App store "can't buy"-error - app already installed!

[Koooopa]

Hi.

I've had a problem for a little while now. I tried to download an app (through appshopper), but got the oh so well known "cant buy now - being modified error". Fair enough, so I waited and downloaded again later with no problem. I
didnt like the app (Fera for facebook), so i deleted it from the ipad again. Only problem is that after that ive been getting error messages from app store every time i try to download new apps. "cant download fera and x others" (this number increases as i keep getting new apps)

Ive connected the ipad to itunes, downloaded fera from there, deleted from there - no luck.

I have eventually given up and installed fera and thrown it in a folder. Only thing is: its still telling me it cant download, even though its already there. The icon changes to an empty progress bar, but if i click it, it goes back to normal.

How can I fix this?! its driving me batsh** crazy!

Thanks in advance

 

[skimonkey]

Hi Kooo---I would wait. Right now with the launch of the New ipad and the available apps that is associated with it, the app store may be overwhelmed. Hold off on downloading anymore apps. It may take some time before it completes its download, so try to be patient. Good luck.

 

[gutsaac]

I have the exact same problem on my iPad 2 Wi-Fi. And I have it for some days now. For me the error is with the "Nasa HD app" and 9 others...


Can anyone help us?

Thanks

 

[skimonkey]

Hi Gustaac-have you tried to delete the app on your ipad and reinstall it again from the appstore?

 

[gutsaac]

Yup, already tried that...

 

[Koooopa]

Its actually been like that for weeks, so I doubt it's got anything to do with the new ipad launch :/

 

[skimonkey]

Sorry that you are still having difficulyt.

Get it checked by an Apple genius. Sounds like you have done all the immediate fixes. Let us know what comes of it.

 

[Koooopa]

I guess it's time to give it up

Thing is - I don't even know if there are any apple geniuses in norway Theres not even a reL app store, just certified resellers

Huge country you see

 

[skimonkey]

I am assuming that you are running the updated version on your ipad and itunes correct?

And what version of ipad do you have?

 

[Moonlit]

I've had this exact same problem for a month now. I've uninstalled, reinstalled, deleted, bought again, restarted, hard reset my iPad 2, all numerous times, nothing fixed it. The app in question also doesn't show in my "Purchased" items, but I'm not charged again if I re-download it, so something somewhere knows I've previously bought it. But it means I have to run a search for the app in the App Store itself every time I reinstall it in the hope it's been fixed, thinking it was maybe an App Store rather than iOS bug.

AppAdvice ran an article on it about 3 weeks ago, asking readers to post about their problems with this annoying oddity and to list the app that was being troublesome, as I think they were hoping to try to bring it to Apple's attention. A lot of people commented on having the problem. I haven't seen any follow-up from AppAdvice about it though.

I was hoping maybe today's upgrade to iOS might somehow magically cure it! I've made one purchase since updating and didn't get the problem, but then I never had it every single time I tried to purchase an app, it would happen with maybe every 2nd or 3rd purchase regardless of whether it free or paid.

 

[Koooopa]

Yep, exactly the same as me!

And now that I even have the app installed on my ipad, I definately thought it would go away (why try to download something already there, right?), but nope.

And yes, I'm running the newest ios, and updated itunes. This is just a very weird bug. And I dont know why, but error messages just rub me the wrong way, even though it doesnt really do anything

 

[gleff]

I had this issue as well but managed to find a fix. I created a tutorial for anyone interested. Let me know if it helps you.

I can't remember off the top off my head where I found the fix from but I tried it and haven't had the problem since. I think it was from the Apple support forums.

App Store - Unable to Purchase error (Fix)

Geoff

 

[Moonlit]

Thank you SO much, Geoff! You're a star for posting this fix here.

I shall be off to try this later, I already have iExplorer as I used it (or something similar) to transfer my Angry Birds scores from my iPod Touch to my iPad.

Thanks again

 

[Koooopa]

Nice!

Can't wait to go home and try this! Will post update on how it went

Koooopa

 

[Moonlit]

Weh-hey, it seems to have worked! I've tried downloading 4 apps and that annoying pop-up didn't show anymore :thumbs: . It used to really get on my nerves as it would pop up just as I was starting to type in my password, hiding where you type your password till the annoying pop-up disappeared.

I had a problem with iExplore, so downloaded the trial of DiskAid instead. Having done so and followed your instructions, I saw that the troublesome app was still not showing in the list of my "Purchased" items. I synched with iTunes even though I rarely use it these days, wondering if it might fix it so that it would appear in "Purchased" again. Nope, no such luck. Then I thought I'll go look in my hidden purchases even though I checked it just before updating iTunes the other day - the troublesome app definitely wasn't there.

Well...... this time in my hidden apps, I found 4 or 5 apps that I had definitely NOT hidden including the app that had been causing this problem. I know for sure I hadn't hidden it or the other apps, as I'd bought them all after I'd last been to iTunes to hide rubbish or unwanted apps. In my case, there were 9 other apps that supposedly couldn't be downloaded, but there weren't as many as which had been wrongly amongst the hidden ones.

That's making me wonder if there's some connection between the "unable to purchase/download and XXX other apps" and the incorrectly hidden apps.

I can't thank you enough, Geoff, I thought I was going to have to live with this forever more!