"repair needed iphone cannot make..."

[macDonalds]

I just received this message as my iPhone was sitting in its dock:

"Repair Needed, iPhone cannot make or receive calls..."

I just purchased this 8gb model last weekend. I have not done anything out of the ordinary to it and I don't use any special casing.

Any recommendations before I make the trip to the Apple store? Thanks.

 

[macDonalds]

fyi - I have restarted it without success.

 

[TEG]

Restore the software. By repair it may mean software repair. Also, try removing then reinserting the SIM card, perhaps that is the problem.

TEG

 

[macDonalds]

Restore the software. By repair it may mean software repair. Also, try removing then reinserting the SIM card, perhaps that is the problem.

TEG

Thanks for the quick response. Can you further explain "Restoring the software"? How would I go about doing that?

 

[TEG]

Thanks for the quick response. Can you further explain "Restoring the software"? How would I go about doing that?

On the iPhone Panel in iTunes, when the iPhone is connected, just select the button that says "Restore".

TEG

 

[macDonalds]

On the iPhone Panel in iTunes, when the iPhone is connected, just select the button that says "Restore".

TEG

When I launch iTunes with my iPhone connected I get this message:

"The iPhone cannot be used with iTunes because the SIM card is PIN locked or not installed. You must enter your SIM PIN or insert your SIM card into your iPhone in order to activate it."

Any ideas?

 

[macDonalds]

Actually, I'd like to try your other suggestion of removing and inserting the SIM card. How do I do that?

 

[domness]

Actually, I'd like to try your other suggestion of removing and inserting the SIM card. How do I do that?

At the top of the iPhone is the SIM tray.. get a paper clip and press it in the little whole right at the top. (not the headphone slot )..

Then the sim should pop out

 

[TEG]

First of all, you SIM PIN is available from your at&t account, just search for the SIM PIN once you have logged in. To remove the SIM, just stick a straightened paper-clip or mechanical pencil lead into the hole on the top of the iPhone, and press, the door should release and out will come the sim.

TEG

 

[macDonalds]

I tried removing and inserting the sim card with no success. Any other ideas?

 

[lozanoj83]

why dont you just restore the phone?
as long as you have everything in iTunes and everything is in your computer
you have nothing to worry about..

 

[macDonalds]

why dont you just restore the phone?
as long as you have everything in iTunes and everything is in your computer
you have nothing to worry about..

Right, and I would have no problem with that. But doesn't that entail restoring through iTunes like a previous poster said? If that's the case, iTunes won't even recognize my iPhone (see exact error message above).

 

[TEG]

Just get your SIM PIN from your at&t account and enter it on your phone. Somehow, someway you were trying to access something on your SIM card and entered the wrong PIN, or at&t has locked the account due to some questionalble things, and will only unlock once the SIM PIN is entered in Settings->Phone->SIM PIN.

You get the SIM PIN from the Phone/Device panel of your Account Page, under Unblock SIM.

TEG

 

[macDonalds]

Just get your SIM PIN from your at&t account and enter it on your phone. Somehow, someway you were trying to access something on your SIM card and entered the wrong PIN, or at&t has locked the account due to some questionalble things, and will only unlock once the SIM PIN is entered in Settings->Phone->SIM PIN.

You get the SIM PIN from the Phone/Device panel of your Account Page, under Unblock SIM.

TEG

The problem is that I cannot even get to my home page. It's like the first day I got my phone before it was even activated. I can make an emergency call and that's it

 

[macDonalds]

Read up on doing a "Forced Restore". It went through the 15 minute process and then bombed at the end. I'm going to try one more time but I'm starting to think this phone needs to be replaced.

 

[JPyre]

This will not fix your SIM card, but will get you to the home screen and viewable by itunes.
I'm not sure why your SIM is locked... did you pay your bill, or do you have a stolen iPhone?


Slide to the emergency dial screen

Type *#307# and then press Call.

When your iPhone starts ringing, press the X button in the top right to delete the string of characters you just called, then type 0 and hit call. It will start ringing again, hit Answer.

Press Hold' , and when your phone starts ringing again, press Decline. This should bring up the main dialer. Good.

Press Contacts from the bar running across the bottom of the screen, then hit the plus sign in the top right to add a contact.

You can put whatever name in you'd like, but I just put ours. Then hit Save.

Click Add new URL, and enter the following in the URL field:
prefs://1F

This will take you into the Setting menu. Hit the WiFi button, and choose your network, and put in your password if you need to.

Now, restart your iPhone and go back to the Slide for emergency dial screen.

Once again, type *#307# and then press Call.

When your iPhone starts ringing, press the X button in the top right to delete the string of characters you just called, then type 0 and hit call. It will start ringing again, hit Answer.

Press Hold , and when your phone starts ringing again, press Decline.


This all should get you to the home screen, not sure though, haven't tried in awhile.

Still wont fix your SIM issue, maybe you can enter the SIM unlock code in Prefs. I would request a new SIM/iPhone if it hasnt been stolen or hacked. If it was stolen or hacked, go get a free Razr and a 2yr contract, take the SIM out and put it in a restored 1.1.1 jailbroken iPhone with anysim installed

 

[TEG]

You may be better off calling Apple Care first. They may be able to walk you through some steps before you go and get it replaced.

TEG

 

[macDonalds]

Update:

I live near an Apple store, thankfully. I drove over this morning and they replaced it with a new one within 15 minutes. Came home, activated and restored my old settings and I'm good to go!

Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread.