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iMessage on Mountain Lion does not send/recieve file transfers?

As the title says, iMessage on my MacBook Pro Retina with Mountain Lion will not accept file transfers nor will it send files. I currently have the same iMessage accounts set up on my iPhone and Mac so what's been happening is I'm talking to someone on the computer's iMessage and the whole conversation syncs back and forth with my iPhone, however when someone sends me a file, only the phone recieves it and NOT the computer.


What I've done to fix this so far:

-reinstall mountain lion, didn't fix it

-reinstall iOS on my iPhone, didnt fix it

-add and remove all iMessage accounts on both devices, didn't fix it


What do you guys recommend I do?

MacBook (13-inch Late 2006), OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Aug 3, 2012 10:12 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 3, 2012 3:58 PM

update: resetting PRAM fixed the issue.

87 replies

Aug 4, 2012 10:30 AM in response to mikkeltaylor

Hey, I have no idea why the PRAM reset fixes it. I was looking around on various forums and someone said that resetting PRAM fixes it, so I tried it and it worked. It doesn't make logical sense that a PRAM reset would fix this issue however after doing it, I can confirm that on my computer, I can send and receive files, even after the computer goes and wakes from sleep.

Aug 10, 2012 7:16 AM in response to peterhamamji

Hi,


I've been with the same problem for a couple of days, until finally today Messages simply stopped showing even a the window, so absolute inability to use it, and resetting the PRAM did not work at all, so I searched for something myself.


Pictures are controlled by xpcd, imagent and Messages, and it seems that when the problem arises is because they're using the wrong Apple server.


While this may be solved by Apple in a update (I hope so), in the meantime you can do a workaround (it worked for me on two different machines, and even days old images appeared).


In your Library, there is a folder called Preferences (that is /Users/<your_username>/Library/Preferences). There you should delete com.apple.imagent.plist com.apple.imservice.iMessage.plist and com.apple.imessage.bag.plist, with Messages CLOSED. Then reboot so Messages creates new ones. Also delete all file starting with com.apple.imagent, com.apple.imservice, com.apple.imessage and com.apple.iChat that end in .lock.


If even then it still is not working, deleting all files starting with com.apple.imagent, com.apple.imservice, com.apple.imessage and com.apple.iChat 100% for sure. But when you reboot you'll find you need to input again your login data for iMessage, FaceTime, Yahoo chat, AIM chat, Google Talk and Jabber (if you used them on Messages/iChat).


This is an annoyance, but less than a whole operating system reinstall or losing the functionality.


After all of this is done you should regain the ability to receive photos, send photos and drag&drop photos.


Regards,

Natalia Portillo

Claunia.com

Aug 10, 2012 2:25 PM in response to mikkeltaylor

Hi,


PRAM (preserved Ram) stores some semi permanent Settings normally associated with System Preferences.

It can be things like the Date and Time and time Zone info


Back in the days or OS 9 and early OS X days the PRAM reset did clear more than it does now.

Network settings tend to be preserved now as is Date and Time.


Essentially is works for some things but has become a little unclear as to exactly what it is clearing.





User uploaded file
10:25 PM Friday; August 10, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Aug 10, 2012 2:54 PM in response to peterhamamji

Currently the PRAM on Intel Macs store:


EFI Boot Device, keyboard language, computer name, iCloud token, display brightness, resolution, gamma and output, audio volume, location services status and date/time.


You can check em with `nvram -p` command on a Terminal, and delete the iCloud token without deleting everything else with `nvram -d fmm-mobileme-token-FMM` command.

Aug 11, 2012 10:41 AM in response to claunia

Useful.


Thanks



User uploaded file
6:41 PM Saturday; August 11, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Aug 15, 2012 1:35 PM in response to jctim

Hi,


The Sender would have to Send them again



User uploaded file
9:35 PM Wednesday; August 15, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Aug 15, 2012 2:08 PM in response to peterhamamji

Have similair issues from time to time,


I have noticed one thing

in the window for "file transfers" sometimes some files get stuck in some way, and I can have a lis of some files that have been sent, then some files pending and then new files that dont move at all


the pending files would usually be some days old and just be stuck there


after noticing this I would try to empy the whole list of transfers and try sending new files


but that would not work, the files would just stay there with text "zero bytes sent"


if this helps anything I dont know


and resetting PRAM did help

hmm


apple, please patch it




User uploaded file

Aug 15, 2012 2:41 PM in response to paul-sweden

Hi,


You do not List Buddies (Or separate Buddy Lists) in your Menu.



I was testing with iMessages specificallybut got varying results depedning if I sent from a iPhone to Messages or Message to the iPhone.

They did both work but there was a delay in one direction


I am wondering how much pics for the Olypics and the servers still trying to catch up is effecting this.







User uploaded file
10:39 PM Wednesday; August 15, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously


Message was edited by: Ralph Johns (UK)

iMessage on Mountain Lion does not send/recieve file transfers?

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