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What's the current state of iMessage functionality? Mine isn't working, any current fixes?

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Man, I'm getting no luck with any of these methods. I had perfectly working iMessage after the Chimera update a while back that fixed it (I think 2.0 or thereabouts) and hadn't done any updates since. Then about a week ago my iMessage suddenly quit working.

I have tried:

  • Reinstalling Chimera with the up to date Multibeast and installing FileNVRAM. Unfortunately I installed the 1.1.3 version first without knowing it doesn't fix iMessage, but I later replaced it and that didn't help.
  • Changed AppleID password
  • Cleared some seemingly related p-lists
  • Basically everything in the "Troubleshooting iMessage Login" article including removing all my network devices and clearing out network preference files

I'm thinking my next step might be to go ahead and try a complete reinstall of Mountain Lion, but I'd like to know what the best, most likely to work course of action would be. Does this sound right?
  • Reinstall Mountain Lion from Unibeast USB drive
  • Run MultiBeast to install current version of Chimera and all needed kexts
  • Install FileNVRAM 1.1.2
  • Log in and cross my fingers

Should this be my next step?

I think the problem is that I'm not really clear on exactly what's happening with iMessage activation. I think I understand that it activates based on your UUID, but I'm not sure how that UUID is set or generated, or what's going wrong with my activation. Does anyone have a clearer explanation?
 
[ edited 9/12/13 and corrected the location of file nvram.00020003-0004-0005-0006-000700080009.plist which is found inside /Extra and not inside /Extra/modules/. Apologies for the unintentional error. The fix is still working for me and I have replicated it in a second hackintosh]

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This is the process I used. I tried PM but since I have < 50 posts, the system won't let me.


I am assuming you have iCloud configured in System Preferences.app... First log out of Messages.app and from FaceTime.app. Then download versions 1.1.2 and 1.1.3 of FileNVRAM.dylib from:
http://public.xzenue.com/downloads/download.php?fname=./FileNVRAM/archive/FileNVRAM-1.1.2.zip
and
http://public.xzenue.com/downloads/download.php?fname=./FileNVRAM/FileNVRAM-1.1.3.zip
unzip both of these files to your desktop or other easy access location.


1. obtain your machine's PlatformUUID
a. open terminal
b. type the following: ioreg -lw0 | grep PlatformUUID
c. you will get a series of numbers and letters separated by hyphens similar to ""F6E19CFK-E54C-53D7-A6E7-516650789C56"
d. copy the PlatformUUID string to a new document in text edit or some other basic text program.

2. modify files in the /Extra folder.
a. I used TextWrangler to do the editing of my files. You can use TextEdit but it can be a pain. TextWrangler is free and you can find it at http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/download.html
b. open the /Extra folder in the Finder
c. find a file whose name begins with nvram and ends in .plist. Mine is named "nvram.00020003-0004-0005-0006-000700080009.plist".
d. open the file /Extra/nvram.00020003-0004-0005-0006-000700080009.plist in TextWrangler. Authenticate as admin if asked by TextWrangler.
e. the file will look messy in TextWrangler's window. Go to TextWrangler's menu and select Text -> Hard Wrap... -> (click) Rewrap.
f. click "make writable" if asked
g. now the file should make a bit more sense. Command-F and search for 4D1EDE05-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B38C14
h. very carefully select and delete 4D1EDE05-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B38C14 and paste the PlatformUUID you got from part 1
i. Command-S to save the edited file.
j. open the file /Extra/org.chameleon.Boot.plist in TextWrangler and add the following, of course you would put the PlatformUUID from step one in the second line:
<key>SystemId</key>
<string>"PlatformUUID"</string>

it should look something like this:
<key>SystemId</key>
<string>F6E19CFK-E54C-53D7-A6E7-516650789C56</string>

3. FileNVRAM v 1.1.2
a. delete (after making a backup copy if desired) your current /Extra/modules/FileNVRAM.dylib
b. put FileNVRAM.dylib version 1.1.2 in your /Extra/modules/ folder
c. reboot


4. Log in to Messages.app. You should be good to go with Messages.app. Test to verify. If all good then go to #5. Don't go to step 5 if you have not logged in to Messages.app!


5. FileNVRAM v 1.1.3
a. delete file /Extra/modules/FileNVRAM.dylib
b. put FileNVRAM.dylib version 1.1.3 in your /Extra/modules/ folder
c. reboot

6. Log in to FaceTime. Should work. Test Messages.app again. Should work.
 
I couldn't access nor edit the nvram plist file.
I tried text wrangler and textedit and tried changing permissions to edit the file but it wont let me. How did you do it?

I initially just replaced my original NVRAM to 1.2 file and iMessage works great, but I like the idea of having facetime to work so I tried following your instructions and thats where I got stuck :(
 
I just right clicked on the nvram .plist file inside /Extra and then chose Open with -> TextWrangler.

TextWrangler then prompts for an administrative username / password. I made my own account admin temporarily just to work with all these changes. Once password is entered, hit ok and you should see the TextWrangler document window with the contents of the nvram .plist file.

When you start editing the file, it should ask you if you want to make the file writable. You should answer "make writable" of course.

FYI, I could not edit the file with text edit.

the permissions of my nvram .plist file are:
-r-------- 1 root staff 2044 Sep 3 23:00 nvram.00020003-0004-0005-0006-000700080009.plist
 
I found my issue. I needed to add myself to be able to open and edit the file.
Once that was done everything worked a treat EXCEPT I cant get facetime and iMessage simultaneously working. Not overly worried as I rarely use FaceTime, but itll be nice if it just ddint crash upon wanting to make a call.
 
I've gone through these instructions several times and have gotten nowhere. :(

One question: You mentioned that your "nvram.00020003-0004-0005-0006-000700080009.plist" file is in /Extra/modules, but mine appears to be just in /Extra. Is that correct? This is the only difference I can possibly see between your instructions and my machine.

I'm starting to think perhaps my PlatformUUID is blacklisted or something, is there a way to change it?]
 
My nvram*.plist was also in the Extra folder. Tried everything in this thread. Finally I got iMessage to work; this may or may not work for you, but here's what I did :

1 - Deleted the nvram*.plist file in the Extra folder, and removed anything I had modified following the advice in this thread.
2 - Used the Chameleon Wizard to generate a new, random serial number consistent with the system definition (Macpro3,1)
3 - Downloaded and run Chimera 2.0.1, installed and let it generate the files needed.
4 - Rebooted and had a working iMessage.

Good luck
 
I am not very clear what the change accomplished (other than fixing Messages.app). When I go back to the two files edited, org.chameleon.Boot.plist has the SystemId entry with the alphanumeric string that I got after using "ioreg -lw0 | grep PlatformUUID" in terminal. However, looking inside the nvram.00020003-0004-0005-0006-000700080009.plist file, I see the change was apparently lost after reboot. The computer's PlatformUUID entry reverts back to <key>4D1EDE05-38C7-4A6A-9CC6-4BCCA8B38C14</key>.

Perhaps someone with good understanding of the issue could provide an explanation as to what the fix does and why it was broken to begin with.

This is where I'm at. I reboot and my UUID is changing on every reboot. Going to reboot now and see if iMessages works after the reboot.
 
My nvram*.plist was also in the Extra folder. Tried everything in this thread. Finally I got iMessage to work; this may or may not work for you, but here's what I did :

1 - Deleted the nvram*.plist file in the Extra folder, and removed anything I had modified following the advice in this thread.
2 - Used the Chameleon Wizard to generate a new, random serial number consistent with the system definition (Macpro3,1)
3 - Downloaded and run Chimera 2.0.1, installed and let it generate the files needed.
4 - Rebooted and had a working iMessage.

Good luck

Surprisingly enough, this worked for me. Generating the new serial number and rolling back to Chimera 2.0.1 seems to be the best and simplest option for me right now, as none of the Chimera improvements since then have really applied to my build. Thanks for the recommendation!
 
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