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Activation problem - PLEASE help I am stumped

P

popol67

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 13, 2015
11
0
Hi,

Got an iphone 4 from my daughter in-law. She had not erased her data, so I did an update iphone via itunes, but did not realise I needed to turn off the 'find my iphone' feature.

Now I am trying to activate the phone but I get the message

'This iphone is currently linked to an apple ID (c*****@s*****). Sign in with the apple ID that was used to set up this phone.'

I have her apple id and password but when I use it I get

'Incorrect Apple ID c*****@s***** cannot be used to unlock this phone'

I have done everything required from these pages

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201365
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201441


removed it from her icloud account. EVERYTHING, but I still cannot activate it. Any help please I am going crazy!!!!

Thanks

Paul

iPhone 4, iOS 7.1.2
 
Odds are she has multiple IDs, and the one you're using isn't the one the phone's locked up with.

Have a think about whether she's ever eg changed her email address in the past.
 
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She insists that no, always used the same address, thanks for the try...
 
When you say you removed it from the iCloud account, are you specifically saying it was there to remove, or was it already gone when you checked?

If you did indeed see it and scrub it, try a full phone reboot (hold the power and home buttons together until the device switches itself off, and keep holding until it starts to power on again), and give it another go. I'm thinking you might just be putting the phone into standby instead of actually turning it off.
 
Yes in her 'find my iphone' it was specifically listed, (along with her new phone) so I removed it (https://www.icloud.com/#find)

I have rebooted as you say but still the same...

'This iphone is currently linked to an apple ID (c*****@s*****). Sign in with the apple ID that was used to set up this phone.'

I have her apple id and password but when I try I get

'Incorrect Apple ID c*****@s***** cannot be used to unlock this phone'
 
When you say you "updated" the phone, I'm assuming you're meaning that you performed a restore in an attempt to wipe the device? It may be worth repeating that process, though by the sounds of it, it really should be good to go already.
 
Updated - Reset to factory settings via itunes. Would love to do it again, but I have no access. When plugged into itunes I need to enter the apple id also.

I am stumped as I have followed all the required procedures that Apple say, but it can get no access...

Now just a paper weight....
 
popol67 said:
Updated - Reset to factory settings via itunes. Would love to do it again, but I have no access. When plugged into itunes I need to enter the apple id also.

I am stumped as I have followed all the required procedures that Apple say, but it can get no access...

Now just a paper weight....
Click to expand...
Is it possible that the password has one or more capital letters that you are not aware off.
 
It has a capital letter, but I can get onto the icloud and itune account with the password so it is correct....
 
OK, managed to put into recovery mode, force the restore, same problem comes up....
 
In that case, the issue isn't with the phone itself - something on Apple's servers is convinced that Apple ID is still linked to that serial.

I suggest logging back into the iCloud interface and double checking the phone is no longer linked there.
 
Thanks, done that, it cannot be seen in the icloud account.

Pretty stuck and annoyed as the problem seems to be with apple, but to talk to them it costs 29$, even though it seems to be their issue!!!!
 
Can't say I've been paying attention to how AppleCare works over the last year or so, but last I knew, support for iCloud-related issues isn't subject to charge - that includes over-the-phone support. That said, you'll at least likely need your daughter-in-law present for the conversation.
 
If that is her email address, get her to reset the password on her account temporarily and try that. She can always change it again if needs be.
 
Stingent, do you think that will make any difference?

Thanks to everybody for the help, no joy yet!

Paul
 
Last edited:
FWIW, I think this is just another attempt to bypass the activation lock, which won't work.

You can't restore the phone through iTunes or erase all content and settings through the Reset menu on the phone without first turning off Find my iPhone. If you try, it will tell you that Find My iPhone is on and won't proceed until it's off.

The only way to get the phone into this state is to put it into DFU mode and then restore it through iTunes, but given the original post, it doesn't sound like that was done.
 
No, this is in fact my old phone, which I gave to my daughter in law when I moved one. She has just got a 5S and returned it to me.

I am not trying to get around an activation lock, I have her apple ID and password, as well as my own. Nothing dodgy and I don't want dodgy techniques, I just want to understand why, when it has been removed from her 'find my iphone' online, it still insists on her activation code.

Paul
 
popol67 said:
No, this is in fact my old phone, which I gave to my daughter in law when I moved one. She has just got a 5S and returned it to me.

I am not trying to get around an activation lock, I have her apple ID and password, as well as my own. Nothing dodgy and I don't want dodgy techniques, I just want to understand why, when it has been removed from her 'find my iphone' online, it still insists on her activation code.

Paul
Click to expand...

so if you sign into her iCloud, and look at find my iPhone the device is gone? are you sure you completed the process of removing the device from her account?

if she opens settings -> iCloud on her new device the account listed is identical to the email you are trying to use to sign in on the old device?
 
so if you sign into her icloud, and look at find my iphone the device is gone? Are you sure you completed the process of removing the device from her account?
Click to expand...

yes

if she opens settings -> icloud on her new device the account listed is identical to the email you are trying to use to sign in on the old device?
Click to expand...

yes!
 
swordfish5736 said:
and you've put an active sim in the phone or added it to a wifi network?


was she the last person to use the device? or is there someone else in her household that could have used it, and setup find my iPhone?
Click to expand...

Active sim and local wifi, and she was the only person to use it, yes!
 
I suppose you could try putting the phone's IMEI in here. Should be written on the SIM card tray somewhere in small print. I'm afraid the result isn't likely to be of any immediate practical use, however.

See, at this point, you either enter what the phone wants or you get Apple to assist you. There's no further steps that can be suggested here, and it may well be that they also simply end up telling you you're SOL - but, those're the options. Sorry.
 
BrettDS said:
FWIW, I think this is just another attempt to bypass the activation lock, which won't work.

You can't restore the phone through iTunes or erase all content and settings through the Reset menu on the phone without first turning off Find my iPhone. If you try, it will tell you that Find My iPhone is on and won't proceed until it's off.

The only way to get the phone into this state is to put it into DFU mode and then restore it through iTunes, but given the original post, it doesn't sound like that was done.
Click to expand...

popol67 said:
No, this is in fact my old phone, which I gave to my daughter in law when I moved one. She has just got a 5S and returned it to me.

I am not trying to get around an activation lock, I have her apple ID and password, as well as my own. Nothing dodgy and I don't want dodgy techniques, I just want to understand why, when it has been removed from her 'find my iphone' online, it still insists on her activation code.

Paul
Click to expand...

So how did you restore in the first place? As stated above you cannot restore via iTunes unless you turn off find my phone 1st. And to do that you have to enter the correct AppleID and password. Which would then disable Activation Lock. Sounds sketchy to me too. Sorry.
 
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