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Verification failed. Unknown error occured. After migration to new MacBook Pro.

When setting up iCloud, I get "Verification failed. Unknown error occurred" on my brand new Macbook pro that was migrated from my old Macbook pro (2011) last night.


With the same Apple ID and password I was able to log in to appleid.apple.com and wwww.icloud.com. I only have one Apple ID. If I give wrong password, I get username or password is incorrect (or similar).


So far I have tried to following and nothing works, just "Verification failed":

  • Restart new laptop, retry to give Apple ID password to iCloud prompt at the top of settings.
  • Log out of iCloud (it was remembering my email from migration), restarted laptop, tried to login to iCloud in settings, after this settings didn't remember my email, so had completely rejected the login.
  • Changed Apple ID password on my phone, restarted laptop, tried to login to icloud in settings, this gave two factor authentication message in phone, but after giving the numbers on laptop I got the same error message. After this settings did remember my email for iCloud.
  • Went to www.icloud.com and removed my new laptop from Device list, restarted laptop, tried to login to iCloud in settings.
  • Started my old laptop and signed out of iCloud there.
  • Restarted my new laptop, tried to login to iCloud in settings.


Now I have run out of ideas what to try.


PS. As a software professional I loathe to get "Unknown error occurred", it does not help in getting the thing sorted out.



MacBook Pro 16", macOS 10.15

Posted on Feb 21, 2020 3:32 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 21, 2020 5:02 AM

Open Settings app on MacBook Pro, the top part has a Apple Id sign in button, I pressed that.

It asks for Apple Id and I enter my email, next it asks for password, which I enter and press enter.

Then it shows the error dialog with heading Verification failed and in the text area An unknown error occurred.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 21, 2020 5:02 AM in response to donv_the_ghost

Open Settings app on MacBook Pro, the top part has a Apple Id sign in button, I pressed that.

It asks for Apple Id and I enter my email, next it asks for password, which I enter and press enter.

Then it shows the error dialog with heading Verification failed and in the text area An unknown error occurred.

Feb 21, 2020 5:16 AM in response to KultaKoru

I managed to finally sort it out!


SOLUTION:

If laptop shows in the device list in appleid.apple.com page, remove it and see that it no longer shows in the device list in the settings page of icloud.apple.com


On the laptop open Keychain Access application

In the search bar type: icloud and the list is filtered to show all entries with text "icloud"

I had two entries: com.apple.cloudd.deviceid.Production and iCloud Keychain Account Meta-data

Delete these entries

Open Settings application and sign in to iCloud - successfully :)

Now, finally I can update my software and start using my new laptop.


I do not know which one of the above was the culprit, as I deleted both of them. I assume these entries were migrated from the old computer and messed things up.


Verification failed. Unknown error occured. After migration to new MacBook Pro.

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