Activation Required for already activated Acrobat 8 Prof

Hi Ed,


1. Backup the following file, C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\FLEXnet\adobe_00080000_tsf.data.
2. Delete the file from the location above, but not the back up.
3. Reboot the cpu
4. Launch Acrobat and see if it requires you to activate again.
5. If it does, activate Acrobat again. If not, repeat the steps but uninstall and reinstall Acrobat after step #3.

Other possible causes:
MS LiveOne Care can cause conflicts with Activation, along with other firewall software. Be sure to allow FNPLicensingService.exe access to the internet/network on your machine.

Thank you SO much! I'm keeping your excellent instructions and when it happens again, and alas I fear it will, I'll follow them. I'm not running MS LiveOne. Flexnet Licensing Service (if that's the same as FNPLicensing) is running manually.

Thanks again for the prompt and extremely helpful input.

Ed

Update: 3 minutes after my last post, I received the "Activation Required" despite the Activation showing "Return e-license." I followed your excellent steps, held my breath (oh no, what if shows I don't have an e-license to activate ... since I hadn't returned it), "grace period expired" message, activated, and so far, so good.

I'll keep holding my breath, but thanks again for your help.

Ed

Another update: Seems to work for a few hours, maybe a day, and then same message appears. I have done several reinstalls, but will attempt another after having deleted the aforementioned file.

Again, thanks so much for your help.

Ed

There are also a few more suggestions in the following [url=http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb401043]technical note[/url].

Again, thanks so much. Does look like there are some other options.

Yet another update ...

I have two licenses - one for my work computer and one for my personal computers (home desktop and laptop). The "problem child" is the work computer that is tightly controlled by our IT dept and Information security folks. I have followed those instructions on the comprehensive material you so kindly suggested that I can (e.g., move tsf file to desktop), yet I continue to get the activation required even though when I check my licenses, it appears activated with the option to return the e-license. (My personal Acrobat prof license includes the option of deactivated, not returning e-license.)

Here's the element that makes me wonder about the problem. If I reboot the work computer, Acrobat Prof works, at least for a number of hours. I have changed all the permission on the FNP*.exe file, given it access to the internet, etc. I cannot change the firewall settings nor the McAfee Enterprise settings due to info security guidelines.

I may try a reboot every morning for a while to see if the problem persists following daily reboots. If it does, I'll try yet another complete uninstall and reinstall after removing the FlexNet tsf file(s). I certainly hope that my frequent uninstalls/reinstall even with returning the e-license doesn't mess up the license :-)

As always, thanks for your help and wonder if there are other ideas. The fact that it shows as activated but then will not print saying activation is required just seems strange to me. I'm betting a corruped file somewhere since it worked for over 18 months before this started.

Thanks,

Ed

I wonder if you're installing Acrobat 8 from a CD that had ALM (Adobe License Media) enabled. It was disabled after Acrobat 8 was released due to administrative difficulties. Why don't you check your part number with the information on the [url=http://www.adobe.com/elicensing/licensemanagement/alm/]licensing website[/url].

Thanks, this may be the issue since our part number is older. I'm going to call customer service right now and see what they say. Stay tuned, and again, thanks SO much.

Ed

An Update - hopefully the final one! :-)

A call to the customer supporter number ultimately resulted in a referral to the tech support number. I spoke with several people, and when the issue was finally fully understood, I spoke with a very helpful tech support person. He indicated that he had seen this on a number of occasions, and believed it was not an e-license issue. During the 2.5 hour process, Acrobat 8 prof was removed from the computer (using Win CS3clean Adobe tool - this was run 4 times!). The tsf files in FlexNet did not have to be removed, although we had moved that tsf file to the desktop at some point but it was later deleted.

Almost 24 hours later I have printed about 10-20 PDF files without the Activation required message reappearing. I do have a case number and if returns, I'll know where to turn.

I just wanted to say thanks again for all your help. Without, I do not think I would have ever reached the right place/person.

Thanks,

Ed

I have the same problem and for me the fix was as easy as going to the services screen and starting the FLEXnet Licensing Service. For some reason, this service was stopped by windows.

I started it and my Acrobat 8 worked as it should.

Gary

Thanks Lori and Gary for your help with this issue.

Unfortunately, it's still unresolved. I work for a BIG company that has volume licenses for Acrobat Pro 8. I have contacted our vendor who contacted our Adobe rep, and to date, I've not heard from her (it's been 3 weeks, but I was out of town 2 of the 3 weeks). FlexNet is running, so I'm still searching.

On another note, I purchased Pro 9 Extended for my personal machine. It does all it says, but when it converts a PowerPoint with embedded video and audio it is HUGE (175 MB!). Where should I post to see if anybody has any secrets on reducing the file size?

Thanks again for all the help I received, and I'll let you know what I ultimately learn.

Ed

This drives me berserk. It happens about every 3 weeks, usually when I am right in the middle of an important project. It's crazy, in that this was not an inexpensive product to begin with.

Every time I call customer support I am given different instructions. And of course, you need to hope it doesn't happen on a Friday, because if it does you're out of business until Monday.

Sometimes Adobe tells me I have to pay $35 for "technical support" in order to reactivate a product that I have owned for over two years. I've done that twice, simply because I was desperate to be able to get back to work, but it seems like highway robbery to me. I never had this issue until about 6 months ago.

What's up? This is outrageous!!

You might try posting your question on PowerPoint w/ embedded video in the [url=http://www.acrobatusers.com/forums/aucbb/viewforum.php?id=21]Rich Media forum[/url].

Have you tried any of the suggestions mentioned in the [url=http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb401043]technical note[/url] posted above?

Thank you. I've tried some of those things, but, no, I haven't tried them all. I'm not a technical person and some of this is way over my head. When I'm wresting with a deadline, it's not the best time for me to try to wade through technical things that I really don't understand to begin with.

I don't mean to be cranky, but why is it that only Acrobat does this? I've never had anything like this happen with any other software.

You don't mention what point version of Acrobat 8 or OS you're using but 8.0 and 8.1/Vista users benefited from the following [url=http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=3750]licensing update[/url].

Thanks again, Ikassuba. I'm using Acrobat 8.0 Professional on Windows XP. Maybe these suggestions will work. I still wish it were not so complicated.

If you're using 8.0 than this download may help -- or you might try just updating to 8.1.4 to correct this issue.

All of a sudden after years of being able to create pdfs from Office documents, it asks for activation. Why do these things happen? And why doesn't Adobe just send out patches to everyone to fix their deficient software? It is Saturday, so nobody at Adobe to talk to. And when you give instructions to "Just" update to 8.1.4, where and how do you do this? A link would have been helpful. I hate spending extra time (15 minutes? 30 minutes? more?) on something that should have taken seconds. I'm already up to 15 just having to sign up officially for this forum. It's not fair and not a good way to win customers' affections.

Downloaded the update for 8.1.6 clicked on it and got box: InstAS.exe This application has failed to start because FNP_Act_Installer.dll was not found. Rei-installing the applicatio may fix this problem.

What kind of crock IS this? Why does Adobe's software not hang together and why don't the updates work?

Even this forum didn't register that I signed up for it today, not back on New Year's Eve in 1969...

Note the time stamp, which seems to be on Greenwich time. Still can't create pdfs from MS Office apps. I need a fix now that WILL work.

Oh, and solution 3 of your technical notes doesn't work if you have Acrobat 8 as part of CS3.

I agree, it is outrageous that nobody at Adobe has bothered themselves to fix this problem since it was first brought to your attention months ago. Tell us why not?

What version of Acrobat 8 were you updating from? The [url=http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4490]8.1.6 update[/url] only works when applied to Acrobat versions 8.1.3, 8.1.4 or 8.1.5.

Did re-installing correct the problem?