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Level 1

5 points

How can I Totally reset messages app on OSX?

Here is what I tryed.

logged in to my guest MAC OSX account, started fresh and my messages work just fine and sync'ed with my iPhone 4S.

Logged back to my work user account (admin) and what happens is I just can't send any imessage to my iphone (on the "fresh from scratch" guest user it all worked just fine, mac to iphone, iphone to mac.. all perfect, messages showed on both) ...!?

I try sending a message from messages App on the MAC, then choose the to: field for my phone number which shows on the list with a symbol that stands for available for imessage (apple email is just the same behaviour), i then write something, press return ....and the message just doesn't show up on the conversation, nor the iphone.. and I don't get any error message!?

On the conversation pane all I see is a break line with the current time (the time the message was typed and I pressed return), but like stated no balloon (or square, etc..) with my message inside.

This kinda points to some freak error on my user account ...

So I de-active the account on the preferences on the messages app, log out, quit app..

Then Finder/user/library/ pref... searched for any files with "message" and deleted all these preferences files..

back on Finder/user/library/Messages i delete all attachments/ archive of old conversations and the database (.db) file ..

Secure Empty trash 'till it's clean ..

Iphone Setting/general/messages/ turn off iMessage (and yes I choose apple ID here)

Reboot my macbook pro

Open Messages, reconfigure like before on the guest user (and on the regular user for that matter).

Prob still stands ...

On the iphone front I can send imessages to myself or any one with iphone no problem.. just nothing shows up on the MAC!!

HELP --

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), works on guest user with fresh conf

Posted on Oct 2, 2012 5:22 PM

23 replies

Oct 21, 2014 12:55 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

This with the PRAM reset made my day. After at least of 6 months searching, trying etc.

I say thank you to all good souls out there sharing their experiences, results and testings.

Oct 21, 2014 12:56 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

his with the manual delete of all files, see above, made my day. After at least of 6 months searching, trying etc.

I say thank you to all good souls out there sharing their experiences, results and testings.

Oct 21, 2014 12:57 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

This with the manual delete of all files, see above, made my day. After at least of 6 months searching, trying etc.

I say thank you to all good souls out there sharing their experiences, results and testings.

Oct 21, 2014 1:02 PM in response to francesco-from-switzerland

You're welcome.

9:02 pm Tuesday; October 21, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 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

Jan 20, 2015 9:30 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Thanks! Worked for me after downgrading from Yosemite to Mavericks. Messages was crashing nonstop, but deleting those plist files seems to have fixed it!

Jan 20, 2015 12:43 PM in response to atothek47

You are welcome.

8:43 pm Tuesday; January 20, 2015

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 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

jrodrz9

Level 1

0 points

May 27, 2015 10:35 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

need help Ralph my problem is that the phone number on iMessage and face time are not correct i need to delete them don't now how to

May 27, 2015 12:19 PM in response to jrodrz9

Hi,

Open a Finder window.

Use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key.

Select the Library that appears in the list.

Navigate to Preferences.

Look for this .plist

com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.madrid.plist

Delete this and any other item that has IDS in the name. There are quite a few if you have linked phone and Mac for SMS as well as regular syncing.

The Madrid one in particular holds the Apple ID and alternatives for the iMessages account.

You can delete this on it's own and then reset Messages but the other IDS items can feed back into the main one and items you don't want or need can show up again.

It is fairly or relatively destructive as you have to Add back the Apple ID to the iMessages settings.

If this Apple ID is in use on other devices you should get pop ups soon afterwards saying what those devices are using.

Accept the current iPhone and other devices.

This adds them to the Alternatives list and "Start conversations From" drop down.

You may need to look at this if you have not taken the Apple ID off the iPhone you no longer use

https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage

If you have not done this you will still get a pop up about the iPhone and it's number even if you decline the Pop up the Number will appear in the Alternatives even if it is not Enabled.

There is not way to remove these in the App.

8:19 pm Wednesday; May 27, 2015

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 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

How can I Totally reset messages app on OSX?