Parallels and Creative Cloud

M

MacSavers

Bit poster
I recently ran into an issue where I have a Photoshop plugin that I have to run in Windows due it's reliance on the .NET Framework. So I launched my Windows 8 and downloaded the Creative Cloud app. Once it was installed, I went to the Apps tab to download Photoshop, and it says there's a download error. All the other tabs are fine, just the Apps tab. So, I try again. No luck. I delete everything for Creative Cloud, as the uninstaller wouldn't work saying the app was still running even though it was not in the Task Manager anywhere.

So, I then tried my Windows XP installation. Downloaded the app and it gave me the same problems. The app runs initially, then comes up with a dialog box that says there was an error. I can't even get to the Apps tab here.

So, I did the next best thing: I contacted Adobe.

At first, they were helpful. I gave them the information I had. Unfortunately, the moment I told them I was using Parallels, I was promptly told that they don't support Virtual setups and basically told me tough luck.

So, now I'm here. I really need to find a way to make this work. I've enjoyed having Parallels and allowing me to use Windows in those odd instances where only a Windows app exists. Most of the time the app is a odd piece of shareware, not a mainstream program like Photoshop from Adobe. Whatcha gonna do.

Anyone run into this issue and found a resolution?

Note: I am using a 'shared' network connection. I've thought about changing it to 'bridged' hoping that might help. Seems kinda odd though that every other connection works, just not Creative Cloud.
 
I have exactly the same problem. Parallels 8, Windows 8, Mountain Lion. Talked to Adobe for 3 hours with no solution. I even showed them your post.

I've tried the various shared and bridged options in parallels with no luck.

The bit I find silly is that the CC app accepts my Adobe ID, so clearly at least part of the program can talk to the Adobe servers. As you say, every other program works fine, including older versions of Creative Suite.

I'll let you know if I ever solve the problem.
 
I've done the same with the Network Connection.

I'm convinced it has something to do with Adobe's piracy protection of some sort. Perhaps they have problems with the computer ID for registering which computer it's on so that they make sure you only put it on two (2) computers.

At least that's my theory.
 
You may be right. I can't believe Adobe make it so hard! Well I can, but it really shouldn't be.

Adobe don't seem to think it's an issue though - I've found multiple Adobe forum threads with replies from staff saying that installing on a VM counts as an install, with no reference to the much more important fact that it actually can't be done.
 
Have you guys tried installing in Bootcamp and then open that Bootcamp installation in Parallels?
 
I actually didn't even know it was possible to use a Bootcamp partition in Parallels. After Googling it sounds like an awesome option! I'll give this a go tonight and let you know if it works.
 
Victory!

I setup boot camp with Windows 8, booted into Windows and installed CC without issue. I then downloaded Dreamweaver CC. It 'failed' a couple of times during the download but I hit retry and it picked up where it left off. I'm not sure if this was a connection issue or a server issue but the install completed in the end. I opened Dreamweaver and it ran fine.

I then went back to OSX and setup the boot camp partition as a Parallels VM. It booted and I was able to open Dreamweaver. I logged in with my Adobe ID and it works fine. Remarkably, the CC desktop app works fine and I'm currently downloading Photoshop though the app, running on the VM.

A small catch - logging in to CC in Boot Camp, OSX and Parallels counts as 3 activations, so you have to log out of one of them to login to the last. Alternatively, Adobe can kick out 'all other activations' when you go to activate the 3rd. A very small price to pay.

The big catch is obviously that I now have to transfer everything from my old VM to my new boot camp setup, but that's a once off thing. The big bonus is that I can now boot into native Windows if I ever need to. Yay!
 
I'm going to confirm the same thing. I hadn't been back to the thread to see your solution, but I decided to try the same thing oddly enough. The problem I ran into was I only had a 32-bit installation disk for Windows 7. The tools that get downloaded from Apple are 64-bit; at least that what I thought when it gave me an error saying it couldn't install it due to the 64-bit requirement. I poked around and found a 32-bit installer buried in a folder. Once that was completed and I could connect to the internet, I was off and running.

What's odd is that Creative Cloud is working perfectly in VM mode. It should retain the same issues, but it doesn't. I'm not sure what exactly is the issue between one and the other, but if someone who has enough Windows knowledge can shed some light on this, I'm sure a ton of people would be grateful.

The one downside to having it in a BootCamp partition is that your drive size is finite. In a true VM situation, the drive size is fluid and expandable. To expand the size of the drive in BootCamp is a pain and you always have to have more space than you need, so some space always gets wasted.

Hopefully Adobe will fix the issue in the future, but for now, I can at least get work done now.
 
A note on this that I discovered the hard way.

It seems that the Creative Cloud desktop app clashes with Parallels Tools so you MUST install CC in Boot Camp before you add the partition to Parallels. Once you add Parallels Tools, even if you go back to Boot Camp to install CC you'll get the same download error.

If you've already setup Boot Camp and Parallels and want to install CC you'll have to go into Boot Camp, uninstall Parallels Tools, install CC in Boot Camp, sign in to CC in Boot Camp (to be safe), reboot in OSX, reinstall Parallels Tools. Thanks Adobe! You make life so easy...
 
Problem still exists. Win 8.1, Mavericks, up to date Parallels 9.

Used to work fin till I upgraded windows and parallels. Adobe won't support it. In the Adobe forum, they suggest switching to VMware Fusion since it doesn't have this problem. http://forums.adobe.com/message/5447450

Strangely, part of Adobe is recommending Parallels, at least for running FrameMaker on a Mac. http://blogs.adobe.com/techcomm/2012/02/post-6-how-to-run-framemaker-on-mac.html Unfortunately that no longer works either. I tried to install FrameMaker 11 -- the install worked fine, but it refused to install any FrameMaker updates.
 
Solved

I can't take full credit for this. But there is a way to get it to work without going the route of installing windows through bootcamp etc..

Someone from Adobe finally noticed that the required root certificates were missing that basically verify your computer with Adobe. For some reason when you install Windows 8 through Parallels they aren't installed (however they are when you go the Bootcamp route). So, to get Adobe Creative Cloud to work in a Windows 8.1 VM:

1. In your Windows VM, go here and download the whole roots package from VeriSign (It's the first link called VeriSign Root Package). http://www.symantec.com/page.jsp?id=roots
2. Unzip the folder and install all the certificates in the folders G1 - G5. To do this you double click on the security certificate, click next a bunch of times through the wizard, and move to the next one. I think there are 13 certificates total.
3. Restart Windows
4. Open Adobe Creative Cloud and you should be good to go.
 
Confirmed: Works for latest Creative Cloud build with Win 7 32 bit too. PD Version is 9, latest build.

Thanx for sharing!
 
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