lchiarav

Q: Update errors (iPhoto, Garageband) on inherited 2011 iMac

I updated an inherited mid-2011 iMac from OS X Lion to El Capitan, and almost everything works, except that the App Store keeps saying that iPhoto(*) and Garageband need updating, but when I actually try to do the updates:  "Update Unavailable with This Apple ID" / "This update is not available for this Apple ID either because it was bought by a different user or the item was refunded or cancelled." (for Garageband, has always been the same second part of this message; I could have sworn that iPhoto update attempts used to give a different one like the one given below after a failed attempt to run it, but now it's the same errror as for Garageband).  After this, I get another message "We could not complete your request." / "There was an error in the App Store. Please try again later. (null)".

 

(*)I understand iPhoto is obsolete, but despite claiming to import from iPhoto, Photos actually doesn't seem to have done the job (maybe it actually did, but I can't be sure if I can't open iPhoto), so I might need it to recover inherited (family) photos.  If updating it is not possible, could somebody let me know what directories to scour to be sure?

 

The existing version of iPhoto is 9.2.1 -- this will not run and says it needs an update (which, when attempted, gives the error message "Item Not Available" / "The item you've requested is not currently available in the U.S. store.").  The existing version of Garageband is 6.0.4 -- this runs, but says it needs an update.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the previous owner never purchased either one of these as a separate item (the previous owner never used Garageband and found it annoying that this was included in the Mac OS X software by default), and I don't think the previous owner even bothered to or knew how to set up an Apple ID, so I don't know why these 2 programs give the above error messages when everything else updated fine.

 

How do I fix this?

 

When Googling for solutions, the problems people post answers to always seem to be somewhat different, although I did see that having duplicates on other drives could cause problems (I can say in advance that I don't have that problem -- it is occurring with no additional storage devices connected).  I did try the workaround of dragging the *.app folders for these into the Trash and then retrying App Store, but it wants to charge for Garageband and won't show iPhoto at all (although it shows add-ons for iPhoto that are still available).  I also saw a complicated workaround for people who want to stick with iPhoto instead of Photos that involves making a new account to install it (de facto I already did that, by making a new account on this computer after updating it to El Capitan, although I get the same errors on the previous owner's account).  Also, before just dragging the *.app folders for these to the Trash permanently, I need to know if other stuff needs to be removed to get rid of them, if they cannot be updated.

 

Also, before anyone gets on my case about not updating the software on this Mac for a long time before upgrading to Mac OS X El Capitan, note that the previous owner had health problems and family health problems during the time window that it should have been upgraded, enough to take this past option out of contention.

 

Apologies for duplicate questions (strangely, putting my question into the Search or Post bar in these forums didn't turn up anything, and sent me straight to making this post) or something that should be obvious -- the past few weeks have been my first Mac experience delving into the system (that is, more than casual use during family visit) since the mid 2000s, and this is my first time on these forums.

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), iMac 21.5", mid-2011

Posted on Oct 2, 2016 5:27 PM

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Q: Update errors (iPhoto, Garageband) on inherited 2011 iMac

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  • by trevoz,

    trevoz trevoz Oct 2, 2016 5:41 PM in response to lchiarav
    Level 2 (454 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 2, 2016 5:41 PM in response to lchiarav

    This should get you a fully restored system to as it was when it was first purchased. After that upgrades should be fine. There will be no Apple ID data left. All apps should be working.

    1. Start up from Internet Recovery by holding down Option-Command (⌘)-R immediately after turning on or restarting your Mac. Release the keys when you see the Apple logo. Startup is complete when you see the utilities window.

    2. Open Disk Utility from the utilities window, then use Disk Utility to erase your built-in hard disk using the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. Quit Disk Utility when done.

    3. Choose Reinstall macOS (or Reinstall OS X) from the utilities window, then follow the onscreen instructions.
      This installs the system that came with your Mac when it was new.
  • by lchiarav,Solvedanswer

    lchiarav lchiarav Oct 2, 2016 6:44 PM in response to lchiarav
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 2, 2016 6:44 PM in response to lchiarav

    Update:  I found the Contact Support feature to have Apple Tech Support call me, and they did a screen share and concluded that Photos actually had done everything it could with iPhoto, and that I didn't need to do anything other than move iPhoto to the Trash; however, they also said that I really shouldn't be having the update problem with GarageBand, and that the easiest way to fix it was to give me an App Store gift certificate to download and install the new version, and move the old version to the Trash.  The new version is still downloading its instruments, but since it got that far it seems that it will work.

  • by lchiarav,

    lchiarav lchiarav Oct 2, 2016 6:56 PM in response to trevoz
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 2, 2016 6:56 PM in response to trevoz

    Whoa . . . That would be a huge pain if I had to go to the extreme of reinstalling the entire OS and restoring all user data (which would take longer than you might think, because I already put on all my stuff from a PC that is dying, and that already took quite a long time).  Fortunately, I didn't have to.  See the post I made (before I saw yours) in between this one and my original post for resolution.