iPhone Configuration Utility - Can't Remove Profiles

Question

Level 1

1 points

iPhone Configuration Utility - Can't Remove Profiles

Hi folks, A few months back I configured 7 iPhones using IPCU. Each iPhone had a profile installed and set so that the users could not remove the profile.

Initially we started with all iPhones being very limited in what the end user could do, e.g. can't install apps, can't remove profiles, can't set up wifi etc.

We now want to remove some of these restrictions and I can't remove the original profiles. In attempting to remove a profile from the phone via IPCU (on the same computer that originally set them up), the following errors occur:

"The configuration profile could not be removed from the device".

The console log in IPCU shows:
Mon Nov 29 16:06:54 unknown mc mobiletunnel[518] <Warning>: MC|Error: NSError 0x11bd30:
Desc : The profile Profile Name does not have the expected certificate for removal.
US Desc: The profile Profile Name does not have the expected certificate for removal.
Domain : MCInstallationErrorDomain
Code : 4008
Type : MCFatalError
Params : (
"Profile Name"
)
Extra info:
{
isPrimary = 1;
}

How can I remove these profiles to allow the users to do more?

iPhone 3GS, Windows XP, IPCU 3.1

Posted on Nov 28, 2010 9:34 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Shaun K Author

Level 1

1 points

Dec 2, 2010 4:49 PM in response to Shaun K

Hello.... Anyone there?

Anyone from Apple keeping an eye on the forum?

Surely I can't be the only one with this problem...

Reply

Answer 2

Dec 15, 2010 8:37 AM in response to Shaun K

We were told if you set removal to "never" the profile couldn't be removed from the device, only from the same computer( and IPCU instance) that installed it. It's disturbing that now they can't be removed by the same computer with the same instance of IPCU. It sounds like the only option would be to "hard reset" (when i say this, I mean, in the IOS world, "erase all content and settings"). The only problem is that we've found that if the end users have backed up their devices, the profile is included in the backup. This means if you erase all contents and settings, then restore the device from backup, the profile will come back.

Reply

Answer 3

Shaun K Author

Level 1

1 points

Dec 15, 2010 2:16 PM in response to Bonesaw1962

Thanks Bonesaw1962,

Deep down I kind of knew that would be the answer, but man was seriously hoping that it wasn't! :o(

iPhones are fantastic things for a home user, but as a sysadmin I just hate them with a passion.

If Apple want Enterprise customers to have an Enterprise class tool, they need to have a good hard look at their IPCU and iTunes and make it work.

I've only rolled out 7 and it's been nothing but **** hard work and heartache...

Thanks again Bonesaw.

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 26, 2010 10:52 AM in response to Bonesaw1962

I hate to burst any bubbles here but I have the removal value set to password, I am using the same computer and the same instance (unfortunately updated to most recent version) of IPCU and I get the same error. It would be great if I could remember the password (I can probably find it somewhere) but the thing that scares me is that IPCU and the iPad both know the correct name of the profile and it isn't "Profile Name"

Reply

Answer 5

Krzzna

Level 1

0 points

Dec 28, 2010 9:40 AM in response to Shaun K

Facing similar issues with IPCU. Currently, i am working with 50 ipads, the number has been increasing for me from 2 ipads to 50 now and probably going to 100. I would like to use a Mobile Device management tool like Mobile Iron or so now to configure these devices OTA. All the profiles for the 50 ipads are set to never remove and they are all flying somewhere in US now.
How do i transfer the iPCU from my machine to another machine, or may be transfer to a MDM.
It looks like, no one at Apple monitors these discussions.
Hello Apple, is this the response you give for people trying to make more money for you?
Lack of proper Enterprise outreach can kill Apple at some time....

Reply

Answer 6

Shaun K Author

Level 1

1 points

Dec 28, 2010 2:37 PM in response to Krzzna

Krzzna, I feel for you and can't agree more that clearly no one from Apple is putting any effort into watching the issues facing their Enterprise customers, who have the potential to create so much revenue for them if the tools are right.

In short, my strongest recommendation would be to allow all future profiles to be removed with a password to save you and your users from the need to reset the devices to factory default settings. Set a very strong password and keep it in your encrypted pasword database with a free tool like PasswordSafe ( http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/) so that you or your authorised colleagues can remove profiles if required.

I've settled on this approach now and it appears to be reliable.

Come on Apple - time to start listening to your customers.

Shaun.

Reply

Answer 7

Jan 17, 2011 6:20 PM in response to Shaun K

I reiterate the guys comments above - Apple lift your game!

I am also having issues and I believe it is because I have upgraded the IPCU on the PC where these were originally created.

All my profiles now have a password but it doesn't help with the earlier ones that were created before this "gotcha" was discovered.

Someone from Apple please respond?

Darren

Reply

Answer 8

McDom

Level 1

0 points

Apr 5, 2011 12:30 AM in response to chubbychoc

Anyone have any further resolution from Apple on this one?

I'm at the tail end of a pilot for acceptance of iPads into our enterprise as an accepted mobile device; I discover today that I can't update or remove profiles now. This may be a deal breaker for us...

The only change on the PC I set them up from is that I have upgraded IPCU.

Reply

Answer 9

Alexroet

Level 2

422 points

Apr 5, 2011 5:53 AM in response to McDom

I am a user, who's run in to this problem... I installed the profile, without fully realizing what I was doing (i.e. committing myself to an 8 character device password that can't be disabled)- and now I want to get rid of it. Unfortunately, I backed up in the meantime. (usually i don't think backing up is a bad thing

). so last night I restored it from the backup, but the profile is still there. I need it OFF! there must be some way, short of just setting it up as a new device?!

If I could somehow pull an older backup out of Time Machine, could that work? I'm not sure if that's even possible... i don't know where backups are stored. And, of course, my Time Machine crashed last night. But I have a SuperDuper backup from last week... any chance that could save the day? The only other saved backup I have is from September,and I don't want to go that far back...

Reply

Answer 10

mgm612

Level 1

5 points

May 6, 2011 6:29 AM in response to Shaun K

I had a problem similar to this and turns out I was using a newer version of the configuration utility(IPCU). I reinstalled the older version of the utility and I was able to remove the profile. I had to search online to find the older versions but I found them. I had updated to version 3.3 but had to go back to 3.2 to remove the profile.

Reply

Answer 11

Jeff_B_

Level 1

5 points

Apr 16, 2012 6:36 AM in response to Shaun K

I had the same problem as you. I've followed mgm612's suggestion and downloaded all versions of IPCU that I could find:

3.1 : http://www.iphoneworld.ca/news/2010/11/29/download-iphone-configuration-utility- ipcu-3-1-mac-windows/

3.2 : http://download.cnet.com/iPhone-Configuration-Utility-for-Windows/3640-20432_4-1 1666367.html

3.3 : http://iphone-configuration-utility.soft32.com/

3.4 : http://download.cnet.com/iPhone-Configuration-Utility-for-Windows/3000-20432_4-1 0969175.html

then uninstalled IPCU 3.5 and started to test with 3.1 and went up one version at a time until I reached version 3.4 which allowed me to uninstall the configuration profile from my device...

Don't know about you but I find that Apple pretty much dropped the ball with this and many other issues *such as recurrent Outlook event...) . Being unable to remove a configuration profile from your device because you've updated your software is absolutely ridiculous!

Good luck to others!

Reply

Answer 12

MR650

Level 1

8 points

May 7, 2012 11:35 AM in response to Jeff_B_

Remove using the PC where you installed the profile.

Reply