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amidacious | 19:50 Mon 06th Oct 2008 | Technology
11 Answers
Evening all.
PC question regarding Adobe Photoshop.
An old aquintance of mine has put the files for photoshop on my laptop. "All i hav to do now is install it"
er..I tried but to no avail.
Can anyone with technological head please help?
Thank you!
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First of all just to give you some background, I've been using Photoshop for many years and I've currently got the CS3 Extended version at home and work.

What you're trying to do is impossible for the following reasons.

With many programs, installing via the .exe file(s) - clicking on the icon(s) - will normally install the program for you when a program has been transferred between two computers. The trouble with Photoshop and other massive programs is that they create temporary files on your PC during installation from the CD. These temporary files are crucial as other files depend upon them during the installation. At the end of the installation, the temporary files are deleted. In effect, what this means is that every photoshop installation has exactly the same files in exactly the same folders following installation and these files "relate" to one another. What you have is a jumble of files with no "co-ordination" between them.

Many years ago, I tried install Quark Express 4.0 Passport (Another heavyweight) program by copying files from one PC to another. I could not get it to work no matter what I did and you have the same problem.

There is a way around this though and that is to install Photoshop as a torrent via Mininova and uTorrent for example, but this is another story.
You need the same files your old aquaintance installed from.

Especially one called "setup.exe".
Forget it. As minesapint said, it won't work.
Erm, it will work provided they install from the same files as their aquaintance installed from.

A straight copy of the installed application won't work but a copy of the install files i.e. "setup.exe" etc. etc. will work.
-- answer removed --
ll_billym, what exactly do you mean when you say that installing "from the same files as their aquaintance installed from" will work?

If you're talking about the aquaintances installation files off the aquantances PC/laptop, no it will not work as the temporary installation files will have been deleted following successful installation of Photoshop on the aquantances PC/laptop, as I said earlier.. This happens following every installation of Photoshop from a genuine CD without exception.

You cannot copy over files that no longer exist.

On the other hand, if you're referring to the files created via the same genuine source disc as the aquintance installed from, then yes it will work. But, I'd point out that amidacious says his installation does not work, so it's a fair bet he's not talking about a genuine installation. That's obvious.

There is more than one "setup.exe" file in Photoshop and no matter which of them you try, a copied installation will not function. If amidacious is reading this, perhaps he'd care to confirm it for you. At the end of the day, Adobe would not release software worth nearly a grand if it was simply a question of clicking on a "setup.exe" icon that's within the capabilities of a twelve year old. Doesn't make much sense, does it? Think about it.
neidownx, I appreciate what you say about the main identity files, but it doesn't work with Photoshop as the majority of the files are deleted. The CS3 version is a devil of a version to hack as it creates false files that appear to be necessary whilst deleting the majority of the genuine files. I should know as I earn my living from finding software exploits.

Amidacious is a better off downloading a torrent complete with a cracked key.
Jeez how hard is it to understand what I am saying? I was actually trying to help the guy install it rather than giving chapter and verse about why it won't work which I don't think he cares about.

His friend installed Photoshop somehow and presumably it works. I am saying that what he needs is a copy of these ORIGINAL FILES, "setup.exe" being one of them, yes there are other folders but I chose to write "etc" instead of listing them as I think the presence of "setup.exe" is sufficient to differentiate the setup files from the installed product folder which has "photoshop.exe" in it. And to install from the ORIGINAL FILES.

I have a lovely copy of CS3 that works just fine and to install it I clicked on "setup.exe". Yes I have a dodgy serial but that is further down the line than the chap is today and if it was down to you guys he'll never get any further.
II_billym, I do appreciate what you had in mind in your initial replies and I'm really not out to argue with you about this. The point I was making that the phrase I quoted from you was ambiguous to say the least and while the rest of us may have known what you were on about, amidacious might not.

I also understand that at face value, amidacious may not need to know why such an installation would not work. But here's a scenario: what if he/she was accustomed to installing programs via this method and can't understand why it doesn't work in Photoshop? How can you help the guy install it as you put it if it can't be done?

With reference to your second paragraph, it's plausible that the friend may have installed from a genuine CD. If he borrows that CD, it is possible to perform a second installation. The acquisition of setup files then becomes unnecesary. Perhaps his/her friend should be the first port of call.

Yes, you're right - the presence of "setup.exe" is sufficient to differentiate the setup files from the installed product folder BUT and this is a big but, it will only work with a modified cracked copy of the software. In fact it's easier in CS3 than in previous versions. Copying these files will not work. Try it yourself on another computer if you're in any doubt.

Although I spend my days finding software exploits, I'm not per se against file sharing as I consider much software grossly overpriced. Nevertheless, you've admitted yourself that you're using, let us say, an unofficial version. Like it or not, such versions do not behave precisely in the same manner during installation or use as genuine versions do and if his friend did have a genuine version, he's wasting his time.

Finally, I've got no objection to him/her "getting further" as you put it. I've already said what to do: download it via a torrent. That way as long as it's a good virus/spyware free version, it's sure to work
Ok. Peace. I think amidacious is long gone anyway.

As an aside I sometimes fix faults with PCs of friends and I found the installation files for CS3 on the desktop of one of them. Copied these to my PC, found a keygen and away I went. Happy days.
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Thank you so much for all your help. I think im gonna try mininova.

For arguements sake Im a girl...
Figures.

:)

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