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iPhone says "searching"

virginblue4

virginblue4

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 15, 2012
2,036
727
United Kingdom
Hello everyone,

One of my friends iPhone started saying "searching" in the top corner yesterday morning rather than the carrier name. They asked me if I could sort it out. I haven't actually seen the phone yet so advised them via iMessage.

First of all I checked their carrier to see if they were doing any maintenance in the area, they aren't. So I had her switch out her sim card with another person who is with the same carrier, still said searching.

I tried to get them to update to iOS 9.2 but it just says 'update unavailable'.

So I made sure everything was backed up and tried both reset network settings and reset settings. Neither helped.

I then told her to restore the phone, but every time she tries it tells her that the password is incorrect even though it clearly isn't as she can download apps etc from the App Store entering the same password. I'll have to see if she can change her password and try again.

I am kind of stuck what to suggest now. I was thinking about resetting the device via iTunes but if it is saying password incorrect is there a chance of getting stuck on the activation lock page?
 
Update, phone is completely stuck. Tried everything, even dfu restore. Phone refused to activate.

Took it to an authorised apple reseller today (Apple advised me to go there as they are less than half the distance of my local Apple Store) who had a look, took it apart and claimed that there is a piece of paper within the phone! But that unless we paid £209 they can't do anything. They claimed that even though I have AppleCare+ its void because 'clearly' the phone has been tampered with and had a third party unauthorised repair. I tried to explain that I've paid for AppleCare+, why the hell would I take it anywhere other than Apple? Besides, there was no reason to even take the phone to anyone as it was working fine until this issue, and they are claiming the issue is due to having a repair! Made no sense.

Explained all this to Apple and they apologised on their behalf and said they can't do an express replacement service as we can't even set the phone up, but to come into an Apple Retail store on Saturday and they will sort it out for me with a replacement if necessary. I tried entering dfu mode one more time but it says there is an unknown error (47) which isn't even an error listed not the Apple site, but from googling it is a hardware error.

I have to say having owned six iPhones, four iPads, two macs, an apple TV and an Apple Watch who has AppleCare / AppleCare+ for every single device (excluding Apple TV) I felt extremely insulted to be told that I (or my friend) had tampered with the device.

Just hoping that Apple will come through and sort this out for me. :(
 
A quick update.

Went to my local Apple Store last week (19th December) they put it into DFU mode and the same error (47) came up.

I was completely upfront with them about what I had been told by the authorised Apple reseller, they said they couldn't find any evidence of paper inside the phone or the phone being tampered with / repaired by a third party.

They then replaced in straight away and I walked out less than 15 minutes altering entering the store.

I have sent an email to the authorised retailer telling them what Apple told me, but surprise surprise, they've not responded.

A happy result in the end :)
 
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