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andrewwynn Author

Level 1

57 points

iPhone firmware update 3.1.2 is out! How's it working for you?

Whew relief at last! but 'your mileage may vary'. I am very curious how well it's working. I really hope 'comatose' is a word we can quickly forget.

I was at 3.1 last night and had hopefully my last coma ever. I put on 3.1.2 and it went very smoothly other than for some reason some of my apps lost their data. (i lost hundreds of entries from my 'Lose-it' weight management program (AWESOME by the way; down almost 20# since July).

Since putting on 3.1.2, however, phone not quite as responsive as yesterday on 3.1 (something i can deal with if it never 'goes coma' again), but once in a while it's a pretty long pause, like a 4 sec. pause in the middle of a tapping a word; again if it's a trade-off to have the phone work 100% of the time i can cope with that.

Anybody that does try the upgrade and has a problem, please go through the normal steps of putting on a clean install before 'going ballistic'. Basically, i would recommend doing a backup, putting the phone into DFU BEFORE the first attempt of 3.1.2 (which i didn't do... could be related to the 'stutters' i'm getting right now).

I recommend this method:

1. backup your phone manually (in case it doesn't ask) -> right-click on phone and pick backup
2. Get your phone into DFU mode (search apple help or google; you-tube is has great guides)
3. restore the phone while in DFU. In my experience, the phone is dark while DFU restore
4. activate the phone and 'play around a bit'; i use m.me so i can have my contacts back w/o sync
5. if things are not going well, i would go back to step 2 and re-install
6. test drive for at least a few hours before doing a 1-hr restore from backup (of your data).
7. come back here and give some feedback if it's working (or not).

So.. for me, the summary is: super-smooth 'restore' to 3.1.2 but like a 'moron' (don't take offense, it's a term of endearment for a smart person that doesn't do something the best way by being hasty).. i did just a direct upgrade from iTunes w/o heeding my own advice and DFU the phone first.

So.. i have had a couple instances of 'non response' to things like hitting the home button, the sleep button, but i've had that since 3.0; it was why i upgraded to 3.1 in the first place. I'm very curious about why my 'accidental' install of 3.1 was so darn fast, and i want it back, so over the weekend i'll do a DFU re-install of 3.1.2 if it doesn't clear up with a restart.

No coma yet, but too soon to know if 3.1.2 is the reason. If you have a perfectly working phone at 3.0 or 3.01, i wouldn't bother upgrading, the only 'super cool' thing you'll be missing is the ability to sort your home pages icons in iTunes (super amazing; best part of 3.1 OS for sure). Just wait a week or three to see what others say first!

Oh.. if you really want a clean install.. use a fresh 'user' on your computer to do the update, then just don't bother syncing, and switch back to 'you' before doing 'restore from backup'.

Ok, wish you guys all luck, hope that everybody has a fully operational phone/ipod after this.

-awr

iPhone 3.1.2! woo hoo., Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on Oct 9, 2009 3:20 PM

193 replies

iTuner99

Level 1

0 points

Oct 10, 2009 7:35 PM in response to andrewwynn

So, I was probably one of many that jumped on the 3.1.2 update as soon as it appeared. The one thing I've noticed on my 3G is a slight increase in speed when skimming from page to page of apps. It used to be pretty erratic before the update, but now every page I swipe is smooth with no unusual stopping. Everything else seems up to par so far and I've not lost anything as I've heard others state. So far so good, but I'm still testing this revision out through some pretty intense usage of 3G, GPS, and WiFi while on the road and at home. Time will tell.

Oct 10, 2009 9:17 PM in response to TK.22

I would echo this comment. I get the same issue unless I shut Zonealarm down before I update. Once it is shut down, the update proceeds flawlessly.

reima05

Level 1

10 points

Oct 10, 2009 11:06 PM in response to Sawbones64

I've not had ZoneAlarm interfere with prvious iPod/iPhone updates, but I can see how it (or any other firewall) could potentially interfere - particularly if the download verification requires network access. Based on your experience, I'll turn it off during the update. Couldn't hurt.

farolito

Level 1

0 points

Oct 11, 2009 2:46 AM in response to andrewwynn

Had no problem with the upgrade to 3.1.2 although I had to reinstall from the backup after the upgrade. But it worked ....

... BUT: now my battery is down to only 18 hours standby time, it really makes my iPhone useless, when i try to work with it ... i use push-mail (once an hour)

I really hope Apple is doing something fast ...

irbrenda

Level 1

10 points

Oct 11, 2009 3:14 AM in response to farolito

No problems here. Went quickly and smoothly. Battery life not any better though. I use the Mophie Juice Pack Air for that reason and at least I get thru the day.

Oct 11, 2009 3:27 AM in response to andrewwynn

Did not work for me.

Tried
re installing iTunes
redownloading the update
restoring as new phone
deleting all my free apps

nothing seems to work

have even resorted to trying to downgrade to 3.01 but then the phone just kept starting in recovery mode

ALL I WANT IS THE OPTION IN ITUNES TO RESTORE TO 3.01.

It can't be that hard can it?

As my phone is out of warranty but I still have 4 more months on my contract I fell at least I should have the option to roll back to the software version I had when I signed the contract

I may have to see if I can legally break my contract with O2 as this phone is not working and I have no approved way of fixing it. Not willing to wait another 4 weeks to see if the next update works.

Oct 11, 2009 6:40 AM in response to farolito

If you have an email account that supports Push access with Push enabled for the account, the account is not checked for new messages automatically every hour. That is a Fetch setting, not a Push setting. With Push access, new messages recieved at the incoming mail server are pushed to iPhone without having to automatically or manually check the account for new messages.

Zebulun

Level 5

6,749 points

Oct 11, 2009 7:26 AM in response to andrewwynn

3.1 turned my iPhone into a sluggish beast, something I was about to throw into Lake Michigan. The AT&T carrier update to enable MMS introduced the dang coma trait which reared it's ugly head at least 5 per day.

I did the 3.1.2 update yesterday along with the carrier update and i can safely report, 24 hours later, No Coma Episodes! It also appears to introduce some snappiness back into the device. At times I was waiting almost a minute for applications to load and sometimes up to 30 seconds for the device to type. No amount of restarting, restoring, re-anything did anything to help this.

So far, 3.1.2 is treating me fairly well, now if only AT&T could solve all the service problems in Chicago, then I might actually be happy with the iPhone.

z.

Oct 11, 2009 8:57 AM in response to lastlazlo

How can I downgrade my phone from 3.1.2? Is my only option to do a restore? If yes, will all of my contacts be wiped out? Any advice is appreciated. Since the download my phone is basically a heavy paperweight.

Oct 11, 2009 9:13 AM in response to Mariposa1024

Contacts are included with your iPhone's backup along with a lot of other data, which is updated by iTunes as the first step during the sync process.

This link provides the data included with the iPhone's backup.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1766

Although included with your iPhone's backup, contacts are designed to be synced with a supported application on your computer, and I'm not sure how some people get by without having any contact info available on their computer - all on a portable device only that can be lost or stolen, but whatever works.

With XP, this can be with Outlook 2003 or 2007 along with syncing calendar events, or with the address book used by Outlook Express called Windows Contacts for syncing contacts only.

This is selected under the Info tab for your iPhone sync preferences.

If you don't have Outlook 2003 or 2007 available and you aren't current using Windows Contacts for contact info - Windows Contacts is empty, before syncing contacts with Windows Contacts, enter one unique contact in Windows Contacts - make this up if needed, which can be deleted later. This will provide a merge prompt with the first sync, which you want to select. This data will be kept synchronized between the two with following syncs.

Before restoring your iPhone with iTunes, sync your iPhone immediately before to update your iPhone's backup and to update data kept synchronized such as contact info.

If there is a problem with your iPhone's backup, restoring your iPhone with iTunes from your iPhone's backup will also restore the problem. If no change after restoring from the backup, try restoring as a new iPhone or not from your iPhone's backup. You will lose the other data included with the iPhone's backup, but you won't lose contact info if you sync contacts with a supported application on your computer as designed and intended.

Oct 11, 2009 9:23 AM in response to deggie

Deggie, a bit presumptious, how do you know Zone Alarm corrupted the download? Who issued the update? There is a conlict between them, ZA did not corrupt the download. Apple issue an update that should be thoroughly tested before it hits the street and that includes working with all the major firewall systems out there. Zone Alarm dont issue updates everytime Apple issue one do they, nor should they. Given the amount of problems with the update on this forum alone as well as others suggests to me that yes this is another half baked update. Remember what this update is for? Yep thats right fixing the previous half baked update.

I just love people think Apple are whiter than white.

Sijmons

Level 4

2,095 points

Oct 11, 2009 9:38 AM in response to andrewwynn

I'm afraid I was too quick with my praise for the v3.1.2 update. The coma issues decribed in this and many other threads creeped back in within 1-2 days after the upgrade.

Apparently the upgrade itself cleared up some persistant memory or process issues, but did not resolve the root of the problem as the subsequent use over the course of a day (nothing exotic, just plain standard apps) gradually brought back the coma issues.

Just signed the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/iPaperWeight/
which also gives a good checklist of items that one may have tried to resolve this. Hopefully the iPhone engineers may get some clues from the list when many others do the same and some general pattern may evolve.

Oct 11, 2009 10:29 AM in response to andrewwynn

No problems at all. I had avoided 3.1 and waited to 3.1.2. Battery life seems fine, no comas and access to my MS Exchange account seems to be seamless, as does WiFi connection and safari etc. I'm happy with it.

deggie

Level 10

167,333 points

Oct 11, 2009 3:23 PM in response to Brian1968

If Apple had to test with every possible combination of firewall, antivirus, antispyware, hardware, software, etc. combination before they released an update they would (a) need about 5 million beta testers and (b) would need about 3 years to complete the testing.

It is always a good idea when installing software to turn off/disable any antivirus/antispyware software and it is often necessary to open the firewall. The firewall may block the download, the antivirus/antispyware software can block it, stop it from writing to the disk, or possibly corrupt the download. This is not just for iPhone downloads, this is any software you install. I'm sure you must have run into software installs before now that popped up a box recommending you disable your antivirus software prior to proceeding.

As far as the "half-baked update", etc., isn't it a bit of a leap to suggest that since some people had a problem that everyone had issues? Because I didn't have any and I know several others that did not.

Does Apple release updates that some people have problems with. Sure, just like everyone else out there. But to blame an update problem on other software, then suggest a fix with the other software, and then blame Apple is a bit illogical.

Oct 11, 2009 4:45 PM in response to andrewwynn

My experience with both 3.1 and 3.1.2 was that both updates could not be installed from either of my 2 Windows PCs running XP Home. Had no problems with 3.0, but with 3.1 and 3.1.2 the update would attempt to install then the phone would not be recognized to complete the install. I tried DFU, disabling virus and firewall and reinstalling Itunes all with the same result. The only way I could get the update to install was using a Macbook. There the install went in cleanly and I was able to restore on my PC using backup. There seems to be a problem with some PCs that once the install commences it stall and the phone isn't recognized. From the number of people posting with this problem, I wonder why Apple Support hasn't investigated and come up with a solution. I won't be upgrading again until there's a solution posted.

iPhone firmware update 3.1.2 is out! How's it working for you?