Resolved Mac Desktop with High Sierra 10.13.16

[RaphH]

My Mac Desktop 24” with High Sierra 10.13.6 has just closed down Mail! A username and password error shown and a Thunderbolt icon next to the two accounts. It took me about ten days to realise after the usual update as I tend to use my iPhone 8 Plus for everyday mails. I now have to use a Mozilla page to open my Gmails! A bit of a pain.
I eventually reinstalled the OS and wasted hours try to work out what was wrong. Eventually Apple response was it was a Google error! Rubbish as they have changed the security settings. No warning given.
There seem to be many others with this problem looking on Macforum.
Any advice would be appreciated!
Thanks
RaphH

 

[davigarma]

One of the many stupidities of Google. El Capitan, much older Yosemite works without problems but in Hight Sierra they have completely banned any mail. The solution for me is to use Microsoft Office Outlook which works without any problems

Regards

 

[RaphH]

One of the many stupidities of Google. El Capitan, much older Yosemite works without problems but in Hight Sierra they have completely banned any mail. The solution for me is to use Microsoft Office Outlook which works without any problems

Regards

Thanks for your response! Brilliant to have such a quick reply.
I have considered this but the OS I have will not allow MS Outlook! My computer was bought in 2011. So I am stumped at the moment. I am looking at a possible second hand MacBook Air that is on sale nearby. I like the big screen but no was can I afford another Mac. I can then use it with the old Mac as the second/alternate screen.
Another option is a Mac Mini, but all of this is expensive. Alternate email options soon add up in costs as well!
Cheers!!

 

[arw]

Thunderbird is free. Like your internet browser Firefox, its latest version still supports High Sierra.
Btw, the title contains the typo '.16' instead of '.6'.

 

[RaphH]

Thanks. I will check that out. I used to use it in the late 1980s!!!

 

[RaphH]

Unfortunately Thunderbird needs an OS one step later than mine. I have checked others but security is an issue with many email clients. Not that I have huge secrets in my life but knowing that your mail goes through a server where anyone can peek is not good. I think my answer is to do the rollback to the OS version that worked and then no more updates. I am nervous of doing this as you have to wipe your computer. I had a SSD put in a few years back to prevent a disc failure that was becoming a risk factor due to age. I have a CCC Backup.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Unfortunately Thunderbird needs an OS one step later than mine. I have checked others but security is an issue with many email clients. Not that I have huge secrets in my life but knowing that your mail goes through a server where anyone can peek is not good. I think my answer is to do the rollback to the OS version that worked and then no more updates. I am nervous of doing this as you have to wipe your computer. I had a SSD put in a few years back to prevent a disc failure that was becoming a risk factor due to age. I have a CCC Backup.

With a bit of reading/research, you could update your iMac to Monterey, via Open Core Legacy Patch (OCLP).

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forums.macrumors.com

 

[arw]

Unfortunately Thunderbird needs an OS one step later than mine.

Is the error actually related to Thunderbird or Gmail?
The system requirement for the current version of Thunderbird is macOS 10.12 or higher and it opens fine on 10.13.6 (but I did not attempt to setup a Gmail account).

 

[RaphH]

Interesting as I have the same High Sierra 10.13.6 but mine is on an iMac Desktop 21.5” 2009 model. I see you have a MiniMac. Strange goings on. I have found on the Macforum that there are other people with the same problem and error code. It also says username and password not accepted.

I am going to attempt a rollback using my CCC Backup tomorrow and pray hard! I will print off all the instructions that I have accumulated! I am hopeful. When I tried to download Thunderbird it would not, and a note popped up saying it needed 10.14

Thanks again for responding.

 

[arw]

Seems like @Silly John Fatty figured out the reason and a workaround to get Gmail working again in High Sierras Mail.app.

 

[davigarma]

In old installs of Hight Sierra there is no problem, Google and Apple respect the mail configuration in Apple Mail. They only force to change passwords in new installations. This HDD installation of my Mac 8.1 with dude1 two years ago and I have not had to modify anything. They only change in the new ones

 

[Silly John Fatty]

Seems like @Silly John Fatty figured out the reason and a workaround to get Gmail working again in High Sierras Mail.app.

Yup, but I did notice today that it might have issues. Some new emails that I've read on my iPhone or iPad haven't loaded into my inbox on my Mac. Other new emails have, however.

I think this might have to do with one of those IMAP settings or something (probably not loading if it's already read on the server or something like that). Does anyone have an idea where this could be fixed?

Either way it's just a temporary solution and you can feel it's starting to be a mess, I will have to get myself a new Mac soon. 10.13 is just too old these days and it probably also isn't safe either anymore, against Malware and other nasty stuff.