32-bit Mac App Store games stop working, licenses revoked?

[retta283]

All of my 32-bit Mac games bought from the App Store have ceased to function entirely on all of my computers at once. When opened it attempts to verify the app, it does this and then nothing. No way to open. I logged in and out of the App Store, tried offline, and all attempts failed.

However, there was a trick, but an untenable one. If I changed the date on the computer to a year earlier, they open. This is making me think there is a license issue with the apps that have ruined them. I am running 10.12 Sierra and would love it if others could give this a shot on the same OS or even another. This has only happened with paid apps, my free ones seem unaffected but are all still available. Obviously all 32-bit stuff is long delisted at this point.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I just tried one in my Mojave VM and it loaded up fine. My best guess is there's an expired certificate. What I would try is signing out of the App Store, then back in. That should do it. I had to re-enter my password in the App Store to download the game I tried, which may be why I had no problem (and yes, it most certainly was a 32-bit game). Read this article below for some info about this happening several years ago.

Mac Store Apps Stopped Working Due To Expired Security Certificate | TechCrunch

Oops! A number of users have been reporting error messages and other issues with software downloaded from the Mac App Store that prevented them from using

techcrunch.com

 

[Hughmac]

I had to log out and back of the store on my MBP 2012 (Mojave), and after that everything was fine.
However Snow Leopard on a 2007 iMac will still not allow me to use any apps from the store.

I'm hoping it's just an Apple glitch and will be fixed sometime

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Have you tried backing up and then deleting the apps, and redownloading fresh copies from the App Store? Even if they have been delisted for new sale, if you log in most (!) of them should still be available for download under "Purchased" in the App Store.

 

[Hughmac]

I lied about the MBP working fine now. After a reboot 32 bit apps have stopped working with an error from the store - “CPULed” is damaged and can’t be opened. Delete “CPULed” and download it again from the App Store.
That particular app has mysteriously disappeared from my account at the store and can't be downloaded

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I lied about the MBP working fine now. After a reboot 32 bit apps have stopped working with an error from the store - “CPULed” is damaged and can’t be opened. Delete “CPULed” and download it again from the App Store.
That particular app has mysteriously disappeared from my account at the store and can't be downloaded

Cheers

Hugh

Try removing the quarantine flag.

How to Fix "App Is Damaged and Can't Be Opened" on Mac

Apple's tight security protocols strike again.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[retta283]

Interesting, it may be more than just me then. Sorry to hear about that @Hughmac. Myself, I am going to hold out a bit longer before trying to delete and reinstall, as my games in question have been modded (Paradox) and it takes a long time to re-implement my assets, given I made copies for other mod combos and all must be removed. Perhaps moving this to a flash drive is a way to go...

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Myself, I am going to hold out a bit longer before trying to delete and reinstall, as my games in question have been modded (Paradox) and it takes a long time to re-implement my assets, given I made copies for other mod combos and all must be removed. Perhaps moving this to a flash drive is a way to go...

Exactly, you should back up then delete to see if it fixes the problem! No need to delete them permanently!

You don't even need a flash drive, stash the apps away in a zip file where LaunchServices won't see them.

 

[f54da]

Launch the app via cli, see what gets logged. Maybe some quarantine flag got reset?

Edit: I think the license issue is correct theory, since you mentioned reverting date works. Resign the app yourself (adhoc signature is ok). Maybe might break receipt validation if the app does it, but that's trivial to bypass

 

[retta283]

Zipping the apps and reinstalling worked, though I fear it is only a matter of time until this happens again. It is unfortunate that the games in question are unavailable on the Garden or I would just abandon the MAS versions. They do not copy from machine to machine without a reinstall, obviously.

As to re-signing I did not try, funny as it is that in 45 years I have never had to re-sign an app on any operating system.

 

[f54da]

>They do not copy from machine to machine without a reinstall
I assume it is verifying the receipt then? That's a good reason for you to take matters into your own hands and patch it.

 

[retta283]

>They do not copy from machine to machine without a reinstall
I assume it is verifying the receipt then? That's a good reason for you to take matters into your own hands and patch it.

Would you know of a guide as to what steps to take to patch it? Google is of no help as it wants to show me iOS app signing.

If it is really as simple as this, I am bemused that so much of this stuff remains completely unavailable on the Garden years later.

 

[f54da]

DMd. It's simple assuming you're familiar with assembly and have basic RE'ing skills.

 

[Hughmac]

Zipping the apps and reinstalling worked, though I fear it is only a matter of time until this happens again.

Success at last with that method for me, however, to download again from the store I got this at first...

After re-inflating my zip copy the store allowed my to download the game, overwrite my original file, and now it works.
A tedious process but I'll see how it goes

PS this was in Snow Leopard, but I'll try the same in Mojave in a while.

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Hughmac]

And, after all that fuss and re-installing, Apple seems to have done something to fix the App Store, because this morning I booted my iMac (Mojave) to carry out the app repairs, and everything was working as normal from boot-up

Cheers

Happy Hugh

 

[Lifeisabeach]

And, after all that fuss and re-installing, Apple seems to have done something to fix the App Store, because this morning I booted my iMac (Mojave) to carry out the app repairs, and everything was working as normal from boot-up

Good to hear. Sounds like it just was an expired certificate that they needed to update.