Unable to update bundled iMove/iPhoto/GarageBand?

Well, I've managed to update one of the iLife apps at any rate.

I figured that seeing as though the problem seemed to be that the apps were somehow partially associated with my Apple ID, enough at any rate for the App Store to tell me there are updates then not allow me to purchase them, that I would try a purchase of one of the Apps on another machine running Lion (fresh install, iLife nowhere to be seen)....I reckoned the App Store wouldn't allow me to purchase it. I was wrong lol.

So I've paid for iPhoto *sigh*

At least it let me update it on the MacBook Air though :s

You can now transfer that version of iPhoto to any other Macs that you have over your LAN, with a direct connection with either an Ethernet or a FireWire cable, as well as copy it to a DVD, USB stick or an ext HDD.

MacBook Air 2011 with the same issue here, I called up

AppleCare, and the agent put me on hold for an hour as

he called up 4 different people in iTunes and Applecare ...

trying to find an authoritative answer.

His final response was that they expect the normal Software

Update service for Lion to handle updates for the bundled

Apps, not the App Store, and that I should keep trying

Software Update every day ... and eventually I'll see the

updates for iLife 11. This would actually be a smart way

for Apple to go, we'll see if it actually happens.

I have had the same problem and none of the suggestions detailed above worked. The senior advisor I spoke to today told me to move the applications to the trash and start from scratch. After removing the apps, shutting down and restarting the computer I went to the appstore where it now said that I had to purchase the apps (previously the app store had shown the iLife apps as "Installed"). I explained this to the advisor and he said if I was charged for the purchase I could call him directly and he would see to it that the purchase price was refunded. Well the apps work, the updates no longer show since the apps I "purchased" were the most recent release. I checked my credit card and it shows a pending charge for these apps so if the charge goes through I will attempt to get the refund. My concern is whether this will happen everytime a bundled application needs to be updated.

I would not recommend deleting these apps without someone from Apple support authorizing it beforehand. I just wanted to share my experience with this problem.

I actually tried the option of wiping the computer and reinstalling Lion with the help of a senior tech support person. It took about 90 minutes (or at least that's how much time it said it would take before I went to sleep). When I returned to my computer the iLife apps now appeared under the "purchases" tab and prompted me to "accept" them. When I accepted the apps there was another error message about the apps already having been purchased and installed on the computer. The apps then completely disappeared from the purchases tab and I was back to square one; unable to update through appstore or software update. It was after this experience that I called again and the tech support just had me delete and reinstall the apps by purchasing them with the promise of a credit if I was charged. FYI - I was charged and I will call the tech support person tomorrow when he is in and see how easy it is to get this promised refund.

I had the same problem and it was resolved by Apple today. I wasn't sure which support link to use, but the one for 'account' issues got the results. The representative sent me redemption codes for the three products. I was told to delete what was installed (I used AppZapper) and then use the redemption codes. It worked as expected. The apps are installed, show up in my list of purchased apps, and the bogus 'updates' are no more.

i've just recieved new input from itunes support.

this morning i receieved a new email from my "Senior Advisor", she asked for my serial an explained she will activate the apps to my apple-id so i can update, download and so on.

so i've send her my serial and got an reply, now she told me apple is working on that problem and i will get informed when new informations are available.

so i think the support right now knows that there is a problem, some thing must be happened this morning because the solution she provided this morning is not that what will happen, but something will happen.

I wrote to Apple tech support about this as well, and was told:

Apple is currently working toward a resolution for the issue you have reported. You will receive an email after the matter has been investigated and further information is available.

Thank you for your patience. Apple wants your iTunes experience to be as enjoyable as possible. Have a great day!

So I guess it's just a waiting game, now. I guess I'm splitting hairs, but I'll assume that the App Store is part of the iTunes marketplace.

Posting this in the two related threads as it might be of help to someone, so excuse the repost!

After 19 emails back and forth with a very nice, if somewhat baffled, iTunes rep - I've finally resolved my iLife update issue without wiping my entire Macbook Air. It took various checks, tips and some odd instructions (including "try doubleclicking the App Store icon, not single clicking"...) but eventually they just issued me with three redemption codes for iMove, iPhoto and GarageBand.

I should note that, in my experience, Apple Support / AppleCare / Genius Bar cannot help you with this problem. There seems to be a nasty bug in the App Store that will need to be patched/updated by Apple in due course before this issue is properly resolved.

Best of luck to the rest of you!

I had the same problem with my new Mini where I couldn't update the pre-installed iLife via the Mac App Store. I was initially instructed by Apple Support to wipe it and reinstall Lion. After a reinstallation, I no longer had any of the iLife apps. I clicked 'Accept' in the Mac App Store and received a message saying the apps had already been associated with my Apple ID and then they disappeared from my 'Purchases' tab.

I had a number of calls and email exchanges with a Senior Advisor from Apple Support. I did the 'packet trace' thing with them, all while I was in contact with iTunes Support as well. After relaying back and forth beetween the two different support groups, iTunes Support finally told me to buy all of the iLife apps from the Mac App Store and they would reimburse me. I asked Apple Support if this was the best option or if I should wait for the official fix. They told me to take the reimbursement option. When I asked iTunes Support if they could give me redemption codes they said that none existed and they would only reimburse my purchases.

After buying iLife '11 from the Mac App Store, I now have the apps installed on my computer and they are properly linked to my Apple ID. I am still waiting for the purchases to hit my credit card and if they do I will wait to see if I am reimbursed.

My recommendation to everyone experiencing this problem:

Do not wait for the 'fix' to come out if you have wiped Lion or are sick of seeing the update notifications. Contact iTunes Support and have them help you obtain the apps 'officially'.

This is pure speculation, but I'm of the opinion that this will be the resolution in the end, for everyone to just buy/redeem the apps from the Mac App Store. The official fix will not be retroactive but only prevent new Mac's from having this same problem in the future.

Thanks!

This WORKS!

I've had the problem since I bought new MBA a couple of weeks ago and Apple have been slow to reply to emails.

I didn't expect this to work because my app store ID was already in there and correct, but this sequence of clicks somehow solved the problem and they now UPDATE! =)

Unfortunately no luck for me - I already have an Apple ID linked with my user account. I tried removing it and following the steps you describe, but the apps still won't update. One extra step though was that when I clicked to sign in in the app store, it prompted for my Apple ID username and password, like it hadn't noticed I had an Apple ID linked with my user account. Is that normal?

didn't help here too.

the point is, in most cases the apps are not listed unter "purchased apps" and this will not change after doing some actions on your mac. this is an account problem because the apps did not completly assignt to your account. meanwile i also recieved downloadcodes from itunessupport. so all of you that still fight with that problem, contact the itunessupport, the first days they also didn't know what to do, but now they just send you downloadcodes.

I already had my apple ID in there too - I just clicked 'change' and then left it as it was - it asked for my password again a couple of times and then they did update and they do now show under purchased apps (they did not before).

I have no idea why or how this has worked but am relieved that it has.

I followed the instructions above and the only differences were that where it says to input your Apple ID under Users and Groups, the correct ID was already in - so I just clicked 'change', left it as it was and re-typed my password.

Then, where it says to click on 'Sign In' on the right in the App Store, it was already signed in, so I clicked on 'My Account', and entered my password again.

Then I clicked on Updates, and Update All - and it started Updating.

Only after that did I try clicking on Purchased and saw that they are listed there with today's date listed as the purchase date. Didn't need to click Accept or anything like that.