Level 1

8 points

iPhone update server could not be contacted, but why ?

Hi!
I'm wondering why iTunes can't seem to contact the iTunes update/restore server. My iPhone needs to be restored and when I try, it extracts the software but it stops when it comes to contact the server, it says it is temporarily unavailable. I tried all Apple solutions on the support page, but I can't understand how can I check what ports are opens and if iTunes uses them or not...
Thanks.

iPhone 3GS, iPhone OS 3.1, Mac OS X 10.6.2

Posted on Apr 17, 2010 4:43 PM

139 replies

Dec 7, 2010 6:45 PM in response to TheHammer417

Hammer---I need your help too! My kid is on his third iPhone 3gs (something always ends up going wrong during random syncing). So I tried your recommendation for this NON-Jailbroken phone and here is what I see in Terminal:

##
# Host Database
#
# localhost is used to configure the loopback interface
# when the system is booting. Do not change this entry.
##
127.0.0.1 localhost
255.255.255.255 broadcasthost
::1 localhost
fe80::1%lo0 localhost

Note that there is no gs.apple.com anywhere on the page and I can't even click anywhere below the ## at the top. Can you help? I haven't been able to get anywhere with Apple Tech. You should also know some other details:
(1) We have three iPhones-the other two work fine and sync fine.
(2) We have two iMacs--we actually got the non-family-iTunes computer to get to the restore part when we plugged in the phone but then we got the same message as is being discussed on this thread.

Any help would be much appreciated. This is driving us nuts!

Roger

JRod122

Level 1

0 points

Dec 16, 2010 10:45 PM in response to unvaluablespace

(NO GAY!!!) But, You sir are a beautiful person lmao. This helped Soooo much! Thanks a million mate.

Dec 20, 2010 7:46 AM in response to Sparkax

You mention the the 127.0.0.1 as being pointed to apple, well I have been having update problems recently and I checked my file and my 127.0.0.1 is pointing to mystuff.jawbone.com.

Assuming this refers to the jawbone blue tooth headset i recently purchased and installed it has altered this line and that may be causing my problem?

Any thoughts

Craig

Jan 13, 2011 4:28 PM in response to unvaluablespace

If anyone wants a video tutorial go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv08LM3WIZM

Jan 24, 2011 4:59 PM in response to TheHammer417

Please help. I don't have the 127.0.0.1 gs.apple.com
I added it and it still isn't working I need help. I don't know what I am doing!!

Rockwolf

Level 1

0 points

Jan 25, 2011 9:45 AM in response to unvaluablespace

You my friend are a lifesaver. i could not figure it out for the life of me until I tried your solution. Well done my friend, well done.

Feb 7, 2011 8:14 AM in response to TheHammer417

Hi there, I have tried all solutions posted with regards to the host update i.e going in through terminal and also editing the host file but the problem I have is there is no line existing with the '127.0.0.1 gs.apple.com' in the first place. I have tried updating the host text to include the line with the hash but still no luck. The original host page looks like this:

##
# Host Database
#
# local host is used to configure the loopback interface
# when the system is booting. Do not change this entry.
##
127.0.0.1 localhost
255.255.255.255 broadcasthost
::1 localhost

Any help would be much appreciated!

Message was edited by: mont_georgie

Feb 8, 2011 10:02 AM in response to unvaluablespace

This solved my problem. Thanks

Feb 19, 2011 11:35 AM in response to TheHammer417

This worked PERFECTLY! Thanks!

FYI: I also had to block the following server:
#74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com

So, just double-check that you add # before any servers trying to get to gs.apple.com and you should be fine! 😉

Mar 19, 2011 8:53 PM in response to TheHammer417

TheHammer hit the nail on the head!! Woo! Thanks Hammer! Looked all over for a fix and yours worked like charm!! Woo!

May 8, 2011 10:55 AM in response to Sparkax

MAC! how to fix ipad/iphones/itouch itunes update problem

Click Finder.
At the top menu, click Go.
Select “Go To Folder” from the submenu.
Type “/private“.
Open the folder “etc” and locate the “hosts” file.
Copy it to your desktop > right click > show info > make sure you have the rights to read and edit it.
Open it in text editor.
Search “127.0.0.1 gs.apple.com” (somewhere at the bottom normally)
Add a “#” and a space before it and save the file.
Copy it back into the “etc” folder and replace the old “hosts” file.
Restart iTunes and it should be fixed!

yoellie

Level 1

8 points

Jul 19, 2011 12:53 PM in response to 1933eagles

Hi,

Did you ever get a response to your question about updating you iPhone? I have the exact same problem. Hope you're listening!

This is the information in the "host" file. How do I fix this? thanks!

# Host Database

# localhost is used to configure the loopback interface

# when the system is booting. Do not change this entry.

127.0.0.1 localhost

255.255.255.255 broadcasthost

::1 localhost

fe80::1%lo0 localhost

Sep 21, 2011 11:38 PM in response to Sparkax

hello...everytime i plug in my iphone it says ''the iphone sofware update server could not be contacted''......it says that everytime...wat do i do???????????????????//please

jman995

Level 1

22 points

Sep 29, 2011 10:21 AM in response to TheHammer417

TheHammer417...you rock!

I too have been looking for this Terminal #_ solution for a couple of hours now so that I can update.

Thanks!

jman995

Level 1

22 points

Sep 29, 2011 10:24 AM in response to nelsonfromalbany

#nelsonfromalbany

Go the to the 3rd page of this thread....second post down (from TheHammer417).

Just had the same problem you did, followed Hammer's advice and my phone is updating as I type this.

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iPhone update server could not be contacted, but why ?