives a configuration error and tells you to reinstall.
This seems to work only once – another 30 days – then its over for ever……..
it doesn’t work with me .
the msg that appears to me is
please uninstall an reinstal the product.
if this problem still occurs , please contact adobe … etc .
.
what can i do plz help
Did not work, configuration error – damn dont try this ppl
Where are those files on Mac OS? I can’t find them. My photoshop expired and now I can’t use it, every crack or activate way that I try doesn’t work.
Worked for me. However prior to attempting this suggestion I did indeed run around waving a rancid hot dog over my laptop, screaming “oogaboogaraggabagga” naked, with a chicken stuck in my ear. That probably was a required step.
It surly did work for me. Thanks
This worked great! And was easy to do. (I’m running Windows 7). THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!
Worked perfectly, the only difference is I had to edit the HOSTS file by opening in WordPad and adding the IP addresses there, then click save. But it worked and started over with 30 days.
Do I have to do this every time, or does it now repeat itself automatically?
Right-Clicking on Hosts file did not take me to a Security Tab.
Another way to edit the host file,
Click Start – search for “Notepad“, right-click and select “Run as Administrator“. This should launch notepad with elevated privileges. Now, open the host file from the File menu, edit and save.
its working brther, thanks…im using cs5
Note to everyone who try…
This method will NOT work anymore since an update brought to CS5 in 2011.
Right now, the license system is actually working with the CS5 Service Manager as well as another background program. The change of the IP adress actually ONLY affect the Adobe Updater.
The reason why this have been brought by Adobe is because that method mentionned in this topic was used as a method to unlock the full product illegally. If you want to have a longer access to the product, you can TRY to contact adobe and explain the reason why they should gives you a longer tryout. They can be open-minded and especially if you’re using their program’s demo so that you can buy their actual product
That said, it’s not something to be over used. Once they gives you a longer tryout, they might not unlock it until you buy the product once it’s expired.
127.0.0.1 activate.adobe.com
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.com
Add these where exactly? which file are you talking about? I’m half lost..help?
I saw a lot of negative comments here. This DOES work. I deleted the files mentioned, then uninstalled the program completely, restarted my computer and downloaded the trial again and it works just fine. If you don’t uninstall and restart – it won’t work!
It Works!!!
Thanks a lot!!!
I’m running Adobe Master Collection CS5
Works fine for me on CS5.5; I’ve always editted the hosts file first.
Thanks
Works Perfectly TKS!
yes it worked!!!!!!!!!!! thank you