sisszpeanut

Q: Messages not working after OS X Update

After the December 28th Update for OS X I have been unable to open messages on my Mac. I am simply greeted with a notification saying "Messages cannot be opened because of a problem" Everything on my computer is up to date as far as I am aware and none of my friends nor my Dad have been able to figure out why this happened.

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Jan 2, 2016 4:59 PM

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Q: Messages not working after OS X Update

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  • by Eric Root,Apple recommended

    Eric Root Eric Root Jan 3, 2016 8:26 AM in response to sisszpeanut
    Level 9 (69,813 points)
    iTunes
    Jan 3, 2016 8:26 AM in response to sisszpeanut

    Might be a corrupt .plist.

     

    Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

     

    Quit the application.

     

    Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J.  When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder.  Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.iChat.plist.  Move the .plist to your desktop.

     

    Restart the computer, open the application and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

    If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.

     

    If that doesn’t work, repeat the above but delete the com.apple.imagent.plist

     

    Thanks to leonie and Ralph Johns (UK) for some information contained in this.

  • by aholc,

    aholc aholc Jan 4, 2016 9:02 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 4, 2016 9:02 AM in response to Eric Root

    I have this problem too and tried what you just suggested, but that didn't work. Is there a way to run a test to see why it isn't working exactly? Or is there anything else you recommended trying?

     

    Thanks!

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jan 4, 2016 12:11 PM in response to sisszpeanut
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Jan 4, 2016 12:11 PM in response to sisszpeanut

    Hi,

     

    What Update to the OS on the 28th December ?

    https://www.apple.com/uk/support/osx/software-updates/

     

    You list OS X 10.11.2 and there does not seem to be anything listed for El Capitan.

    (that's not to say that's when you did the Update).

     

    If you open the App Store app and select Purchases what is the last item listed ?

     

    If it was the OS X 10.11.2 update which is dated the 8th December then try installing the Combo version over the top of what you have.

    Download OS X El Capitan 10.11.2 Combo Update

     

     

     

     

    new-year-glitter-gif-images2.gif

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:11 pm      Monday; January 4, 2016

     

      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 tilleron,

    tilleron tilleron Jan 5, 2016 3:09 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2016 3:09 PM in response to Eric Root

    I have the same issue and tried this to no avail.  Messages now will not even fully open.  Running two iMacs on latest OS and Messages works fine on one and not at all on the other. Same OS late 2013 machine not working.  2015 machine just fine.

  • by Eric Root,Apple recommended

    Eric Root Eric Root Jan 6, 2016 9:48 AM in response to tilleron
    Level 9 (69,813 points)
    iTunes
    Jan 6, 2016 9:48 AM in response to tilleron

    Try a restart.

     

    Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.

     

    Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.

     

    Isolating an issue by using another user account

     

    If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account.  Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.

     

     

     

     

    Safe Mode - About El Capitan

     

    Safe Mode Startup – El Capitan.

  • by raventat,

    raventat raventat Aug 11, 2016 6:51 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 11, 2016 6:51 PM in response to Eric Root

    I had this problem too. Your suggestion to delete the plist worked for me. However, I deleted the plist com.apple.imservice.ids.iMessage.plist first. Messages began working perfectly again after I reopened. Thanks!

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Aug 12, 2016 8:25 AM in response to raventat
    Level 9 (69,813 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 12, 2016 8:25 AM in response to raventat

    You are welcome.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Aug 12, 2016 1:02 PM in response to raventat
    Level 9 (72,994 points)
    Applications
    Aug 12, 2016 1:02 PM in response to raventat

    Hi,

     

    That .plist has a different name back in Mavericks.

    Screen Shot 2016-08-12 at 21.00.22.png

     

    Did you misquote or are you using a later version of the Mac OS and therefore Messages ?

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:02 pm      Friday; August 12, 2016

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)