Apple ID username and password not accepted during fresh install on MacBook Pro

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Apple ID username and password not accepted during fresh install on MacBook Pro

Hi

I bought a used MacBook Pro from 2010. I erased its hard disk and am trying to install a fresh copy of Mac OS. I used the Internet install method, but when it comes to authenticating using Apple ID, I am stuck.

I created an Apple ID on a different computer because there was no "Create Apple ID" option in the internet installation screen. I can log in using the username and password on the other computer just fine. However, when I enter the same username and password in the installer, it does not accept the username and password. Upon two tries, it asks me if I've forgotten my password. I can see that 2FA is enabled on Apple ID by default and there's no way to disable it. The installation screen does not prompt for 2FA.

Any suggestions on how to fix this?

Thanks

Posted on Jun 29, 2023 8:21 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

68,516 points

Jun 30, 2023 8:36 AM in response to Saqibb

Try booting into Internet Recovery Mode using Command + Option + R. Either that will access the macOS 10.13 online installer, or it will access the online 10.7 Lion installer. If the latter, then hopefully using these specific keys to access Recovery Mode will skip the need to authenticate with an AppleID since you never purchased macOS 10.7 with an AppleID.

Otherwise, do you have access to another Mac from 2008 to 2018? If so, then you can use that other Mac to create a bootable 10.11 or 10.13 USB installer using the instructions from this Apple article:

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

If the Mac is really a 2010 model, then you also have the option to try to locate a Snow Leopard System Restoration DVD which shipped with the Mac from the factory, but you need to know the exact model since these system restoration DVDs only work with a single model Mac. The system restoration DVDs have gray labels and are model specific. You will probably have better luck with one of the other suggested options that actually finding the correct restoration DVD, but maybe you can ask the previous owner for the restoration DVD.

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Answer 2

Jul 1, 2023 12:08 PM in response to Saqibb

try this site to check your time:

http://time.is

Only if you ASK, Readers can post a direct download link for ElCapitan, taken from ...

This article, which may not be available to you from Lion:

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

.

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Answer 3

Jun 29, 2023 11:30 AM in response to Saqibb

Apple software downloaded from the Mac App Store, including MacOS, is not copy protected.

However, it IS tagged with your Apple-ID when "purchased" (or equivalent. Think of MacOS as purchased on sale for $0.)

You cannot update, upgrade, or install new software based on already-installed software unless you supply the Apple-ID of the original software.

____

The way around that is to follow the procedure supplied by kaz-k linked article above, which completely removes all traces of perviously purchased software tagged with the previous owner's Apple-ID. You then install the Basic "shipped in the box" MacOS software, which will be tagged only with the serial number of the Mac, and does not require an old Apple-ID.

From there, you create or import a User account, set up the Mac, supply your NEW Apple-ID, and proceed to upgrade to a version of MacOS more to you liking, tagged with your Apple-ID.

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Answer 4

Saqibb Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 30, 2023 11:35 PM in response to Saqibb

For the "This Apple ID has not yet been used on the App Store", I opened Music on my MacBook from work and signed in using my new personal Apple ID. Then, it prompted me to accept an agreement and complete payment information (which I had already added earlier). Then, it said that I can use this Apple ID for anything on the App Store.

However, when I went back and signed in with the Apple ID on the fresh Mac OS X Lion installation, it accepted the credentials, but said "This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later." I didn't choose the OS version, by the way. It was picked up automatically by the Internet Recovery.

Any suggestions welcome.

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Answer 5

Jul 1, 2023 7:54 AM in response to Saqibb

if you have managed to get 10.7 Lion running on your Mac, you should next install 10.11 El Capitan as a waypoint.

The reason has to do with modern encryption and Mac App Store. Versions older than 10.11 El Capitan use older encryption and can NOT successfully download and install more modern MacOS.

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Answer 6

Saqibb Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 30, 2023 6:54 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks kaz-k and Grant.

I did follow those instructions. I erased the hard disk using the Disk Utility, then formatted the partition before proceeding to install.

I am now getting an "This Apple ID has not been used in App Store" error. I searched around and it seemed that this error is occurring because mine is a new ID and I had only setup an email address and phone based 2FA. It appeared to me from the relevant discussions that I needed to a) setup a payment method in my Apple ID and b) save an address.

So, I signed in on appleid.apple.com and added a credit card payment method and a billing address. However, I am still getting the same error.

Any advice?

Thanks and best regards

Saqib

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Answer 7

Saqibb Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 30, 2023 8:09 PM in response to HWTech

Thanks again, folks.

The Internet Recovery tries to install Mac OS Sierra.

I tried to install Sierra from a bootable USB created using TransMac on Windows. However, I got a certificate verification error, which pointed to a possible incorrect date/time. I used the terminal utility in the installer to correct the date. The MacBook had been turned off for a really long time.

I then went back to Internet Recovery, but that encounters an error while downloading the OS from the Internet. Maybe it is due to connectivity issues.

I'm also trying Mac OS X Lion USB based install, since the claim is that the Lion USB has the full OS with no need for download.

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Answer 8

kaz-k

Level 9

51,084 points

Jun 29, 2023 9:10 AM in response to Saqibb

Hi,

I suppose the previous owner of your MacBook Pro didn't erase his/her Apple ID and password.

What to do before you sell, give away, trade in, or recycle your Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 9

Jun 30, 2023 7:16 AM in response to Saqibb

what MacOS did you install?

and from what source? (i.e., how did you obtain that MacOS?)

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Answer 10

Saqibb Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 1, 2023 8:34 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks. Yes, I managed to install Lion. Getting all sorts of weird errors. "Your clock is ahead" in https browsing and weird layouts in App Store. I'll try to figure out how to upgrade to El Capitan.

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Apple ID username and password not accepted during fresh install on MacBook Pro

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