IPad Mini 4 scuttled by OS 15.7.5 update.

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Level 1

4 points

IPad Mini 4 scuttled by OS 15.7.5 update.

iPad Mini 4, 128 GB, Wi-Fi model with over 90 GB free space, lightly used.

Battery was lasting two to three days between charges before latest online update (15.7.5 I think.)

After online update indicated completion without errors + hard reset it would no longer charge. Tried multiple chargers and cables that all work with other Apple devices including an iPad Air 2 without success.

Connected iPad Mini 4 to laptop running iTunes and was told it needs an additional update. Ran install but that update failed; Put iPad Mini 4 into recovery mode and tried again with same result.

Now down to 1% battery and will not boot. Am I entitled to be upset? Any advice?

iPad mini 4

Posted on Apr 27, 2023 2:06 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

LotusPilot

Community+ 2024

Level 10

289,722 points

Apr 27, 2023 3:25 PM in response to GL650i

Connect your iPad to its Power Adapter and allow the iPad to charge foe at least an hour. Then, while still connected to external power, attempt a forced-restart of your iPad - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
Press and hold the top button.
When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

Force restart iPad (models with the Home button)

Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.

If the problem remains unresolved, these support pages should help with troubleshooting battery and charging issues:

Charge and monitor the iPad battery - Apple Support

If your iPad won't charge – Apple Support

Troubleshooting generally requires substitution of the Power Adapter and cable for another known-good item. Most models of iPad require a Power Adapter rated at 12W or greater to reliably charge. 5W Power Adapters intended for older models of iPhone are inadequate to charge an iPad; if the iPad charges at all, charging will be very slow.

Be aware that many computer USB ports cannot source sufficient power to charge an iPad. Unless explicitly designed for charging connected devices, computer USB ports are typically limited to 0.5-1A @5V (i.e., 2.5-5.0W).

If you continue to experience difficulties when using an appropriate Power Adapter of 12W or greater, you might be best advised to seek assistance directly from from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively, if you have access to another Apple device, you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/apple-support/id1130498044

You might also visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to test and assess your iPad, Power Adapter and cable(s):

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

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Answer 2

TheLittles

Level 10

195,711 points

Apr 27, 2023 6:00 PM in response to GL650i

GL650i Said:

"IPad Mini 4 scuttled by OS 15.7.5 update.: [...]fter online update indicated completion without errors + hard reset it would no longer charge. Tried multiple chargers and cables that all work with other Apple devices including an iPad Air 2 without success.[...]"

-------

Report this to Apple:

Do your part: Let Apple know what is going on here. Provide them with feedback on this. They may not get back to you directly, but the more feedback they received on this, the more they will know what is going on, and what needs to be fixed in updates to come.

Go Here: Feedback - iPad - Apple
Select: "Bug Report" for the "Feedback Type"
Comment: that it is after installing the update when the issue began. Include the URL of this thread.
Proceed from there aw necessary

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Answer 3

elyk233

Level 1

119 points

Apr 27, 2023 4:13 PM in response to GL650i

I understand your annoyance with your device, however, there are a few things that may help. The best option here appears to be a function called DFU Mode. To enable this function, do the following, Connect the device to a computer using a USB cable.

Hold down both the Home button and Lock button.

After 8 seconds, release the Lock button while continuing to hold down the Home button.

- If the Apple logo appears, the Lock button was held down for too long.

Nothing will be displayed on the screen when the device is in DFU mode. If open, iTunes will alert you that a device was detected in recovery mode.

- If your device shows a screen telling you to connect the device to iTunes, retry these steps.

Hopefully this helps.

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Answer 4

GL650i Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2023 5:45 PM in response to LotusPilot

LotusPilot,

First, I don’t know where your profile name derives from but it reminds me of Lotus 1-2-3, a great piece of software from the eighties and early nineties.

I thank you for your exceptionally thoughtful and detailed reply. I think I have previously covered most of your recommendations but will go back through them step by step just in case.

As for the Apple Genius Bar, we took our Mini to the local store this morning after making what we thought was an appointment. Turns out we had a sales appointment and not a Genius Barappt. Once we explained our situation to a sales person though they summoned another sales person who they said had experience working the “Bar”.

This person was in full sales mode and quickly blew us off…

Only reason an update ever fails is if there is insufficient storage because he device needs to hold two copies of O/S during update. (Ok, but this is a 128 GB iPad with zero music, zero photos and reports >90 GB of free space.) No matter.
It wasn’t designed to be repaired… case cannot be opened without destroying the iPad internals.
Never heard of updates being applied via iTunes. That’s only for music.
It is old, repairs would cost more than it is worth.
And so on and forth.

Ugh!

Right now my device is plugged into one of several 30 Watt capable chargers I installed in the walls of my house. When I first connected it my USB meter registered 2.46 Amperes. Charging current tapered to around 1.8 Amperes over a minute or two and then dropped to zero. If I now press the power/wake button it revives at around 2 Amps, decays, then drops to zero within about 90 second seconds. Repeating this process yields same or similar results. Never saw an Apple handheld device draw more than about 1.3 Amps before this.

I will repost after going through your suggestions carefully.

GL650i *

*Wish I had chosen GL650i Pilot for a handle!

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Answer 5

GL650i Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2023 6:13 PM in response to LotusPilot

LotusPilot,

First, I don’t know where your profile name derives from but it reminds me of Lotus 1-2-3, a great piece of software from the eighties and early nineties.

I thank you for your exceptionally thoughtful and detailed reply. I think I have previously covered most of your recommendations but will go back through them step by step just in case.

As for the Apple Genius Bar, we took our Mini to the local store this morning after making what we thought was an appointment. Turns out we had a sales appointment and not a Genius Bar appt. Once we explained our situation to a sales person though they summoned another sales person who they said had experience working “The Bar”.

Turns out this second person was in full sales mode and quickly blew us off…

Only reason an update ever fails is if there is insufficient storage because he device needs to hold two copies of O/S during update. (Ok, but this is a 128 GB iPad with zero music, zero photos and reports >90 GB of free space.) No matter he says.
Never heard of updates being applied via iTunes. That’s only for music.
It is old, repairs would cost more than it is worth.
It wasn’t designed to be repaired… case cannot be opened without destroying the iPad internals.
But new models are ___, and can ___, etc.
And so on and so forth.

Ugh!

Right now my Mini 4 is plugged in to one of several 30 Watt capable chargers I installed in the walls of my house years ago. When I first connected it the USB meter registered 2.46 Amperes. (As an aside, I never saw an Apple handheld device draw more than about 1.3 Amps before now and that was from my iPad Air 2 in a severely discharged state several years ago. That is the device I am typing on right now.)

Charging current on the Mini 4 tonight tapered to around 1.8 Amperes over a minute or two and then instantly dropped to zero. It does not seem to reawaken by itself.

If I now press the power/wake button it revives at around 2 Amps, decays to 1.93 Amps, then drops to zero within about 45 seconds.

Repeating this process yields same or similar results. Insanity anyone?

I will repost after going through your suggestions carefully.

GL650i *

*Wish I had chosen GL650i Pilot for a handle!

Reply

Answer 6

GL650i Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2023 6:20 PM in response to LotusPilot

LotusPilot,

First, I don’t know where your profile name derives from but it reminds me of Lotus 1-2-3, a great piece of software from the eighties and early nineties.

I thank you for your exceptionally thoughtful and detailed reply. I think I have previously covered most of your recommendations but will go back through them step by step just in case.

As for the Apple Genius Bar, we took our Mini to the local store this morning after making what we thought was an appointment. Turns out we had a sales appointment and not a Genius Bar appt. Once we explained our situation to a sales person though they summoned another sales person who they said had experience working “The Bar”.

Turns out this second person was in full sales mode and quickly blew us off…

Only reason an update ever fails is if there is insufficient storage because he device needs to hold two copies of O/S during update. (Ok, but this is a 128 GB iPad with zero music, zero photos and reports >90 GB of free space.) No matter he says.
Never heard of updates being applied via iTunes. That’s only for music.
It is old, repairs would cost more than it is worth.
It wasn’t designed to be repaired… case cannot be opened without destroying the iPad internals.
But new models are ___, and can ___, etc.
And so on and so forth.

Ugh!

Right now my Mini 4 is plugged in to one of several 30 Watt capable chargers I installed in the walls of my house years ago. When I first connected it the USB meter registered 2.46 Amperes. (As an aside, I never saw an Apple handheld device draw more than about 1.3 Amps before now and that was from my iPad Air 2 in a severely discharged state several years ago. That is the device I am typing on right now.)

Charging current on the Mini 4 tonight tapered to around 1.8 Amperes over a minute or two and then instantly dropped to zero. It does not seem to reawaken by itself.

If I now press the power/wake button it revives at around 2 Amps, decays to 1.93 Amps, then drops to zero within about 45 seconds.

Repeating this process yields same or similar results. Insanity anyone?

I will repost after going through your suggestions carefully.

GL650i *

*Wish I had chosen GL650i Pilot for a handle!

Reply

Answer 7

Apr 28, 2023 2:32 AM in response to GL650i

You were clearly unlucky with your experience at the “Genius Bar”. Please be assured, your experience is not representative of the care and support that is characteristic and expected of Apple Store technicians.

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Answer 8

Apr 28, 2023 2:48 AM in response to LotusPilot

You were clearly unlucky with your experience at the “Genius Bar”. Please be assured, your experience is not representative of the care and support that is characteristic and expected of Apple Store technicians.

As for failure of your update, while unusual, errors and issues can occur. If you iPad lacks sufficient free-space, the update will not proceed - as the update process checks for adequate space to download, unpack and verify the update package.

Performing system software update using a Windows PC (with iTunes for Windows installed) or a Mac computer (with iTunes or Finder - as appropriate for the installed version of macOS) does have advantages in some situations. iTunes and Finder are used to both manage and synchronise media and files - but can also update and restore devices where required.

When using a computer to perform a device update, the installation package is downloaded, unpacked and verified by the computer - and not by the target device. In such circumstance, the device being updated requires substantially less available free-space - and an update may be possible without offloading data or Apps to create additional free-space on the target device.

Restoring your iPad - in particular via “DFU” - will not be possible unless the iPad battery has adequate charge. If the battery were to fail during a DFU-recovery, the target device can be irretrievably “bricked’ - rendering a potentially recoverable device permanently unserviceable.

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Answer 9

GL650i Author

Level 1

4 points

May 1, 2023 8:37 PM in response to LotusPilot

@LotusPilot,

To be fair we never made it to the Genius Bar. We were intercepted by sales staff who insisted we had only a sales appointment even though my wife was 99% sure she had made an appointment for the Genius Bar.

Now for an update on my situation:

Turns out the iPad was not Bricked. I do not know weather it was always experiencing only a battery problem or if one of the two updates via iTunes fixed anything.

For some time the iPad was continually restarting and rapidly shutting down. I eventually saw a pattern as follows:

Shutdown;

Restart with display of discharged battery with red cathode;

Blank screen followed by a period of changing at high amperage from ~2.4 A declining to ~1.7 A;

Displaying Apple symbol and charging current dropping to zero soon after. It would never resume charging.

Fully started but severely limited in what activity could be performed before a spontaneous restart;

The breakthrough came when i connected the iPad to a lower current capable device and carefully observed the cycle; It would charge at ~2.4 A declining to ~1.5 A over about 10 minutes before displaying the apple symbol. Upon displaying the Apple symbol and restarting, the ipad charging rate drops to zero and will never resume.

Eventually I initiated restarts but did not allow the ipad to complete the initial charging cycle. After twice interrupting the process I left it overnight. The next morning it restarted immediately, showed 6% charge and initiated the cleaning we had requested through Find My and reset the device.

Device is now wiped and prepared for Recycle/Reuse.

This is the minimally acceptable outcome for us.

Thanks for all your help.

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Answer 10

GL650i Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2023 6:29 PM in response to elyk233

elyk233,

Thank you for your reply. I am not familiar with the DFU mode. I will try out your suggestions tomorrow if the Mini 4 will connect. Will reply with results.

GL650i

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IPad Mini 4 scuttled by OS 15.7.5 update.

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