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Thanks apple!! 3.1 bricked my iPhone!!!

M

mcmanus7

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 30, 2008
708
87
So I was happily running 3.0 with no problems... no carrier problems... nothing wrong with anything....

I update to 3.1... seemed really good... but didn't think the phone backed up properly.. so I eject the phone... plug her back in and to my surprise I get the re-activation screen (ie.. usb cable pointing towards iTunes)...

I've had this happen before but everything went smoothly... now it's saying that my Sim card is not supported.. which is news to me considering my phone has never been jailbroken and I have a valid Sim card that works perfectly fine in another phone....

:confused: made myself a genius appointment...
 
haha bricked your phone? Jesus, and it's apple's fault?

First of all: You didn't brick it. Put into DFU and restore from backup.

secondly: just because something goes wrong with software doesn't mean you should freak out blaming Apple. You chose to upgrade, anyway.
 
I did a straight forward upgrade to 3.1 using iTunes 9 and it bricked my iPhone 3G. This phone is completely standard and not jailbroken.

It is now stuck in DFU mode, and when attempting a restore, it comes back with error 2005,2006,2009. No matter if I hard reset its now stuck. Geez I am p*ssed.

I have tried to restore the iphone on two other macs, using iTunes 8, version 3.0 of the firmware, different USB cables, leopard and snow leopard, but none of it makes any difference.

:(

loiphin.
 
morale of the story, don't unplug the phone when it's in the middle of doing something.

How is that apples fault?
 
Bacong said:
secondly: just because something goes wrong with software doesn't mean you should freak out blaming Apple. You chose to upgrade, anyway.
Click to expand...

i dont understand this mentality. if apple or microsoft release and update for OSX or Windows would you not be angry if you had to format your Mac or PC to install it? the upgrade process should be seamless (and generally is for a very large majority of users). why are people not allowed to complain when it goes wrong and be put down for "choosing to upgrade"?

agreed with paulcdb though. never unplug, just cancel it and start it again.

do a DFU restore and you should be fine again.
 
Epic Fail

My iPhone is stuck at the iTunes => Plug screen (recovery mode) and will not be recognized by my system after a problem in the middle of the 3.1 update. iTunes 9 does *NOT* recognize the USB connection even if I DFU it. I was using the latest version of VirtualBox 3.0.6 on Ubuntu 9.04 (because eff Microsoft; and eff Apple for not having a Linux iTunes) when it just stopped recognizing the USB in either recovery or DFU mode. Now, I know the OSE of VirtualBox does not support USB, and I'm not using that. I'm just going to go ahead and put it out there that I think the Apple developers are stupid whipping boys who can't code their way out of a Diophantine equation with two variables constant. I think that Linux is too hard for them. But of course, I'm an ex-employee and ex-OS team member, so I know just how retarded these people are. I'm not looking for a fix, but just wanted a place for Linux users to find on Google a post to explain that they are screwed. This is just too stupid to continue. AT&T broke their contract by not enabling MMS when they said. Now Apple broke theirs with this software fail. I'm returning my iPhone in approximately 3 hours for a full refund, then I'm canceling my AT&T service and demanding a refund for the missing MMS support over the previous months. Even if there is eventually a fix posted somewhere, I don't get my rocks off chasing down esoteric solutions to manufactured problems. I hope the AT&T class action lawsuit bankrupts them, though it's not likely.
 
DeathSpiral said:
My iPhone is stuck at the iTunes => Plug screen (recovery mode) and will not be recognized by my system after a problem in the middle of the 3.1 update. iTunes 9 does *NOT* recognize the USB connection even if I DFU it. I was using the latest version of VirtualBox 3.0.6 on Ubuntu 9.04 (because eff Microsoft; and eff Apple for not having a Linux iTunes) when it just stopped recognizing the USB in either recovery or DFU mode. Now, I know the OSE of VirtualBox does not support USB, and I'm not using that. I'm just going to go ahead and put it out there that I think the Apple developers are stupid whipping boys who can't code their way out of a Diophantine equation with two variables constant. I think that Linux is too hard for them. But of course, I'm an ex-employee and ex-OS team member, so I know just how retarded these people are. I'm not looking for a fix, but just wanted a place for Linux users to find on Google a post to explain that they are screwed. This is just too stupid to continue. AT&T broke their contract by not enabling MMS when they said. Now Apple broke theirs with this software fail. I'm returning my iPhone in approximately 3 hours for a full refund, then I'm canceling my AT&T service and demanding a refund for the missing MMS support over the previous months. Even if there is eventually a fix posted somewhere, I don't get my rocks off chasing down esoteric solutions to manufactured problems. I hope the AT&T class action lawsuit bankrupts them, though it's not likely.
Click to expand...

I fail to see why it's Apple's fault here if you're not using supported methods. You state iTunes doesn't work on Linux. So isn't it your fault for jury-rigging a method which didn't work?

If you bought a new car and didn't like that the manufacturer states that you need to use unleaded fuel and you decide to "eff" them and put diesel in and your car breaks down - are you suggesting the car maker is at fault?
 
for everyone saying my phone is stuck in DFU mode it IS NOT...

this exact same thing happened with 3.0 with my phone and it is bricked/toasted/done.... Once you get the message that your sim card is not supported (even though it is through a valid iPhone carrier) that means that apple's activation server has zapped your phone.. The apple store itself cannot even unbrick the phone at this point

I have restored, reinstalled iTunes 9.0 and I am running 10.6... I can put the phone into DFU mode.. restore... and same **** happens...
 
lol, how can you brick your phone? Isn't it impossible? Do a hard reset or use DFU and restore.
 
mcmanus7 said:
Once you get the message that your sim card is not supported (even though it is through a valid iPhone carrier) that means that apple's activation server has zapped your phone.
Click to expand...

How exactly is Apple's server supposed to "zap" your phone? That's just not how it works.

I have restored, reinstalled iTunes 9.0 and I am running 10.6... I can put the phone into DFU mode.. restore... and same **** happens...
Click to expand...

Are you sure it's entering DFU mode and not just regular recovery mode? Sometimes it can be hard to get it into DFU mode.

It sounds like maybe the baseband got messed up when you were installing 3.1. That's the only thing I can think of besides hardware failure that could make your phone impossible to activate.

ETA: What you describe is not bricking. Your title is misleading.
 
hahaha people are soooooooooooo unintelligent ... everyone and there moms uses the word BRICKED ...Liek omg mi ifone is briked dawg

NO your iphone is not bricked you just dont know what your doing and messed up the process which you then try to blame on apple for your lack of knowledge ..

The only way your iphone is BRICKED is if it wont turn on ,wont restore, will not do anything at all.. THAT is bricked not if you messed up your iphone and you see the itunes logo or any other thing you think is bricking..YOU CANNOT and let me repeat CANNOT brick your iphone it is impossible nowadays to do that..back in the 1x firmware sure ..but now ...NOOOOOO

ok sorry had to get that off my chest.. this is not towards any in general
 
Well your not alone in that the 3.1 update made a mess of things.

During the update I got an error message and was forced to restore the phone. Everything seemed fine as I got back a basic phone with my email and contacts.

Tried to sync the phone to my data and after 9 hours it still wasn't 1/2 way finished backing up the now empty phone. I canceled the sync as I am running out of time before I have to go to work. Restarted the computer and tried again hoping to see something faster. So far the backup progress bar is at 1/20 after an hour... I give up... I need my phone for work so I can't just leave it.

Will have to try again tonight... Thanks :apple:
 
For those having trouble, have your tried powering down the phone, holding the home button and plugging the USB cable in?

Shot in the dark but it might help. Sorry for your troubles.
 
I'm sure people are using the term "bricked" in a general, and not scientific, way. Like me. I can't restore on two laptops with two different usb cables, nor can I restore using another account on my Macbook, like Apple's support page suggests doing.

I cannot enter DFU mode at all. I have tried the directions and it won't do it. Therefore, in not so scientific terminology, I consider my iPhone bricked.

Even the Apple support tech on the phone last night said all three errors I were seeing were reflecting a hardware failure. Last I heard, doing the DFU thing won't correct hardware failures.
 
loiphin said:
I did a straight forward upgrade to 3.1 using iTunes 9 and it bricked my iPhone 3G. This phone is completely standard and not jailbroken.

It is now stuck in DFU mode, and when attempting a restore, it comes back with error 2005,2006,2009. No matter if I hard reset its now stuck. Geez I am p*ssed.

I have tried to restore the iphone on two other macs, using iTunes 8, version 3.0 of the firmware, different USB cables, leopard and snow leopard, but none of it makes any difference.

:(

loiphin.
Click to expand...

My 3G bricked while upgrading to 3.0 (I didn't unplug it prematurely or anything, it just reached a certain point in the verify process and wouldn't go any further). Took it to the Apple Store, and they replaced it. They said the upgrade wasn't to blame, that it was an unhappy coincidence. I, for one, have no trouble believing your story. Good luck with your phone, I'm sure Apple will take care of you.
 
I stopped rushing to do updates after this previous 3.0. My wifi is nuked, and cerain apps hang up for no reason. Phone was fine prior to 3.0. Sucks now. I can't wait to exchange my 3g. Hopefully they give me a 3gs or something awesome like that.
 
Wow never thought I would have to deal with so many uneducated/unhelpful responses..

When an iPhone gets permanently stuck in "emergency mode" and iTunes displays the message that the Sim card installed in the iPhone is not supported even though the Sim card you are using is a valid sim card from a valid iPhone carrier then apple considers your phone to be "Bricked"... This is what both Geniuses and Apple tech support on the phone have told me so I trust them over someone who does not work for Apple. If the phone was not bricked then Apple themselves would be able to fix this issue however they cannot.

I just got off the phone with Apple and they have told me that there is an issue once again with my information on their activation server which has caused my phone to be bricked.

What happened was just before 3.0 released I had a iPhone swapped out for a valid reason. The Genius then made a mistake... they swapped my phone out using my account information however swapped it back in using someone elses information. Now this caused many issues on Apples end. My warranty information was no longer correct, and to Apples activation server my information was still not correct.

After having many discussions with Apple Tech support they were FINALLY able to resolve the issues or so I thought....

Just got off the phone with them again and they have confirmed that my activation information on their activation server is once again incorrect which is causing my issue...

Good news is that it wasn't the 3.1 firmware... it was the process of the Phone confirming with the activation server that the IMEI information on their server matched the ICC-ID information that is sent from my Sim card.

Which still puzzles me considering I did not think 3.1 would require a re-activation like 3.0 did.

I should note that the first time I went through this activation error situation it ended up with the apple store having to swap out 5 perfectly good iPhones that ended up Bricked due to this issue...
 
ob81 said:
Hopefully they give me a 3gs or something awesome like that.
Click to expand...

To quote aerosmith. DREAM ON, DREAM ON. Never going to happen. You'll get a 3G like the one you're bringing in. If you want a 3GS, you'll have to buy one.
 
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