MOTUnation.com

Hi all,I'm a new member, and glad I found this forum. I have an early 2011 MBP, it's been wiped and loaded with El Capitan. It's my first Mac, everything seems to work well, except I cannot log into my Apple account, though I can on my iPhone. I suspect it may be something to do with the serial number. The number is engraved on the case, but "About this Mac" says the number is a 17 digit code that is quite different. I've tried deleting some plists, without any result. Thanks, any suggestions?

That is not the issue. The serial number is used only for access to AppleCare which, if you purchased it, expired in 2014.

The Apple Store is a department of the iTunes Store and that is where your settings are managed. Pull up iTunes and see if you can log into your account from there. Apple has live chat available that can help.

If nothing else works, you have access to a free support call with Apple. Go to support and check the box for new OS install.

The serial # is also something Apple can log if a device is stolen. In the event it is ever taken to Apple for repairs, it will be flagged (or flogged) and the authorities will be notified. At least that's what Apple told me when my wife's iBook was stolen from her classroom a few years ago.

In iTunes, in the Store menu there are options to authorize and deauthorize your computer. As well as sign in/out.

Like ways in the Apple Menu (upper left) in the App Store, in the store pull-down menu, there is a sign-out and sign in. You might need to sign out the other user.

That should be all you need, unless you still need to create your Apple ID.

To get the serial number you are looking for, use the About this Mac in the upper left apple-menu, and copy that serial.

Thanks for the replies. I opened iTunes, but when I tried to login, it froze, as it does via appstore, messages etc., and I had to force quit. I can access my account fine on my PC. Maybe I need to deauthorise the computer, or would the fact that I've changed country be an an issue? Hmmm.

Time to chat with Apple support, as Mike suggested. Or take it in and work with a "genius".

https://www.apple.com/support/contact/

Go through the steps and you will come to a screen that has the box for a recent OS install.

Some countries are listed here.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201232

The screener will try to qualify you. Again, it's the recent OS installation. Once you get past the screener, the techs don't care how you got there so you are good.

If necessary, they can email you a diagnostic program that allows a tech to log in to your Mac.