How to Fix iMessage

[pintolcv]

@Strik9,

You only need the MLB & ROM values, it doesn't matter (at the moment) that its running SL as there currently is no cross-check to the SMBIOS / model type. Use Darwin Dumper to create a report for the NVRAM. Inject MLB & ROM via your boot-loader.

It should work - at least for the short term, however no one really knows what Apple are up to right now, since 17 digit MLB's are still not fully understood/decoded the current trend is to use 13 digit MLB's, but after the problems introduced by the late Dec 2014 validation changes I suspect that it wont be long before Apple do indeed implement a cross-check to ensure that the MLB and/or ROM are correct for the registered SMBIOS / model type ... to be honest i'm amazed that they have not done it already.

Maybe it wont happen, who knows ? but like i said in my last few posts, I think its safe to assume that Apple are clamping down/targeting users on the use of cloned ID values so we should all be mind-full of that. I believe that part of the late Dec 2014 changes included flagging the associated AppleID if it was found to be using cloned ID's which led to some users not being able to use any iCloud services.

In the last few days it seems that Apple have backed-out or revised the late Dec 2014 changes as some users are now able to use iCloud services again on their genuine Mac's

With all that said, your old White MB is stuck on SL which doesn't support iMessage so you have nothing to loose, however i would initially try it with a new/temporary AppleID until your sure things are stable and safe.

Cheers
Jay

Hi Jay,

My problem is: I use the Clover bootloader now; In clover configurator put the MLB & ROM values of my real mac (MBP) on RT values tab (Hacintosh is iMac 14.2). Then i execute via terminal 'sudo nvram.........:MLB=*********** ' and ' sudo nvram..............:ROM=************' ; execute imessage_debug and see if values are the new these. Ok, they're. Then and reboot but MLB & ROM values are not the same previous introduced. I'm doing something wrong?

thanks,
LP

 

[jaymonkey]

In clover configurator put the MLB & ROM values of my real mac (MBP) on RT values tab (Hacintosh is iMac 14.2).

Then i execute via terminal
'sudo nvram.........:MLB=*********** ' and
'sudo nvram..............:ROM=************' ;

execute imessage_debug and see if values are the new these. Ok, they're. Then and reboot but MLB & ROM values are not the same previous introduced. I'm doing something wrong?

@pintolcv,

You seem to be using two different methods of setting NVRAM values which may be causing your issues, if your using clover as your boot-loader then you should set your MLB & ROM only via the RTVariables section of clovers config.plist

The terminal nvram commands (marked in red above) are only needed if your using a legacy boot-loader in-conjunction with FileNVRAM module/kext. Clover manages the NVRAM very differently to FileNVRAM, I'm not sure what the effect of trying both is as i've never done it but i would do the following:-

First Ensure that you remove any trace on FileNVRAM if you have installed it and it's plist, you should not even have a /Extra folder if using Clover, if you do move it from the root of your startup drive and put somewhere for just reference (eg: ~/Documents)) ... then :-

• Disconnect from the network
• remove the MLB & ROM injection values from Clover config file.
• Reboot & run iMessage debug, MLB & ROM should be Clover generated default values.
• Re-edit Clover config and set MLB 7 ROM to your MBP values
• Shutdown & then restart
• Run iMessage debug - check that MLB & ROM are correct
• Reboot and check again
• If all ok reconnect to network

Good Luck
Cheers
Jay

 

[Silence720]

Hello- I created my own MLB and used my Mac address as my ROM. I tried logging into iMessage and received a message to call Apple support to activate. I know at some point this was recommended but not sure if it wil work any longer. Any suggestions if calling will fix my actication issues?

As a side note, my genuine MacBook is working after a week of rest.

Thanks!

 

[jaymonkey]

Hello- I created my own MLB and used my Mac address as my ROM. I tried logging into iMessage and received a message to call Apple support to activate. I know at some point this was recommended but not sure if it wil work any longer. Any suggestions if calling will fix my actication issues?

@Silence720,

I assume that you have self-generated a 13 digit MLB using research and investigation ?, if your happy/sure that it follows the necessary formatting then you will need to contact Apple and give them customer code which will white list the MLB & ROM - if it passes back-end validation then it should work.

Be advised that using a self-generated 17 digit MLB is risky as no-one (to my knowledge) has fully decoded the 17 digit MLB format/patten .... also there is a debate ATM as if it is necessary to have a properly formatted ROM value using Apple based MAC Prefix and/or partial FW address .... The only way you'll know for sure is to try it ....

Good Luck
Cheers
Jay

 

[pintolcv]

@pintolcv,

You seem to be using two different methods of setting NVRAM values which may be causing your issues, if your using clover as your boot-loader then you should set your MLB & ROM only via the RTVariables section of clovers config.plist

The terminal nvram commands (marked in red above) are only needed if your using a legacy boot-loader in-conjunction with FileNVRAM module/kext. Clover manages the NVRAM very differently to FileNVRAM, I'm not sure what the effect of trying both is as i've never done it but i would do the following:-

First Ensure that you remove any trace on FileNVRAM if you have installed it and it's plist, you should not even have a /Extra folder if using Clover, if you do move it from the root of your startup drive and put somewhere for just reference (eg: ~/Documents)) ... then :-

• Disconnect from the network
• remove the MLB & ROM injection values from Clover config file.
• Reboot & run iMessage debug, MLB & ROM should be Clover generated default values.
• Re-edit Clover config and set MLB 7 ROM to your MBP values
• Shutdown & then restart
• Run iMessage debug - check that MLB & ROM are correct
• Reboot and check again
• If all ok reconnect to network

Good Luck
Cheers
Jay

Hi Jay,

Many thanks with the step for step explanation. I do everything as you described. The problem is in step 6 "Run iMessage debug....". The MLB & ROM values changed every restart with the previous serial. Just in case i have to use the serial of my real Mac (MBP 7,1) or i have to use the another serial generated by Clover SMBIOS tab (in my case iMac 14.2)? One more question, the SmUUID in the same tab must be the real Mac or blank value?

thanks,
LP

 

[fruitbat04]

To those who have their iMessage service blocked and then after a week or so it worked again: Apple is blocking suspicious s/n, rom or mlb, banning that numbers on their servers for a specific period of days. Sometimes it's a week, other times it's a quarter or a month. If you have a cloned mlb/rom on your hack, you can just clear that numbers on the hack, then call Apple, and they will restore the service on your original Mac right away. There is no risk by doing it.
If you don't want to call, then maybe you're not telling the truth and you are using mlb/rom values from a Mac that it's not yours. Or simply you are just scared; but I can assure you that if you are the proper owner of the Mac that have the rom/mlb values that you are using, you will not have any problems.

Mine has just come back after about 4 days. I'm not convinced that doing some of the earlier suggestions like removing your icloud account and reloading make much difference. I tried all that, including making a new user account on my genuine MBP.

Randomly after 4 days of me having stripped the cloned values out of my hack, my iOS devices pinged up "Your MacBook Pro is now using Messages" or similar. At that point, text message forwarding appeared again on the iOS devices and I could send/receive iMessage on the MBP.

It seems to me there is a process running on Apple's servers which is sweeping though their records and blocking/unblocking MLB depending on what is signed in.

 

[jaymonkey]

Mine has just come back after about 4 days. I'm not convinced that doing some of the earlier suggestions like removing your icloud account and reloading make much difference. I tried all that, including making a new user account on my genuine MBP.

@fruitbat04,

Glad your up and running, not sure were you read to do those suggestions ... only necessary to perform the steps i detailed at the start of the guide ...

http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-help/110471-how-fix-imessage.html

See the first News item dated 11th Jan 2014

Cheers
Jay

 

[karafa]

@fruitbat04,

Glad your up and running, not sure were you read to do those suggestions ... only necessary to perform the steps i detailed at the start of the guide ...

Cheers
Jay

Just to be clear - What steps were those? My real macbook pro's iMessages aren't working and I'd like to get that back. I used its values on my hack, but since the macbook pro stopped working, I've removed all cloned values from my hack & logged out of everything on both machines. Still not working on my real mac. Anything else I need to do besides wait?

 

[Walril]

Kinda makes me want to go to a 13 digit MLB. Of course that means a non imac14,1 System definition.

Guess its just messages on my iphone for me.

 

[Shinji3rd]

Just to be clear - What steps were those? My real macbook pro's iMessages aren't working and I'd like to get that back. I used its values on my hack, but since the macbook pro stopped working, I've removed all cloned values from my hack & logged out of everything on both machines. Still not working on my real mac. Anything else I need to do besides wait?

You just need to wait. You are banned on apple servers for a random unknown amount of days. After that random amount of days have passed, your Macbook Pro's iMessages will work again.
You can just call Apple too if you want your iMessages to work right now, but only if you are sure that you removed all the cloned values from your hack.