iMessage login problems

Hi,

Are you using 2 Step Verification ?

DO you have App Specific Passwords ?

Whilst iMessages must use and iCloud Valid ID it is not part of the iCloud items (see System Preferences > iCloud as there is nothing here for Messages).

Unfortunately this means that signing in and out of iCloud here does nothing for the iMessages account.

Try a different Apple ID in iMessages if you have one.

Try both the different ID and your regular Apple ID ins a test Mac User Account (See system Preferences > Users and Groups and enable the Guest account).

In the Apple Icon Menu top left use the About this Mac item.

Can you see the Serial Number on the Overview tab ? (we don't need to know or see it, just that is is there).

Try iMessages when in a SAFE BOOT

Whether it works or not you will have to Restart the computer normally.

9:13 pm Monday; January 9, 2017

Hi,

So you had to re-enter the Apple ID and password and it did not login ?

In that case you are going to have to phone Apple Support and tell them you have an Apple ID issue.

Level 1 responders tend not to deal with this and you may have to speak to to someone higher.

You need to get someone who can look at the iMessages Server and tell if your Apple ID is blocked when used from your Mac. (The Serial Number provides a Device Specific Login)

In the scheme of things the numbers that this issue effects is small compared to all the Apple users out there.

As a consequence Apple have not found the answer.

This means they may ask you to do some data grabbing, testing other options.

how much time you spend on this is up to you.

A Reinstall will not help.

Insist that the server is reset regarding your Apple ID when used from your Mac.

They will bump the request to the engineers and they will tell you a time frame it will be done in (People who have posted this info have been told between 24 hours and 5 days)

Whatever the time frame given it always seems to be done in that period.

7:35 pm Sunday; January 15, 2017

Hi,

In that case you are going to have to phone Apple Support and tell them you have an Apple ID issue.

Level 1 responders tend not to deal with this and you may have to speak to to someone higher.

You need to get someone who can look at the iMessages Server and tell if your Apple ID is blocked when used from your Mac. (The Serial Number provides a Device Specific Login)

In the Apple Icon Menu > About this Mac the panel that appears will show you n the Overview tab the Serial Number of the Mac.

This is "read" from the Logic/Motherboard and if you have had a repair or refurbishment someone may have forgotten to "flash" it back to the board.

It is used to stop anyone else from pretending to be you by adding devices.

This causes a pop up telling you what the other devices is using. (the same way an iPad or iPhone do)

If you Migrate a Mac User account from one computer to another including the Keychain then it brings across an "IDS: Auth Token" which contains details of the Serial Number in effect but it also still checks the actual Serial Number and the Server end will block the use of the Apple ID from that device.

However in addition to you accidentally doing it to yourself with a new computer the iMessages servers seem to think that some users need "protecting" from third parties and block the ID anyway.

As I said the only fix is to call Apple Support and get to speak to someone high enough who can arrange the Server to be reset regarding your Mac's use of your Apple ID.

for the Points

7:52 pm Monday; January 16, 2017

Hi,

So it works in the Guest account ?

In the Applications/Utilities folder open the Keychain Access app.

Set Login top left and Passwords lower left.

On the right hand pane find the item that starts IDS:

It should then have your Apple ID followed by a dash then Auth Token

IDS: AppleID@email.com-Auth Token

Delete this item.

It is a token that effectively holds the info about the Serial Number and Password relating to the Apple ID to "prove" it is you on your computer logging in.

Next go to ~/Library/Preferences

Open a Finder window and use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key.

Doing so will make a Library Appear in the list. Select that then navigate to Preferences

Find com.apple.ids.service.com.apple.madrid.plist and delete that (you can Drag it to the Trash)

This one holds the Apple ID and any Alternatives that are listed such as the iPhone Number and any other email.

Restart Messages without 2 Step Verification

This will then mean that Messages will need you to start the iMessages account from new.

AS you add the Apple ID (and if it logs in) you should get the pop up to say what the iPhone Is using (Accept this).

The .plist and the Auth Token should be recreated.

If it works without 2 Step Verification then try with 2 Step Verification.

7:56 pm Tuesday; January 10, 2017