HT203421: Troubleshooting the Mac App Store

Learn about Troubleshooting the Mac App Store
EKspringlake

Q: I have had an apple id for several year,us it with my iPad and i phone.  recently purchased an iMac.  whenever i try to do a download/upgrade fro the app store another nam e appears in the Apple ID window, in grey, i cannot enter my own.

I have had an Apple ID for several years, used on iPad & iPhone.  Recently purchased an iMac.  The Problem:  whenever i attempt a transaction with the App store, download/upgrade, the User name appears with a different name, not mine, but someone from my contacts.  I cannot enter my own user ID in that window.  HELP!

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 30, 2013 12:11 PM

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Q: I have had an apple id for several year,us it with my iPad and i phone.  recently purchased an iMac.  whenever i try to ... more

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  • by Dah•veed,

    Dah•veed Dah•veed Nov 30, 2013 1:56 PM in response to EKspringlake
    Level 7 (34,770 points)
    Mac App Store
    Nov 30, 2013 1:56 PM in response to EKspringlake

    Is this a used Mac?

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Nov 30, 2013 2:46 PM in response to EKspringlake
    Level 10 (208,000 points)
    Applications
    Nov 30, 2013 2:46 PM in response to EKspringlake

    You installed a hacked app, originally from the Mac App Store. It contains the receipt for a different app, downloaded using an account that you don't control. You need to identify and remove the hacked app.

    Important: The app you need to remove is not necessarily the one named in the App Store alert. For example, if the App Store says you need to update "Twitter," the hacked app may be "Angry Birds" or something else entirely. Don't make any assumptions about which app you're looking for. To find it, you have to carry out a systematic search.

    Triple-click anywhere in the line of text below on this page to select it:

    kMDItemAppStoreHasReceipt=1

    Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.

    In the Finder, press 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 apps were download from the App Store using other Apple ID accounts that you control, sign in to the store under each of those ID's and check the purchases.

    At least one of the items listed in the search window is not among your purchases in the App Store. Move each such item to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator password. Empty the Trash.

    Log out and log back in. Test.