Expert: Kevin Stohlmeyer - 1/7/2008

Question
I am trying to use illustrator, which worked for a while, then stopped. I have a Dell PC with Windows Vista. I tried to open other adobe products, which also quit as soon as they fully load.

I have searched through the adobe site, I have tried to reinstall from the disk. Neither of which has been successful. I know, from reading that there are issues with CS products quitting, but all I can find for help is MAC OS related. Can you help me with my PC?

thanks,
Rachael

Answer
Hi Rachel,

Unfortunately, CS2 is not compatible with Windows Vista. The official company line from Adobe is "Adobe Creative Suite 2 was released almost two years before Windows Vista became publicly available and is not recommended for use on this new operating system."

The only help I can offer is to have you do a complete manual uninstall and clean reinstall. The uninstall application does not do a true uninstall. Windows Vista still holds some preference files on your hard drive that can be carrying over any problems you may have.

Here is what you need to do.

First run the uninstall application. Next, you must manually remove the files that were not removed. For example, Illustrators files are found here:

Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CS2 Settings
Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Save For Web AI\9.0
ProgramData\MicrosoftWindows\Start Menu\Programs\Adobe Illustrator CS2
Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CS2
Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\SVG Viewer 3.0
Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Launch\illustrator\12.0
WINDOWS\system32\Adobe\SVG Viewer 3.0

Go through each directory and remove all applications (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, ImageReady, etc.) using the guide above.

After all is removed, restart your computer and then install from the CD-Rom.

If the problem still persists, you may be the unfortunate victim of Vista. The only other support or solution Adobe offers is to upgrade to CS3 which is designed around Vista.

Wish I could help more, but this is becoming a larger issue since Adobe has basically abandoned CS2 for CS3.

Kevin