Q: Activation failed on iPad 2 after iOS 9.3 update

MIne 3g +wifi too. Had to completely restore from scratch - huge waste of my time, but nothing else worked. Connect to itunes, hold down power switch and sleep wake for some time after power down option and apple logo until connect to itunes graphic comes up; choose restore and be prepared to wait a v. long time... Lucky i backed up before updating.

I'm also following the DFU route now; have backup before 9.3 update. Waiting indeed takes long, but seems to be working...

You can attempt to contact apple support for free on Twitter https://twitter.com/AppleSupport

Same here. iPad 2 won't activate via either iTunes or Over the Air (OTA). Tried unlinking the device from iCloud Find My iPhone and reactivating without success. Will try DFU restore next.

I have the same problem.

DFU works, and I am now restoring from backup. Remarkably, the iOS installed is 9.3!

iPad 2 64GB white factory unlocked /w cellular here... same issue, cannot activate via USB cable in iTunes in Windows (latest iTunes version) nor can I activate from the iPad itself. Have tried an active cellular SIM card and it doesn't help. My latest backup is from November since for whatever reason iTunes (which is always running on my computer) has not backed up since November over WiFi (*** - iPad 1 and iPhone 5S that I have are both still backing up over WiFi alright). This iPad 2 used to backup over WiFi well for years w/o intervention, but I guess I haven't checked the backup status in many months and wouldn't you know it its been 4 months since the last backup grrr... really hoping to avoid restoring from 4 months ago...

Having the same issue and DFU mode is not working either. iTunes says "Waiting for iPad..." indefinitely. I'll let it run for a while but it's been like this for 30 minutes with no progress on the progress bar.

MY ipad 2 no activate too. The iTunes activate not functio. Apple read this problem?

Wait... It now says "Verifying updated iPad software" then "Updating iPad software". A sliver of progress!

Try running iTunes (the latest version) on your computer and connect your iPad to the computer. Try activating the iPad through iTunes.

Glad to hear. Keep us updated.

I have the same problem. contacted Apple support who could offer no solution other than wait, they didn't say how many years though. A thoroughly useless answer.

After wasting 45 minutes doing a DFU reinstall, it STILL won't activate.

Very disappointed.

Mine (iPad 2 WiFi+3G 64GB) is back up and running (on iOS 9.3 !) after approx. 3 hours. In the end, what took the most time after DFU modus (through the latest version of iTunes on my iMac), was the Restore from Backup, that I had luckily (but routinely!) made just before attempting to do the update.