TechNote

Error, "The update cannot be applied to the product" when you update or reinstall a Creative Suite 3 application

Issue

When you attempt to reinstall or update an Adobe Creative Suite 3 application, the program installer or update installer returns the error message "The update cannot be applied to the product. Please re-install the product and try again."

Reason

You deleted, moved, or altered one or more files that were installed during the original installation. For example, if you deleted, moved, or renamed a Creative Suite 3 application's Read Me file, then you may receive the error message above when you try to install an update for that application.

The patcher log file on your system may also include lines similar to the following:

07/03/07 14:43:02 ERROR File to be patched is not present on the target machine.
07/03/07 14:43:02 ERROR File operation failed.

Solution

Solution 1: Move .patch files out of /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Installers. (Mac OS only)

Quit all open Adobe applications.
Create a new folder on your Desktop.
In the Finder, navigate to /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Installers.

Note: This folder path refers to the Library folder at the root level of the startup disk, not the Library folder inside a user's Home folder.
In the Installers folder, locate all files that have the extension .patch. Move these .patch files into the folder that you created in Step 2.
Start the program installer or the update installer.

Solution 2: Repair or reinstall the application you are attempting to update. (Mac OS and Windows)

Start the installer for your Creative Suite 3 application.
- On Mac OS: In the Finder, navigate to /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Installers. Double-click the file named Add Or Remove Adobe [suite or application name].
- On Windows XP: Choose Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. Select Add Or Remove Adobe [suite or application name]. Then click Change/Remove.
- On Windows Vista: Choose Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features> Add or Remove Adobe [suite or application name]. Then click Uninstall/Change.
In the program installer, select Install Or Reinstall. Then click Next.
Select the application or applications you want to reinstall. Then click Next. Then click Install.

Note: Depending on the changes you made, you might have to remove and reinstall the affected Creative Suite 3 application in order to apply the update. To do so, select Remove Adobe [suite or application name] Components instead of Install Or Reinstall in Step 2 above. After the removal is finished, restart your computer, reinstall the application, and run the update installer.

Additional Information

You can find the update log files for your Creative Suite 3 applications in these locations:

Mac OS: /Users/<user name>/Library/Logs/Adobe/SoftwareUpdates/AdobeSoftwareUpdate.log
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Setting\<user name>\Application Data\Adobe\PatcherLogs\*.log
Windows Vista: C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\PatcherLogs\*.log

Note: The Widnows XP and Windows Vista file paths above include hidden folders. To make hidden folders visible, see "Windows Tip - Show hidden files and folders" (TechNote kb402324).