How can I deauthorize a dead computer for iTunes music?

etihodetihod
Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
I haven't been able to figure out what to do in the event that my 2nd computer, which, admittedly is on its last leg, happens to die without me first deauthorizing my music? Apple only says that you need to deauthorize before you initalize your hard drive...it doesn't have an answer for what happens if your computer dies completely. Thanks for your input.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    not unlike myselfnot unlike myself Posts: 2,037member
    Good question. I'm sure an email to their support would have an answer. Perhaps since this will be rare (that folks actually reach the 3 computer max) they will just manually tweek your account for you.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    netromacnetromac Posts: 863member
    oh, sorry
  • Reply 3 of 8
    etihodetihod Posts: 6member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Not Unlike Myself

    Good question. I'm sure an email to their support would have an answer. Perhaps since this will be rare (that folks actually reach the 3 computer max) they will just manually tweek your account for you.



    So, here's what an email to applecare said:



    "Your authorization is based on your computer's network ID, which does not change when you initialize a hard drive. Authorizing and deauthorizing a computer is your responsibility; however, under unusual circumstances, Apple may be able to deauthorize a computer for you."



    Not exactly the easy fix I was hoping for.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    The better question is, what's to stop you from 'authorising' two of your friends' computers?
  • Reply 5 of 8
    kedakeda Posts: 722member
    I'm in the same boat, but I haven't pursued the issure since I don't have a Mac #4 to authorize.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    dominodomino Posts: 8member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by etihod

    So, here's what an email to applecare said:



    "Your authorization is based on your computer's network ID, which does not change when you initialize a hard drive. Authorizing and deauthorizing a computer is your responsibility; however, under unusual circumstances, Apple may be able to deauthorize a computer for you."



    Not exactly the easy fix I was hoping for.



    Well it sounds like Apple is using the network card's MAC address. Though each NIC has a unique MAC address from the manufacturer, you can usually reprogram it. Wonder if you could "Authorize" any number of computers by changing their MAC addresses to be a duplicate of one of the original machines.... it'd be a network-mess if they all were on the same subnet, but if they were your friends computers on different networks, no problem.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    target practicetarget practice Posts: 48member
    Do iTunes and iSync use the same method for authorization? I know if I re-initialize a Mac that was previously registered to sync with .Mac/iSync, the software will tell me that the computer was re-initialiazed and asks if I want to re-authorize it. So, I would suspect that iSync uses the MAC address, too.



    The good thing about iSync is that you can authorize and de-authorize any computer from any other computer (because iSync will list them for you if you have the correct .Mac password).
  • Reply 8 of 8
    serranoserrano Posts: 1,806member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by 1337_5L4Xx0R

    The better question is, what's to stop you from 'authorising' two of your friends' computers?



    ?



    Nothing, it just takes 2 of your total of 3. I authorized a girlfriend's iBook on my account and she did the same for me, my B&W makes number 3.
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