Q: Unable to update bundled iMove/iPhoto/GarageBand?

There are two ways to fix your problem with iLife updates. The first solution is to take your iMac to the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store, although I wouldn't like to to haul a 27" iMac around! I had the same problem with my MacBook Air, which is easily portable. It takes about 2½ hours to reinstall Lion but they fixed mine at Meadowhall. If you follow this route future updates for iLife will be through software update rather than the app store.

The second solution is to ask Apple to send you the codes to download the iLife apps from iTunes. This is not as simple as it sounds because they will tell you that they don't do this, but if you ask them loudly enough they will do so eventually! If you try this route and have no success then you may wish to contact me and I will try and help you?

Fortunately, I've been dealing with a really helpful lady at Apple Customer Services in Cork.  She put me in touch with her colleague and he gave me the redemption codes for iphoto, imovie and garageband which allowed me to download the apps again and overwrite the bundled software.  However, I'm still left with the Accept button for the original install software.  I'm told that Apple are working on a solution to this and it's something to do with the way the serial number of your machine, be it iMac or MacBook, is linked to your Apple ID and the App Store.  I hope she's correct, because I really don't want to have to live with this defunct Accept button, because it's basically an error with the machine.  I'm told that Apple hope to have a solution by February and Paula at Apple Customer Services has promised to stay in touch until it's sorted satisfactorily. 

Unfortunately, I'm having the same issue.  I've tried everything and none of the suggestions work for me and my MBP.  App Store support seems unaware of the issue and unwilling to escalate me to Tier 2.  They simply told me to call Applecare.  I called Applecare & they escalated me, but Applecare can't do anything but try to get in touch with the App Store support.  They told me they will call me back in 4 days!!!!!  Can you believe this?  I told them I was offended and annoyed.  People purchase Apple products at a significant premium because it is supposed to be the best customer support experience in the world.  If I take this experience in isolation I've had better interactions with Acer, Dell or a generic PC maker.  Apple management should be embarrased to read this thread.  If anyone has any suggestions on how to get this resolved faster (obtaining redemption codes).  Please let me know.

I suggest you contact Apple Online Store Executive Relations.  Someone there should be able to give you or obtain for you, the redemption codes, as they did for me.

How do I contact Executive Relations?  Is there an email address or phone number?

Thanks for your help.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/blogs/press-here/Apple-CEO-Tim-Cook-Loves-to-Answer-Yo ur-Email-128823808.html

New Apple chief executive Tim Cook usually responds to email from the public within three days, and a few are saying he's trying hard to be accessible much like Steve Jobs -- but will that continue once the congratulations have died down?

Cook's responses aren't long or drawn out, but are short acknowledgments of the content and sentiments, according to iDownloadBlog. (While Jobs' email address is still active and he is on the company's board of directors, it's unknown if he will be as responsive to his correspondence, MacRumors reported.) Cook is obviously following in Jobs' footsteps, but how much can someone emulate Jobs without being Jobs? That seems to be the most relevant question.

While MacRumors suggests that Cook may be in a honeymoon period, it may be judging Cook too harshly -- perhaps Cook is taking his role as the face of the company seriously and each response is a boon to public relations.

To see if you get a response, write to Cook at <edited by host>

As you're in the USA I suggest you ask the App Store Technician for a contact name and email address. 

Still to busy with work to get this fixed and in the little spare time I had trying all of the proposed fixes didn't work.

I can say after a few months of trying now that Apple support is awful.

Today  i tried to make an appointment and that part of the site is again "down for maintenance". :/

So I finally got somewhere . I can see  "You have 3 Apps to accept" THOUGH it won't let me do that and I end up with the same popups and issues.

I contacted support again.

Seeing how many people still have and had this issue I can't get why there is no better support available.

I got another reply saying that iPhoto was installed by the Apple Store and that I can't update it through the Mac App store.

How I can update, they obviously don't tell me.

Why there is an update available for iPhoto in the Mac App Store, when you can't update through the Mac App store because the software was installed by Apple Store, neither.

OK i'm record Video For You

Click To youtube   (for first time Start up your Mac)

Is this video for me? 

Aside from the problems with the video, that is what is supposed to happen with a new Mac, but most of the folks here did not do that because they were not told that they needed to do that. So they have been using the Mac, sometimes for months, until an update for one of those three apps becomes available. For some reason, with so many weeks or months having passed makes this process not work.

As far as the video, I would cut out the horribly boring first 4 to 5 minutes of waiting for the Mac to startup and of you following the on screen instructions for the initial setup. Also, make a much shorter Apple ID password for the sake of the video so you can enter it without making so many mistakes. Finally, adjust your camera so that folks can see the top of the Mac App Store page, most all of the most important reason to have the video was off camera.

I did exactly what was portrayed in the video and still couldn't accept the bundled software iPhoto, iMovie and Garageband or update them.  The problem, I'm told by 2nd teir Apple support relates to the way my Apple ID is linked to the iMac serial number and bundled software.

So they finally sent me through the next level and support.
They looked into my problem and I got redeem codes to fix it.

It took a while but all works fine now.

In the end I am mainly glad that I could resolve this issue via email. I don't agree with the fact you can only receive a certain level of help via telephone.

A company like Apple  should offer the same degree of support on all channels.