Q: iOS 5 failing to install!

1) The cable is not proprietary.  It's a micro-USB cable.  Unfortunately, it doesn't ship with the AppleTV 2.

2) I had similar problems to those described above.  The AppleTV was just blinking a light on the box with the Apple logo glowing on the screen.  The remote wouldn't do anything, and un-plugging and re-plugging wasn't helping.

3) I've now connected the AppleTV to my Macbook via Micro-USB and have launched iTunes.  It asked me if I want to restore my settings, and I've said yes -- it's downloading the software for the AppleTV now, and hopefully it'll work..

Update coming soon.  The download isn't coming down very fast - 18 minutes remaining.

yes i had the same issue here.... APPPLE needs to correct this problem... Itunes symbol appears and the usb appears what the ****!!! Tis is not good and im ****** coz i cant watch my movies in nextflix

Updating my previous message where I was trying to do a software restore to AppleTV connected to my MBP via Micro-USB.  After downloading and verifying the package, iTunes claims it could not complete the restore due to an error.

I'm surprised.  So now what?  How will Apple fix this, without handing out micro-USB cables to everyone (and ensuring the restore function actually works in iTunes!)?

yeah u are right it ****** me off. they should include the micro usb.... Now i order to amazon.com i order 2 micro usb one is 6 ft and one is 10 ft.... Im planning to return it to bestbuy coz i just bought it almost 2 weeks ago.. Ill wait to rcvd my micro usb first then connect it to itunes... If doesnt works ill return it... And put back my good review on this device in amazon.... So people will stop buying apple tv

Dante, chill out! - Is it time for bed in your time zone yet?

Anyway, restoring via iTunes and micro-USB *did* work when I clicked restore the 3rd time.  Now all is well and updated.  Hopefully too many people don't have this problem, and not everyone will need to run out and grab new USB cables.

Hey harv my bad got frustrated without the usb... So u said u restore yours in your itunes? So please tell me after u plug the usb cable to ur itunes in ur pc.. Do u need to connect the apple tv to ur TV while doing a restore frm your pc? Or u just hook it up the apple tv in ur itunes and it will ask you for un update or restore in itunes? Please advice thanks.

Hi,

I have the same issue with the restore/flash failing and now I have the USB image and rapid flashing LED.

I have a micro USB and tried a restore via itunes (10.5) this morning. The update file downloaded and attempted to install but failed with an unknown error.

I think the issue might be a corrupt update file. Anyway, I will try again this evening (now at work for the day) to see if this helps. I read an earlier post saying that the restore worked after 3 attempts so hopefully i can sort it if i keep attempting the restore.

Any other ppl have any ideas?

Also, just checked when i bought my ATV and it was 15th October 2010. I think that means that I am still under 12mth warrantee. Is this correct? Do I need to get this sorted by 15th October or get it replaced before?

Thanks.

Jago

Hi All,

As an update to my last post. I have just found this possible solution on the interweb. Will try this tonight and let you know the result. One reason I am quite confident this could work is that I know that my computer (dell laptop) has low power on the USB port.

So I really hope the instructions below work...

Jago

Hey, I just brought my Apple TV 2 back from the living dead. After a botched firmware update all it did was flashing the white LED fast (about 3 times a second).
I followed the official reset instructions using the Apple remote but that didn’t help at all. Then I came across a few posts that said that by hooking up Apple TV 2 to a Mac using just a micro USB cable, you could actually restore it in iTunes. Those posts explicitly said that you have to disconnect HDMI and power and just plug in the USB cable.

I dug out a micro USB cable and connected it to my Mac. Shortly after, iTunes showed up with the restore screen for Apple TV 2. So far, so good.

But every time during the early stages of the update process, one of those error messages appeared.

The Apple TV could not be restored. An unknown error ocurred (2006)

The Apple TV could not be restored. An unknown error ocurred (1611)

The Apple TV could not be restored. An unknown error ocurred (1602)

The Apple TV could not be restored. An unknown error ocurred (2009)

It just didn’t work. I was already thinking about returning it back to Apple, when I had an idea. Maybe the power delivered by the Mac’s USB port isn’t enough for whatever goes on during the restore process? So I connected a power cable after Apple TV 2 showed up as being restorable in iTunes and voilà, the restore went through without a hitch!

If your Apple TV 2 is stuck with a fast flashing LED and iTunes fails to restore it using a micro USB cable, just connect the power cable as well and the restore might get through.

Oddly enough, I had the opposite experience. Connected to my IMac, I made the mistake of keeping the ATV plugged in and got the error messages; when I disconnected the power it restored fine.

Now I have another problem. After resetting all my passwords, it won't recognize my Netflix Account log in. Any ideas?

Think I figured it out. I did a reset while connected to the tv and re-entered everything. This time it worked. Boy, was this a lot of work and I'm not even sure I know what the update to the software got me!

i just called apple tech and the only solution they had for the flashing light brick was to take the device to the apple store or send it back to apple by UPS.

this *****. 

To get your Netflix password to work again, enter the password with your apple tv's remote, not iPad or any other idevice. I a had the same issue and that took care of it.

So after several failed attempts at trying to update my apple tv2 I grabbed a micro USB cable from my wife's droidx and plugged it into my Mac with iTunes open. I selected restore. It downloaded the software and then updated the software on the apple tv2 and told me to unplug it and reconnect it to the tv. The important thing i figured out from reading these forums is that I had to unplug everything from the apple tv except for the micro USB before going forward with the update. After that, I just used that same process to update my 2nd apple tv2 and that worked out great. You'll have to reinput all of your user name sand passwords, but its better than a bricked apple tv. Also when inputting you Netflix password use the apple tv remote, not one of the idevices. It will fail if you try to input your password that way.

I had the same exact problem and in fact went to my local Apple Store today. Their tech couldn't even Restore it and had to give me a new one, which I took home, tried to do a software update and immediately bricked that one as well. Not sure what to do now.

BTW, I'm using an HDMI>DVI adapter to my TV. Not sure if other folks seeing the same problems have this config.

Where u get the Micro USB Cable??From Apple Store??