How to Fix iMessage

[sentur]

Updates shouldn't really break iMsg/F-Time - are you running a Chimera or a Clover install?

I'm running an recent version of Clover r3542 I believe. But this isn't a completely fresh install of OS using that, I' migrated from Chimeria to clover about a year ago and have done incremental OS updates.

 

[esafeddie]

I'm running an recent version of Clover r3542 I believe. But this isn't a completely fresh install of OS using that, I' migrated from Chimeria to clover about a year ago and have done incremental OS updates.

Another tip I can offer - In future if your setup is running os x ok with all the addons i.e iMsg/F-Time, Continuity etc etc, there really is no need to update Clover every time a new Clover update is offered. Just go by the old adage 'If it isn't broke don't fix it'.

 

[Mernie]

Alright, so I just installed a fresh copy of 10.11.5 - read through the guide & used Clover Configurator - and created a S/N, did UUID to generate SmUUID, added the 12 char S/N + 5 characters = 17 characters to the serial number for BSN.

The obstacles I ran into are:

1) Didn't realize that the error messsage when using the S/N used on the selfsolve.apple.com website "We're sorry, but this serial number is not valid. Please check your information and try again" really meant that it's not valid by Apple. A different forum/post suggested this was an indication that this S/N was usable, but the guide on page 1 seems to suggest it's not. I was under the impression that they may have changed the website.

2) Instructions I followed said to keep the MLB and ROM values CLEAR under "RtVariables" section, but "how to fix imessage" guide on page 1, seems to say to add them. All I did was use system ID Mac 14,2 for my i7 Devils Canyon processor with z97-a mobo, I added the S/N, the BSN (added 5 characters to S/N), and the SmUUID from terminal output. I also made sure for S/N to shake the value for both entries a few times. Deleted all the iMessage preference files in ~/Library/Preferences and other places using terminal.

Fixed permissions then rebooted.

3) When I tried logging into iMessage got the error code, "You cannot sign in to iMessage on this Mac at this time. To use iMessage with this Mac, contact Apple support and provide the code below: Customer Code - 43XX XXXX XXXX APple ID: [email protected]"

So I called Apple at their number and inputted the S/N & also the customer code, and they said they white listed something - I think they said they white listed the customer code. So I tried a few times now with the same apple id about a day after now, and still hasn't worked.

So at this point, there are a few questions to resolve:

A) They said they cleared the customer code, but I think I have an invalid S/N, do I have to make a new S/N? I tried several times on the selfsolve.apple.com website, and consistently got the "We're sorry, but this serial number is not valid. Please check your information and try again" message. As of today, should we still be getting the "We're sorry, the number you have provided cannot be found in our records. Please verify the number and try again" message with a good S/N?
B ) The other guide said to keep the info on RTVariables (MLB & ROM) clear, yet the tonymacx86.com guide seems to indicate to add the MLB & ROM, and I was unclear on this. What should I do? Some people/most guides I saw said to keep RTVariables clear & not to add anything for MLB & ROM
C) Should I start from scratch and make a new S/N, BSN, & SmUUID? I made sure to remove all the imessage .plist, config files in /library/messages, etc. as discussed by the guide. I understnad that too many attempts from the router IP address may possibly raise some red flags, so how do I ensure the new Mac system ID, S/N, BSM, SmUUIDs are seen as new? In other words, how do I make sure my computer is not permanently blacklisted? I am willing to use a NEW apple ID for test purposes.

Thank you,
Mernie

 

[Mernie]

Hey Piranha, I read your post & I believe it may have a nugget of info that may be crucial to getting iMessage to work! Could you to clarify a few things for me (can you read my post right before this one btw?). I had the issue with the S/N where when trying to generate it under clover configurator after shaking it a dozen times, on the selfsupport.apple.com website I constantly got the message, ""We're sorry, but this serial number is not valid. Please check your information and try again." Seemed like doing it 10x in a row I never got the "not in database" message.

Under Clover Configurator, I generated, under the SMBios section, the board serial number where I had the S/N (12 characters) + 5 characters capitalized and some numbers = 17 characters. I generated SmUUID by going into terminal and typing uuid and pasted that in the SmUUID field.

I also cleared all the imessage plist, preference, etc. files under ~/Library and other places, fixed permissions, and rebooted, but didn't work.

Now I read your post how you needed to add the MLB and ROM. WHERE did you add the MLB and ROM? Did you add the MLB & ROM numbers under RtVariables or did you add the MLB to BSN?

Where did you get the MLB from? Did you generate one or did you get it from a broken logic board? Where did you put the MLB value?

Please let us know exactly what you did from beginning to end! Did you ever get a correct S/N or did you just use the one that said, ""We're sorry, but this serial number is not valid. Please check your information and try again."

Thanks,
Mernie

Just for the record.. I got everything working!!!
No change in serial.. or any other parts. I Just reran uuidgen like 10 times/ copied the last one into my smuuid, and made the rom from last part of it.
Changed my MLB like we discussed earlier.. You were 100% correct in your MLB theory. Put it in.. Saved Plist in clover.. and then
edit: forgot to mention .. I also checked the inject system id box in Clover as well.

I deleted everything from.. (below) logged out of of iCloud .. Rebooted and, bada bing, bada bang!!, bob's your uncle.. everything works

• • 1. cd /Users/~username/Library/Caches/
    2. sudo rm -rf com.apple.iCloudHelper*
    3. sudo rm -rf com.apple.Messages*
    4. sudo rm -rf com.apple.imfoundation.IMRemoteURLConnectionAgent*
    5. cd /Users/~username/Library/Preferences/
    6. sudo rm -rf com.apple.iChat.*
    7. sudo rm -rf com.apple.icloud.*
    8. sudo rm -rf com.apple.imagent.*
    9. sudo rm -rf com.apple.imessage.*
    10. sudo rm -rf com.apple.imservice.*
    11. sudo rm -rf com.apple.ids.service*
    12. sudo rm -rf com.apple.identityserviced*
    13. sudo rm -rf com.apple.security.*

 

[captainreynolds]

How did you generate your MLB? Did you take your serial + random characters?

Is your serial number valid according to Apple self solve?

Thank you

Yes, I did the MLB according to the guide. According to the change Apple has newly implemented on the s/n checker page, my S/N's now reads as 'not valid' which used to say 'Not in our records.'

What's weird, is that it only seems to work in some cases with some people. For some people it wants to try and send text messages only even though they have iPhones - I don't have text message forwarding turned on right now.

 

[esafeddie]

People please don't get it twisted - What used to read 'Not in our records' will now read 'Not Valid' when checking s/n - this is definitely ok. It must NEVER say 'Valid' unless you have taken the values off a broken mac that will NEVER, EVER connect to the internet and any Apple Services again - Hope this helps.

 

[Mernie]

People please don't get it twisted - What used to read 'Not in our records' will now read 'Not Valid' when checking s/n - this is definitely ok. It must NEVER say 'Valid' unless you have taken the values off a broken mac that will NEVER, EVER connect to the internet and any Apple Services again - Hope this helps.

RIght - I already assumed that - but after generating serial number, UUID/smUUID, and BSN (adding 5 char to serial number), and clearing iMessage settings/preferences, & rebooting got the error message to call Apple which I did, waited 24 hours, told by Apple customer support they cleared the validation code, but still didn't work.

Please inform if MLB and ROM should be put in RTVariables page, or should RTVariables be cleared & also inform if MLB = BSN.

How should oneinput the MLB + ROM values? Into RTVariables section OR should MLB be the 12 digit serial + 5 char = 17 char for BSN, and do we have to do anything about ROM if smUIID was generated (since I think ROM should be based on the last char of it).

I followed the guide, but it's not working.

 

[esafeddie]

RIght - I already assumed that - but after generating serial number, UUID/smUUID, and BSN (adding 5 char to serial number), and clearing iMessage settings/preferences, & rebooting got the error message to call Apple which I did, waited 24 hours, told by Apple customer support they cleared the validation code, but still didn't work.

Please inform if MLB and ROM should be put in RTVariables page, or should RTVariables be cleared & also inform if MLB = BSN.

How should oneinput the MLB + ROM values? Into RTVariables section OR should MLB be the 12 digit serial + 5 char = 17 char for BSN, and do we have to do anything about ROM if smUIID was generated (since I think ROM should be based on the last char of it).

I followed the guide, but it's not working.

My entries are as the examples shown here (with some data removed for obvious reasons). As I've said on many occasions, you must log out of all Apple services you're currently logged into before injecting new values otherwise you'll end up causing conflicting data in iMsg/F-Time.

 

[Mernie]

My entries are as the examples shown here (with some data removed for obvious reasons). As I've said on many occasions, you must log out of all Apple services you're currently logged into before injecting new values otherwise you'll end up causing conflicting data in iMsg/F-Time.

You mean iCloud right? Can't think of any other apple services that would be logged in.

 

[esafeddie]

You mean iCloud right? Can't think of any other apple services that would be logged in.

Yes - also iTunes and App Store if logged in.