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All app store apps exit on startup with code 173

I've tried purchasing two app store apps and they both will not start. The system.log error is like:

com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[119] ([0x0-0x20020].com.rovio.mac.AngryBirds[233]): Exited with exit code: 173

I've reinstalled the 10.6.6 combo update and still no luck. I have no problem signing in to the app store. Has anyone run into this?

2010 MBP 17", Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Jan 9, 2011 5:46 PM

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35 replies

Jan 9, 2011 6:23 PM in response to ecw73

I believe 173 has something to do with the app DRM. It is supposed to prompt you for a login to your apple account. This is not happening for me. I've recently updated my email address (and thus my Apple ID changed). iTunes is signed in using the new account. I noticed Home Sharing was still on but under the old account name. I turned off home sharing and turned on again using the new account name. Still no change in the behavior or system.log messages.

Jan 9, 2011 6:28 PM in response to ecw73

Try resetting your AppleID password just in case.

https://iforgot.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/DSiForgot.woa/wa/iforgot?apptype=ext&appid=93&returnURL=https://appleid.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyAppleId.woa&langu age=US-EN

Repairing permissions helped several users yesterday, maybe that will help you.



Launch Disk Utility. (Applications/Utilities) Select MacintoshHD in the panel on the left, select the FirstAid tab. Click: Repair Disk Permissions. When it's finished from the Menu Bar, Quit Disk Utility and restart your Mac. If you see a long list of "messages" in the permissions window, it's ok. That can be ignored. As long as you see, "Permissions Repair Complete" when it's finished... you're done. Quit Disk Utility and restart your Mac.

If you see any warnings re: SUID messages, they can be safely ignored, information here: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1448?viewlocale=en_US






Carolyn 🙂

Jan 21, 2011 1:18 PM in response to ecw73

Same problem with Art Text 2. I am not purchasing any more apps through the app store until I know this is resolved.

I get the following error in the system log:

*com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[202] ([0x0-0x317317].com.belightsoft.ArtText2[95149]): Exited with exit code: 173*

I've tried everything suggested here and nothing is working.

The only real difference that I can think of with my system is that my filesystem is case sensitive:
*Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled)*

Jan 21, 2011 6:04 PM in response to neuronsong

I too am having this issue with Angry Birds and Stuffit Destinations. I have contacted Apple Support and they will not answer the question what is "Exited with exit code 173." They simply ask me to download the Apps again and literally ignore my question regarding the meaning of this exit code. I am very disappointed. I will not download any more Apps until Apple steps up to plate and resolves this issue.

Jan 25, 2011 11:41 AM in response to ecw73

Watching this with interest as I've hit the same problem, app icon just bounces as if launching, and only hint at error is in the console log, exited with error 173, which is fairly well documented as the DRM / Receipt exit code, basically the app thinks it's not a legitimate App Store install of the app, except it is.

In my case it seems that only paid for apps suffer (free ones are fine), having bought Angry Birds, CodeBox and MindNode Pro on my Macbook Pro (all work fine there), but on my work iMac (same account in App Store and itunes, no others have been used) all App Store apps install fine, but the paid for ones just give the error 173 error. In fact Mindnode Pro I bought on the iMac and it never ran even after first download, hop to Macbook and it saw the new purchase, installed and ran.

From tips here, google, and lengthy conversations with Apple Care I have;
- I tried removing and reinstalling the apps
- Signed in and out of Appstore
- Removed com.apple.appstore.plist from ~/Library/Preferences
- Looked for (bit found no sign of) anything to do with the apps in /Library/Receipts and ~/Library/Receipts
- Deauth'd and then Auth'd again the iMac in itunes
- Created a new user login on the iMac
- Repaired Permissions
- Pretty sure I copied the App from Macbook to iMac too
- Manually re-applied 10.6.6 combo update

Nothing worked. I have a case open at 2nd line and whilst he acknowledged this thread via google it's not flagging as an issue internally (because no one's logging cases about it! - so call!). I hve to re-run fix permissions from the install disk (didn't have to hand) and if that doesn't work they can escalate, but suspect that will be an archive and reinstall 😟

I've posted here to bump the thread, and in hope that the other routes I tried might help someone else

Jan 25, 2011 1:39 PM in response to Flish

Hey Flish,

What's your filesystem type on the iMac? Is it Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled)???

I think this is happening on all filesystems that are case sensitive. Looks like there's a storeagent wrapper added to all the paid-for apps. Anyway, "storeagent" seems to generate a list of files and check to make sure they are all there and haven't changed. My guess is it's getting back a case-sensitive list but is expecting a case-insensitive list. Error 173 is the result.

Hello Apple, care to let us in on the big secret behind "Error 173".

Jan 25, 2011 2:39 PM in response to neuronsong

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) on both by the looks of it, can't see any references to case sensitive.

From my understanding exit 173 is supposed to be when the app think's it's not legit, ie been copied from one pc to another but receipts don't match the app store login, etc, (see http://images.worldofapple.com/validating_051110.pdf) it's basically saying 'this is not a legit install so I'm not letting you play', except it is!

Jan 26, 2011 11:23 AM in response to Flish

Hit the end of the road after another session with applecare, we exhausted safe mode and system caches along the way. In the end resorted to a clean install at which point it all kicked in as normal. I didn't risk a full time machine restore or migrate in case it re-introduced whatever was the cause

Fixed, bit none the wiser 😟

All app store apps exit on startup with code 173

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