Error (-9838)

I want to know what's going on with Apple too! Normally this type of thing is pretty seamless. Now I have not one, but two iPhones that aren't working! Mine gets this -9838 error code when I plug it into my MacBook (screen on iPhone is stuck on the "connect USB to iTunes thing). So my phone is down for now. And while mine was updating, I plugged my mom's up to her Windows computer. It did everything to update, then reached the point that mine was. Her phone's screen has the same thing on it, and iTunes doesn't say -9838 on the Windows computer, but "We could not complete your iTunes Store request. The network connection timed out. Make sure your network settings are correct and your network connection is active, then try again." Hmmm. That's weird. It said something different a second ago..... *Tries to get the old message up* Well, it's not coming up again. It said something about SNL 2.0 or TNL or something. It said it was under Internet Options in the Control Panel. I looked, but couldn't find anything. Also, now my iPhone isn't coming up with the -9838 message. It's just been loading the iTunes Store under "iPhone" for like 5 minutes. Earlier I left and came back and after about 30 minutes of trying to connect to the iTunes Store, I just took it off the dock. When I tried again, I got the -9838. Got it every time except this one. But it's just taking forever again..... I can't tell if it's working or not.......

restore your phone. it should update...

hey guys, i restored my phone cause i was tempted to go over to Sprint. I restored it and it seems to be working. i have the new icons and stuff.... what hat trick.... Apple stock is gonna drop.

I did the reauthorize iTunes account and now instead of the 9838 error immediately, I have an 'accessing iTunes store' progress bar (been about 10 minutes so far).

It's definitely going to be a waiting game. I agree that apple should have been more prepared for the hits on their authorization server. My phone has been a brick for about 2 hours now and its the only phone I have.

OK just be patient....approx..1 hour and 30 minutes later my iphone started syncing again and is now working. 🙂 Yeah!

I just tried to update my iPhone firmware to 2.0 through iTunes; it's never been other than totally stock, so this should have been straightforward. However, the update was interrupted, and I was left with a dead phone (Slide for Emergency visible on the screen) and an error in the iTunes window (-9838, I believe). No technician are available on Apple's help line, and no information is available on the Support site. This is shameful; couldn't they have pushed the update package to me BEFORE clean-slating my phone? Come on, Apple - capacity planning, please!

Tom DeBoni
an unhappy customer

You said don't disconnect it. That's what my computer told me to do. I disobeyed. Haha. It screwed up I thought, and reconnecting would just pick up where it left off. Can I still do what you said? This is taking forever....."Accessing iTunes Store"

Thanks Joe for the link, that did the trick for me. The error-9838 is gone and the iPhone is working ...
Steve

Well, I was hopeful,... but now I'm back to the 9838 error and no progress bar at the iTunes store... 😟 now what?

Well, I was hopeful,... but now I'm back to the 9838 error and no progress bar at the iTunes store... 😟 now what?

The Image Capture fix suggested at http://is.gd/R7M made the -9838 go away. But now I see "Accessing iTunes Store..." and I occasionally get a -4 error. Clicking elsewhere and back hasn't worked for me yet.

Now the -9838 is back. And playing with the Image Capture preferences doesn't do anything.

I guess all I can do is keep disconnecting and reconnecting my iPhone to retry.

WAaaaaaaaaaaah!?!?! I'm getting the same error. I want a gift card and a new 3G iPhone for my troubles.... No... Really. I do.

In all seriousness, I've tried the toggling between Music and iPhone to no avail as well as the reauthorizing. Anyone else have any suggestions or updates?

One other thought, most of our phones say "slide for emergency" correct? I think one of you should go ahead and try it and see if we can get some help because this is clearly an emergency is it not?!?! Someone try that and get back to us.

Message was edited by: gemanshi

Just try again later. Most likely their servers (and/or networks) are just overwhelmed by all the requests.

It's going to be intermittent - some folks will get through, others will timeout while waiting to connect. I finally just got through after a couple hours and my phone is working again - with the new 2.0 software.

If your "connecting to iTunes store" message doesn't disappear after about five minutes, just cancel it by clicking on the close 'x' button in the status window.

As others suggested, click on a 'Library option (say 'Music'), then click back to your iPhone under the 'Devices' option. It will attempt to connect again.

You might get in, you might get stuck waiting, or you might get an error message. This is likely the situation until the traffic dies down or Apple gets things sorted out.

I don't thing it's necessary to try and restore your phone to the 1.1.4 software. Just be patient (I know it *****) and eventually you'll get through.

Maybe they have just denied access to the servers to allow all the 3G activations to go ahead of the loyal 2G customers....

OMG.. finally.. it's restoring the phone... I did the following:

1. launch iphoto
2. launch itunes
3. connect phone
4. close iphoto

got 'connecting to itunes store' for about 2 minutes, then it started restoring the phone. Restore now completed and it is restoring the contents to the phone

Hope this works for all