MacBook Question, More Applesauce

A friend has recently purchased a MacBook (13" Dual Core 2.4ghz, 8gb RAM) on EBay. When the computer boots up it goes directly to Disk Utilities. Poking around in Disk Utilities I learned that OS 10 Yosemite is installed. Through Disk Utilities I got access to Safari and yahooed the problem. One person on a forum said that this had been cleared up by them when they reset the "Disk Permissions". Unfortunately the Disk Permissions reset is not available because somebody, presumably the previous owner has set the machine to "Ignore Owner" .

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

1) You'll need a second computer.
2) Download Yosemite OS X ( it's free of charge in a gazillion places on the net)
3) Type "Clean Install OS X Yosemite" in Google
4) Follow the instructions.
5) Be

a reply to: ipsedixit

Asssuming you want a factory reset.

www.tomsguide.com...

a reply to: trisvonbis

Thanks for the response.

The second computer being another Apple computer?

a reply to: grey580

This sounds good. If I go this route I'll have to set up an Apple account for my friend. (He doesn't know much about this stuff and I'm not an Apple guy myself.)

a reply to: ipsedixit

Yeah.

But that's trivial.

And in the end it's a brand new pc.

Set up Apple account, call Apple tech support and set up an appointment at the Genius Bar at the closest Apple Store. Let them figure it out.

STM

a reply to: grey580

Things have gotten worse. Now I just get the folder with the question mark blinking, which means the boot sequence can't find any OS at all. I tried typing Control R to get to the recovery console, but there was no response. I think the hard drive is kaput.

a reply to: seentoomuch

That's a possibility. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've been doing some reading on line and one person in a forum discussion suggested pushing the power button and then immediately holding down the option button. When I did this I got a screen with a lock logo in the middle of it and a box to fill in a pass word plus a button to push after filling in the password. I tried "admin" but that didn't work.

I was just wondering if this is all taking place in RAM and therefore no indication of whether the hard drive is still functioning, as I assume to be the case.

a reply to: ipsedixit

here's a yosemite specific reinstall

fieldguide.gizmodo.com...

if this isn't working. you'll have to download yosemite and make a usb bootable drive. but you'll need another mac to do so.

www.insanelymac.com...

a reply to: grey580

Thanks. I appreciate the links. I think it may come to something like this, or a visit to an Apple store.

I went on line and found out that if one RAM stick was removed and then the PRAM was reset with the key commands, the desktop could be restored. I did it and it worked.

Now I am trying to install Yosemite and have been prompted for my friend's Apple ID and password, which I entered, but then was told that the ID had never been used with the app store and to review my friend's account. I did so and included data related to credit card payments, address, etc. and tried again to install the OS. The ID and password were again refused with the same message. I am currently trying to find my way through this issue.

Apparently people have succeeded in breaking through into the magic kingdom by going to iTunes and downloading a free song through the apple store or whatever.

Side note: Dealing with Apple is like dealing with a community of leprechauns. Being whimsical and nutty with loads of free time and nothing to do is a distinct asset.

I have gone to iTunes and had to buy a song (for $.69) to activate the account. I then went back to the MacBook and entered the Apple ID again and this time got a message saying that "the item" (Yosemite OS presumably) was not available at this time and to try again later.

This is progress. I haven't touched home plate but at least negotiations with the third baseman have ended. Now I wait til "later" to see what happens.

I will advise the members of the story's conclusion.

I keep getting this message that "the item is not available". I looked around a little on the web and somebody said that it was because the Macbook itself is not yet connected to the App Store through any activity initiated from it. I was going to initiate some activity so I thought of ITunes and buying another song (hoots of merriment from the leprechauns), but I realized that I couldn't do that because I couldn't download iTunes to the Macbook yet.

I then set up an iCloud account using the Macbook (I can run Safari through the Utilities dialog box) but once again when trying to install the OS, I got the message that the "item" (OS 10 Yosemite) was not available.

I'm at my wit's end. All I can do is continue to search on line for some solution to this riddle wrapped in an enigma.

I really have a major problem. When I try to install OS X Yosemite I get a message from the app store that "this item is temporarily unavailable". This is a very misleading message, from what I can gather on the web. What is really the problem is that the Macbook my friend bought is tied to its previous owner's Apple ID and I cannot download the Yosemite install under my friend's Apple ID.

Apparently the only way around this, to identify this computer with his Apple ID, is to purchase a new set of install disks from Apple, using his Apple ID, and those disks must be from the operating system that the Macbook originally shipped with, i.e., Snow Leopard 10.6.

There is an explanation at the following link:

discussions.apple.com...

I'm not sure what to tell him to do about this. I'm thinking that he should go to an Apple store and ask them how much it would cost to get the OS 10.6 install disks. From what I have read, he shouldn't expect a big charge for those.

Any thoughts from anyone?

A call to the Apple Store brought a satisfactory resolution to all problems. Even though the laptop in question, a Macbook, is considered a legacy product and no longer supported, Apple's expert and professional support staff came to the rescue like leprechauns in shining armor.

At the moment I have installed Snow Leopard and registered it under my friend's Apple ID and am in the process of scaling the upgrade heights to Sierra.

All's well that ends well. Thank you Apple for showing why your support staff has such a great reputation.