iOS 7 beta 3 fresh install bricked my phone?

[Dylatron2000]

Hey so the title may be a little confusing but I was on iOS 7 beta 2 (registered UDID, btw) and did the OTA update to beta 3. Everything was fine but it was still kinda laggy and my battery life was draining kinda fast so I wanted to do a clean install of beta 3.

Downloaded the IPSW and option clicked restore on iTunes to fresh install it and it wouldn't let me because "Find my iPhone was enabled". Fair enough. I go into location services to turn it off and I enter my apple ID and pw and it keeps telling me it is incorrect when it clearly is correct. I keep trying the password about five times and it keeps telling me it's incorrect. So I put my phone into recovery mode and did the restore that way.

Beta 3 loads up fine, start screen as normal, however when I go to set it up, it won't activate the phone. Giving me the "this iPhone could not be activated, please try again later" prompt. I tried it on LTE and Wifi and still nothing. In the status bar it doesn't even say Verizon anymore, just LTE....

iPhone 5 A1429 (verizon CDMA) for those curious. Downgraded/restored to iOS 6 to see if that would help but I'm greeted with the same prompt of "could not activate" this time it's on iOS 6 (linen background lol)

Any help would be appreciated, I have a genius bar appointment at 12:30 EST so until then I guess I'm just waiting.

 

[tymaster50]

Hey so the title may be a little confusing but I was on iOS 7 beta 2 (registered UDID, btw) and did the OTA update to beta 3. Everything was fine but it was still kinda laggy and my battery life was draining kinda fast so I wanted to do a clean install of beta 3.

Downloaded the IPSW and option clicked restore on iTunes to fresh install it and it wouldn't let me because "Find my iPhone was enabled". Fair enough. I go into location services to turn it off and I enter my apple ID and pw and it keeps telling me it is incorrect when it clearly is correct. I keep trying the password about five times and it keeps telling me it's incorrect. So I put my phone into recovery mode and did the restore that way.

Beta 3 loads up fine, start screen as normal, however when I go to set it up, it won't activate the phone. Giving me the "this iPhone could not be activated, please try again later" prompt. I tried it on LTE and Wifi and still nothing. In the status bar it doesn't even say Verizon anymore, just LTE....

iPhone 5 A1429 (verizon CDMA) for those curious. Downgraded/restored to iOS 6 to see if that would help but I'm greeted with the same prompt of "could not activate" this time it's on iOS 6 (linen background lol)

Any help would be appreciated, I have a genius bar appointment at 12:30 EST so until then I guess I'm just waiting.

bricked is a very wrong choice of word. If it was bricked it wouldn't even turn on. Did you think that maybe it was your carrier/sim card not working? Try taking it out.

 

[aristobrat]

Are you able to go to some other Apple service (like iCloud) and login using the same Apple ID, just to verify the Apple ID isn't in some weird "verification needed" state that could be causing this?

Curious to see how the Genius Bar visit goes. IIRC, the iOS Developer site states that they're not supposed to be able to help for problems encountered during the beta.

 

[Brian Y]

Yep, they wont service it unless you can restore to iOS 6.

For hardware problems with iOS7 - you need to contact developer support through your member page in the developer center.

 

[Dylatron2000]

Yep, they wont service it unless you can restore to iOS 6.

For hardware problems with iOS7 - you need to contact developer support through your member page in the developer center.

I managed to restore it to iOS 6, it is just hung up on the initial activation screen (linen background where you choose region, language, connect to wifi, etc.) So that isn't a problem.

I'm starting to think that it may be related to the carrier / SIM card because of the fact it doesn't show Verizon in the status bar, just LTE. The weird part however is that even when I connect to Wifi it won't activate the iPhone. Kinda bizarre, but it's on iOS 6.1.4 now. Shame I can't access it though

 

[tymaster50]

I managed to restore it to iOS 6, it is just hung up on the initial activation screen (linen background where you choose region, language, connect to wifi, etc.) So that isn't a problem.

I'm starting to think that it may be related to the carrier / SIM card because of the fact it doesn't show Verizon in the status bar, just LTE. The weird part however is that even when I connect to Wifi it won't activate the iPhone. Kinda bizarre, but it's on iOS 6.1.4 now. Shame I can't access it though

it's a carrier issue.

 

[Dylatron2000]

Are you able to go to some other Apple service (like iCloud) and login using the same Apple ID, just to verify the Apple ID isn't in some weird "verification needed" state that could be causing this?

Curious to see how the Genius Bar visit goes. IIRC, the iOS Developer site states that they're not supposed to be able to help for problems encountered during the beta.

Yes I tried logging into icloud.com and the Apple ID works, also I'm using my iPad and Mac with my Apple ID (downloading apps on there, as well as using FT and iMessage) so it never was my Apple ID. A really bizarre bug but I'm interested to see what the Genius Bar is going to do, you're right about the dev site saying not covering problems with the beta.

 

[batting1000]

Yes I tried logging into icloud.com and the Apple ID works, also I'm using my iPad and Mac with my Apple ID (downloading apps on there, as well as using FT and iMessage) so it never was my Apple ID. A really bizarre bug but I'm interested to see what the Genius Bar is going to do, you're right about the dev site saying not covering problems with the beta.

Genius Bar isn't obligated to help you if you're running the beta.

I had the same "could not activate" problem and when I retried it only once, it worked. Try restoring again.

 

[Armen]

Im on Verizon myself with the iPhone 5 and am running Beta 3 just fine. I did notice something odd yesterday after the OTA. I saw some kind of provisioning file pop up with Verizon's domain in it saying its not a trusted source so I said no to the prompt..dunno what the heck that was.

 

[AnotherBrian]

Genius Bar isn't obligated to help you if you're running the beta.

I had the same "could not activate" problem and when I retried it only once, it worked. Try restoring again.

But he's not on the beta anymore he is on iOS6, so the genius bar should help.

 

[Dylatron2000]

But he's not on the beta anymore he is on iOS6, so the genius bar should help.

Yeah exactly.

Just got back from the Apple store (only took an hour and a half )

So at first they thought it was a faulty sim, so they gave me a new verizon sim card and I ran over to verizon (they're close to each other in the mall) tried to activate the sim and it was no dice. Was there for about 20 minutes until we eventually decided it was hardware and not the sim. So I walked back to apple and after talking to a few of the employees I knew there, got rolling again. They had the phone in the back and tried several different things, known working sim cards, known backups that work, nothing. Soooo they just replaced the handset and I'm good. Back on 6.1.4, for now at least. But at least with a working phone

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

OK so iOS 7 Beta 3 really did brick my 4S . . . albeit temporarily, thankfully.

I hadn't had a single crash on Beta 3, which I felt was pretty amazing. A few hours ago, however, I was using Safari and all of a sudden the screen went completely black.

There was no warning, it just went instantly black and everything was unresponsive.

I was like

I believe it may have put the phone into DFU mode.

To get out of it:

1. Hold down the Home + Power buttons simultaneously.
2. After about 12 seconds holding, release the Home button and continue to hold the Power button until the Apple logo screen reappears.

Just thought I'd post to make people aware.

All seems well again for now.

 

[batting1000]

Yeah exactly.

Just got back from the Apple store (only took an hour and a half )

So at first they thought it was a faulty sim, so they gave me a new verizon sim card and I ran over to verizon (they're close to each other in the mall) tried to activate the sim and it was no dice. Was there for about 20 minutes until we eventually decided it was hardware and not the sim. So I walked back to apple and after talking to a few of the employees I knew there, got rolling again. They had the phone in the back and tried several different things, known working sim cards, known backups that work, nothing. Soooo they just replaced the handset and I'm good. Back on 6.1.4, for now at least. But at least with a working phone

So, now to reinstall beta 3.

 

[georgemmitchell]

Trouble installing Beta 3 (find my iPhone ON problem?)

I'm generally technical but new to running iOS beta software on my iPhone. I know others who ran beta 2 successfully and waited for a more stable beta to run. I'm close but I registered UDID for my VZ IP5 and downloaded and installed beta 3 closely following procedure on http://ios7beta.net/guide/index.html (backups, etc.) and now after UPGRADING to iOS7 with everything connected to iTunes it looks on the screen like everything is fine. However the iphone is has only the black screen with apple logo on and Verizon with new signal indicator (upper left) plus green (full) battery icon in upper right (both slightly illuminated). Every 3 or 4 minutes the phone restarts seeming like it is trying to do something.
Again, on iTunes it says I am current with iOS 7 plus all of the data storage bars being about where they were on iOS6.

What I've done:

Pulled SIM card. No effect beyond saying NO service where Verizon was before.

Tried a reset with iTunes (says you must go turn off FIND MY IPHONE on phone. Not possible.

I'm near the end of my rope and massively regretting my decision to do this. Can any of you help me from having to get a new phone. That would kill now. At this point I would just love to get back to a fresh install of ios6! THANK YOU for any help you can be.

 

[randy10786]

Im on Verizon myself with the iPhone 5 and am running Beta 3 just fine. I did notice something odd yesterday after the OTA. I saw some kind of provisioning file pop up with Verizon's domain in it saying its not a trusted source so I said no to the prompt..dunno what the heck that was.

Are you not having the missed call bug? I'd like to have beta 3 but I unfortunately was one of the people that had that issue where phone wouldnt even ring, it would just show if the caller leaves a voicemail. Wondering if you did OTA or clean install?

 

[Geckotek]

OK so iOS 7 Beta 3 really did brick my 4S . . . albeit temporarily, thankfully.

Temporary ≠ Bricked

Bricked means permanent. It means your phone cannot be recovered. Microwaving your phone would be bricking it. A failed install of iOS 7 beta does not brick an iPhone.

 

[Armen]

Are you not having the missed call bug? I'd like to have beta 3 but I unfortunately was one of the people that had that issue where phone wouldnt even ring, it would just show if the caller leaves a voicemail. Wondering if you did OTA or clean install?

I always do a clean install. Old habit. Phone is ringing as normal when people call.

 

[randy10786]

I always do a clean install. Old habit. Phone is ringing as normal when people call.

Good to know! I'll try doing a clean install then. Thanks!

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

Temporary ≠ Bricked

Bricked means permanent. It means your phone cannot be recovered. Microwaving your phone would be bricking it. A failed install of iOS 7 beta does not brick an iPhone.

I didn't fail to install it, I was using it quite happily when it instantaneously became completely unresponsive for what felt like a long time.

I was attempting to explain my initial reaction when it happened.

I realise it was not bricked as I go on to explain later in my post (the bit you've chosen not to quote).

 

[Geckotek]

I didn't fail to install it, I was using it quite happily when it instantaneously became completely unresponsive for what felt like a long time.

I was attempting to explain my initial reaction when it happened.

I realise it was not bricked as I go on to explain later in my post (the bit you've chosen not to quote).

I didn't say it failed to install, I said it was a failed installation. Meaning it was already installed, and then failed for whatever reason.