Photoshop Elements 8 for Windows: The Missing Manual

Appendix C. Installation and Troubleshooting

Elements is easy to install and is pretty trouble-free once it’s up and running. This appendix not only describes some things you can do to ensure a smooth installation, but also provides cures for most of the little glitches that can crop up once you’re using the program.

Installing Elements

Before you install Elements, it helps to make sure your PC is ready to receive its newest addition. First of all, if your computer’s on a network, take it off the network temporarily. (You can go back on as soon as you’ve installed Elements.) Also, it’s important to disable any antivirus software, as well as any products from Symantec (whose programs tend to quarrel with Adobe software during installation). You can turn any of these programs back on as soon as you’ve finished the installation. (Elements 8 needs to contact Adobe for activation, explained below, but it can wait till after you’ve finished installing.)

Also, you need to install Elements when you’re logged into an administrative account on your computer. (If you’ve never done anything to change your account and you have only one account on your machine, it’s almost certainly an administrative account.)

Note

If you have a previous version of Elements on your computer, you don’t need to remove it before installing Elements 8. All versions of Elements run as separate programs, so you can keep older versions, too, if you want.

Make sure you have your Elements serial number handy. You can install ...