Adobe has posted a clean-up script for Mac that will remove vestiges of the Photoshop CS3 public beta as well as other pre-release apps. It’s important to run this script (and not just throw the app folder into the trash!), and/or to use the application uninstaller, before installing the shipping version of CS3 apps. An equivalent script will be posted for Windows later in the week. (I’m told that tech support is seeing fewer installation problem reports on Windows because people are used to uninstallers on that platform).
I’m attending NAB in Las Vegas at the moment, so staying on top of developments is tricky, but I’ll post more info as I get it. Thanks for your patience as I work through approving a backlog of comments.
Please, please tell them to expedite the Windows version.
I just upgraded to CS3 Creative Suite XXL Super-Deluxe, and I’ve wasted several hours trying to get it to work.
The troubleshooting technotes on Adobe’s site are not only useless, but incorrect (you can’t install anything in Safe Mode without some esoteric registry hacks).
So the question is: why doesn’t throwing the application folder in the trash just work? Is it just because of the beta versions of the preference files?
I’m always so happy when an “install” is just copying an application to a folder, and so unhappy when I find remnants of ancient applications buried in random places. That’s so, you know, Windowsy.
It’s unrealistic to expect that all apps will contain everything inside the .app bundle or their respective folder. There will always be the misbehaved ones and the ones that actually need to spread themselves all over the place.
I think Apple should develop an uninstaller too. All the hard work is already done, I mean, if the app was installed by Apple’s Installer than a .pkg should already be in the users Receipts folder.
ouch. “back up your entire hard drive before running”
yikes.
It might help to point out where the Mac uninstaller is located…
On Macintosh, the uninstaller is in Applications/Utilities/Adobe Installers. Note: you CANNOT uninstall by dragging CS3 Applications to the trash, you must use the uninstaller.
One mac related question; Is the CS3 apps for mac built for 64bit prosessing? I understand it’s not for windows (I’ve read some arguments for/against, so I’m not critisising) but I wonder how it is in the mac camp.. Most of all I think of the benefits in memory handling etc.
Sorry if this already has been brought up..
Is this clean up script absolutely necessary? I’m afraid to run it because it “could result in a loss of the contents of your hard drive” Seems pretty intense!
If you installed Photoshop CS3 Beta: First, use the uninstaller. Second, just install your new CS3.
You don’t need to use the clean-up script, unless you did something like, deleting the application without running the un-installer.
The burning question for me is how to deactivate when you have indeed previously removed the beta Photoshop CS3.
[I know; I’m working on getting a definitive answer. –J.]
Drag-to-the-trash uninstall is only possible if the original install was drag-and-drop, and even then it may not be (witness Acrobat). If an application was put on the machine with an installer, you need an uninstaller to cleanly remove it.
I would love for Adobe applications to work in a drag-and-drop install scenario, but the reality includes 101 reason’s they can’t. (Whether or not they are good reasons is open for debate.)
I should also point out that precious few Apple applications are drag-and-drop install, Apple’s installer does not include any uninstall functionality, and a reliable uninstall is not possible based on the reciept written on install. And good luck to you if you try to run an Apple update after moving or drag-and-drop removal of an Apple installer installed application. The Adobe install/uninstall/upgrade can (within certain limits) deal with relocated applications.
Note that the installer/uninstaller that put the Photoshop CS3 Beta on your machine was itself closer to Alpha than Beta so there are assorted scenarios where the uninstall may not quite work and the cleaner scripts may be necessary.
Shouldn’t Adobe bundle this script into their Installer? Adobe should have aware of this issue since they are the one who launched the beta testing.
So, If I went and threw the darn beta in the trash before I knew I had to use the UnInstaller, What do I do. Is that when I use that nice little proggy that can wipe my Hard Drive away (so I gotta backUp). Eeks!
Please help me out,
Robert
[It won’t wipe your hard drive. The text is just insanely cautious (“CYA” city). –J.]
Are you absolutely sure, J? I mean, I back up regularly anyways, but the thought of running a script that could potentially wipe my hard drive scares the bejeezus out of me.
[I’m as sure as I can be, Glen. I just double checked with our tech support leads, and they say that they’ve received no reports of data loss. The only data that would be removed is whatever is in your Adobe application folders. So, presuming you’re not storing your images, etc. in there, you should have no problem. –J.]
is it important to deactivate beta?..I also didnt use the uninstaller i went straight to the clean script….So i didnt deactivate,..nor did I use uninstaller, before i used the clean script,..are any of these potentially why i would have problems installing cs3 now?
[I think you’ll be okay, but the whole process has been really frustratingly unpredictable. –J.]
Hello everyone.
I would really like some help conserning installing and uninstalling Phoshop CS3. I use a Mac.
I have downloaded, installed and worked for a while with the beta version of the programm and everything went fine until I got the full suite to install. The bad thing that I did in my ignorance of how Adobe works on a Mac and in general with MACOSX, is that I just deleted the folder and then run the setup of the suite from the CD. Everything installed but PS. I found out about the clean up script, so I download it, unstall the suite, run the script and do a PC-style reboot just to be 100% sure.
I run the install of the suite and same deal.
Any ideas whats up and maybe someone can give me few pointers to a manual uninstallation?
[Sorry to hear about the troubles. I posted link to some tech docs here. Hopefully those will be of some assistance. –J.]
I can’t figure out how to run the script program in terminal. I am a noob at it, and it won’t let me type in the command box, won’t let me enter my password. Is there a certain keystroke I need to use? Any help would be greatly appreciated, I cannot find this anywhere!
Just to let everyone know, my mac CS3 Master Suite arrived today, and like the rest of you, I was having problems with CS3 Beta. However, i had been a bad man and downloaded a patch so that the test period never ran out, so essentially ran without any pesky ‘trial period has expired’ annoyances. Like the rest of you, I too was scared by the ‘your computer will develop superAids and die’ message, but figured that on a global scale, worse things have happened.
I ran the script, after (unsuccessfully) doing as per the uninstallation instructions on Adobe.com. I ended up dragging all of the files into the trash and deleting them. I then ran the script, and hey presto, it’s installing fine.
Don’t blame me if yours doesn’t work, however, i just noticed that many people had been as worried as i was, and felt like being a martyr.
If it’s of any use, me = Graphic Designer, on MBPro 15″, 2.16GHz dual core, 2GB RAM, 100GB Superdrive
Hi, i installed cs3 design on my mac a week ago. yesterday i just drag and drop on the trash my illustrator and photoshop and indesign programs…(i know im stupid i just it now) and i tryed to install the master collection but when i tried to install photoshop indesign illustrator its said to me that i cant because its already installed. So now my program doenst work and i cant install it what can i do ? plz help me i really need it for school..
Hi!(Sorry, but I can’t speak english very well.)I use Windows Vista.I restored the system, because I had some problems.After the restore I saw the PS CS3 only on my harddrive,so it isn’t in the list of the installed applications.This is normal.I tried to reinstall, but when the setup starts at the system check there is the next message: “Adobe PS CS3 can not be installed because it conflicts with: Adobe PS CS3”
I’ve run the cleanup-script, and deleted all the folders and the registry settings, but it doesn’t work. Could you help me please?
The new Adobe CS3 installer is a cesspit. Totally messy installing files all over the files and when you have run Adobe demo software you’ll be a world of pain getting a clean install. It surprises me not many more people are complaining. Mac OS X version mentioned.
This is bloody pathetic.
Makes me want to use GIMP. One more time I have to do something like this- this is the third or so- and I’m switching.
I’ve just upgraded to CS3 Design Premium from CS2. I went through the Clean-up script for Photoshop CS3beta…no problem. I agree with a number of comments regarding the ease with which we SHOULD be able to uninstall an application and all it’s remnant files. So the problem is I installed CS3 without taking CS2 off first…just wanted to be safe in being able to run CS3 on my G4! I have downloaded a pdf file telling me how to manually delete CS2. But now I don’t know how to tell which of the files indicated in the document are CS3 or CS2 so I am not deleting ANYTHING until I know with certainty. Can anyone help?
Thanks!
I used ap-zapper to remove CS3.
now i realized it was a bad idea.
i don’t have the original disk, my unistall wont work and macCS3clean is asking for a password.
i’m in over my head.
please help.
_S
Hi There, new to mac’s here – how do you uninstall one component (Indesign CS3) from a Mac??
yeha i made the mistake of throwing the beta version in the trash and now i cant install my new CS3 program. What should i do? im not exactly tech savy or anything though. is there any hope?
hi,, i’ facing some problems in installing my photoshop cs3 on the windows vista,, the instalation does not work,, it just apears and after 3 seconds it disappeares,, is there any solutoin??
if u can, just reply to my e-mail please?
trying to reload my cs3 after my computer crashed and it will not accept my serial no any suggestions
I installed Design Premium CS3 last summer in my G-4 and then transferred it over to my new MacBook Pro. Everything was fine. PSCS3 worked fine. Now, the other day I opened Dreamweaver CS3 for the first time to update a web site I made. For some reason, I clicked “Clean up Word with HTML.js” The program went thru an “error” issue and then it said that it is not found in my program. WOW. From that, I cannot use “Commands” or few other tools. SO, I checked on Adobe DW site and read some things to do… a few I did but still it “cannot be found” I tried to “re-install DW only, from my disc, but when it got 1/4th the way thru, I got a message to “install PSElements 6 disc”, which has nothing to do wirth the Design Premium…and where in the world would that come from??? So, I wrote to the man I bought the software from ( I bought it a bit cheaper from a company that sells “overstock”, etc…) He said to run “clean script”. I don’t know about this. You say it is for Mac Adobe Beta. As far as I know, this is NOT a Beta program and it is for DW not PS. it is registered with Adobe and all the functions, including updates work. SO, can anyone help me with this issue?
I am afraid to “un-install” the whole program, because Adobe may block a second usage of it???? Also, someome here writes to “backup” my whole HDD. That is Impossible! I have 140 Gigs used. With all the info written here, I think I am a bit confused.
IF someone can sort this out for me so I can be able to use my DW, I would deeply appreciate it.
Thank you
chandi devi