kegill

Q: Messages on MBPr shows "iMessage inactive" - help?

I've read through the threads, removed plist, etc etc.

 

Messages is happy with Bonjour and Google. I can log into iCloud and my appleID account just fine.

 

This MBPr (Mavericks 10.9.2) had a nuke-and-reinstall 10 days ago. The first time I tried to use Messages since that auspicious event was Monday.

 

 

But nothing will get Message to work on my MBPr. (Happy as a clam on my phone and iPad.)

 

This is the Preferences > Accounts window:

 

messages-inactive-annotated.png

 

 

Eventually, I let the spinning wheel spin long enough that I was greeted with an error message:

messages-inactive-error.png

 

 

I'm connected. FiOS.

 

A few clicks of the "OK" button and I had a pswd field that would let me type.

 

This felt like I was moving up in the world - but being able to type in the pswd didn't fix anything.

 

So I tried changing from @mac.com to @me.com. That yielded a new error message:

 

messages-inactive-error-2.png

 

It took several clicks of the "ok" button for the popup to go away, so I could try the gmail address associated with my account. No joy.

 

So I went back to my mac.com address (the primary one on the account) and I went back to error message #1.

 

 

 

OK, Ralph, work your magic. ;-)

 

 

 

Kathy

Posted on Jun 17, 2014 2:51 AM

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Q: Messages on MBPr shows "iMessage inactive" - help?

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  • by kegill,

    kegill kegill Jun 17, 2014 3:10 AM in response to kegill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2014 3:10 AM in response to kegill

    Linking to related posts:

     

     

    From one of Ralph's posts:

    There are variants to the alert message you can get.

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3970

     

    iTunes errors and local hosts file: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3297

     

    Mine did not show the problem illustrated in the support doc:messages-local-hosts.png

     

    I have not tried Ralph's PRAM reset:

    A PRAM reset

    Shut down the computer.

    Restart it holding down Apple/CMD ( or ⌘)+ALT( ⌥)+P+R Keys until you have heard three Start Up Bongs.

  • by kegill,

    kegill kegill Jun 17, 2014 3:16 AM in response to kegill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2014 3:16 AM in response to kegill

    Another interesting thread - get Facetime to work and then Messages works?

     

    So I launched Facetime ... and. Same problem > spinning beach ball of death.

     

    Pre-populated AppleID and blank password field (that is also locked out - no typing allowed). It never timed out, so I used the cancel button. But typing pswd didn't help -- spin-spin-spin. Finally got an error message.

     

    These two failures are since the nuke-and-reinstall engineered by the Apple Genuis Bar guy.

     

    facetime-stalled.png

     

     

    facetime-error.png

  • by kegill,

    kegill kegill Jun 17, 2014 3:31 AM in response to kegill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2014 3:31 AM in response to kegill

    I reset the PRAM.

     

    • After I rebooted, I had to sign into iCloud.
    • No apps auto-relaunched.
    • When I launched Safari, I had to manually restore open windows/tabs. Ditto with Chrome.

     

    Neither Facetime nor Messages work. Still.

     

    Same error message for both apps:

     

    Could not sign in. Please check your network connection and try again.

  • by kegill,

    kegill kegill Jun 17, 2014 3:35 AM in response to kegill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2014 3:35 AM in response to kegill

    Related? Everytime I reboot -- when I open Facebook in Safari it doesn't recognize my MBPr. I get an "unauthorized device" message -- I say "authorize this device" -- but it doesn't.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jun 17, 2014 1:34 PM in response to kegill
    Level 9 (73,336 points)
    Applications
    Jun 17, 2014 1:34 PM in response to kegill

    Hi,

     

    First off, what did the "nuke and Install" involve ?

    From the symptoms it seems like it was just  reinstall over what you had to keep the User's folders.

     

    Also what was the Computer using before the OS X10.9.2 was reinstalled ?

    Are you sure it is OS X 10.9.2 as most times it will update to the latest version ?

     

    If you create a New Mac User on your computer will it allow you to log in the iMessages accounts using this same details ?

     

    What region is set in Language and Text in your regular User account ?
    Does this match the Date and Time/Time Zone settings ?

     

    In System Preferences > Network > Advanced Button > DNS tab are you using the same DNS info you had before ?

    It should not list the router IP.

    It is best if you copy across the router's info about what it is using with the ISP (sometimes this is pulled though automatically)

    You can also use Public DNS servers http://pcsupport.about.com/od/tipstricks/a/free-public-dns-servers.htm

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:34 pm      Tuesday; June 17, 2014

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by kegill,

    kegill kegill Jun 17, 2014 11:44 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2014 11:44 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi, Ralph!

     

    Nuke-and-reinstall was "reformat hard drive and reinstall OS." Limited recovery from TimeMachine backup because the problem involved corrupted system-ish files. (The Genuis Bar guy led and I followed.)

     

    And yes, that's the version - I don't do auto-updates - and that was the prior version as well.

     

    I hate nuke-and-reinstall because I don't (until now) have a list of all of the customizations I've done ... to make it easier to set the machine up again. I did use Open DNS before this. Namebench suggests  ... Qwest? Has the world gone mad? LOL!

     

    Will report after reboot.

     

    What region is set in Language and Text in your regular User account ?

    Does this match the Date and Time/Time Zone settings ?

     

    • English
    • Keyboard: US
    • Yes

     

    If you create a New Mac User on your computer will it allow you to log in the iMessages accounts using this same details

     

    Have created new user. Will report after reboot.

     

    OS version:

     

    about-this-mac.png

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jun 19, 2014 11:59 AM in response to kegill
    Level 9 (73,336 points)
    Applications
    Jun 19, 2014 11:59 AM in response to kegill

    So,

     

    The drive was a Fresh Install as it was an erased Disk.

    However Time Machine has now been used for Users and some other items to be "reinstalled", correct ?

     

    Lets do it this way.  (Once you are sure all the other settings are as before)

    This is a multi stage set of things.

    Open Messages > Preferences > General Section and set it to "When I Quit, Set My Status to Off line"

    Quit Messages.

    Open FaceTime > Preferences and set it to Off.

     

    In Applications/Utilities open Keychain Access.

    At the top left have Login

    At the Bottom left have Passwords.

    In the right hand pane find the IDS: yourAppleID-Auth Token item and delete it.

    There should be one called com.apple.facetime: registrationV1 Delete this as well.

     

    Bring the Finder to the "Front" so it show s in the Menu Bar.

    Use the Go Menu > Go to Folder and type (or copy) ~/Library/Preferences in to the Dialogue box.

    In the Preferences folder find the following.

    com.apple.ichat.plist (holds the some account info)

    com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.madrid.plist (holds the iMessages account info)

    com.apple.imessages.bag.plist (holds the server info for iMessages).

    com.apple.imagent.plist (holds all the Messages account info, and logs them in to "listen" when both apps are not launched and will launch the apps if it "hears" anything - if the settings we changed first are not set.)

     

    Plus:

    com.apple.imservice.FaceTime.plist

    com.apple.imservice.ids.FaceTime.plist

     

    I must admit to being less sure about the FaceTime ones as I don't use the app.

     

    Once you have done this restart the Computer.

    The reason for this is you removes the com.apple.imagent .plist and the IMAgent app starts when the computer does so you have to "force" it  to recreate the .plist.

     

    Open Messages first.

    You will probably have to reconfirm your Apple ID.

     

    Can you login now ?

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:58 pm      Thursday; June 19, 2014

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by kegill,

    kegill kegill Jul 19, 2014 1:29 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 19, 2014 1:29 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hey!

     

    • Open Messages > Preferences > General Section and set it to "When I Quit, Set My Status to Off line"
      • That was my status
    • Open FaceTime > Preferences and set it to Off.
      • FT won't log in either. Spinning beach ball of death then the same "could not sign in check network connection" mess.
    • In the right hand pane find the IDS: yourAppleID-Auth Token item and delete it.
      • MBP hasn't been preserving this pswd - I have to login to every Apple Thing every time.
    • There should be one called com.apple.facetime: registrationV1 Delete this as well.
      • Couldn't log in (see above) but deleted.
    • In the Preferences folder find the following.
      • I assume you want me to delete all of those items!


    Going to reboot now.


    Back.


    • Yes, I had to input Apple ID as well as pswd on Messages app.
    • OH! It says I'm signed in (Preferences > general)
    • And I can start a message to a friend in contacts!


    Success! Thank you!


    PS - fixed FaceTime app as well.


  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jul 19, 2014 12:03 PM in response to kegill
    Level 9 (73,336 points)
    Applications
    Jul 19, 2014 12:03 PM in response to kegill

    You are welcome.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:03 pm      Saturday; July 19, 2014

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by reajul,

    reajul reajul Jun 22, 2015 2:00 AM in response to kegill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 22, 2015 2:00 AM in response to kegill

    Im having the same problem I can't login iMessage and faceitme too Please help

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jun 22, 2015 11:09 AM in response to reajul
    Level 9 (73,336 points)
    Applications
    Jun 22, 2015 11:09 AM in response to reajul

    Hi,

     

    What have you done to fix it ?

     

    This Thread was also a long time ago.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:09 p.m.      Monday; June 22, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jun 23, 2015 10:24 AM in response to reajul
    Level 9 (73,524 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 23, 2015 10:24 AM in response to reajul

    Do you have 2 step verification set up for your Apple ID? If so, you will need to generate application specific passwords for Messages and FaceTime.

     

    Apple ID - Manage

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jun 23, 2015 1:02 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 9 (73,336 points)
    Applications
    Jun 23, 2015 1:02 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    EDIT.

     

    I could not see Eric's reply so I linked to my last reply and posted so I could see it.

     

    This edit is going to say follow Eric's Link.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:02 p.m.      Tuesday; June 23, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad