Fix iTunes error 1015 / Fix Bootloop - Guide

Eager to try the next iPhone/iPod update? If you upgraded, but can't activate the phone, you are stuck, so the logical thing to do is go back to the old firmware and wait until it's officially released, but going back is downgrading! That's where you get stuck. So here is an easy and working method to downgrade. If something doesn't work, or I'm wrong about something, please let me know. This guide is for Mac only.

Step 1) While the Phone is plugged to the computer, hold the home and power button until the phone goes off and comes back on. When it does come back on and the apple logo shows, release just the power button. The iTunes logo should soon show up. (This puts the phone into device firmware upgrade mode which allows us to communicate with it)
Step 2) Download Tools.zip attached and make sure it's in your Downloads folder. (This makes sure we know where they are so we can direct services to it)
Step 3) If it's not already unzipped, unzip it (To access the contents)
Step 4) Launch Terminal and type/paste: sudo cp ~/Downloads/Tools/libusb-0.1.4.dylib /usr/lib (This command moves a file which allows us to talk to the phone through the USB port to the appropriate location)
Step 5) Enter Your password as prompted then hit enter (This gives you permission to move the file)
Step 6) Make sure you have hit enter and gone to the next line then type/paste: ~/Downloads/Tools/./iRecovery -s (This is the tool engineered by wEsTbAeR-- and Tom3q that allows us to talk to the phone)
Step 7) Terminal should now display information about the phone and the last line should say "(Recovery) iPhone$" if it does, type/paste: setenv auto-boot true (This tells the phone to stop going into recovery mode)
Step 8) Make sure you are on the next line and type/paste: saveenv
Step 9) If all went well you should be able to boot your phone by holding the power and home button until you see the apple logo. From there on you can activate and sync.

I just came across a script AppleHack23 is distributing (Probably created). I haven't tested it, but it looks like it only sends the commands to the phone, so you can use it after Step 5. [Direct download for the script]

For the few of you on this site wanting to do this on Windows, I have not tested, but heard good things about iH8sn0w's iReb.

Applejuiced said:

Good info.
I suspect we will see many people with this problem as we get closer to 4.0

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Yup, That's exactly why I did it. I looked ALL day and finally gathered enough information to fix it. It should not take that long. I think I may just create an application to fix it, but I can't find my other iPhone cable! Hopefully this will work with all future problems of this kind too. Are you a dev Applejuiced? Could you maybe sign my UDID?

timROGERS said:

Looks like a pretty good guide Would this work on a 3GS?

Tim

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Thanks, I put a good amount of time into this. I hate it that I have been giving people this guide and they ignore it.

Anyway, to be honest, I don't know. I think it should work on all models except for the new 3Gs. The old 3Gs should work fine, but I think the new one has a different version of iBoot which I think is how iRecovery talks to it. But someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

QQ77izs said:

cp: /usr/local/lib: No such file or directory
where exactly should be Downloads folder ?
i make on second HDD, on Macintosh HDD, in users/My username, and it still shows me this

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Did you paste this exactly? If it doesn't work try to open the "lib" folder in the Tools archive. That is the same folder. If it opens put the "libusb-0.1.4.dylib" file in there.

You make what on your second HDD? The Downloads folder should be in: /Users/*YOURNAME*/Downloads The Tools folder doesn't have to be there, just be sure that wherever it is, you change the cp command to the correct location.

Mere1582 said:

W00t! Man I had a huge scare after trying to upgrade to 4.0 and then realizing how easy it was to brick your iPod. Took me a couple tries, and I had to switch power cables, but your guide worked perfectly in the the end. Appreciate very much

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Glad it helped, it took me forever to figure this out, and after finally fixing it, I feel so much more comfortable messing with my phone that I did before. I still have a lot to learn though. What version of iPhone do you have and what firmware did you downgrade to?

I was thinking about making an app to do this, but I don't know how to program, and I ran into lots of problems with automator while running shell scripts. So as for now, it's not happening.

I don't really understand your question, I think you may have a type, but you should be able to downgrade to any firmware, but I haven't tested it.

DEE9299 said:

would this work on a 3g downgrading from 3.1.3 to 3.1.2 and would basebands change also?

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UPDATE: Apparently iTunes won't let you select any firmware earlier than the current.

DEE9299 said:

even with pwnage tool creating a firmware for you?

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I don't know, I'm doing some testing tonight and I will try to include this in my testing.

fastbridge said:

I sucsessfully downgraded to 3.1.3 but now when I try to restore it still gives me the itunes error message. Whats this all about. Am I stuck not being able to resote now.

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Have you gone through and completed the guide?

frank2k1ny said:

ok, this may be a dumb question, but at which point am I actually restoring to the 3.1.3 firmware? I don't think I understand this

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I was wondering wether to add that part or not, but I decided not to because I figured if you got the 1015, you must already have it. The 1015 error means (From my understanding) that you have firmware on your phone that is older than a previous version it had. This puts the phone in a boot loop. This previous version is most likely 3.1.3 (The current version) because iTunes does not natively let you choose any other firmware.

The easy answer is, if you are getting the 1015, you probably already did it. If you need to though, you would put your phone in recovery mode, and restore from there.

DEE9299 said:

from the 1015 error you should be able to shut down itunes then run either blackrain or redsnow and you should get your phone back to the home screen

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That is if you want to jailbreak. I've heard that iReb can do the same thing as this guide for windows.

I tested some stuff last night, and I was trying to jailbreak an ipod2,1_3.1.3. I used blackr1an, PwnageTool, QuickPwn, redsn0w, and ZiPhoneOSX. None of them worked, different errors on all of them.

Abdulrahman said:

cp: /usr/local/lib: No such file or directory

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Your doing this exactly?