Apple ID from Prior Owner Issue

[Swiss-G]

WOW...thanks...that's a lot. Swiss-g...I did what you suggested.
when you say ..."which will allow you to install software from outside the Mac App Store." what does that mean? Where would I go outside the app store?

There are numerous developers that offer Apps outside the Mac App Store, e.g. Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Skype, Dropbox, VLC, Steam etc.

Most of the developers offer apps direct from their websites and you can often find free trials so you can try before you buy.

 

[bcave098]

when you say ..."which will allow you to install software from outside the Mac App Store." what does that mean? Where would I go outside the app store?

Anywhere, really. Including the link provided earlier to the Apple website to download the drivers you were looking for. The App Store is still a rather recent thing. Apps can be installed with an installer or dragged into the Applications folder after downloading them from the developer.

Regarding the apps... you say they are registered to the original owner and not me?..... Apples's website states MAC is fully loaded.(see below) This tells me the apps come with the computer ...they do not belong to whoever...
What am I missing.... if apps come fully loaded on MAC how would I have to pay for them?
...either they come with it or they do not...if they come with the computer "why does it make a difference" who was the original owner?

The apps are free with the computer when you buy it. If you didn't buy the computer from Apple, then you don't get them for free. It's essentially that you get a coupon for the apps when you buy the computer then you download them with your Apple ID.

Then I went to the apple store to re-install them. At the end of trying to re-install ......Apple took my credit card and "charged" me!(Thankfully I was doing one at a time.) I thought it was in error because , once again,they say the apps come with the computer.
I tried to get a refund from Apple but Apple does not give refunds... so I spent $19.99 + tax on something that was supposed to come with this computer...and Apple Store does not refund.

You say "Apple Store" but I'm assuming you mean the App Store. The App Store and iTunes usually will give refunds if asked. You can either call AppleCare or use http://reportaproblem.apple.com and explain what happened.

 

[Weaselboy]

Weaselboy...when you state..... "It also sounds like maybe you kept the old owners admin account and just renamed it... is that the case??"

The Admin name never changed... I changed the password for Admin....I could not change the word "Admin" but had access to change the password.

Weaselboy, before I go to the Users & Groups to add a new admin account....does that erase any files or documents I currently have on this computer?

Regarding the apps... you say they are registered to the original owner and not me?..... Apples's website states MAC is fully loaded.(see below) This tells me the apps come with the computer ...they do not belong to whoever...

The bolded part here is the root of most of your problems as I suspected. You are still using the old owners account and his "keychain" that saves his ID info and passwords is still there along with settings files with his AppleID etc. Making a new account like I suggested will still leave the existing Admin account and all its data in place and won't erase anything (although our end game is to get your data out of the old account and erase that account).

The best thing to do would be to erase the drive and reintall the OS and just start over, as was mentioned by others earlier, but I want to make sure we get your data off of there. Try the new admin account like I said just as a test to see if that fixes the AppleID issues. I believe it will.

Can you click the Apple at the top left then click About this Mac to get the above screen and post a screenshot of that so we know what Mac model and OS version you are on. That way we can tell you the best way to move forward.

The iLife and iWorks app situation is confusing, I agree... but those apps are not tied to the Mac they are tied to the AppleID of the original owner. If you want them, you will have to pay for the ones you want.

What happens is when you buy a new Mac those apps are on there and not registered to anybody. Then you make an AppleID and the first time you login to the App Store on that new Mac you will be prompted to "claim" those apps. Once you do that, it registers them to your AppleID. So yes, if you buy a new Mac you get those apps for free. But once the apps are "claimed" (registered) to that AppleID, that is where they stay. The registration for those apps does not travel with a used Mac since they belong to the original owners AppleID. Trust me on this... this is how it works. You are not the first used Mac buyer to be surprised by this.

I you still want to work through this, try the test admin account and post up that screenshot and we can figure out what to do next to get you going if you like. Also, explain exactly what you have in the existing Admin account you want to keep? You mentioned some emails... who is your email provider?

 

[tlts]

bcave098 I went to the link you provided.....got an instant refund!! Thank you...I looked all over google for a refund link....
and it was at the Apple Store not an App Store....there were only Apple products there...

swiss-g you state..."There are numerous developers that offer Apps outside the Mac App Store, e.g. Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Skype, Dropbox, VLC, Steam etc."....
but do they offer APPLE apps outside the Apple store?


weaselboy View attachment 605913

So once a MAC is sold and the original person sets up, which Apple then REQUIRES an Apple ID, then that person alone has a fully loaded computer. When it comes time for the original owner to sell that computer, and he erases his information which would then include his ID, if I am understanding the correct process for resale, then the next owner does not receive what's expected....a fully loaded computer.
i do not see anywhere an (*) on the Apple site after they say its "fully loaded " to state for the original owner only. Why not or am I just not seeing the (*)?

You are all unbelievably great!!!

 

[bcave098]

So once a MAC is sold and the original person sets up, which Apple then REQUIRES an Apple ID, then that person alone has a fully loaded computer. When it comes time for the original owner to sell that computer, and he erases his information which would then include his ID, if I am understanding the correct process for resale, then the next owner does not receive what's expected....a fully loaded computer.
i do not see anywhere an (*) on the Apple site after they say its "fully loaded " to state for the original owner only. Why not or am I just not seeing the (*)?

It does say "Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are free on the Mac App Store for qualifying Mac computers purchased on or after October 1, 2013. OS X Yosemite required. Downloading apps requires an Apple ID."

Again though, the "Apple Store" is a retail store location that sells Apple (and other) products, the App Store (Mac or iOS) is where you buy or download applications.

 

[Swiss-G]

.

swiss-g you state..."There are numerous developers that offer Apps outside the Mac App Store, e.g. Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Skype, Dropbox, VLC, Steam etc."....
but do they offer APPLE apps outside the Apple store?

Yes, for example:

Dropbox can be found at https://www.dropbox.com
Chrome can be found at https://www.google.com/chrome

Just click on the download buttons and they will appear in your downloads folder. All outside the Mac App Store.

 

[Weaselboy]

So once a MAC is sold and the original person sets up, which Apple then REQUIRES an Apple ID, then that person alone has a fully loaded computer. When it comes time for the original owner to sell that computer, and he erases his information which would then include his ID, if I am understanding the correct process for resale, then the next owner does not receive what's expected....a fully loaded computer.

i do not see anywhere an (*) on the Apple site after they say its "fully loaded " to state for the original owner only. Why not or am I just not seeing the (*)?

Yep... the part I bolded there is how it works. I agree with you Apple does not make it clear at all, but that is how it works.

If you are still interested in moving forward with this, try and answer my other questions from the earlier post and I'm pretty sure we can get you fixed up. But you will need to buy those apps if you want them.

 

[DeltaMac]

The Apple Store (the retail store location) not only sells Apple products, but other manufacturer's Apple-related products and accessories as well.
The App Store is for, well, apps. Free, or for purchase. That's also where you return for updates to any apps that your download from the App Store.

If you erase your iMac, then sell it, the new owner then logs in with the owner's AppleID. Apple will offer the Apple apps, such as Pages or Keynote. Those can be purchased, or will often be offered as free downloads, when an older version might already be installed. They are OPTIONAL, and would only be part of that "fully loaded" Mac if you want them. If the new owner has already downloaded Pages or Keynote, etc., the App Store will usually reflect that, and offer free downloads for those apps to add to those already installed on that Mac.

 

[tlts]

DeltaMac i read what Weaselboy in the above thread wrote and bolded.

What you wrote, does it differ from what he wrote?

would Weaselboy agree with what you wrote

".......or will often be offered as free downloads, when an older version might already be installed. They are OPTIONAL, and would only be part of that "fully loaded" Mac if you want them. If the new owner has already downloaded Pages or Keynote, etc., the App Store will usually reflect that, and offer free downloads for those apps to add to those already installed on that Mac.that Pages, Keynote etc... "

Glad we can agree Apple does not make this clear!!!...

 

[Weaselboy]

DeltaMac i read what Weaselboy in the above thread wrote and bolded.

What you wrote, does it differ from what he wrote?

would Weaselboy agree with what you wrote

".......or will often be offered as free downloads, when an older version might already be installed. They are OPTIONAL, and would only be part of that "fully loaded" Mac if you want them. If the new owner has already downloaded Pages or Keynote, etc., the App Store will usually reflect that, and offer free downloads for those apps to add to those already installed on that Mac.that Pages, Keynote etc... "

Glad we can agree Apple does not make this clear!!!...

What DM is referring to is when the newer App Store versions of some of these apps came out, if you already owned the pre-App Store versions, Apple gave you the App Store version free. This was around 2010 when the App Store first appeared and is not relevant to your situation on a 2014 model.

I think we are all in agreement this is confusing, but the bottom line here is if you want iLife or iWorks apps on that Mac at this point, you will need to pay for them. I'd be glad to help you get yourself setup if you like, but I feel like we are just spinning our wheels here debating the App Store.

 

[tlts]

thanks for getting right back with me. None of us have time to be spinning around ..... confusion makes you dizzy!!

I need to research alternatives to the apple store for software purchases.

I tend to think about a matter , thru researching, before I make a definite decision however, i know confusing matters I try to avoid.

With that said, I am leaning towards selling this MAC and purchasing a Windows computer. When I go to Amazon I see lots of Windows software for purchase.

If I am going to erase this hard drive then go thru that entire process for having this computer function under my Apple ID, I will get back to you.

thank you for being available.

 

[bcave098]

apple store for software purchases

Again, App Store not Apple Store. The Apple Store is a retail store only. You buy applications and get updates, made by Apple or others, on the App Store.

With that said, I am leaning towards selling this MAC and purchasing a Windows computer.

If you buy a used Windows PC, be sure to erase the hard drive before using it. It's standard practice on Windows and on Mac OS.

 

[tlts]

after not being able to sell this iMac then with receiving a refund after one of you showed me "how to" get a refund from a program i bought and then found out i did not need (mentioned above) i decided i will keep this iMac. Earlier, you all suggested i start fresh with on this hard drive.I purchased an external hard drive for the backup, as was suggested. I need to back up all my email. included in my emails are photos i hope not to loose. my emails have lots of information i can not loose.then there are the data files. i saw something about a time machine but i read (above) that deltaMac suggest not backing up to the time machine , if i read his comment correct.
What do i do? please remember I AM a newbie.....please have patience...please do not use 'tech' language /words. I have NEVER done this before and I am nervous because i do not want to break this computer. How long should this take to do?
while i am waiting to hear back from you, i will attempt to figure out how to use this external hard drive....second thought ....maybe i should wait to hear back from you before i touch anything!

 

[Swiss-G]

Time machine is still a good option as at the very least you will be able to restore your iMac to its current state if anything goes wrong. Have a look here for guidance. https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201250

Edit: You could also look at this MacRumors article. https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/time-machine-back-up-mac/

Can you confirm which email app you are using, i.e. is it the standard OS X mail app? Can you also confirm which email service(s) you are connecting to, i.e. exchange, iCloud, outlook, gmail etc.

 

[DeltaMac]

.... Earlier, you all suggested i start fresh with on this hard drive.I purchased an external hard drive for the backup, as was suggested. I need to back up all my email. included in my emails are photos i hope not to loose. my emails have lots of information i can not loose.then there are the data files. i saw something about a time machine but i read (above) that deltaMac suggest not backing up to the time machine , if i read his comment correct.
What do i do? please remember I AM a newbie.....please have patience...please do not use 'tech' language /words. I have NEVER done this before and I am nervous because i do not want to break this computer. How long should this take to do?
while i am waiting to hear back from you, i will attempt to figure out how to use this external hard drive....second thought ....maybe i should wait to hear back from you before i touch anything!

Ah, yes, you did not read my comments correctly. Let me say that in a different way:
If you have files (emails, your own documents, etc) that are important to you, then you should always have a backup of your files. Your external drive, and Time Machine, will make that backup easy.
Attach the external to your Mac. It will likely not be in Mac format, so open your Disk Utility, then erase the external drive, making sure it is set to be a OS X Extended format. Immediately after the erase, the drive will mount automatically, and will likely also ask you if you want to use it for a Time Machine backup. You select Yes, or Continue, or whatever will make that choice.
If you do NOT see an automatic window asking if you want to use the external for a TIme Machine backup, then open the Time Machine pref pane in your System Preferences, and click Time Machine On. It will take you through the simple steps to set up the external drive that you have connected.
Time Machine will then do that backup automatically. That initial full backup may take anywhere from maybe 30 minutes to a few hours (depending on how much data is on your internal drive) The backup will be in the background, so you don't have to wait for it to complete - you can do other things on your computer while the backup is completing.

 

[tlts]

thank you Swiss-G & DeltaMac....Swiss-G, the edit regarding time-machine was helpful. the emails i use are from my host server, gmail and yahoo. They are not standard OS X mail app. i can not loose my email while erasing this hard drive. DeltaMac, thank yo for your clarification. the external drive i bought says its compatible with both PC & Mac....i confirmed with salesperson that meant IMac Yosemite....its a Seagate backUp Plus, just so you know. Are you saying that Time Machine will set up this external drive automatically?They say this external drive is a 'plug play' but maybe only for PC... i am not sure how that would apply for Mac.i am ready to do this, i just need to confirm that Time Machine and this external drive will restore all my emails OR is there something i need to do to ensure my emails are restored. I saw something on YouTube saying to go to a 'Library' then to 'mail 'and do other steps. I got the 'Library' but did not see 'mail'. Neither of you mentioned that approach. So would you just confirm how to handle my emails as they are NOT as Swiss-G referred to as standard OS X mail app.

 

[DeltaMac]

Not quite... Your salesperson steered you a little wrong, I think.
The Seagate backup plus is sold as compatible with both PC and Mac - which is 'tech-speak' for: You need to install the driver software to make it useful for the Mac. It will be formatted from Seagate as an NTFS drive. The Mac will read files that might be stored on the drive, but can't write files or modify any files stored on that drive until you install the NTFS driver software that you get from Seagate.

And, important for you, that also means that it won't work with Time Machine until you erase that external drive, then format it in OS X Extended format. That would also include changing the partition map to GUID.
All easily done in your Disk Utility!

 

[tlts]

one cable came with this seagate hard drive. software was not included. how would i get the NTFS drive? seagate sent me something saying they registered my serial number and model number. i don't read anything from them about an NTFS drive.i have NO problem right now taking this hard drive back to Staples then going over to Best Buy, where salespeople may be honest about products, and get whichever hard drive i can 'plug and play' for this Mac. I want a hard drive that does all the formatting automatically. Which would you recommend or suggest?

 

[DeltaMac]

You mean formats itself, without any help from you?
Nope.
But, you could check what format it is now, just to make sure.
Connect it to your Mac. Right-click on the drive icon, and choose Get Info.
That info window will show you what format the drive is now. If is it Mac OS Extended now, you don't have to do anything at all, it is completely ready for use with Time Machine.
If, on the other hand, it shows NT File System/NTFS, then launch Disk Utility. Change the format of the drive.
Easy, and you are done - and again, completely ready for use with Time Machine.
Don't make this so hard!

 

[tlts]

DeltaMac..... when i DOUBLE-CLICK on seagate drive icon i see three choices to click....Set_Up.dmg, Set_Up.exe , Warranty.pdf.
When i found the Get Info....under Set_Up.dmg is says 'open with' DiskImageMounter (default) or Disk Utility.Then it reads...Use this application to open all documents like this one.
When i click on Set_Up.exe it reads 'open with' TextEdit.
I do not see where it tells me what format the drive is in now. Says nothing about NT File Systems /NTFS. Since the Set_Up.dmg says something about 'Disk Utility' should i click on the 'Disk Utility' under Set_Up.dmg? if you say yes, click on 'disk utility' will it then tell me 'how to' change the format of the drive?
I am not trying to be nor in no way want to be .....difficult.... I am stating to you what I see and just need to be plain and clear in communicating to you,as best i am able.

 

[DeltaMac]

When did I say double-click? That would open the drive, and not be useful to you in any way

However, now you can see the software that you thought was not included!
It's stored on the hard drive.
The one named Set_Up.dmg would be your Mac driver software.
The other Set_Up.exe is Windows only, and not useful to you on the Mac.
You can open the Set_Up.dmg, and run that. And, that will make it usable with your Mac.

But, it won't make your NTFS drive usable for Time Machine. If you want to use Time Machine, then the drive needs to be in Mac format.
Disk Utility is already on your Mac. Open the Applications folder, then the Utilities folder.
You can also press Command-Space, which will open your Spotlight Window. Type Disk Utility, and press enter.
Any way that you want to open Disk Utility will work fine.
Select your external seagate drive in the list in Disk Utility. Click the Erase button. Make changes to the drive settings so it will format to OS X Extended format, and click Erase. A few seconds, and you are done!

 

[tlts]

i was pointing out that i could ONLY double click....I can not right click on this Mac.
ok, as you describe sounds easy enough and i am ready to do this but
what about all my emails ? since they are not in what Swiss-G referred to as standard OS X mail app.
my mail is received and sent thru my host server, yahoo or gmail.

 

[colourfastt]

This thread has me longing for the days past when the only people who owned computers where those who could troubleshoot, build, and repair them.

 

[tlts]

LOL

 

[bcave098]

i was pointing out that i could ONLY double click....I can not right click on this Mac.
ok, as you describe sounds easy enough and i am ready to do this but
what about all my emails ? since they are not in what Swiss-G referred to as standard OS X mail app.
my mail is received and sent thru my host server, yahoo or gmail.

You can right click on a Mac by holding control and clicking on something (or enabling secondary click in System Preferences). Additionally, you can select the external hard drive and press ⌘ + I or File > Get Info.