Q: OS X El Capitan Install Erased Mac-Mini Serial Number; Is there a tool to restore it?
After installing El Capitan I am unable to sign into AppStore, iTunes, iCloud, etc. Apparently the installation re-flashed or erased an area that holds the machine serial number. A valid serial number field is critical to authenticating the machine's security certificate which is used to validate access to practically everything. I have an opened a support case. The initial suggestion was to re-install El Capitan. Try again in safe mode, and finally create and use an alternate user id. None of that worked and was a huge waste of time as the System Log clearly shows there is a certificate failure due to the missing serial number. The about-this-Mac field shows "unavailable" where serial number should be. The only solution thus far appears to be a trip to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store Unless there is a way to restore S/N file using time machine? Thanks for help in advance.
Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11)
Posted on Oct 7, 2015 12:41 AM
A tech at the Genius Bar restored the serial number on Mac-mini using special boot procedure to access a special tool that can re-write the S/N onto flash memory store of logic board. With the S/N restored the system boots without certificate errors and user access to AppStore, iCloud, iTunes, iMessage/FaceTime, etc are all A-OK. I hope this helps others with the same or a similar invalid serial number root cause issue.
Posted on Oct 7, 2015 9:49 AM
