An error occurred while restoring this iPhone (-1)

[daniirwan]

Anyone getting the above error message?

I am. Downloaded the iOS 5 update for my iPhone 3GS just fine. Then iTunes backed up my iphone, updated it to iOS 5, restarted it and then I chose 'restore from backup' in the new iOS 5 setup screen. The iPhone screen then showed "Restore in Progress" for about 20-30 mins or so, then at the end with less than a minute remaining, the above error message popped up.

Any idea why this is happening & what I can do to solve it? Tried a Google search but nothing came up, seems like not many are experiences this, if at all.

I'm currently trying to restore my iPhone again from the backup it made just before the update to iOS 5. Hope it goes well this time.

Would appreciate any help, thanks!

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Forgot to add: My 3GS is not jailbroken at all.

 

[daniirwan]

Update: 2nd try and it happened again But this time more error messages came. Here they are in the order that I received them:

#1

#2

#3

I didn't get errors #2 & #3 the first time I tried to update, and so far as I know error #2 is utter crap, no such interruption occured.

Any idea what I should do now? I'm stumped

 

[DalesWife]

Same Thing Happened To Me!

I updated both my 3gs and my husbands 3gs last night. Husbands went fine, no problems. Mine did what yours did. I just kept unplugging mine from the USB and when I plugged it back in my MacBook Air would say something to the effect of "This iPhone was not restored. Would you like to try again?" I tried 4-5 times. Each time, after disconnecting from USB, the phone was like a brand new iPhone unboxed, asking me to chose language and connect to iTunes, etc. I was DEVASTATED (because my contacts are not backed up through iTunes, neither is msecure, an app that stores sensitive passwords/information). However, I tried one more time and again was told the phone could not be restored. After disconnecting, I noticed the phone was doing something different, asking me to confirm Location Services (as my husband's phone had done.) I went through the steps. I had all information restored EXCEPT my music and videos. Now my concern is that when my 4s comes in the mail and I sync that I'll lose everything and be left with ONLY music and videos. :::sigh:::

My phone was not jailbroken either.

My advice: Keep trying! I know that isn't great advice (sorry!). Literally I kept trying for EIGHT HOURS, all through the night and I'm exhausted today. I was so devastated at the prospect of losing my information, but I'm so happy today to have it all. Losing the music means nothing to me - I can re-download it. But the other information is invaluable to me. I hope it all works out for you!

 

[daniirwan]

I updated both my 3gs and my husbands 3gs last night. Husbands went fine, no problems. Mine did what yours did. I just kept unplugging mine from the USB and when I plugged it back in my MacBook Air would say something to the effect of "This iPhone was not restored. Would you like to try again?" I tried 4-5 times. Each time, after disconnecting from USB, the phone was like a brand new iPhone unboxed, asking me to chose language and connect to iTunes, etc. I was DEVASTATED (because my contacts are not backed up through iTunes, neither is msecure, an app that stores sensitive passwords/information). However, I tried one more time and again was told the phone could not be restored. After disconnecting, I noticed the phone was doing something different, asking me to confirm Location Services (as my husband's phone had done.) I went through the steps. I had all information restored EXCEPT my music and videos. Now my concern is that when my 4s comes in the mail and I sync that I'll lose everything and be left with ONLY music and videos. :::sigh:::

My phone was not jailbroken either.

My advice: Keep trying! I know that isn't great advice (sorry!). Literally I kept trying for EIGHT HOURS, all through the night and I'm exhausted today. I was so devastated at the prospect of losing my information, but I'm so happy today to have it all. Losing the music means nothing to me - I can re-download it. But the other information is invaluable to me. I hope it all works out for you!

Thanks very much! I think I've got my problem sorted out now, currently syncing my 3GS' apps. Have to sort out my home screen layout again though, all my folders are gone.

Unlike you, my contacts, sms'es and photos were never deleted, they stayed intact throughout all of this. Other than that, from what you described, we're going through the same thing. In the end, I gave up restoring from backup (since I can see that my 3GS is already running iOS 5 and that my contacts, calendars, sms'es and photos are all still intact) and just checked the 'sync apps' option in itunes...just hoping that all my saved app data like games & caches are still intact too.

Again, thanks DalesWife. I think what is most frustrating for us in our case is that how much like a total crapshoot this whole ordeal has been. I don't know about you, but the thought of going through all this again with my iPad2 and my wife's iPhone 4 fills me with complete & utter dread.

It shouldn't be this way Apple..this is not "it just works". Far from it.

 

[DalesWife]

My husband and I are both expecting our iPhone 4s's (how do you say that in plural?!?!?!?) and I absolutely DREAD setting them up correctly after what I went through last night. I'm not even looking forward to it. I did find a great free app in the iTunes store that sends my Contacts to my email and restores them with a click so now at least I'm covered if they're deleted so I have a little less anxiety about it. New operating system, new phone.....This was supposed to be super exciting....

 

[tattaglia]

I haven't been able to restore

I've been trying to end the restore process for my 3gs for about 3 hours and the process can't finish, always sending an error message (-10). Can't find an answer to the problem.