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New Macbook Pro 13 - "Couldn't sign in because of server error"

I just fired up my new Macbook Pro 13 (late 2013). I am trying to sign in with my Apple ID and I get a message "Couldn't sign in because of a server error. Try signing in again."

After trying to sign in again and again and again and again and again and again, I decided that perhaps I can get some help from the support community - because trying to sign in again doesn't seem to be working. I have another Mac that logs in without a problem. I am using a Windows machine to post this discussion without trouble.

I hope this is not an ominous start.

Anyone know how this problem can be corrected?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Dec 5, 2013 8:35 PM

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Posted on Jun 22, 2017 7:04 PM

I forget my password I tried to rest the password with my apple ID it's seems not working i try again and again it just till me ^ couldn't sign in because of server error. Try signing in again^User uploaded file

17 replies

Oct 11, 2017 5:47 AM in response to andadazyd

I had exactly same issue and searched the web. The answer is two-fold: a) in order for the machine to check your Apple ID with the Apple servers, it needs internet. But before youre logged into your Mac, the internet connection wont work if it's via wifi. Solution is to either connect an Ethernet cable (which I didnt have) OR to ignore the screen with you Recovery Utilities options for a moment and look for the grey wifi symbol in the upper right hand corner (on my screen it was). After trying my Apple ID for seemingly endless times, I simply clicked on the wifi symbol - and voila, I was allowed to select my router, was able to put in router password, connected to the internet, and THEN when I tried my Apple ID again, I was finally able to reset my lost password.


Really hope this information helps others in the same situation:)

Oct 16, 2017 7:12 PM in response to maxhanzo

I've got the same "server error" with a different exception:


KeyRecoveryAssistant[543:21190]
AKAppleIDAuthenticationController authenticated with error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 “connection to service named com.apple.ak.auth.xpc” UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=connection to service named com.apple.ak.auth.xpc}

It seems to be a backend(Apple's servers) problem.

User uploaded file

Oct 27, 2017 9:32 AM in response to Rok2017

After several days trying what people have been suggesting here (connecting with Ethernet Cable instead of wifi, bypassing, etc.), I've finally resetted my password with my Apple ID.


As some people mentioned here, if you try using Apple's support, they'll say something like "This error was not supposed to happen, it's impossible, it just doesn't happen, you've gotta keep trying until it works", and stuff like that. So, they don't have the slightest idea why that error keeps occuring.


My last unsuccessful attempt was trying to hack my hard drives via brute force, but after several days without a result, I finally came with the idea of trying to reset my password from another Macbook Pro (mine is from 2011, the one I used to reset my password is from 2014 and has all OS updates). In other words, I took my hard drive from my Macbook Pro, put it in a hard drive enclosure with USB interface, plugged the enclosure to this 2014 Macbook Pro, and tried to boot from that hard drive (restarting the system and holding the option key until the system asks us to choose a hard drive to boot from). I've tried some passwords until the system suggested me to reset password using the Apple ID, and followed the instructions(a wizard opens, then asks the reason why you can't log in with your password, then I chose "I forgot my password", etc). And it worked, without the errors I've reported.


How/why did it work, I don't know, but it seems that newer Mac OS X versions "don't like" old Macbook Pro's.


So, in other words: if you have an old Mac and forgot your password, it seems that the solution is to remove your HD from that Mac, put it in a HD Enclosure, plug it in a Mac that is new and has everything up-to-date, restart it with the option key pressed, choose that HD, and then follow the "reset password with my Apple ID" steps.

New Macbook Pro 13 - "Couldn't sign in because of server error"

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