Problems installing update PS CS5 on new Windows 7 laptop w/ prior PS vers. already installed

Question

Hi,
When I first got my new Windows 7 laptop, I tried loading PSCS5 onto it, but since it was an update disk, and previous versions weren't there, it didn't load. I finished my work during a 30-day trial period on a recent sabatical, I uninstalled it and all PS files except images saved, and have now gone through the following process in attempt to load it:
1) Loaded PS 6.0 from a CD and serial number that I own--no problems
2) Loaded PS CS2 from a CD and serial nuimber I own--no problems
3) Loaded PSCS5 from an update CD also purchased, and got an error message saying something about CS4 needing to be uninstalled before CS4 could be properly loaded.
Puzzling because A: I never loaded CS4, and B: was not trying to. So I uninstalled everything conceivably troubling from Adobe, even Flash Player, Patch files, but not ASA or Adobe Download Helper. Some Adobe files left behind I deleted and emptied the recycle bin and restarted over several different times. To my knowledge, my CS5 has only been used on one other computer. Do I need to de-activate it on the other one? I don't find it on a 3rd computer, but if it was simply uninstalled, without de-activation, would I need to re-install it to deactivate it on the 3rd one. I'm hoping somebody can help me tell how many computers have CS5 activation.
Now, I've tried simply loading the CS2 disk and going to the PSCS5, and that failed, so I re-did steps 1-3 after purging also Lightroom3 and DreamWeaver CS3, thinking something from them might've been the culprit (though they earlier loaded flawlessly after a de-activation of DW on another computer). This time the Adobe Support box came up and after searching the system or whatever, said 'no problems could be found', and that I should contact Adobe Support. No FAQ's address this problem and a scan of forums was not helpful. So here I am.
Any ideas? If it is lack of a Registry entry, it would be helpful to know exactly which one and how precisely to get it and patch that into Windows 7 for those of us who are not IT geeks. I'm guessing this might be a recurrent issue and it would be helpful to simply have that code to patch in, if it is known.
Otherwise, I'm stuck using CS2, which while OK, is not CS5.
All my Adobe products have been purchased originally purchased and activated by me.
Thanks for any help,
Michael J Kissane

Answer 1

Hi Jeff,
After reading your mail, I've un-installed the previous versions now
(both 6.0 and CS2), including manually some files listed as
impossible to uninstall under the PS 6.0 wizard (Adobe Program files
x86, something). I restarted the computer (Lenovo running Windows 7
Home Premium).
I then tried to run the PS CS5 Upgrade disk directly and it failed
with suggestion to go to the ASA, which said quickly "Inspection
could not identify any issues. Please contact Adobe Support for
further assistance"... and the website for same.
I recall I did get a box with a request for the qualifying
prerequisite's serial when I first tried this in December, but not
having that on hand and after failing (I believe I even tried getting
serials from 'My Adobe' resource) I punted and went for the trial
period to finish my project. The rest I've written about in my forum posting.
I'm hoping info from Maggie_8 from the forum
http://forums.adobe.com/message/3880631#3880631 may get me through
it. Otherwise, I don't know if I can save what's on the new laptop to
an external HD and start all over after back tracking to a previous
point (this was possible in older Windows OS, I recall, but one lost
anything not saved elsewhere as the clock was turned back, so to speak)
Frustrating...I had problems with Adobe Reader, too, and I hope I've purged it.
Will persevere, but without wasting eons of time. Other fish to fry
and all that...
-Mike