App Store keeps on trying and failing to update iMovie and iPhoto on Mountain Lion

Question

I recently got a Mountain Lion laptop from work and every time the App Store checks for updates, it reports updates as available for iMovie and iPhoto.

However, I have neither installed and when I allow the App Store to attempt to upgrade, it complains You can not update this software since you have not owned the major version of this software. I'm not particularly interested in using either piece of software, but it's annoying to constantly be asked to update and then to have the updates fail.

Screenshot:

Can one of your fine folks please recommend a course of action? If there's any further information I can provide, please let me know.

Answer 1

If the apps show up in "Purchases" up can Control + Click in the item in the Purchases list and select "Hide Purchase..."

That may do it for you.

(Seem's like whoever had the laptop before you was up to some software shenanigans).

FWIW There is a file (/Library/Application Support/App Store/adoption.plist) that looks like it keeps track of pre installed versions of iLife so you can get updates from the App Store.