No Applications At All No SN No 'More Info'

So I got a huge problem everyone....

I just bought a computer off a guy online and I don't know what's wrong with it.. When I load up 'System Prefrences' Only 'Mouse, Keybaord and BlueTooth' Shows up on the list of what I can edit..

Also When I click on 'About this Mac' I can't click 'More Info' And there is no Serial number..

I know the computer is real though because it came with the original box and it's a very nice 20" 2008 iMac

There is nothing on this tho, like I thought about going onto the Mac App Store and it's not even on here so I can't get to it.

It's almost like I have the Mac OS.. But nothing else works... Please help as soon as possible, I've looked up everything I possibly could and couldn't find anything like this.

Also I just tried to download google Chrome and when I tried to open it I got the error message 'This can not be downloaded on this version of Mac OS'

It's running 10.5.8 but it's not the regular 10.5.8 it's like a edited version so I can't do anything... Is there anyway I can fix this. Even the display model at the apple store is more open then this.

Sky Blue said:

sounds like it's isome restricted user mode.

Maybe boot into the recovery mode and reinstall the OS?

Click to expand...

How do I boot into recovery mode? Sorry haven't had to do that before.

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Sky Blue said:

sounds like it's isome restricted user mode.

Maybe boot into the recovery mode and reinstall the OS?

Click to expand...

The guy I bought it off of said he tried to delete everything but couldn't, is it possible he just deleted some really important files well he was trying to delete all his information off the computer....

Basically what I'm asking is: Is there anything someone can do to Mac OS to delete almost every basic application and take away downloading rights..?

EDIT: Be right back, Starting the computer in safe mode. Please try and help me well I'm restarting.

Sky Blue said:

Sounds like Simple Finder might be on... Are the Parental Controls turned on?

Click to expand...

I do not think that parental controls are turned on, and I just booted it in safe mode and the only difference is the app store and system preferences showed up on the dock but they were the question mark icons and I couldn't click them. Like they weren't even installed. I only have 3 things in my dock and if I go to applications there still isn't much, all the important stuff isn't there. I don't know how he could have deleted it.

I just booted it up in safe mode and I went to the guest account and it still is all messed up.

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Nermal said:

Do you have the grey install DVDs? If not, the easiest solution is probably to buy the 10.6 Snow Leopard DVD from Apple (I think it's $20).

Click to expand...

Nope didn't come with it, think if I popped that in it would let me re-install everything?

allan.nyholm said:

What's under the View menu portion of System Preferences? Are the other system preferences listed there? The other owner could have hidden the remaining ones for no apparent reason using the Customize... entry there under the View menu item.

Click to expand...

The only thing that is under System Preferences is the option to edit 'Mouse, Keyboard and BlueTooth' There really isn't much else on the computer at all, I'm going to go to the store either tonight or tomorrow and get the other install disks.

I can't seem to find anyone else with this problem but I don't think the mac is broken, I mean it's a mac... and they don't exactly just randomly have OS issues which can't be fixed.

The internet still works and I downloaded Adobe Flash Player and it worked for loading youtube videos, yet when I downloaded Google Chrome it wouldn't let me run it.

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Nermal said:

The grey DVDs (which *may* be available by calling Apple) will include the original OS (seems like it's 10.5) along with iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand). The retail Snow Leopard DVD (which is definitely still available) includes OS 10.6 but no iLife.

If you want to move up to the latest OS 10.8, which is only available from the App Store, then you'll need to install 10.6 first so that you have access to the App Store (unless you have another Mac that you can use to download it). Again, you won't get iLife if you do this (although if you want to you can buy the latest version separately, which is certain to be newer than the one on the grey DVDs).

Click to expand...

I was thinking about calling Apple for support but when I get to the stage where they ask for the serial number of my Apple Product, the iMac doesn't have a serial number under the 'about this mac' tab.. not only that but the 'more info' is not clickable, it's faded out.

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G4DP said:

You need the original disks in an ideal world. This would allow you to perform the AHT. Which from the sounds of it might bring up a few issues.

Call Apple, they'll send you them for the cost of shipping. So should be about $10.

I wouldn't buy anything like Snow Leopard until you know that the machine is fully functional.

Click to expand...

I can't call Apple because they need a serial number and I don't have one, I might just have to go buy snow leopard and test to see if it works, although if that doesn't I have no other ideas, which isn't good for me haha.

allan.nyholm said:

Can you try going to the Go menu in Finder and the go to the following entry down in that menu "Go to Folder" and paste this

Code:

/System/Library/PreferencePanes

There you can see if the other owner deleted the PreferencePanes or not. If they are there he has them hidden in the System Preferences app.

Click to expand...

There is nothing in the PreferencesPanes folder, is that a good sign or a bad sign and is there anything I can do to restore it?

EDIT: I'm almost positive now that this guy just went into all the folders and deleted everything the computer let him... Which is very annoying, anyway to restore it?