Today, my client’s old Flash CS3 became corrupted, saying that it wasn’t activated. This designer has to have it for one of her customer files. Mind you, she’s got a top-of-the-line Mac Pro and with CS5 as well, but still really needs CS3. Luckily, we’ve got Time Machine backup to recover from…it’ll just take some finagling to recover today’s work.

I initially called Adobe to get assistance since the chat line was busy. That was my first mistake. The dude took me through all of the rookie troubleshooting no matter how many times I told him I am a tech, have done this before, and he could skip the basics. 

My second mistake was following his instructions. That is where I hung up the phone and started going on my own. He was able to not only wipe out Flash, but ALL of CS3 AND CS5. Good job, slick. CS5 reinstalled nicely, thank goodness. But, Flash CS3 still needed to be installed, so I decided to go the chat line instead…can’t hear accents over chat :) This is a direct copy-and-paste of the conversation, but with the client’s personal information wiped out. I actually end up getting pretty rude, unfortunately, but after dealing with them for 4 hours, I was done.

Thank you for choosing Adobe. A representative will be with you shortly. Your estimated wait time is 0 minute(s) and 56 second(s) or longer as there are 4 customer(s) in line ahead of you.

You are now chatting with Rahul.

Rahul: Hello! Welcome to Adobe Customer Service.

Rahul: Hi Cathi.

Rahul: May I please have your email address registered with Adobe while I review your request?

Cathi: Hello.

Cathi: there are several; the one we’re using is <client@company.com>. I believe the original order was placed under client2@company.com

Rahul: Thank you.

Cathi: The order number was <Order Number>.

Rahul: May I have the serial number of the product to help you better?

Cathi: Yes: <Serial Number Flash CS3>.

Rahul: Thank you.

Rahul: Please allow me a moment to search for the information.

Cathi: Absolutely.

Rahul: Thanks.

Cathi: Here is our case number, as well: <Case Number>.

Rahul: Sorry for the wait. Please do stay online.

Cathi: Thank you.

Rahul: I am checking with the details.

Cathi: Alright.

Rahul: Can you please help me with the error details?

Cathi: Absolutely. This has happened once before, btw. When attempting to launch Flash CS3, it says that the trial period has expired. When trying to remedy the situation (via the Removal Script, changing permissions on the Adobe PCD file, by uninstalling and reinstalling the app), we now get the error “The licensing for this product has stopped working.”

Cathi: The steps that the last Adobe rep had me do also wiped out our CS5 registration, so I’m having to reinstall that as well.

Cathi: Now, after having uninstalled Flash CS3 again to try and remedy the situation, we are unable to download the installer again. I have to get Flash CS3 working on this machine.

Rahul: Okay, let me check with the error.

Cathi: Okay.

Rahul: Are you trying to activate CS3 flash on your system?

Cathi: Yes, as stated several times in this conversation.

Rahul: Okay.

Rahul: Please be online while I transfer this chat to tech team.

Cathi: Thank you.

Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.

You are now chatting with ‘Ganesh’

Ganesh: Hello. Welcome to Adobe Technical Support.

Cathi: Hello.

Ganesh: I have received your query. Please allow me a moment to review the details of your request.

Cathi: Okay.

Ganesh: Thank you for your patience.

Ganesh: I understand you receive an error message ” Licensing for this product has stopped working”, am I correct?

Cathi: Yes.

Ganesh: I will be glad to check and help you with this issue.

Ganesh: I will provide you a step which may resolve this issue.

Cathi: Please read the conversation to see what steps have already been taken, and consult the case.

Ganesh: Please go to this address.

Ganesh: [hard drive]/Library/Preferences/Flexnet Publisher

Cathi: I have been through all of this already.

Ganesh: Okay.

Cathi: I will copy and paste the conversation.

Cathi: —I literally copied and pasted this into our conversation— Rahul: Hello! Welcome to Adobe Customer Service. Rahul: Hi Cathi. Rahul: May I please have your email address registered with Adobe while I review your request? Cathi: Hello. Cathi: there are several; the one we’re using is <client@company.com>. I believe the original order was placed under <client2@company.com> Rahul: Thank you. Cathi: The order number was <Order Number>. Rahul: May I have the serial number of the product to help you better? Cathi: Yes: <Serial Number Flash CS3>. Rahul: Thank you. Rahul: Please allow me a moment to search for the information. Cathi: Absolutely. Rahul: Thanks. Cathi: Here is our case number, as well: <Case Number>. Rahul: Sorry for the wait. Please do stay online. Cathi: Thank you. Rahul: I am checking with the details. Cathi: Alright. Rahul: Can you please help me with the error details? Cathi: Absolutely. This has happened once before, btw. When attempting to launch Flash CS3, it says that the trial period has expired. When trying to remedy the situation (via the Removal Script, changing permissions on the Adobe PCD file, by uninstalling and reinstalling the app), we now get the error “The licensing for this product has stopped working.” Cathi: The steps that the last Adobe rep had me do also wiped out our CS5 registration, so I’m having to reinstall that as well. Cathi: Now, after having uninstalled Flash CS3 again to try and remedy the situation, we are unable to download the installer again. I have to get Flash CS3 working on this machine. Rahul: Okay, let me check with the error. Cathi: Okay. Rahul: Are you trying to activate CS3 flash on your system? Cathi: Yes, as stated several times in this conversation. Rahul: Okay. Rahul: Please be online while I transfer this chat to tech team.

Ganesh: Would it be alright if I access your computer remotely and try and fix the issue for you?

Cathi: No. As stated previously, my issue now that you guys had me uninstall it is now I cannot download it again from your site to be able to reinstall it.

Cathi: I need to have it installed for you to troubleshoot the error.

Cathi: My customer number, serial number, and case number are in that message.

Ganesh: I will be glad to help you to download the program as well.

Cathi: Thank you.

Ganesh: I would like to initiate a Connect session to troubleshoot your issue.

Ganesh: When we enter into a Connect session and you share your screen, I will only be able to view your screen, not remotely control your computer.

Cathi: I understand that. I am a Certified Apple Engineer. Have been in tech support for 20 years. This is driving me nuts.

Ganesh: Okay.

Cathi: If you want to control my screen to download the program, that is fine.

Ganesh: Let me provide you a simple step which may resolve the issue.

Ganesh: Please open finder.

Cathi: Finder is open.

Ganesh: Select the hard drive.

Ganesh: Do you see a folder “Library”.

Cathi: Can we skip the babysteps and tell me what you need to open?

Ganesh: Sure.

Ganesh: Please go to [hard drive]/Library/Preferences/Flexnet Publisher.

Ganesh: Delete “Flexnet Publisher”.

Ganesh: Try to launch the program.

Cathi: That folder does not exist. As I’ve stated before, several times now—and I apologize for being snippy—but I’ve already gone through these steps today, not once BUT TWICE. I just need to download the app.

Ganesh: Okay.

Ganesh: Please sign in your Adobe account.

Cathi: Signed in, but it is not the Adobe ID that ordered the product. That person is no longer with the company.

Cathi: Again, we have the order ID, the serial number, the day that it was ordered.

Ganesh: Cathi, in meantime, I checked the order details and I see that the order was placed on Aug. 06, 2007.

Cathi: Correct.

Cathi: By <Client Name>.

Ganesh: The download link for a program is only available for 2-3 years from the date of purchase.

Cathi: So how do we reinstall this now that ADOBE told us to uninstall/reinstall?

Ganesh: Please allow me a minute.

Ganesh: Thank you for your patience.

Ganesh: Cathi, I apologize for the miscommunication happened earlier.

Cathi: So how do we resolve this?

Ganesh: However, the download link may not be available in the account and you need to upgrade the program to the current version  to get it installed.

Cathi: We HAVE CS5.

Cathi: However, that was also corrupted from the last tech to help.

Ganesh: Could you please provide me the serial number for CS5?

Cathi: <Serial Number Design Premium CS5>

Ganesh: Please reconfirm the serial number.

Cathi: <Serial Number Design Premium CS5>, order <Order Number>

Ganesh: I am sorry this serial number is not a valid serial number.

Ganesh: Is it for Design Premium CS5?

Cathi: That is the serial number for CS5 Design Premium, that is in use and installed on EIGHT machines here. That is copied and pasted from an email FROM ADOBE.

Ganesh: Thank you.

Cathi: I JUST USED IT to reinstall CS5 on this machine that your tech corrupted.

Ganesh: I have checked the details for the serial number and you can download Design Premium CS5 from your Volume licensing account.

Ganesh: Would you like me to provide the instructions to download CS5 Design Premium?

Cathi: NO. As I just said, I JUST REINSTALLED CS5. It is WORKING.

Cathi: I need Flash CS THREE.

Cathi: Serial number <Serial Number CS3>. Order number <Order Number>.

Ganesh: I am sorry as download for Flash CS3 is not available.

Cathi: Okay. I need to speak with a manager of some sort as ADOBE said to uninstall the app and reinstall it, KNOWING that the product was a download.

Ganesh: Please allow me a minute.

Ganesh: Thank you for your patience.

Ganesh: I am transferring this chat to my supervisor now.

Cathi: Thank you.

Hemanth: Hello Cathi, my name is Hemanth and I am the supervisor on the floor.

Hemanth: Would you mind staying online for 2-3 minutes while I quickly read through your chat conversation with Ganesh?

Cathi: Go ahead.

Cathi: I’m typing a synopsis of the day.

Hemanth: Thank you, I appreciate your patience.

Cathi: Thank you. I’ll try and be brief. Flash CS3’s activation became corrupted on one of our systems today. I contacted support, who ran me through the regular scripts: delete the FlexNet file, run the Removal script, etc. The tech was informed that this was from a download from the Adobe store, not a disc. He then said that the next step was to uninstall/reinstall. When going to try and get the installation download, the link was gone. Come to find out those links expire after a few years. I now have a designer that can’t work because this file HAS to be in Flash CS3. Also, the tech’s troubleshooting not only knocked out Flash, but ALL of CS3 AND CS5. I’ve successfully gotten CS5 reinstalled thus far.

Hemanth: Thank you for explaining that to me. I understand that one of the step in the trouble shooting process asked you to uninstall the CS3 file and the download link on your account is not available.

Hemanth: Is that correct?

Cathi: Correct. That is a huge problem.

Hemanth: I understand, however the download link will be available under you account maximum for 2-3 years.

Hemanth: Unfortunately due to the limited space at our warehouse we don’t have DVD or CD for CS3 version of products.

Cathi: Fantastic. So knowing CS3 is what, 4 years old, and the tech knowing this was a download, he knowingly had me uninstall it.

Cathi: I have to disconnect and discuss this with my boss. Please keep a record of this chat with Case # <Case Number>. Thank you.

While all of this was going on, I was Twittering away to @Adobe_Care. They had me DM with contact info to try and get this resolved. I just want someone to tell these idiots that if the product is a four year old download, don’t have them uninstall it without making sure the customer has saved the installer somewhere. Thank you, Apple, for Time Machine.

I did not put this together; it can be found in quite a few places online. I do not know who the original poster was, unfortunately. However, this list is fantastic!

Album list:

7 seconds - take it back, take it on, take it over
Against Me! - As The Eternal Cowboy
Anti Heros - american pie
Authority Zero - A Passage in Time
Bad Brains - bad brains
Bad Religion - empire strikes first
Beatsteaks - living targets
Big D and the Kids Table - good luck
Bouncing Souls - bouncing souls
Career Suicide - attempted suicide
Catch 22 - keasbey nights
CIV - set your goals
Descendents - Everything Sucks
Dropkick Murphys - blackout
Dwarves - the dwarves are young and good looking
Fabulous Disaster - put out or get out
Face to Face - face to face
Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
Fugazi - 13 Songs
Gang Green - case of brewtality
Good Riddance - bound by ties of blood and affection
Horrorpops - hell yeah
Lagwagon - trashed
Lars Frederiksen & The Bastards - self titled
Latterman - Turn Up The Punk, We'll be Singing
Less Than Jake - Anthem
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Take a Break
Millencolin - life on a plate
Mustard Plug - yellow #5
No Use For a Name - more betterness
NOFX - punk in drublic
NOFX - Wolves In Wolves' Clothing
Pennywise - straight ahead
Propagandhi - today's empires, tomorrow's ashes
Rancid - ...And Out Come The Woves
Rock Against Bush - Volume 1
Rock Against Bush - Volume 2
Samiam - clumsy
Screeching Weasel - bark like a dog
Skankin' Pickle - green
Social Distortion - Social D
Southern Culture on the Skids - mojo box
Street Dogs - back to the world
Suicide Machines - war profiteering is killing us all
The Brimstones - spend eternity with the brimstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Question The Answers
The Oi Scouts - boots for the beatdown
Tiger Army - (I) tiger army
Voodoo Glow Skulls - firme
Whole Wheat Bread - Minority Rules

I’ve officially hit burnout with my job. Doesn’t help that today, my boss said: 

“You have to do what’s best for the company. There’s only one owner of this company, and that’s me. So, you have to do what’s best for ME, not what’s best for the company. We’re in business to make me money.” 

I’m sorry, did he really just say that? And the answer is yes. Yes, he did. 

I kid quite a bit about how much I dislike people. In all seriousness, I *really* like helping people. Being the hero. The customer service I provide is a main reason why we’re at an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. I do what’s best for the customer, because in the end, that’s what’s best for the company. My boss has it backwards. I’m extremely disappointed.

From a customer who initially lodged a BBB complaint when his machine was damaged in shipping and arrived inoperable: 

In the case of my complaint against macofalltrades.com I would like to state that since working directly with Cathi Davis, she has been bending over backwards to make things right. Her compassion for my issues have been received as genuine and I couldn’t ask for more than what she has done so far. Her and her company should be applauded for their dedication to their customers and I probably initially misjudged their intentions. I sincerely ask that you withdraw my complaint and I hope to do business with their company in the future. It turns out that I was a victim of circumstances beyond their control.

I feel like I’ve earned another day of employment. *whew*