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Level 1

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Cannot update pre-installed iLife suite from App Store.

Hello. My family purchased a new Macbook Air for my sister who is going off to college soon. We are a long-time user of Apple's products and are normally pleased by their simplicity and ease, but we have come across something entirely perplexing.

Her App Store icon said that there are 3 updates available the moment she turned on her new computer. She registered her MBA with Apple under her Apple ID. She set iTunes to use her Apple ID, and did the same with the App Store.

However, when she clicks on the update button, types her Apple ID and password into the prompt, and hits enter, it says something like, "You must first purchase this software to receive this update."

We were thrown for a loop. We looked up GarageBand, iMovie, and iPhoto in the App Store, and it says that they are installed on her machine already. Her Support Account says that her MBA is registered to her Apple ID, etc.

After trying everything we could find, I found this "answer":

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3131642?answerId=15453853022#15453853022

Long story short: The iLife Suite gets its updates from Software Update, while the individual apps get their updates from the App Store.

We have run Software Update, and it says there are no updates available for her software at this time. Despite this, the App Store says there are updates for the software. We have cross-checked the version number of the updates to the currently installed iLife software and the updates available on the App Store are newer versions of the iLife apps.

Why is she not able to receive the updates for these applications through Software Update?

Thank you for your time.

Posted on Jul 22, 2011 8:53 PM

82 replies

Jul 27, 2011 8:06 AM in response to Feoen

Having the same issue on a just purchased Mid 2011 MacBook Air...I emailed the Mac App Store help and they told me to call Apple Care or use Apple Expert (where they call you)....please keep me updated if you find a solution!

Thanks

kisuke3

Level 3

914 points

Jul 27, 2011 8:23 AM in response to Feoen

normally all apps that came with newly released macs are all up to date. what needs fixing is the notification that says you need an update.

Hopefully a fix through a software update comes soon but yeah, this issue should not hamper the application preinstalled with Macbook air since its updated

Jul 27, 2011 8:33 AM in response to kisuke3

My new 2011 mini came with iPhoto 9.1.4 installed. The latest is 9.1.5 so the App Store is correctly informing me of updates.

Still waiting for Apple. Last message was that it had been escalated to engineering.

kisuke3

Level 3

914 points

Jul 27, 2011 8:42 AM in response to Saul in PA

that's good information Saul. Does the new macbook air come with 9.1.4 too?or just the mac mini?

but ultimately, yes I know for a fact that there is an issue that no workarounds are available at this stage

Jul 27, 2011 10:25 AM in response to Feoen

Just wanted to chime in that I'm yet another MBA owner who has this problem. So far there is no fix, and apparently if you have this problem and try a complete reinstall of Lion you'll end up losing iLife completely.

Feoen Author

Level 1

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Jul 27, 2011 10:00 PM in response to kisuke3

Unfortunately, kisuke3, this is not the case. The version that came preinstalled on the MacBook Air is one version update old. The new version update adds Lion functionality (e.g., fullscreen capabilities) and probably came out after these MBAs were built, formatted, and shipped to stores.

The person at AppleCare has not contacted me again. This is very irritating and is reminiscent of the early days of the iTunes store offering apps for my generation one iPod Touch... I had bought the game "Vay", which was temporarily removed and put back on the app store. For whatever reason, this caused it to lose registration to my account and I was never able to receive the update for the app.

Before I am going to put my money into the App Store, I need to know that it is a trustworthy service. Behavior like this is not trustworthy in the slightest and I am not happy with how this is being handled.

If this was any other software company, we'd simply be given a credit towards repurchasing the software and be done with it.

Jul 28, 2011 4:09 AM in response to Feoen

I've just been informed by Applecare that "the engineers" are aware of this issue and are working on it. Hopefully it will be fixed soon 🙂

kisuke3

Level 3

914 points

Jul 28, 2011 8:21 AM in response to Feoen

I see. We'll just have to wait and see for the resolution once it arrives.

I understand that you have logged a case to apple. Be patient my friend, I am sure they are working on a fix diligently

hajihill

Level 1

0 points

Jul 28, 2011 3:17 PM in response to Feoen

FYI - I spoke with apple care yesterday, as I am experiencing this same issue. I was forwarded through 3 tiers of support, and ultimately asked to run a system info capture tool to submit info with the trouble ticket which was being forwarded to the engineers. If you are having this problem, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to contact apple care and document that fact with them, as we have no idea if they'll push out a blanket fix, or need to correct things on a case by case basis.

Good luck!

Jul 30, 2011 2:55 PM in response to Feoen

Yet another Air owner here experiencing the same issue. All three iLife programs will not update; tried everything to no avail. I've been trying to call Apple for the past WEEK, yet three different calls have mysteriously "dropped" once the clock hit 6pm PST (hilarious, isn't it?).

Anyway, hope we can all find a fix soon. It isn't much of a "problem" for me...rather, it's an annoying inconvenience.

kisuke3

Level 3

914 points

Jul 30, 2011 9:23 PM in response to BlueBliss

Try contacting the iTunes store support from the website

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/

and see if they might have a resolution for you

kisuke3

Level 3

914 points

Jul 30, 2011 9:24 PM in response to Feoen

Check itunes store, confirm if they have a resolution available for you

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/

Aug 1, 2011 2:02 AM in response to Feoen

Same issue here, new Mac Mini with Lion and iLife preinstalled, no update Possible. if i try to update with an different apple-id (not the same the mac is regristered to) the MAS says i can only update with my other (the one the mac mini is regristred to) apple-id.

the support says i should update via the standard updater, not the MAS. but there no updates apear.

Aug 1, 2011 6:54 AM in response to Feoen

Ok, i've got some informations from the not very helpfull support. read this: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718?locale=de_DE&viewlocale=de_DE

This document explains the Lion recovery and how to download iLife after reinstalling Lion.

The Apps should appear under purchased items in the Apps Store and you should be able to "accept" them. i Think ist the same thing now, they should appear under purchased items on an new mac too. But they don't do so, and thats why we all can't update them.

the question is if a os x reinstall would help.

Aug 1, 2011 7:01 AM in response to dark-hawk

from another thread about the same issue:

"OK Lion has been reinstalled and, as suspected, iLife is now missing from my SSD. I've followed Apples instructions and logged in to the App Store and just as expected iLife was in my purchased tab waiting to be "Accepted".

Here's where it all goes a little bit pear shaped.

On clicking Accept, I was informed that the three apps had been "associated" with my account and would be available for download from the Purchased section. Guess what? They aren't there *sigh*.

So all that time wasted just to be no further forward.

Thank god for Time Machine."

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3205881?start=45&tstart=0

Cannot update pre-installed iLife suite from App Store.