Latest iPhone software update

Posted by: TomK on 13 March 2011

Version 4.3.
Downloaded and installed tonight. Bricked my iPhone 3GS and screwed iTunes so it had to be reinstalled. I couldn't restore the iPhone by the normal process so had to find the .ipsw file and try it directly from that. At the moment it's been stuck about half way through for the past hour or so and I suspect it's going no further...

After waiting for another hour I cancelled the restore and tried all the suggestions I could find and after a couple of hopeful attempts I'm still being told it can't be restored.  I can't even get it back to factory default settings.

I suspect I have an ex-iPhone in my possession. It's bleedin' demised and it's no longer under warranty so it looks like that's it.

Bear this in mind if you're thinking of installing this update, or even if you're thinking of buying one. In just over a year there have been 3 or 4 updates and two have caused serious problems. The first I managed to get round, and now this. Yes I know once bitten etc but I'm a techie and like to see what's new.

I'm not happy.
Posted on: 13 March 2011 by Tony Lockhart
I've never had a problem. I synch/back-up iPhone, update iTunes, download firmware, install firmware. Done in any other order will cause problems, but on-screen pop ups have prevented my doing it any other way. When connecting the iPhone to your computer, does iTunes recognise it? Tony
Posted on: 13 March 2011 by TomK
Itunes says it detects an iPhone that needs restored but when I go through the process to do that I get told after varying amounts of time that it can't be restored. I started the process to restore factory defaults about midnight last night and it's still sitting in the middle of it six hours later.
Posted on: 13 March 2011 by Tony Lockhart
Bum. Looks like a trip to an Apple store for a swap. The last time I saw someone get a swap, after he had dropped it into the toilet, he paid £140 ish for the new iPhone. And it was a like for like swap.
Posted on: 13 March 2011 by Tony Lockhart
Bum. Looks like a trip to an Apple store for a swap. The last time I saw someone get a swap, after he had dropped it into the toilet, he paid £140 ish for the new iPhone. And it was a like for like swap.
Posted on: 14 March 2011 by alidubai
try from another computer with a fresh install of itunes.
Posted on: 14 March 2011 by Jon Myles
Connect to a fresh computer with a new install of iTunes if you can. Then go to factory restore.
Alternatively remove iTunes from your own computer (annoying, I know - but you can back-up first.)
Then retry.
Third option - see if you can downgrade to previous iTunes version and then try connecting the iPhone. After that the Apple store may be able to help as it seems to be a software fault and not a hardware one (as dropping it down the toilet would be!)

Good luck

Jon
Posted on: 14 March 2011 by TomK
Just been on the phone to Vodafone for an hour and a half repeating everything I'd already done last night, to no avail. I'm waiting for a call back and I think the next step is to try another computer.
Failing that it looks like a trip to the nearest Vodafone store will be required.

I can't believe this has all been caused by a simple software update. Doesn't inspire much confidence in Apple software I'm afraid.
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by graham55
I've just loaded 4.3 onto my 3GS. Took about 10 mins, with no problems. Not that I've ever had any problems before.
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by BigH47
Hold the front page " Software Update Fails to Load!"
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by TomK
It didn't just fail to load. It rendered the iPhone useless and unrecoverable, and also corrupted iTunes.
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by Exiled Highlander
Tom I have exactly the same problem. A trip planned to the Apple Store on Friday when I get back to Aberdeen. Have you tried iRecover? Cheers Jim
Posted on: 16 March 2011 by TomK

Jim,

I eventually got it restored by using my PC, which is XP, rather than my laptop, which is W7 64 bit. I’ve heard rumours from various sources that iTunes 64 and W7 64 bit don’t always go together well so I’ll be using XP from now on. I think the problem may have been caused originally by a corrupt download of iOS 4.3.

So this all happened at 10pm on Sunday and it took until last night to get everything fully restored. The backup I used was either incomplete or older than I thought so there was stuff missing but the main thing was to get the phone working again because I thought at one time I’d lost it. I also had to reinstall a load of apps but that was my fault for not syncing and backing up often enough because I hate iTunes with a passion and will do anything to avoid it.

So it's now fully restored, synced, and backed up and I plan to do this on a regular basis from now on.

I'd never heard of iRecover before so didn't consider using it.

I hadn't realised how dependent I'd become on it until faced with the prospect of it all going down the toilet. Good luck.

 

Posted on: 16 March 2011 by Rockingdoc
Yes this update froze my iPhone 4 and my wife's.  Normal re-start and then restore fixed them, but re-loading all the apps and settings was a major pain.
BTW, I have always found a solution on the apple forum when a phone appears to be "bricked".
Posted on: 16 March 2011 by Exiled Highlander
Doc The US military use the perfect description for my phone. FUBAR. Cheers Jim
Posted on: 16 March 2011 by Exiled Highlander
Tom I will try it with another Mac and then even try with a PC. Luckily it's my personal phone and not my work one (Crackberry) but it would be better if it wasn't a brick! Cheers Jim
Posted on: 18 March 2011 by Exiled Highlander
Well, I took my iPhone to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store tonight and guess what...it was a hardware fault and I was 24 days past the end of the 12 month warranty period.

Bummer eh?

But wait, the guy at the Genius Bar said "You know what, it's only 24 days out of warranty - don't worry about it, let me replace it"

Yep, replacement 3GS with another 90 days warranty and a working phone.

That's service for you.

Cheers

Jim
Posted on: 18 March 2011 by TomK
Glad it worked out. Did you have it fully backed up so you could restore it?
Posted on: 18 March 2011 by Exiled Highlander
Tom Backups are for cowards! Jim PS. Sort of.....
Posted on: 18 March 2011 by TomK
Good luck.