Q: ML 10.8.2 Cannot login to Messages, Facetime, or Game Center

I am not understanding why this feature is this problematic Ralphie.  15 pages on this crap.  Escalate this issue.  Thanks.

HI,

It has been done.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ichat.html

On the basis Messages is built on the iChat engine.

10:20 PM      Friday; February 8, 2013

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

  iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

This worked!!!

This was a great suggestion.  Thank you

I am baffeled I have read all 16 pages.

1. My serial number matches
2. I have other machines in this network that wiork perfextly with my apple ID, so it is not a DNS issue
3. I have deleted the keys etc
4. I have made a new user - makes no difference however here is where it gets interesting. If I log in as a new user, I enter my AppleID and password and I an then presented with my mobile number and myname@icloud.com and myname@me.com and myname@mac.com so for iMessage to getthis information it must have verified my AppleID, I even did it with my wife's Apple ID and her information was presented and that information could not be anywhere  else on my Mac so it is definetly pulling that information down. This is a clear indication that the problem is not on the local machine and as such is not fixable except by Apple.

Whatever the problem it seems to be related to the hardware not the software or other local corruption.

What has not been investigated on this thread is the possibility that there isa common problem with hardware. the computer I am using is:-

MacPro 2.66 Ghz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

Does this ring a bell?

Hello Paul,

After replacing my motherboard I haven´t even been able to register my computer on the Apple register site.

I replaced my motherboard and included the details on the box (serial and marketing) in order to do so but the apple site wont let me. I guess if their servers don´t recognize your computer they won´t let you use the message server.

Are your computers registered on their site? Do you think it has to do with that?

I am sure this computer is registered with Apple, but heck lets try it. Does anyone know how to run the registration programme again as though the computer is new?

https://register.apple.com/

You don´t need to run the software.

Hi,

I have not noticed that there is one model more than any others reporting issues.

If the Mac's Serial Number is present and the DNS info is the same across all devices I would boot in Safe Mode

This boot's the Mac with a reduced set of extensions but you should have Internet and be able to log in as the Mac  User.

Whether or not this allows the "registration" to work you will need to Restart in a normal manner afterwards.

7:43 PM      Wednesday; February 13, 2013

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

  iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Ok I tried to start in safe mode but the machine went the grey screen and the progress bar seemed to get stuck about 45% of the way. After about 45 minutes I gave up. I have erased the HDD and done a fresh install and re-registered (I do have a serial number and it does match the case). and iMessage will not allow it to work. So this is out of the box fresh.

Conclusion:-

Apple has installed a hardware verification algorythm to possibly prevent "Hakintosh" machines from connecting. The problem is that it is not working correctly and my MacPro is not getting past the gatekeeper. With luck someone from Apple is monitoring this thread and they will resolve the issue. This is a real pain to me as our whole company uses iMessaging.

Hi,

I am a little surprised that a Erase and Install has not "cured" the issue as this would have also removed the User's Home folder/Library/Preferences and the keychain which may have been corrupt.

Some people have had success using the Contact iTunes Support route.

In iTunes make it access the Store.

At the bottom of that "page" is the Help column and "Support"

Use this

Scroll to the bottom of the web page you are sent to and use "Contact Support"

Select Contact iTunes Store Support in the right hand pane.

There are several screens and right handed panels that follow.  Choose the Manage Account options towards the right.  There is a  Confirm button that show then the next "screen" shows you and email Link.

8:38 PM      Thursday; February 14, 2013

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

  iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Apple has installed a hardware verification algorythm to possibly prevent "Hakintosh" machines from connecting. The problem is that it is not working correctly and my MacPro is not getting past the gatekeeper.

Agreed - not sure what they are doing, but I'm in the same boat.  My guess is that there is some sort of hashed or otherwise stored identifyer which enumerates hardware signatures in order to tell what systems could or couldn't ber Macs. 

I've got a MacMin, and Air, iPhone, iPad, and a Macbook Pro which all work just fine.  I've got 2 Hackintoshes (I'm on one now) and it does everything but iMessage no matter what I try.  Downloads from the store are fine as are iTUnes purchases.   My other Hackintosh I've not tried iMessage on but store logons don't work.   I paid for OSX 10.8 as well as Server 2.2.  Granted, it's super cheap compared to other overpriced, substandard operating systems, but it would be nice if iMessage worked.   I guess I see their point tho.

Oh, and I'm in the same reload environment in that I've done totally fresh installs on the two Hacks.  Oh well.

t

HI,

The "known" method appears to be using the presence of the Mac's Serial Number on the logic board.

This seems to have come about with the OS X 10.8.2 update that updated Messages to Version 7.0.1

However other have reported that they have edited Hosts files and that blocking Versign can be an issue.

Previous to that (version 7.0) DNS and issues with the IMAgent App featured strongly.

7:22 PM      Friday; February 15, 2013

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

  iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Look the way I see it is this. Apple have added some security to IMessage probably to stop hackintosh machines from using imessage. When you try to sign on to iMessage if you have anything that interfeers with that verification rocess you will be denied access.

In my case I have proved that there is nothing within my instalation that is wrong because I have made new users, new logins and erased the HDD and done a fresh install. My machine has a valid serial number and has had no modifications since purchase yet this one machine isbeing refused access to iMessage.

Clearly this is a bug in Apple security, but do that have any interest in fixing it? I don't know how to report this error because that is what is needed. I could make an appointment with the genius bar and lug my machine through a shopping centre afer having driven miles and paid the parking fee.....

It is a pity that Apple support do not allow their agents to use webex or something similar to demonstrate the problem, because it would be worth the dfee to save the hassel.

I would like to add that this "security" apple has put into imessage to prevent hackintoshes from running OS X causes iMessage to not function properly when OS X is virtualized on Apple's own hardware.

Ralph Johns (UK) wrote:

Previous to that (version 7.0) DNS and issues with the IMAgent App featured strongly.

HostMyApple wrote:
I would like to add that this "security" apple has put into imessage to prevent hackintoshes from running OS X causes iMessage to not function properly when OS X is virtualized on Apple's own hardware.

 

HostMyApple, I've confirmed the same thing on my Mini with a fresh 10.8.2 VM under Fusion.  Quite frustrating. 

Ralph, what do you mean about the IMAgent App "featured strongly"?  I don't understand...

I've done everything - my hosts file is clean, I've deleted my eth0 interface and recreated it to ensure it was the first bound device, I've changed my serial number a few times, I've copied over the keys and .plist files from my Mini.  I've completely reinstalled from a new partition, I've even  picked through a Wireshark capture (which was stupid since it's SSL) and compared, etc. etc. 

The one thing that sticks in the back of my mind is one, people have reported to have it working on hackintosh.  Who knows, but they've "reported."  Two, I can actually do everything but iMessage.  It seems to me that if Apple wanted to screw over the Hacks, they would make signing into the AppStore and buying applications break, as well as updating them (which actually DOES happen to my other Hack). 

Even if they pull it from hardware, it's still all software after that, so there *IS* a way to hack it.   We just have to figure out what it is