Click on the store tab in iTunes, then view my account. Looks like it will let you change your email address.
Sorry for the delay in updating progress, been away for a bit.
JamesMB - Tried your suggestion - and opened a huge can-of-worms in the process, HUGE:
- logged out of iTunes and re-entered using old email login and password
- password not accepted (old password was six characters long, three of which were symbols - now has to be eight characters long and alphanumeric only, no symbols)
- created new password in the hope this may reset and allow access to old account
- iTunes began repeatedly crashing (certainly wasn't expecting that - figured the new password would be rejected, at worst)
- after numerous attempts at getting into iTunes and a few re-boots, managed to get into a 'stable' iTunes
- now discover that the new password (created for the old account) has become my current and existing iTunes account password
- had to reset email account settings in Mail; MobileMe password details; billing info details (which for some reason were seen to not correspond to 'existing' details and were continuously denied - not sure what was going on there as everything seemed to be in order, so purchased an album from the store to see what would happen, went through OK)
- kept getting a 'Pop-Up' informing me that the Billing info was still incorrect despite the successful purchase (several iTunes re-starts did not resolve this issue but another re-boot did)
- presumably, any Applications such as iPhoto, Aperture etc., from which email capabilities are directly possible, will have probs till passwords are re-set (did read a note to this effect in one of the procedures somewhere - haven't actually tried it yet)
- the Internet router did not like all these changes to email settings, so stopped providing Internet access (let alone email - which is what initially went down) until I re-set account settings from the provider (this required a call to the ISP for a password re-set for the router and a change to its' settings - managed to do this via the ISPs' Automated Voice Support System - believe it or not, seemed to be quicker than my dealings with 'live' people in the past)
As you can appreciate, this all took quite a bit of time, and being away for a few days, then trying to keep up with other chores and duties, this all spanned out over a few frustrating days.
In short, if you have a defunct email address for an iTunes account you can't access but need to, 'Don't try this at home!' as the saying goes.
Instead, iTunes Support, my next port-of-call, provided the solution, though they did not address my issue directly.
Their reply comprised of what seemed to be a very generic work-through for re-assigning a lost/forgotten password, not a defunct email address: - check to make sure you're running the latest software, the latest version of iTunes, download the latest version if necessary, then to Sign In and change your password and if you no longer have the password, to re-set it via Apples' iForgot website, all pretty useless for an account email Sign In address which no longer exists.
I did have a look at the iForgot option when I was initially looking for a solution to this problem, but it appeared that it would send a confirmation email corresponding to the account email address, so I didn't go any further into it as I would never have received this email.
Before writing another email to iTunes Support, I decided I best give the iForgot option a full go, despite the fear of running the risk of going through all of the above again.
iForgot actually has provision to enter a second email address to which the confirmation email can be sent to, I used a MobileMe address.
I was then able to confirm the email, access the old account and change the old email address to a new one.
Interestingly, this account seems to still have the old password requirements, i.e., minimum of six characters etc.
Out of curiosity, I entered my old password, which, as mentioned above, comprises of six characters, three of which are symbols - it was accepted! Go figure.
So In Summary:
For anyone reading this (longwinded) solution to accessing an iTunes account with an email account address that is no longer valid, for the purpose of updating Apps on your iPhone, here's what to do, but be aware, this is a 'change' to your Apple ID, which may mean you may encounter problems similar to mine (which is why this is 'longwinded', although my problems arose by trying to make changes directly through iTunes) - by rights, the following procedure should allow you to change your Apple ID corresponding to your old iTunes account ID/email address, provided you enter those particular details, and not effect your current iTunes/Apple ID (this is what worked for me).
(I believe 'Manage Your Apple ID' should be the correct way of doing all of this, and should probably be your first port-of-call, but it didn't seem to work for me initially, hence my problem, also, this procedure will create a second iTunes account (corresponding to your original account), which you'll be able to log in to, in order to update Apps for your iPhone, acquired on that old, original account - anyone reading this with absolute concrete knowledge on this issue, please comment, correct, rectify and/or provide details on the best way to do this):
Go to:
http://iforgot.apple.com/
You'll be asked to enter your Apple ID to re-set your password - enter your defunct email - hit 'NEXT'
Choose/Use the 'Answer Security Questions' option - 'NEXT'
Enter your date of birth - 'NEXT'
Answer your security question - 'NEXT'
Enter your old password or create a new one - 'NEXT'
Your password will be re-set - 'Return to My Apple ID'
Click on 'Manage your account'
Sign In (using newly created password)
Now you can alter your email addresses, which you'll then need to 'Verify'
I started by deleting/leaving the Primary Email Address blank and using a MobileMe address in the Alternate Email Address, Saved and Verified the email and went back in and changed the Primary Email Address, which was also Saved and Verified - this was my situation, yours may be different but the principle is the same - just be sure to enter a current email address that you can verify.
Your Primary is now this accounts' Apple ID.
You should now be able to update your Apps associated with this account, on your iPhone.
Be sure to check which account you are using in iTunes when purchasing media, you'll probably only want to use this old account for accessing/updating Apps originally acquired on that account.
Does anyone know if it is possible to merge the two accounts into one, now that both accounts are accessible, via Managing Apple ID?
For instance, would giving the Primary Email Address of the old, original second account, the same Primary Email Address as the new and current Apple ID account, merge the two accounts into one? Is this what I should have done in the first place? (I thought about it, but was worried about losing the lot)
Would this even work, or are the two accounts/ID's seen to be different entities?
(As you can probably tell, I'll give almost anything a go, but I'm not touching this one till I have more info - LOL)
Oh, and for the record, JamesMB, there's no animosity, ill-will or cursing directed your way - in fact, when most of the probs were pretty much under control, I had a chuckle to myself at the thought that I probably would have offered the very same advice, I mean, it seems an obvious option... Sh#t Happens
My poor old machine is probably half the problem (me being the other half), I'm due for an upgrade and looking forward to the new iMac range.
