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How to change Apple ID of my second hand macbook air

okay, i have bought a second hand macbook air from someone and he already set his apple ID and password for App Store and macos update. And everytime when i tried to update app store app, an apple is of his is showing and when i tried to put mine, an error was orcurred, How to overcome this issuse. Is there any feature on mac lion to change the old owner's apple id to my apple id? it seems like lion os isrestricted me from reseting my apple account. I m really desperate and dun know how to carry on.Someone, pls answer my question asap. Thanks.

Posted on May 18, 2012 2:09 AM

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14 replies

May 19, 2012 8:38 AM in response to mende1

I think you don't understand my question, I have already mentioned that I have done the reinstallatino of OSX from recovery HD and still the MBA still remembers the previous apple account details and I am not able to do anything with my new account. Since I dun have the privilidge the old account which I am not able to contact the previous owner, I am not able to delete the old account, since the old account is not created by me. To understand more about this situation this is exactly the same as mine. I am really desperate to get this thing solved and AppleCare is not caring at all. Dammit!

May 19, 2012 10:42 AM in response to mende1

now you got my point. in fact this macbook air was not registered at all, and now being registered under my name already. Eventhough, this MBA is registered under my name, I don't know why I still cannot download the App from App Store using my Apple ID. Reason being is because, Apple wants to stick the downloading of the app from appstore, based on AppleID. Once you installed the app using your apple ID, then for life this MBA will use this particular AppleID to update or even download again. There is no way you can escapre from using another AppleID. That is totally rediculous. Apple actually shd not control over buying/And selling Apple things. This way Apple is making money by eventhough you ve extra MBA, you can sell to others, but the buyer can not update or reinstall back the app again as it stick to the previous owner. What a thought. I ll try escapse from Apple OX for my whole life. **** ****** off.

May 19, 2012 10:50 AM in response to coolguy1981

coolguy1981 wrote:


How can u format the hard drive since I am using the MBA. Formatting will delete also the recovery space and how to start with new installation? This is not going to work.


No, that's not true. This is one of the 'benefits' of Lion (if you want to see it that way). The OS is on a separate partition and you can reinstall the OS without another physical drive.


What you do is reboot the computer while holding down the 'option' key. From the list of disks that show up (you can release the 'option' key now), choose 'Recovery HD'.


When you get to what looks like a Desktop, choose 'Reinstall OS X Lion'. Shortly after this, you will get asked for your Apple ID. Put your own Apple ID in the box and everything should proceed smoothly from there.

May 19, 2012 8:52 AM in response to mende1

Mine is 2011 model, and I did exactly the same as what you said.already format and reinstall OSX Lion. But the problem is as long as I go to App Store and get any app that was previously installed like ilfe, i have to log in using Apple ID rte? Then when i logged in as my apple ID, it throws an error. Even, I am not able to update the installed MacOX as well. Hope I epxplained you clrealy. What I believe is that Apple control the app to this particular computer, along with previous Apple ID and when I download the app using my Apple ID, i will not be allowed, since this MBA tied to the previous downloaed software and APple ID. What a dusgustion way apple controls the user's freedom. They just want $ and they don't think from user point of view.

May 19, 2012 11:28 AM in response to softwater

Hi, unfortunately I have followed that Apple document and tried both OSX Lion reinstall (from internal recovery HD and Internet recovery) and in both ways what I get it's the same:

going to Mac Apple store, I see the 3 iLife'11 Application with "Accept" button (and notice that notes says that "A unique HW identifier from your computer must be sent to Apple to verify eligibility"). Clicking on it, I'm requested to insert my Apple ID, and then the system says "These apps cannot be accepted by Your Apple ID" "bla...bla..you need to purchase these apps"

As far as of now, no luck also with Apple support :-(

May 19, 2012 11:28 AM in response to softwater

Hi, unfortunately I have followed that Apple document and tried both OSX Lion reinstall (from internal recovery HD and Internet recovery) and in both ways what I get it's the same:

going to Mac Apple store, I see the 3 iLife'11 Application with "Accept" button (and notice that notes says that "A unique HW identifier from your computer must be sent to Apple to verify eligibility"). Clicking on it, I'm requested to insert my Apple ID, and then the system says "These apps cannot be accepted by Your Apple ID" "bla...bla..you need to purchase these apps"

As far as of now, no luck also with Apple support :-(

How to change Apple ID of my second hand macbook air

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