Q: Activation failed on iPad 2 after iOS 9.3 update

You are right you shouldn't have to reset and restore a back up. That's no solution! I did it because I couldn't wait but it hasn't stopped me hammering Apple support over on Twitter. If you want to speak to them and have a twitter account tweet to @applesupport they respond immediately

Got the same message, took out the sim card (which I never use) and restarted. Thereby I managed to finish the IOS 9.3 update.

However now another issue has appeared, namely that the pop up box "No sim card installed" keeps pupping up, although I click on OK.

Installing the Sim card again causes the pop up box "Sim card locked - OK" to pop up. Clicking OK gives me a 10 seconds break before I have to click OK again - How can we end this circle-reaction?

+1

In a chat session with Apple support now

1. Open Itunes on your PC (you've use the latest version itunes 12.3.3)

2. Turn off you ipad & then turn on by pressing "home" & "power" button at the same time. After the apple logo apper, release power button BUT keep hold your home button. you will be ask to connect your ipad to itunes using cable data.

3. choose to restore, your itunes will be download ios 9.3. let it download.

4. error message maybe appear saying your ipad can't be verify, just leave it untill itunes finish download 9.3 ios (at top right conner has download progress).

5. After finish download, repeat step at no.2 this time itunes will start restore your ipad.

6. after restore finish, follow the instruction step & you'll be allow to choose "start as new ipad" or "restore from your last back up" it's up to you to choose, it only restore your songs, movies, & app. your ios allready 9.3

I have tried all the suggestions in 4 pages of posts on how to unlock and upgrade or restore my wife's iPhone 6 Plus after it failed to download and activate after what appeared to be a normal upgrade from Apple of IOS 9.3.  I am posting this here because most of the comments and problems seem to be with the iPad 2, which she also has and it downloaded the upgrade without any problems.  Next she started the down load on her iPhone 6 and it failed.  I have searched the web and continue to for answers, many comments of problems with the bata version but also mostly with the iPad 2.  Since we do not have Apple care we cannot turn to them without paying and so far most have reported they do not have an answer either.  We drove to the Verizon store today and they also have no answer for this.  Her phone is locked like a brick, only thing you can get at all is the the connect to iTunes cable etc.. Have attempted to follow all instructions to do that about 30 times now and it always fails when it gets to updating firmware it dies and give us an error message code for which is not on the list of Apple error codes.  Still hoping Apple will get a fix out soon.  And to think I was the one that talked my wife into Mac Book Pro, I pad and iPhone, and she will not let me forget it. Help please.

This is a known problem/glitch.

Apple has acknowledge the issue with activation server difficulties with certain iPad models and have stated that they are working on this issue and that it will be resolved as soon as possible.

My daughter's Iphone 6s did this update last night with the same results, it's a brick. I took it to the Apple store and the "genius" there told me it was because of an issue with icloud and what I needed to do was log into the icloud and remove the device. He said there's a conflict and it stops the update install. I told him I didn't think that was it because I was sure my daughter never used icloud, but he gave me the instructions (my daughter had to work, I had no way of contacting her, and I stupidly left her this morning without getting the apple id info). So I go home and try the same instructions you'll find in throughout this thread and guess what?? IT DIDN'T WORK. As I suspected, she never signed into the cloud, so there was no device to remove from the list, and the phone always fails at the updating firmware portion (about halfway through):

So tomorrow we're going back and letting them know, nothing works like they claimed. HEAR THAT APPLE??? ALWAYS FAILS DURING FIRMWARE UPDATE! You might want to look into that part first. So glad I use Samsungs.

THANKS! It did work

This is working for me, was able to restore iPad (V 9.2.1) , restore is loading apps now. In all my years using PC (since 1980's) I've never seem such a mess. Good thing I had a BACKUP...... Will not install latest version till I'm sure it's fixed for iPad 2.

When i did a restore and back up it automatically installed the latest update and it works fine - pity you have to wipe you ipad and restore in order for it to work!!

I am going to reply to this for the last time:

- I was in the same situation (unable to activate!) as you guys, with an iPad 2 WiFi+3G

- In the end (after several other attempts, involving deleting from 'Find your iPhone'), I chose the DFU route; how to do that is sufficiently described in previous posts; if you are still uncertain, please specify what is not sufficiently described enough;

- I ALWAYS backup before upgrading, or undertaking other major changes to my iPad;

- through DFU and Restore, I am now running iOS 9.3, and have been doing so for almost 48 hours; I have not yet rebooted, but have backed up and added/deleted stuff regularly without any issue;

If one thing (besides this iOS 9.2.1 to 9.3 being a 'tough' one) is clear to me: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A RECENT BACKUP before undertaking any major steps on your iOS device.

(sorry for shouting)

You can shout at me as much as you want, but I have followed each step and iTunes says that my iPad2 is up to date with the 9.2.1. The 9.3 is downloaded onto my iPad. I have backed up my iPad and synced it and am ready to just give up trying to get this GD update to work. There is no Apple store anywhere around here and I am truly at a loss as to what to do and how in heck to get it to work.

Also, I don't know what "GSM model" means.

Now it appears that I cannot post this edited reply. Sheesh!

ERror 56 is a SIM activation error - the update is unable to obtain (probably) operator info from the SIM.

This has nothing to do with the a tivation glitch reported elsewhere in this thread.

Your problem can be solved by removing the SIM card and maybe also the SIM tray before doing the update/restore.

I was not shouting at you personally, only repeating (loudly, I admit), what I had stated before.

Meanwhile, but I hope someone can confirm, Apple has rolled out a new v.9.3. I have not installed, as my 9.3 appears to be working normally.

'GSM model', you say. I think it applies to the iPad2 3G+WiFi, but I hope someone who uses that term (GSM model?) would explain.