How to Fix iMessage

[P1LGRIM]

I did follow your very helpful guide and my serial number passes both your criteria, showing a hardware description of my 'iMac' and showing an invalid serial number on Apple's self help site. But now I need to call Apple and it is my impression, maybe an incorrect one that once the serial number was optional when calling Apple to being mandatory. Using the web site to begin the call with Apple requires that you enter your serial number, if Apples says it is invalid you can't proceed. If you call they will also request the serial number. Giving them the generated one will not show up in their system and prompt questions about it.

I wanted to know what experience people have had calling Apple and how they handled the invalid serial number.

In my experience if you configure everything correctly there is no requirement to call Apple at all.

 

[Techneighbor]

Hi All,

I have a question on contacting Apple Support regarding the You cannot sign in to iMessage on this Mac at this time. Please contact Apple support.

I tried to contact them via the Apple web site and one of the first things they ask for is your serial number. Entering the generated serial number returns that it is invalid and then you are stuck. Has anyone called Apple lately with a non-valid serial number and what happened. I have read older posts where support tries to validate the number and then gives up and resets the account. Are you screwed contacting Apple without a valid serial number.

Also when trying to log into iMessage, it does not prompt for the validation number, I have 2 factor validation turned on. I am wondering if this might be part of the problem, though I did turn on 2 factor validation after I initially tried to log into iMessage.

As for my Apple ID and system settings they should be good. I have a credit card associated with my Apple ID and iMessage Debug shows the same values across reboots and the customer code generated is always the same.

Thanks for your help.

Still my question is has anyone called Apple recently about the iMessage error message requesting that you call Apple. I would like to hear other's experience and to see how I should proceed.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Still my question is has anyone called Apple recently about the iMessage error message requesting that you call Apple. I would like to hear other's experience and to see how I should proceed.

It is a hit and miss. They will ignore it once or twice. But the more customer service reps have to reset your ID, the more trouble it is. Eventually they will stop support until you provide a valid proof of purchase for that serial number.

 

[rockstarzzz]

In my experience if you configure everything correctly there is no requirement to call Apple at all.

I've configured everything ditto to your guide and no matter how many Apple IDs I try, each of them returns me a customer code. I don't think this is as simple as configure everything correctly. There are limitations and plenty of IDs aren't managing to get on a hackintosh.

 

[sofismatico76]

Wanted to know if you can use a 12-digit serial number with a 13-digit MLB to activate Imessage and Face Time?

 

[esafeddie]

Still my question is has anyone called Apple recently about the iMessage error message requesting that you call Apple. I would like to hear other's experience and to see how I should proceed.

If you get a popup message ('You cannot sign into iMessage on this Mac at this time. Please contact Apple support'), without a Code then your injected values are suspect and needs to be thoroughly checked for any anomalies. If you get a popup message with a Code and to contact Apple, it means your settings are ok but needs to be verified along with your ID and no amount of tinkering by you will alter the outcome, this has to be done by Apple.

 

[sofismatico76]

If the serial number that was created does not exist in the apple database, when we receive the message to contact apple support and provide the client code, that serial number that has been created will be registered in the database. Apple data?

 

[sofismatico76]

After registering the serial number that was created to activate the Imessage and Face Time serial number will appear on the site https://checkcoverage.apple.com?

 

[sofismatico76]

Can use a serial number of 12 .com a MLB of 13 ..?

 

[esafeddie]

If the serial number that was created does not exist in the apple database, when we receive the message to contact apple support and provide the client code, that serial number that has been created will be registered in the database. Apple data?

In the past when you call Apple Tech they would ask for the s/n which obviously would not be on their data base but that did not stop them from removing the block. I don't know if they have now employed more stringent rules regarding genuine S/N's. Maybe a way around this is to give them a s/n from a genuine Mac device and just say you are having a problem logging into iMessage/F-Time with your Apple ID, that way you're not saying you actually own that device.