Crazy to install CS2 on Quad Core 64 bit Windows 7 notebook?

Question

I've been a video producer/director/editor since 1970 and have witnessed most all the progress and insanity of the "corporate wars" to dominate video production and later, video editing.  I no longer see any reason to differentiate between still photography, video production, editing, web authoring, print production, graphics, CGI, CAD etc...ad nauseum. My dream has long been to have one very powerful laptop that could do most everything that a creative person desired on location anywhere in the world.
My new notebook is an ASUS Quad Core G71GX with 6 GB RAM - an Nvidia Geoforce GTX 260M - and 2 - 500 GB, 7200 rpm hard drives - Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit OS. These days I shoot most video using a Canon SX1 IS at 1080 30p and the files are playing back beautifully on the 1920x1400 display at full frame rate. So for me that covers the basics. I will be upgrading from Windows 7 Home Premium to Ultimate shortly. Does anyone have issues/questions about the platform?
As to the software . . . I have been using Adobe stuff for 20 years or so.but did not get into their video editing products until Premiere 6.5. Than I jumped in with both feet and became a beta tester for the CS2 video collection. I still have my complimentary Premiere Pro 2.0 and it still works on my older XP Pro notebooks.
But now we are here in 2010 and all the major PC platforms are running 64 bit Operating Systems and I just figure that I should hold out for a true 64 bit Master Collection [which many people call CS5]. In the meantime I decided to install my CS2 Creative Suite and Premiere Pro 2.0 just so I could have the benefit of these programs while I am waiting for the 64 bit to release.
I purchased my CS2 back in 2005 as a download and last night made the attempt to install it onto the ASUS. As expected the serial number did not work so I called Adobe Installation support and got started after they prompted me for the "challenge" code. When I entered it the installation began nicely UNTIL the first folder [CS_2.0_UE_Ret_D1] finished loading and UP POPPED a window saying "Please insert CD #2" with only an OK button. Well, I didn't have any CDs because the suite was delivered as a download way back when and there seems to be no way to get to Disk 2 folder.
I finally decided to Quit the install when up pops a window that says [paraphrasing]. Your Photoshop program on Disc 1 has been verified and so try again to install. I said OK and up pops a window with all the various programs and the option to select Install. I selected each one [except GoLive because I now have Dreamweaver CS4] and proceeded. I sort of kluged my way through the transition from D1 to D2 to D3 to D4 folders and by all indications had a successfully installed, registered and activated CS2 suite on the ASUS notebook. Restarted the machine.
Opened Photoshop and up comes an error message "Your Adobe Photoshop user name, organization or serial number is missing or invalid. The application cannot continue and must now exit" "OK", which I pressed and Photoshop closed. Checked the other CS2 programs and none of them would open.
I would appreciate any pointers on how to get CS2 Creative Suite to install properly since Adobe Tech Support says such installation help is out of date and recommended this forum.
BTW: I run Videography Lab and am the "seminal author of videography". OCT 1972 American Cinematographer. I have a different take on the meaning of videography than most folks. After 38 years of research and contemplation I believe "Videography means 'I know to write' or conversely 'writing my knowing'" The platform that I've been talking about is the technology tool that enables such communication in "the Age of Videography" [Miller Freeman Publishing - 1996].
Call me crazy and than help me get this sorted out
Bob Kiger - [url removed by host]
PS: Does anyone beside me expect a sudden and dramatic shootout between Final Cut Studio & Adobe Creative Suite soon?

Answer 1

Hi Michael--
Upon continued research we found your statement "CS 2 isn't compatible with Windows 7 32-bit no less 64-bit." not quite true. We grant you that, in it's raw state, Windows 7 will not install, activate, register etc. CS2 programs. That's been the Adobe position for quite a while.
Now that we have Windows 7 in hand and can play we found that if you have Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate edition you can acquire for $89.95 and download/install in an hour or so "Windows Virtual PC" and "Windows XP Mode".[Note: This feature is not available on Home editions].
We purchased the platform and once it is installed we had a "Windows XP platform" on our Windows 7 machine. From that point forward the installation of CS2 and many other of our old favorite programs was a snap. We've opened and worked with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign etc. with no problems.
And, by the way, Premiere Pro 2.0 intalled easily on Windows 7. We're testing it now with some sub-1080p projects.
As to the long nagging problem of Adobe Installer not recognizing the downloaded CS2 CAB files during installation, we worked around by just saying OK when the installer asked for the next disc and immediately clicked on the desired disc in a seperate exlorer window which contained all the download files.
So that's the workaround for us. Now we wait to see who wins the race to enchant users with 64 bit editing and imaging suites.
Thanks for all your help.
Bob Kiger - Videography Lab