I cannot install Photoshop 6.0 onto my new laptop with Win11

[yungman]

Any idea how to install Photoshop 6.0 onto my new laptop with Windows 11? I know it's a very old software that I BOUGHT LEGITIMATELY IN THE 90S. I have no problem installing it onto even the Windows 10 computers that was only 2yrs old.

I read that people do install in Windows 11, just not supported and might have funny things. I just cannot install.

I click "Installation" and click " Adobe Photoshop 6.0", nothing happened.

I restarted the laptop to make sure, still not working. can anyone help?

 

[jedishrfu]

In general, this is a very bad idea. Old software doesn't work well with the newest OSes.

Second they may have malware vulnerabilities that have long ago been fixed in newer versions and the old ones were just deprecated.

Third, underlying OS changes may affect how calls made by the old software are handled. Return codes could have been changed, actual function could have been changed. Sometimes application software may use some speed up tricks because the app knows where files are saved and whats in them but changes to the OS have moved those files to other places.

Basically, there are a million potential problems including loss of files on your machine or modification of existing photo files rendering them unuseable in the future.

 

[Vanadium 50]

There is also the issue of the software vs. the installer. The software may run fine, but if the installer doesn't install it, that's no good.

The installer may check for "sensible" hardware, although modern hardware may look un-sensible to a 20+ year installer. For example, disks may be limited to 2 TB or less. Maybe even 32 GB.

 

[yungman]

Thanks for the comments. I know it's old, I paid over $600 in the 90s, I don't want to pay big money to get the new photoshop. Particular I don't use it that much, just to adjust color, brightness type. I read people manage to install with limitation, that's all I want to do.

 

[DaveC426913]

Yeah, sorry, the days of software mimicking your fine woodshop tools - that will last forever if oiled and cared for - is gone. You just cant expect that $600 to keep you in software forever.

Whether it's a bona fide limiter or just planned obsolescence, software has a shelf life and rots with time as hardware and OS's continue to advance.

Accept the new changing times. Fighting it will just end in tears and heartbreak.

I caved and bought Photoshop CC on subscription. It doesn't break the bank.

 

[FactChecker]

Thanks for the comments. I know it's old, I paid over $600 in the 90s, I don't want to pay big money to get the new photoshop. Particular I don't use it that much, just to adjust color, brightness type. I read people manage to install with limitation, that's all I want to do.

You might consider something like GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). It's free, well respected, and has a lot of capability. If all you do is adjust color and brightness, it might actually be overkill. There are simpler alternatives.

 

[yungman]

Thanks for all the reply, it was STUPID of me. I just find out when I click the "Adobe Photoshop 6.0", instead of starting the usual installation like in the old computers, it has a "shield like" icon at the bottom of the task bar "QUIETLY".

Finally I notice the shield and click it. It asked me "Do you want to install this software?" I click yes and it just simply installed the Photoshop one time through.

It is my bad. It's so quiet, didn't make a sound. This is a new computer I just got and I am not familiar with how it looks yet and I totally miss it.

I remember when I install other software, the thing just popper out in the middle of the screen, this one just quietly, never come up on the screen, just the tiny shield.

Anyway, thanks for your time.

 

[Vanadium 50]

planned obsolescence

Seriously?

If its planned obsolescence, they didn't do a very good job of it. He got a quarter-century use out of this for 50 cents per week, while the software went through nineteen major releases. CPUs are 10x faster with 10x as many threads; disks are 1000x bigger; memory is 1000x bigger. It came out as the industry was transitioning from 16 to 32 bits, and you couldn't even buy a modern 64 bit (amd64) processor.

It's also worth mentioning that this was triggered by a Windows upgrade, and the software worked after 4 major Windows upgrades.

As a PS, and now we find out that it actually still works!

 

[DaveC426913]

Seriously?

If its planned obsolescence,

*I* dont think so, but I had to cover that base or I'd likely be dismissed as naive by those much more cynical than I.

My sister still has dial-up and complains why she should *ever* have to upgrade anything.

 

[Vanadium 50]

My sister still has dial-up and complains why she should *ever* have to upgrade anything.

Does she also complain its too slow?

 

[DaveC426913]

Does she also complain its too slow?

No. She complains that the rest of the world is too fast.

No joke, she believes digital technology should have peaked and plateau'd in the 90s, and if 15Mbps is good enough for her, it oughta be good enough for everyone. Everything beyond that is just a ploy to separate her from her hard-earned money. The world should just stop advancing.

A lunch with her is a brainstorming session of how she can get device drivers delivered on floppies by snail mail so she can keep them in a box instead of reaching out for an update - or some other cockamamie scheme.



She's a scientist (biology), BTW.

 

[yungman]

Since we are off the topic and I am happy camper now. I have to say the new computers might be faster and faster and more of everything, I the older computers ( like XP era) with older software run just as fast.

YES, the programs generally are stupider, BUT if you learn how to use it, it's just as good.

I personally still using schematic and layout software from 20yrs ago, I learn some newer ones, sure, they do more, but had more restriction. Nothing like the old layout I can nip and tuck a little at a time. I am very picky on layout of RF/MW circuits, I want a more primitive program that let me do funny things, nip and tuck, take a bite on the copper here and there without restrictions or make me go extra steps to "VIOLATE" the rules.

Also, we just LOST a 25yrs old HP all in one printer 5yrs ago. It broke down, I was so stupid to dumped it away thinking the new ones are better. 5 Canon, one HP, Brother, Epson later, If I can buy that printer again for DOUBLE the price, I would do it in a heart beat. Note that I don't buy super cheap all in one printers. I have a business, we use it quite a bit. They are ALL small business type. All ranging from $300 to $350, not the $69.99 stuffs.

That old HP was FAST. Sure, you don't have all the fancy custom sizing. It didn't fail. You make a guess, print it out, then you adjust a little. You then write down how you do it. It was CONSISTENT. The stupid new ones, they are inconsistent, you can do the same thing, after a software update, it's a new ball game. They are SLLOOOWWWW. Like one potato, two potato. Then they ask you "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Then the new ones break down. You'd be lucky to make one last over a yr. Actually Canon replaced one under warranty free, that broke down also.

The latest one is Brother, I cross my finger, so far, it still working.I am the kind that do NOT like smart phone much. I know I have to use it, like for digital coupon, texting with grandkids(they don't use email). I do NOT put anything important on the phone. I do NOT link even my email. I use a play email. No online order, no bank account info, credit card info. I don't even use pass word. They can steal my phone. They have to pay to get rid of my phone.

My phone is Sam Sung J3V. The Samsung my stepson dumb in the garbage can was newer than mine ( J5 I think).

Only thing I don't mind is newer computers with SSD drive. It boot up so much faster. So far, I have good luck with HP computer, each at least last 3 to 5 yrs.

 

[harborsparrow]

Honestly, I think you ought to be able to get this to run on Windows 11 by specifying it as a legacy version in the shortcut, unless some major DLLs are missing and have to be installed first as a separate package. But if that fails, you could run it in a VM of an older OS. Windows, for all its faults, has done a better job of being able to run old software than any other operating system I know of.

Did some googling and lots of folks are having problems with it--and are pissed. It kind of smells like the company is trying to force users of the older software into a subscription model. That is lamentable. I think there is a way to install a Windows 10 VM on Windows 11, and you should be able to run the old software that way.

 

[glappkaeft]

Did some googling and lots of folks are having problems with it--and are pissed. It kind of smells like the company is trying to force users of the older software into a subscription model. That is lamentable.

That is kind of hard for Adobe to do with a old version 22 years after the release of the software without using magic. Most likely the installer breaks UAC rules in some way and/or uses some OS calls in a bad way that used to work anyway on Windows 98 but doesn't work in Windows 11.

A quick search shows that there are many people able to install it by using tricks like running the installer using compatibility modes and/or starting the installer in different ways. It's likely yungman can manage to install it by applying variations their different approaches in a systematic fashion unless a recent Windows 11 update have broken the installer for good.

From experience many years ago with other old programs (mostly games) it can take a while and success is not guaranteed but this case doesn't seem that hard, there are after all many who have succeeded and writing about how they did it.

 

[yungman]

Actually there was no problem at all after I discover the "shield" on the bottom of the screen. Only difference is usually it will pop up in the middle of the screen and ask whether I want to install the software. Somehow this did not pop up and I missed it.

I google a lot before I posted. Nothing help because I did not see the "shield".

Thanks

 

[Vanadium 50]

plateau'd in the 90s, and if 15Mbps

Not the dialup in my 90s! 57600 baud was as high as it went.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Try running it in compatibility mode

 

[Algr]

The best thing you can do is support alternatives to Adobe:

https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/
I'd recommend Pixelmator, but it only runs on Macs.

 

[DaveC426913]

Not the dialup in my 90s! 57600 baud was as high as it went.

Yeah, I conflated two events separated by decades. She's got 15Mbps now.

 

[jtbell]

I caved and bought Photoshop CC on subscription. It doesn't break the bank.

I did the same thing a few years ago when my old Photoshop (I've forgotten which version) failed to install from disc on a new iMac because of a big jump in MacOS versions. I tried Photoshop Elements, but there was something in my usual workflow that it couldn't do, so I I went over to the "dark side". I've been paying $9.99 per month for a "Photography plan" which includes a few other apps like Lightroom, plus 20GB of cloud storage, the minimum.

Just now I looked at the Creative Cloud plans and pricing page, and was alarmed to see only the $19.99/mo Photography plan with 1TB of cloud storage. Will my monthly payment double next month? I had to click the "Compare photography plans" link in order to reveal the 20GB Photography plan, still at $9.99/mo. Sneaky, sneaky...

 

[FactChecker]

I had to click the "Compare photography plans" link in order to reveal the 20GB Photography plan, still at $9.99/mo. Sneaky, sneaky...

Anticipation of those kinds of tricks (subscription only, cloud-based, creeping price, etc.) is why I decided to give up and only use the free GIMP. It turned out that I don't even use that, but it's nice to have it around, costing nothing.
I'm not sharp enough to fight those tricks.

 

[DaveC426913]

I've got the photog plan too. Really want Illustrator in my stable but the jump in cost is prohibitive.

 

[Mark44]

So far, I have good luck with HP computer, each at least last 3 to 5 yrs.

I'm writing this on a Dell laptop that's about 3 years old, but I also use an HP Pavilion that I bought 10 years ago. It's getting a little creaky and takes a long time to boot up, but it's still going.

 

[Hornbein]

I will never get on a subscription again if I can possibly help it. I don't want their new features.

I did go on subscription once for some software I found very useful and used heavily. Later someone messed with my bank account and I had to cancel my card. I live overseas so it costs $100 to have a new one mailed securely. No more subscriptions.

Word went to a subscription model so I got a free version.. One day this company decided to go to the subscription model. I could no longer edit my files. I say this borders on extortion. Thank God for OfficeLibre. Let's hope the Free Software Foundation is never declared an economic terrorist organization.

 

[Algr]

I say this borders on extortion. Thank God for OfficeLibre. Let's hope the Free Software Foundation is never declared an economic terrorist organization.

God I wish that Europe or someone would grow a spine and standardize on Open Source software. Copyrights, patents, and contracts are all products of government, so if software companies can do anything they want without regard to fairness, then governments should respond in kind.