TechNote

Error: "...path...contains unsupported characters" when you install Adobe Creative Suite (2.0 on Windows XP Professional x64)

Issue

When you install Adobe Creative Suite 2.x in Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, you see the error message, "The path you selected for installation contains unsupported characters. Please choose a different folder for installation."

Details

You are attempting to install one or more applications to the default installation path, [X] :\Program Files (x86)\Adobe (where [X] is the hard disk on which the system is installed).

Solution

Do one of the following solutions:

Solution 1: Upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 4.

To purchase an upgrade from Adobe, visit the Adobe Store, click Creative Suite Bundle.
To locate an authorized reseller, visit the Adobe website.

Solution 2: Edit the installation path.

Edit the installation path, and then install the application files to that folder.

In the installer wizard, type [X]:\Progra~2\Adobe for the installation path. Your Adobe Creative Suite applications will be installed to Program Files (x86)\Adobe.
Resume the installation.

Solution 3: Create a new folder, and then specify that folder in the installation path.

Create a new folder, using the name and location that you prefer. (For example, create a folder named "CS2" at the root directory of the hard disk.)

Note: Don't use parentheses in the folder name.
Install Adobe Creative Suite, and when prompted by the installer wizard, type the path to the folder you created (for example, C:\CS2\Adobe).

Additional Information

Adobe Create Suite 4 is not affected by this issue on Windows XP Professional 64 bit. Upgrading to Adobe Creative Suite 4 will resolve this issue.

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition provides two Program Files folders. The folder named "Program Files" is intended for 64-bit applications. The folder named "Program Files (x86)" is intended for 32-bit applications, such as Adobe Creative Suite 2.0 applications.

The installer for Adobe Creative Suite doesn't support parentheses in the installation path name.

In Windows, each file and folder has two file names; a long file name, which can have up to 256 characters, and a short file name of eight-characters with an extension. The short file name for the Program Files (x86) folder, "Progra~2", doesn't use parentheses and therefore, doesn't conflict with the installer.