iPhone 4S booting to Apple logo and then goes to black screen

[jamsmay]

i recently bought an untested white iPhone 4S from a flea market, and it goes from the Apple logo to a black screen. even worse, the power and home buttons do not seem to respond. what could be the issue with it? I tried a battery from a working 4S, and still no luck. iTunes does not see the phone either, due to the aforementioned home button/power button issues preventing me from going into Recovery Mode.

 

[rambo47]

It might need to be charged.
It might be damaged/dead.
It might be reported stolen.

You bought it at a flea market and didn't test it before buying? I hope you didn't pay more than $10 for it!

 

[jamsmay]

It might need to be charged.
It might be damaged/dead.
It might be reported stolen.

You bought it at a flea market and didn't test it before buying? I hope you didn't pay more than $10 for it!

by some miracle (and some isopropyl alcohol), i managed to get both buttons to work, and get it into the iTunes restore mode. after a short period of downloading and installing, it spat out error -1. i had a look online and apparently it's a hardware issue.

 

[rambo47]

If you make an appointment at an Apple Store Genius Bar they can diagnose it and give you an estimate before doing any real work.

 

[jamsmay]

If you make an appointment at an Apple Store Genius Bar they can diagnose it and give you an estimate before doing any real work.

alright, thanks heaps

 

[jetsam]

If you make an appointment at an Apple Store Genius Bar they can diagnose it and give you an estimate before doing any real work.

Apple won't work on an iPhone 4S, which is in obsolete status.

"Apple discontinues all hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products."

 

[eyoungren]

Apple won't work on an iPhone 4S, which is in obsolete status.

"Apple discontinues all hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products."

Second that. At a certain point, Apple won't touch hardware. Sometimes they will suggest a third party, but you aren't getting work done on a 4s now.

I called Apple sometime in 2021 I think to inquire about a battery replacement on my iPhone 5 precisely because I knew this. I was informed (at that time) that they do not work on the iPhone 5 anymore. Which is what I wanted to know, because the Apple Store is a half-hour away and requires appointments now.

If they wouldn't work on my 5 in 2021, they won't work on a 4s in 2023.

 

[decafjava]

You might try a local phone repair shop as a possibility.