HT203421: Troubleshooting the Mac App Store

Learn about Troubleshooting the Mac App Store
sheltonsfolly
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: App Store shows 'salesmedia@me.com' as default account

I've signed into App Store with my Apple ID and want to run updates but it comes up with a window asking for the password for Apple ID 'salesmedia@me.com'.  I can't change the Apple ID to my own account.  Why is it doing this?  I've tried signing out of my account and signing back in.  Help!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Mar 15, 2014 5:25 PM

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sheltonsfolly

Q: App Store shows 'salesmedia@me.com' as default account

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  • by Dah•veed,

    Dah•veed Dah•veed Mar 15, 2014 5:31 PM in response to sheltonsfolly
    Level 7 (34,765 points)
    Mac App Store
    Mar 15, 2014 5:31 PM in response to sheltonsfolly

    Content and Apple IDs -

    Content is forever tied to the Apple ID that bought it. Apple does not transfer content from one Apple ID to another. Apple does not merge Apple IDs. You will never be able to access content bought with another Apple ID with a your Apple ID.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Mar 15, 2014 8:44 PM in response to sheltonsfolly
    Level 10 (207,995 points)
    Applications
    Mar 15, 2014 8:44 PM in response to sheltonsfolly

    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, the App Store may prompt you to update "Angry Birds" or "Twitter," but the hacked app may be something else entirely. Don't make any assumptions about which app you're looking for. To find it, you must carry out a systematic search with Spotlight.

    1. 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.

    2. 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 of search criteria, initially showing Kind. From that menu, select

    Other...

    A sheet will drop down. In that sheet, select

    Raw Query

    as the criterion, then click OK or press return.

    Now there will be a text box to the right of the menu of search criteria. That's where you enter the raw search query. Click in that box and paste the text you copied earlier by pressing command-V.

    4. The search window will now show all the App Store products that are 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 apps in the Spotlight search results is not among your purchases in the App Store. Move each such item to the Trash, after quitting it if it's running. You may be prompted for your administrator password. Empty the Trash.

    Quit and relaunch the App Store. Test.

    If you find these instructions confusing, ask for an alternative method.