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tpham5919

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 21, 2016
131
129
chandler, az
I've been lurking this forum a long time but I'm now running into an issue that requires some assistance if possible. Full disclosure: all my mobile devices are android based so my iOS knowledge isn't up to snuff.

Anyway, I bought a 16GB iPad Air2 for my elderly mother this past Xmas (new from Staples). Given her age and her lack of anything technical, I opted to set up her iPad without Activation Lock, TouchID and (specifically) passcode so she didn't have to worry about all that stuff. So today, she was prompted to update the OS and went ahead with it. When I stopped by her place later in the evening, the iPad was stuck on the screen asking for a passcode. What passcode is it asking for? I didn't set up any passcode on her iPad so I'm not sure why it's asking for one. I've tried a few passcodes that I'm familiar with but none of them worked (and the retry delay is up to 60 minutes now!) :)

So, what are my options? Restore as new? Re-install?
 
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lolkthxbai

macrumors 65816
May 7, 2011
1,426
489
I've been lurking this forum a long time but I'm now running into an issue that requires some assistance if possible. Full disclosure: all my mobile devices are android based so my iOS knowledge isn't up to snuff.

Anyway, I bought a 16GB iPad Air2 for my elderly mother this past Xmas (new from Staples). Given her age and her lack of anything technical, I opted to set up her iPad without Activation Lock, TouchID and (specifically) passcode so she didn't have to worry about all that stuff. So today, she was prompted to update the OS and went ahead with it. When I stopped by her place later in the evening, the iPad was stuck on the screen asking for a passcode. What passcode is it asking for? I didn't set up any passcode on her iPad so I'm not sure why it's asking for one. I've tried a few passcodes that I'm familiar with but none of them worked (and the retry delay is up to 60 minutes now!) :)

So, what are my options? Restore as new? Re-install?
Sorry to hear that. Honestly, I don't believe passcodes can be setup by the device itself. I'm sure you know what I'm implying, but to answer your question, you have two choices. Input the correct passcode or reset the device to factory settings (DFU restore) and erase all the data on the iPad. You might not have turned on Activation Lock but did you at least set up an iCloud account to backup the iPad or ever back up to your computer?
 

tpham5919

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 21, 2016
131
129
chandler, az
Sorry to hear that. Honestly, I don't believe passcodes can be setup by the device itself. I'm sure you know what I'm implying, but to answer your question, you have two choices. Input the correct passcode or reset the device to factory settings (DFU restore) and erase all the data on the iPad. You might not have turned on Activation Lock but did you at least set up an iCloud account to backup the iPad or ever back up to your computer?

Yah, I did consider the possibility (hence the max attempts) but if I did set up a passcode initially it wasn't any of the ones I know. Anyway, I did a full restore as suggested and the iPad is working now. She mainly uses it for watching YouTube and browsing so data loss is minimal. Only the hassle of having to install iTunes on my laptop just for this one job and then uninstall it. I did make sure to set up the passcode this time. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
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lolkthxbai

macrumors 65816
May 7, 2011
1,426
489
Yah, I did consider the possibility (hence the max attempts) but if I did set up a passcode initially it wasn't any of the ones I know. Anyway, I did a full restore as suggested and the iPad is working now. She mainly uses it for watching YouTube and browsing so data loss is minimal. Only the hassle of having to install iTunes on my laptop just for this one job and then uninstall it. I did make sure to set up the passcode this time. Thanks for the suggestion.
No worries! Glad it working out in the end!
 

bcave098

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2015
516
207
Northern British Columbia
If it was after the installation, one of the first things (I think like the second page) it asks for after updating (when you don't use a passcode) is to add a new 6-digit passcode. It's possible one was added at that point?
 

snow755

macrumors 68000
Sep 12, 2012
1,884
844
This is why I don't uesd passcode on my iPad has you can has ways for get them and end up in a mess
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
This is why I don't uesd passcode on my iPad has you can has ways for get them and end up in a mess
Seems like the whole issue is that a passcode wasn't being used and was still somehow asked for.
 

tpham5919

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 21, 2016
131
129
chandler, az
If it was after the installation, one of the first things (I think like the second page) it asks for after updating (when you don't use a passcode) is to add a new 6-digit passcode. It's possible one was added at that point?

Pretty sure I didn't set it up initially just to avoid the same sticky situation that I was in just now.
[doublepost=1459312898][/doublepost]
Seems like the whole issue is that a passcode wasn't being used and was still somehow asked for.
it seemed that way. not sure what happened but it sounds like there wasn't a whole lot to do but to restore the ipad. oh well.
 

throAU

macrumors G3
Feb 13, 2012
9,204
7,355
Perth, Western Australia
Pretty sure I didn't set it up initially just to avoid the same sticky situation that I was in just now.
[doublepost=1459312898][/doublepost]
it seemed that way. not sure what happened but it sounds like there wasn't a whole lot to do but to restore the ipad. oh well.

Pretty sure a recent update started to ask you to set a passcode on reboot, if you did not already have one.

It is in your (and hers) interests to set a passcode to prevent your device being used to rack up big bills if it is stolen, to ensure that your data is secure, etc.


At the end of the day, you need to read what the screen is telling you.
 

tpham5919

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 21, 2016
131
129
chandler, az
I meant after the update itself. Is it possible she made a passcode after updating it?
It's possible but knowing her I would be surprised if she did anything with that screen. I can't waterboard her to find out what really took place so I just chalky it up as one of those unsolved mysteries
[doublepost=1459361530][/doublepost]
Pretty sure a recent update started to ask you to set a passcode on reboot, if you did not already have one.

It is in your (and hers) interests to set a passcode to prevent your device being used to rack up big bills if it is stolen, to ensure that your data is secure, etc.


At the end of the day, you need to read what the screen is telling you.
We're fully aware of (and accept) the risk of using the device unprotected but thx for the suggestion. And I'll ignore your assumption about her blindly doing things on the iPad without understanding what it's asking.
 
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