Everything was sealed and I'm currently on hold with apple. I'm stuck on the registration screen where I'm being asked for a keychain password, but it's the first time I'm on the macbook. It's a new macbook pro 13" - and it's on the "Create your Computer Account" screen. I've never set the keychain passowrd, and any password i put in isn't accepted...

What's going on? On hold with apple, but something's fishy here...didn't even get the intro video or anything!

Hoping I don't have to turn in my macbook for another one, but if I do, I hope apple gives me a case or something!!! This is disappointing to have to go through this...

Here is exactly what is happening:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4057628?start=0&tstart=0

Everything was sealed and I'm currently on hold with apple. I'm stuck on the registration screen where I'm being asked for a keychain password, but it's the first time I'm on the macbook. It's a new macbook pro 13" - and it's on the "Create your Computer Account" screen. I've never set the keychain passowrd, and any password i put in isn't accepted...

What's going on? On hold with apple, but something's fishy here...didn't even get the intro video or anything!

Hoping I don't have to turn in my macbook for another one, but if I do, I hope apple gives me a case or something!!! This is disappointing to have to go through this...

Here is exactly what is happening:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4057628?start=0&tstart=0

If it didn't come in a plain brown box but the usual shrink wrapped fancy new box with a handle then it isn't a refurb.

If it didn't come in a plain brown box but the usual shrink wrapped fancy new box with a handle then it isn't a refurb.

brown box - check
handle - check

walking through a reinstall with apple now...weird....

Does that mean it did, or did not, come in a brown box?

brown box - check
handle - check

walking through a reinstall with apple now...weird....

So you don't know if you purchased a refurb or a new MBP? 2 different parts of the site.

Does that mean it did, or did not, come in a brown box?

If it came in a plain brown box like this it is a refurb.

http://appledistrict.com/wp-content/plugins/jobber-import-articles/photos/126564-refurbished-macbook-air-from-apple-2.jpeg


If it came in a box like this it is new.

http://shrani.si/f/3y/vy/TLW8NA6/2.jpg

I bought a new mbp 13" - from the apple.ca site. Verified by tech support that it is brand new.

It came in a brown box, and within the brown box was the white box with the handle...

I bought a new mbp 13" - from the apple.ca site. Verified by tech support that it is brand new.

It came in a brown box, and within the brown box was the white box with the handle...

Ok good... if you get a refurb there is only the brown box no fancy new box inside the brown shipping box.

Did you figure out why it was asking for Keychain Access?


I bought a new mbp 13" - from the apple.ca site. Verified by tech support that it is brand new.

It came in a brown box, and within the brown box was the white box with the handle...

Did you figure out why it was asking for Keychain Access?

nope - and neither could apple support. We just reinstalled the OS...hope that works...

Ok good... if you get a refurb there is only the brown box no fancy new box inside the brown shipping box.

My latest refurb and also the one before that came in a plain white box, not a brown one like the previous ones.
The last one was a MacBook Air 11.6 inches, the previous one a 13 inch MacBook Pro, both came in a white box but no pictures on the box.

But in both cases the software started up with the normal multi-language screen.

My latest refurb and also the one before that came in a plain white box, not a brown one like the previous ones.
The last one was a MacBook Air 11.6 inches, the previous one a 13 inch MacBook Pro, both came in a white box but no pictures on the box.

But in both cases the software started up with the normal multi-language screen.

At any rate there is still a difference in the packaging between a new machine and a refurb.

At any rate there is still a difference in the packaging between a new machine and a refurb.

Yes....

But other than checking the packaging the Mac came in, is there not a way to tell if a Mac is new or a refurb by checking something on the unit itself?
Like the type of serial number....... or ????

Yes....

But other than checking the packaging the Mac came in, is there not a way to tell if a Mac is new or a refurb by checking something on the unit itself?
Like the type of serial number....... or ????

I would suspect that checking the serial number with Apple would also indicate if the unit is new or a refurb or at least one would hope/expect so...

I had to reinstall the OS and also put the free software on it (ilife, garageband, etc...)...calling the apple service rep back to see if they will throw in a case for me, or something...

wasted day....

I had to reinstall the OS and also put the free software on it (ilife, garageband, etc...)...calling the apple service rep back to see if they will throw in a case for me, or something...

wasted day....

You never know with Apple... good luck.

I had to reinstall the OS and also put the free software on it (ilife, garageband, etc...)...calling the apple service rep back to see if they will throw in a case for me, or something...

wasted day....

So you had to download the software I assume.
Bummer

Check your battery cycles on your MacBook, that should give you an indication if it is actually new.

I'm coming in a bit late here and ignoring the color of the shipping boxes, were you having trouble setting up a new admin user, or getting hung up setting up a new or old Apple ID user account?

Two completely separate things, and/or just call me confused. ;)

i was having a problem setting up my account as I was getting an error during my registration process when I first opened up my macbook pro.

Battery cycle is 1...so we're good.

Incidentally, should i not be running mountain lion on a new macbook directly from apple? I am running 10.7.4 currently...

Incidentally, should i not be running mountain lion on a new macbook directly from apple? I am running 10.7.4 currently...

You should be but obviously something went wrong during the software load of your software.

In any case, you're entitled to a free copy of Mountain Lion. just apply for a code so you can download it.

You should be but obviously something went wrong during the software load of your software.

In any case, you're entitled to a free copy of Mountain Lion. just apply for a code so you can download it.

how do i apply for a code?

My understanding is that refurbs get new batteries (not that it sounds like a refurb in any case).

i was having a problem setting up my account as I was getting an error during my registration process when I first opened up my macbook pro.

Battery cycle is 1...so we're good.

Incidentally, should i not be running mountain lion on a new macbook directly from apple? I am running 10.7.4 currently...

how do i apply for a code?

5 Seconds to type into the google search bar.....
Apple - See if you qualify for a free OS X Mountain Lion upgrade. (http://www.apple.com/osx/uptodate/)

5 Seconds to type into the google search bar.....
Apple - See if you qualify for a free OS X Mountain Lion upgrade. (http://www.apple.com/osx/uptodate/)

thank you.

My understanding is that refurbs get new batteries (not that it sounds like a refurb in any case).

My understanding as well, but the refurbs I have bought usually have a few cycles on them, like 3 or 4.
No idea why because the software always came up as a brand new install.

In this particular case I suggested checking the battery because it sounded as if that Mac was actually a returned Mac that had already been booted up and an account set up by someone else previously.
But having 1 cycle on the battery doesn't really prove anything.

i was having a problem setting up my account as I was getting an error during my registration process when I first opened up my macbook pro.

Battery cycle is 1...so we're good.

Incidentally, should i not be running mountain lion on a new macbook directly from apple? I am running 10.7.4 currently...
I took delivery of a Retina Display machine on Thursday and it shipped with Lion. My guess is that any machines that were already on the assembly line and/or ready to be shipped as of the 25th still had Lion on them.

There is a link from the main page of Apple's site (bottom left corner I believe) that gave me the page to apply for the redeem code for ML. Took about an hour to receive the code.

5 Seconds to type into the google search bar.....
Apple - See if you qualify for a free OS X Mountain Lion upgrade. (http://www.apple.com/osx/uptodate/)

After reading the Up-to-Date Program and the sometimes confusing Terms and Conditions and all that's involved as well as the time needed to do it all and then await one's code, it's almost worth it to just buy the $20.00 ML via the App Store.

But maybe that's just what Apple is hoping most qualifiers will do. ;)

After reading the Up-to-Date Program and the sometimes confusing Terms and Conditions and all that's involved as well as the time needed to do it all and then await one's code, it's almost worth it to just buy the $20.00 ML via the App Store.

Terms and conditions ????
Does anyone actually read those?

If I had read them and all Apple asks for, I would have probably gone the $20 route as well, but I just dove in, sent them the Mac serial number and my Apple ID. I actually had to register on the app store because I have never bought anything there, but all the fields were already pre-filled, so the process was pretty quick.
What takes a long time, over an hour for me, was the actual download.