App Store wants me to sign in as someone else?

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Level 1

4 points

App Store wants me to sign in as someone else?

I'm using a pre-owned computer, but with no identity problems until now: I restarted my computer and when I opened App Store later and tried to update a couple apps, it required me to sign in with the Apple ID of the previous owner. Strangely, I've gone to Store:Sign In/Sign Out several times with my own ID, and up there it says I'm signed in, but when I press "Update" next to the app that needs updating, it still asks me for the Apple ID that's not mine. (Btw, in that pop-up window, the Apple ID box with NotMe@msn.com in it, is greyed out so I can't change it; otherwise I would change it to my own.) I'm having no troubles with my ID on iTunes, so I don't know what the deal is.

Why I restarted my computer in the first place: I downloaded the OS X Mavericks update and it restarted my computer. ...When I was logging back in, it asked me to sign in with my Apple ID, and I did. No problems there...

Please help. 😕

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Dec 29, 2013 9:10 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Dah•veed

Level 9

64,627 points

Dec 29, 2013 9:17 AM in response to xBenjaminx

The original owner was supposed to erase the hard drive and restore the version of OS X that shipped on the Mac. That Mac is associated with the original owner's Apple ID. All apps that were bought by the original owner are now pirated software on your part as the original owner cannot legally share them with you.

The original owner needs to call Apple Care and have the Mac disassociated from their Apple ID.

You need to use OS X Recovery to erase the Mac, reinstall OS X Mavericks and the iLife apps.

Then you need to set it up as a new Mac, open the Mac App Store and accept the iLife apps into your account and then reinstall all of your own iTunes and Mac App Store content.

OS X Recovery -

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718

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Answer 2

xBenjaminx Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 29, 2013 9:23 AM in response to Dah•veed

Thanks for the quick reply!

But I don't think anything's pirated... I mean, I've been using this computer for nearly a year and I've restarted it multiple times and this problem hasn't occured before. If what you're saying is true, then wouldn't this have happened before now? (Btw, when I bought it a year ago, it was still fully wrapped up and the guy said he'd never used it.)

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Answer 3

Dah•veed

Level 9

64,627 points

Dec 29, 2013 9:32 AM in response to xBenjaminx

Whose Apple ID do you see?

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Answer 4

xBenjaminx Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 29, 2013 11:30 AM in response to Dah•veed

Someone else's: I'm asked to sign in with an Apple ID that's not mine when I try to update these two apps that need updating, iMovie and iPhoto.

However, I just tried downloading a free app to see if that would work, and it did. It asked me for my own Apple ID's password and then it downloaded fine. This electronic identity crisis hasn't happened before, and it seems to be specific to these couple of app updates... Do I really have to wipe my whole computer to fix such a small thing?

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Answer 5

Dah•veed

Level 9

64,627 points

Dec 29, 2013 11:35 AM in response to xBenjaminx

Then he lied to you. Someone has configured this Mac with their Apple ID. You need to do the instructions above.

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Answer 6

xBenjaminx Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 29, 2013 11:46 AM in response to Dah•veed

What about all my photos, music, videos, word documents, apps, system preferences; etc? Will all of that get erased in the process? (I don't know anything about OS X Recovery.)

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