Unable to restore iphone4

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Unable to restore iphone4

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#116724 7-May-2013 22:40

Tonight I tried to update my wifes iphone 4 from IOS 6.0.1 to the latest one. So the backup went OK and is in the right folder.

But the update did not complete successfully even though I followed all of the prompts and did not unplug the USB cable during the process. But this process did not go well, as the firmware update was "unsuccessful".

When I tried to restore the phone, I got a message saying "The iphone "iphone" could not be restored due to an unknown error (-1)".

Now itunes cannot restore the phone, even though it will load the drivers and recognise that there is an iphone there, and it recognises that it requires requires a restore. So, it goes through all of the process in attempting to restore the firmware, but with out success.

Its bad timimg on my part cause she really needs a mobile the next few days while in hospital. Any advice greatfully accepted asap.

NZ new Vodafone iphone 4 on Smartfone plan 3, itunes running on Windows 7.

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

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483 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#813350 7-May-2013 22:47

This happened to me after my iphone was replaced a month ago. I called apple up and they decided to replace it. I sent it to them and they sent the original back again which was fixed, but the problem came again the next day. I called them again today, and they have made sure this time it will get replaced.

If you are under warranty, give them a call and they should be happy to replace it.

If you are like me, out of warranty, then you could try bring up the consumer gurantees act which worked for me.

I was not able to fix the problem myself after trying on several different computers.

Hope that helps :)

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#813358 7-May-2013 22:56

Thanks for that. Unfortunately its a month out of warranty so might need to go the CGA path with Noel Leemings.

All she wanted was for me to load some audio books on for her stay in hospital, and now I wish I had left the IOS alone....

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

tdgeek

29743 posts

Uber Geek

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#813362 7-May-2013 22:59

Have you tried hard restarting it? Hold down power and home button until the white Apple appears? Takes a while, maybe 10 seconds

I'd hate to give suggestions that made it worse, but here are my thoughts. Hopefully others may confirm or add to or correct what I offer.

Reset the phone General-Reset-Erase all Content and Settings.
It will ask you to connect to iTunes, setup as s new phone.
Run the sync.

I am not sure what iOS version you will be on, or if it may force you to restore from backup, which has failed as you mentioned

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#813364 7-May-2013 23:02

bluedisk: Thanks for that. Unfortunately its a month out of warranty so might need to go the CGA path with Noel Leemings.

All she wanted was for me to load some audio books on for her stay in hospital, and now I wish I had left the IOS alone....

They should honour a month out of warranty.But if not, you should have CGA protection as it is a software update provided by apple, which is a closed environment, and it shouldn't have gone wrong. But I have heard of updates going wrong before, possibly a corrupted download.

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#813365 7-May-2013 23:06

tdgeek:

Reset the phone General-Reset-Erase all Content and Settings.
It will ask you to connect to iTunes, setup as s new phone.
Run the sync.

Where would I find the command to reset the phone "General-Reset-Erase all Contents and Settings"?

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

tdgeek

29743 posts

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#813376 7-May-2013 23:14

bluedisk:
tdgeek:

Reset the phone General-Reset-Erase all Content and Settings.
It will ask you to connect to iTunes, setup as s new phone.
Run the sync.

Where would I find the command to reset the phone "General-Reset-Erase all Contents and Settings"?

Sorry, in Settings

hatchi

65 posts

Master Geek

#813379 7-May-2013 23:20

tdgeek:
bluedisk:
tdgeek:

Reset the phone General-Reset-Erase all Content and Settings.
It will ask you to connect to iTunes, setup as s new phone.
Run the sync.

Where would I find the command to reset the phone "General-Reset-Erase all Contents and Settings"?

Sorry, in Settings

Settings => General => Reset => Erase All Content and Settings

Click agree a couple of times, the phone will restart to apple symbol and a progress bar, then it will be just as if you just purchased it.

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gazbo

89 posts

Master Geek

#813380 7-May-2013 23:21

I have had this before. I did as previously suggested and erased all content on the phone in order to get it communicating with itunes again. After that it restored from itunes without fuss.

tdgeek

29743 posts

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#813388 7-May-2013 23:33

The concern will be the state of the core OS, the firmware, on the phone, if the failed update has left the OS broken. The backup is ok, as stated, but perhaps if the phone OS is broken or partial, it may not have a capability to operate?

Keep us posted

Batman

Mad Scientist
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#813410 8-May-2013 01:06

Is your itunes able to talk over the internet

It needs to talk to steve jobs to do a restore

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#813479 8-May-2013 08:44

tdgeek: The concern will be the state of the core OS, the firmware, on the phone, if the failed update has left the OS broken. The backup is ok, as stated, but perhaps if the phone OS is broken or partial, it may not have a capability to operate?

Keep us posted

Thats right, it does not have the capacity to operate. All I get is the white USB plug image with an upward facing arrow to an itunes icon. It does not move from that.

I have not worked out a way to do a re-set -erasing everything, as I can't seem to get to that point.

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

Behodar

10502 posts

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#813482 8-May-2013 08:54

While connected to the computer, hold the power and home buttons for 10 seconds (time it). After 10 seconds, release power but continue to hold home until iTunes tells you that it's found a phone in recovery mode (about another 10 seconds). Then try restoring again.

myopinion

938 posts

Ultimate Geek

#813484 8-May-2013 08:56

Try putting the device into DFU mode prior to doing the restore from iTunes. Below a couple of links on how to do this.

http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=1034

http://absinthejailbreak.com/forum/how-to-put-your-iphone-into-dfu-mode/

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#813488 8-May-2013 08:59

Behodar: While connected to the computer, hold the power and home buttons for 10 seconds (time it). After 10 seconds, release power but continue to hold home until iTunes tells you that it's found a phone in recovery mode (about another 10 seconds). Then try restoring again.

Thanks I have already tried this. Itunes recogises the phone is in recovery mode but it still cannot restore.

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

myopinion

938 posts

Ultimate Geek

#813493 8-May-2013 09:05

Maybe the downloaded iOS firmware is corrupt. Try deleting the downloaded iOs firmware and re downloading it. You can find this here:

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/97320

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