Unable to "Sign in to download from the App Store" after Erasing MacBook Air "Core 2 Duo" 1.86 13" Late 2010

Ken_eh wrote:

My phone and computer receive a message saying that an attempt to log in to my AppleID has been made, and pops up a six-digit code for authorisation purposes, but no opportunity exists to enter the code on the MBA.

It's the password field you use:

Enter your Apple ID Password and immediately follow it with the six-digit code. Example, if your Apple ID password is q1w2e3 and the six-digit code is 345678, enter q1w2e3345678 into the password field.

Reboot and hold down the Command- R.

Then you will see the “MacOS Utilities” screen

Select the “Utilities” menu from the top of the screen and choose “Terminal”.

Type date 071910172018

Type exit.

Try the download again.

This fools the computer into thinking the date is not what it really is. The "This item is temporarily unavailable" message often is misleading as it will be 'temporary' permanently!! By changing the date for a few minutes, the item can become available again.

10.5.x will not boot your computer. Upgrading to El Capitan or later requires Snow Leopard or Lion. Lion is available from Apple. You can purchase Lion at the Online Apple Store. The cost is $19.99 (as it was before) plus tax.  It's a download. You will get an email containing a redemption code that you then use at the Mac App Store to download Lion. Save a copy of that installer to your Downloads folder because the installer deletes itself at the end of the installation.

Lion's requirements include Snow Leopard. However, I believe you can install Lion on your model without installing Snow Leopard first. But I cannot guarantee that. Apple has stopped selling Snow Leopard but is still selling Lion, I believe, because it can be used on computers like yours without first installing Snow Leopard.

You cannot use Recovery Mode because, as suggested by the other helper, because it will attempt to install the version of OS X that you erased. That version is tied to another Apple ID. Any attempt to reinstall it will ask for that Apple ID and password which you have discovered will not work. Hence, the reason you must go through all the shenanigans I've suggested.

Because of the age of your computer, you cannot easily restore the OS after erasing the drive. You are required to "own" your copy of the OS. Until the release of Mavericks, the OS cost money. Mavericks was the first OS that Apple provided for free. Evidence of your rightful ownership was tying the transaction to your Apple ID. The copy that was on the computer apparently was not owned by you. If it were, then it would have accepted your Apple ID and password. This is the way Apple prevents piracy and illegally copying their software. All software you get or buy from Apple is tied to your Apple ID. You cannot give or sell the software to anyone else. Apple's way of assuring that is through the Apple ID of true owner.

Kappy wrote:

You can purchase Lion at the Online Apple Store. The cost is $19.99 (as it was before)

I think it really is time that Apple reduced the price of Lion to free. Especially as hardly anyone needs it any more. It just feels wrong that one has to pay $19.99 to use it for only an hour or so before upgrading again.

Just sayin'!

What you trying to do is erase the drive and install the original version of OS X that came pre-installed from the factory. For your model, that is a specific version of Snow Leopard: 10.6.4 or 10.6.5. Neither os these versions were ever publicly released. You need the Software Restore DVDs that came with the computer from the factory. You will have to ask your relative to find and send you the two disks. Without them, you cannot install the needed OS version that can be registered to your Apple ID. You cannot get them from Apple.

In the prompt shown in your image, you are being asked for the Apple ID and password of the prior owner - your relative, I presume.

You cannot download it, Ken, because Snow Leopard was never downloadable. You paid for it through the Apple Store and were sent the DVD. In your case, you once were able to buy replacement disks from Apple but Apple no longer has any left to sell. Not only is Snow Leopard obsolete, it's almost pre-historic, if you get my drift.

You may be able to find legitimate copies for sale on eBay. But use care because you may not get what was advertised.

This site, How To Download Old Mac OS X & macOS- Mojave, El Capitan, Sierra, & More, has old versions of OS X Snow Leopard Installers that you can download. I don't know if they have 10.6.4 or 10.6.5. You must use one of those versions on your model.

Ah! In that case, if you don't mind losing the personal data on it, try this:

Reboot holding down Option (⌥) - Command (⌘) – R

Use the Mac Utility to erase the internal drive.

Install MAC OS

This should install the latest version of OSX that this Mac can handle (High Sierra - 10.13)

Kappy wrote:

That version is tied to another Apple ID. Any attempt to reinstall it will ask for that Apple ID and password which you have discovered will not work.

Just a thought (and I managed to do this in the past with Apple's guidance): Ken_eh can use any Apple ID to qualify to download macOS ; you just get a friend who already owns the macOS to enter their Apple ID details (obviously they don't just give you their password!)

As this was a suggesting to me from Apple and it worked for me in the past, I can recommend trying it!

This will not work, if you are reinstalling the OS in Recovery Mode, because the OS was installed using the owner's Apple ID and password. You could only do it when performing a factory reset. If that is the case, then Ken could use his own Apple ID and password. I find it odd that anyone at Apple would recommend that since it's a major break in security for the person who gives you their Apple ID and password.

I think the idea is fraught with problems.