maximum number of authorizations - how to de-authorize?

For computers: You can de-authorize individual computers, but only by using those computers. Otherwise you can "deauthorize all" from your iTunes account.

1. Open iTunes on a computer
2. From the Store menu, select "View my Account..."
3. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
4. Under "Computer Authorizations" select "Deauthorize All".
5. Authorize each computer you still have, as you may require.

You may only do this once per year.

After you "deauthorize all" your authorized computers, authorize each one as required.

It is also possible to have mistakenly authorized a computer more than once. To fix that:

1. Open iTunes.
2. From the Store menu, choose "Deauthorize This Computer…"
3. Enter your account name and password.
4. Click OK. A message appears reading "This computer has been successfully deauthorized."
5. Click OK.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 above. If you see the same message reading: "This computer has been successfully deauthorized," then your computer was using multiple authorizations.

Repeat steps 2 through 5 above until you see a message reading "This computer was not authorized. To authorize this computer, play a song or video you have purchased using this account."

If it's showing your old Apple ID, you may have 2 Apple ID's or else you may use multiple email address to sign into the one Apple ID.

Go to: http://appleid.apple.com

Select "Manage your account" and sign in with you Apple ID

This will give you an overview of your account & show you what email addresses are associated with your Apple ID.

Can you see your old Apple ID email address when you sign in??

Deauthorise all is definitely the right option to select, you might just be signed into the wrong account.

It sounds like you have 2 Apple ID's.

Go to: http://appleid.apple.com again

Select "Manage your account" and sign in with you Old Apple ID

If you don't remember the password for this account, select forgot password and follow the instructions and let us know how you get on....

Great, so when you selected "Deauthorise all" earlier on, you did it for the wrong Apple ID. Thats why it didn't work for you.

What you need to do is:

1 - Sign out of your current Apple ID

Main iTunes menu bar > Store > Sign Out

2 - Sign in with the Old Apple ID

Main iTunes menu bar > Store > Sign in

3 - View your account info and deauthorise all

as before

4 - Decide which Apple ID you need to use going forward

Probably best to use old one going forward if you have loads of music

5 - Authorize iTunes

If you can't "deauthorize all" until your 12 month waiting period has transpired, you will need to contact iTunes Store Support.