how to get rid of false app store software update requests?

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Most of the times I have see a problem that the App Store shows an update for an app you haven't got, it's because you have a pirated app. If you have one, delete it and you will see that the update goes away.

If you have a look at the content of an app downloaded from the Mac App Store, you will see two folders: "_CodeSignature" and "_MASReceipt". Those folders contain information of the hacker's Apple ID, his/her updates at the moment he/she copied the folder to pirate the application and the apps he had installed. If you use that application in another computer, you will see the same updates as the hacker, and the problem is that you can't update it because you haven't downloaded it

If you have downloaded an app for the App Store, you can see these folders. Open Finder, go to Applications folder, right-click an app downloaded from the App Store and select "Show Package Content". Then, open Contents folder and you will see them.

BubblyNYG wrote:

I have numerous apps in my computer from various sources, some friends, some internet, some purchased. Is there a way to found out which app is responsible?

Unfortunately, it's difficult. However, you can see which applications you got from the App Store. To do it, open the System Information app (in /Applications/Utilities). Then, choose "Applications" in the sidebar, and you will see all your apps

You installed a hacked application, originally from the Mac App Store. It contains the receipt for a different application, downloaded from another account. You need to identify and remove the hacked application.

Triple click the line of text below:

kMDItemAppStoreHasReceipt=1

Copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C).

In the Finder, press the key combination command-F to open a search window, or select

File ▹ Find

from the menu bar. In the search window, select

Search: This Mac

from the row of tokens below the toolbar. Below that is a popup menu initially showing Kind. From that menu, select Other...

A sheet will drop down. In that sheet, select Raw Query and click OK or press return.

Now there will be a text box to the right of popup menu. Click in that box and paste (command-V).

The search window will show all the App Store products you've installed. Compare those search results with the list of your purchases from the App Store. To see the complete list, you may need to unhide hidden purchases. If any applications were download from the App Store using other Apple ID accounts that you know of, sign in to the store under each of those ID's and check the purchases.

If any of the items listed in the search window are not listed among your purchases in the App Store, move them to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator password. Empty the Trash.

Dear Linc—

thanks for the detailed instructions. When I follow them I see a list that has double entries for all items, but does not include the twitter app, which I have not installed, and does not appear in either the system or my Applications folders.

I have to suspect that the twitter thing susses computers that log on to the app store that do not have twitter on them, and prompts the users to put it on. Thing is, when I try to 'update' the app I am told the operation cannot be performed, presumably because there is no twitter app on my computer....

Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Glen

Thank you Linc Davis for your excellent tutorial on how to identify erroneous Mac App Store purchases and remove them.

Worked like a charm.