NEED HELP AGAIN! I realized that I have always "Upgraded" my versions, so there was always an older version on my PC when I installed the upgrade. I dug out my old disks and have the following:
Photoshop 3.0, 3.0.4, 3.0.5, 5.0, (two of these; one is probably a 5.X.X), 7.0, CS. CS3, and CS4. Will I need to install the old original version 3, then install the progression of upgrades, then CS4 over top of them?
Thanks again
Dave
PS I have Photoshops Elements 5.0 (full version) presently on my Notebook, and I don't want to remove it until I am sure how to put Photoshop on my notebook
When I did a clean install of CS3 on my new laptop I installed my CS3 "upgrade" onto the laptop only. The install process asked for the CS3 Serial No. and then asked me to enter my CS2 Serial No. (CS2 was my first version of Photoshop) and it may also have asked I drop the CS2 disc in the drive for confirmation. Bottom line was I did not need to load up older versions of PS on the laptop to do the clean install of CS3.
So I think you can start the CS4 install process and when it gets to the same point I described above start with the disc and Serial No. for your CS3 upgrade and see if that works out. I imagine the worst that would happen is at the end of the install you cannot get CS4 to be fully licensed on your laptop (e.g., it can be run but nothing saved), until you provide it with what it needs. I just do not think your oldest original PS version is going to be considered upgradeable to CS4.
Another route to consider. Do you plan to keep Elements for another computer or can you live with losing it for good? I ask this because I believe you can use upgrade from Elements 5.0 to CS4. So if none of your previous CS Serial No's works to get CS4 up and running you could tell it you are upgrading from Elements 5.0.
Another thing you should be aware of (for later), with the two PC license. If for example, you decide you are going to retire your existing PC and get a new one for PS, make sure before you do that you unregister photoshop on that PC through the software. It sends a message to Adobe Central Command telling them you are removing the software from your PC (so now Adobe knows you are using only 1/2 possible licenses) and renders Photoshop on that PC into demo mode. (it is accessed from the Help pull down menu - called Deactivate). Then you can re-install it on the new computer without problems since you will not exceed the 2 PC limit.
And of course, you could always call Adobe Technical Support and explain your situation to them directly.
Andrew