Q: iMessage refuses to activate

Messages – Can’t log in

Messages - Error Processing Registration

This could be a complicated problem to solve, as there are many possible causes for it. Test after taking each of the following steps that you haven't already tried. Back up all data before making any changes.

Before proceeding, test on another network, if possible. That could be a public Wi-Fi hotspot, if your computer is portable, or a cellular network if you have a mobile device that can share its Internet connection. If you find that iMessage works on the other network, the problem is in your network or at your ISP, not in your computer.

Step 1

Check the status of the service. If the service is down, wait tor it to come back up. There may be a localized outage, even if the status indicator is green.

Step 2

Sign out of iMessage on all your Apple devices. Log out and log back in. Try again to sign in.

Step 3

Restart your router and your broadband device, if they're separate. You may have to skip this step if you don't control those devices.

Step 4

From the menu bar, select

           ▹ About This Mac

Below the "OS X" legend in the window that opens, the OS version appears. Click the version line twice to display the serial number. If the number is missing or invalid according to this web form, take the machine to an Apple Store or other authorized service center to have the problem corrected.

Step 5

Take the steps suggested in this support article. If you don't understand some of the steps or can't carry them out, ask for guidance.

Step 6

From the menu bar, select

           ▹ System Preferences... ▹ Network

If the preference pane is locked, click the lock icon in the lower left corner and enter your password to unlock it. Then click the Advanced button and select the Proxies tab. If the box marked SOCKS Proxy is checked, uncheck it. You don’t need to change any other settings in the window. Click OK and then Apply. Test.

The result may be that you can't connect to the Internet at all. Revert the change if that happens, or if iMessage still doesn't work. Remember that you must Apply any changes you make in the preference pane before they take effect.

Step 7

Select from the menu bar

           ▹ System Preferences… ▹ Flash Player ▹ Storage

and click

          Block all sites from storing information on this computer

Close the preference pane.

Step 8

Make sure you know the ID and password you use with iMessage. Launch the Keychain Access application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Keychain Access in the icon grid.

Use the search box in the toolbar of the Keychain Access window to find and delete all items with "iMessage" or "com.apple.idms" in the name. Log out and log back in.

Step 9

Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”

While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.

Test while logged in as Guest. After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.

*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.

If iMessage worked in the guest account, stop here and post your results.

Step 10

Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you start up, and again when you log in.

Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a Fusion Drive or a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.

Safe mode is much slower to start and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound outputand Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.

The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

Test while in safe mode. After testing, restart as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and test again.

If iMessage worked in safe mode, but still doesn't work when you restart in "normal" mode, stop here and post your results.

Step 11

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

/Library/Preferences/com.apple.apsd.plist

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

          Services ▹ Reveal in Finder (or just Reveal)

from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item selected. Move the selected item to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password. Restart the computer and empty the Trash.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination  command-C. In the Finder, select

          Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

Step 12

Reset the NVRAM.

Step 13

Reset the System Management Controller (SMC).

Step 14

Reinstall OS X.

Step 15

If none of the above steps resolves the issue, make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or contact Apple Support.

Hi Linc - I have a similar problem and I've taken the troubleshooting steps you've recommended elsewhere.  I've posted the results here if you can have a look at my system logs?

internet accounts error  https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6655592

NOTE,

If you jumped from Mountain Lion  you may have to link your Apple ID with iCloud.

In Messages 7 it seemed you could use any Apple ID.

In Messages 8 (Mavericks) it changed to needing it to be iCloud.

Other than the time it checks your  password it does not use the iCloud servers.

All iCloud IDs are Apple IDs but not all Apple IDs are iCloud IDs

10:31 pm      Friday; November 7, 2014

Linc,

Thanks for the detailed troubleshooting tips...I'm posting because I was able to reactivate as a Guest Account, but currently cannot with my user account.  Not sure what you would like to know about my environment, but this system is a Mac Pro 2010 that I upgraded to Yosemite (I have an Macbook Air that wasn't affected by this issue).  It was working fine until the upgrade.  My gut is telling me that I'm going to need to recreate a new user account, but I wanted to post here since you seemed very interested if the conditions were met in Step 9....

Thanks in advance for you feedback!

Hi,

I stay subscribed to all Posts I have contributed to.

On most occasions I get an email for a new post as I have in this case.

I am not sure how Linc arranges his follow up.

In  Linc's method you end up checking the Serial Number is present and delete the Keychain item before you check that it woks in Other Mac User Accounts.

With the Sandboxing that happens in Mavericks and Yosemite to protect one app causing problems with others it does mean that the .plists  that are most likely the issue are spread out all over the place.

In the Finder use the Go Menu whilst holing down the ALT key.

Select the Library that appears.

Navigate to the Preferences.

Delete (Drag to the Trash) this one com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.madrid.plist

Restart the app.

You are likely to have to re-enter your Apple ID for iMessages as this one holds the Apple ID and then the "aliases" you use in Receive At and Start Conversations from lists.

If that does not work delete com.apple.imessage.bag.plist

This holds the Server you were connected to

If that does not work then delete the com.apple.imagent.plist

This one hold all the accounts info and provides the main app with connection help and also "Listens" to the servers fro New Messages for Messages and FaceTime.

You do not have to re-add the Accounts in the Messages app as they are held in separate .plists  like the Madrid one above but listed under iChat and the service type.

if that does not work delete com.apple.ichat.plist itself.

This ones holds all the Preferences and some Menu item choices so you will have to reset some things if you changed them from defaults.

I suggest this one last from this folder as losing the Preferences is relatively destructive  (you do not have to re-add the accounts here either)

If you are not already doing so use the Finder > View Menu > Show Path Bar

This adds the route to the folder you are in across the bottom of the window.

Double click the Library icon.

Navigate to Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Preferences

In here are mostly Aliases pointing to the original items in the direct route ~/Library/Preferences

This is the way the App Reads and Write to those .plists

Right click the Preferences Folder icon and select the Get Info option.

In the Info Panel scroll to the bottom.

Your Shortname (the ones with the Little House icon) should appear in the list.

It should say you have Read and Write permissions.

Also if you highlight this name and then use the cogwheel type icon it should say in a greyed out form "to Make you the Owner"  (It is greyed out if you already are).

Repeat this back though the list in the Path Bar (Library then Data then com.apple.iChat and the original level Library and your own Account (Home) folder.

If you don't have Read and Write Permissions on any of these then you can't use the .plists

If they are not created from above then this is probably the issue.

Once you are back at the ~/Library folder re-enter Containers and then go to com.apple.soagent/Data/Library/Preferences

This is another helper app for the Messages app.

It has some actual .plists here that override some of the content in com.apple.iChat.plist in the main Preferences folder.

Check you Own this set

Then the Preferences folder they are ins and the Library and Data and com.apple.soagent ones in this path

7:49 PM      Saturday; November 29, 2014