iPad 2: DOA - Errors 9, 28, Demands to be Restored

Question

iPad 2: DOA - Errors 9, 28, Demands to be Restored

An overall unimpressed Apple customer here in Rochester, NY. After an incredibly tedious launch event shrouded in mystery over units on hand, long lines, long waits, and the usual upselling, I managed to acquire one of just 15 iPads on hand at our local Best Buy store.

And after all that, no joy.

The symptoms:

Initial power up shows Apple logo, then screen goes blank and remains so after repeated power up, reset attempts.

After plugging in unit, iTunes immediately recognizes trouble in paradise: Unit is in restore mode and must be recovered before use. No serial number, version, or other information visible.

Attempts to recover unit bring these results.

Attempt 1: Error code 9, unit aborts recovery.
Attempt 2: Error code 9 again -- I shut down and reboot computer.
Attempt 3: Appears to successfully recover unit, but moments after initial sync, horizontal lines appear on screen briefly and unit shuts off. Will not restart.
Attempt 4: Try to perform same procedure an another computer with fresh install of iTunes. Error code 28 the result after multiple attempts.
Attempt 5: Place unit back in box for return to store.

Other notes: Unit fully charged from included power brick. Was 16GB Wi-Fi white model.

16GB White iPad 2, Windows 7

Posted on Mar 11, 2011 7:57 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,707 points

Mar 11, 2011 7:58 PM in response to Phillip Dampier

That's unfortunate and I'm sure that no other electronic product has ever failed out of the box!

The solution is simple... Take it back and get a replacement.

Reply

Answer 2

Mar 11, 2011 8:12 PM in response to Philly_Phan

Yeah, the solution is simple, waste more of your valuable time and take it back...

Reply

Answer 3

Mar 11, 2011 8:27 PM in response to Philly_Phan

I appreciate the fact new products are far more prone to failure than those that have been on the market for quite sometime. I need to learn being an Apple early adopter is usually not a good idea based on my own prior experiences (two iPods that proved to be defective purchased in years' previous.)

After a few months of them working the bugs out, it might be safe to try again, but for now I think I'll just return the whole mess and get my money back. Apple offered to send me a "refurbished" unit just hours after they started selling them -- certainly not interested in that, and waiting the estimated three weeks it will take to ship it doesn't impress me either.

Overall, my shopping experience was actually more irritating to me than the defective unit, but that's a whole other thread. 🙂

Reply

Answer 4

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,707 points

Mar 11, 2011 9:22 PM in response to rotorcraft

rotorcraft wrote:
Yeah, the solution is simple, waste more of your valuable time and take it back...

If your time is that valuable, don't try to buy a product as soon as it's introduced.

Reply

Answer 5

Dah•veed

Level 9

64,651 points

Mar 11, 2011 9:41 PM in response to Phillip Dampier

Try this process;

1. Disconnect the USB cable from the iPad, but leave the other end of the cable connected to your computer's USB port.

2. Turn off the iPad: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons at the same time. Keep holding the buttons until the iPad powers off. When the iPad turns off, release the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons.

3. While pressing and holding the Home button, reconnect the USB cable to the iPad. When you reconnect the USB cable to the iPad, it should power on.

If you see a screen with a depleted battery, let the iPad charge for at least ten minutes and then start with step 2 again.

4. Continue holding the Home button until you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen. When this screen appears you can release the Home button. If necessary, open the iTunes app on your computer. You should see the "recovery mode" alert.

5. Use iTunes to restore the device.

Dah•veed

Reply

Answer 6

Mar 11, 2011 10:53 PM in response to Dah•veed

The recovery mode alert comes up everytime I connect the unit -- so getting that is never a problem, but when I connect the unit to one computer (my original iTunes that also powers my iPod Touch), I can usually get the recovery reinstall completed only to see the unit flicker off almost immediately, even with a full battery charge. Then it prompts me that the unit needs to be recovered all over again.

On the virgin iTunes install on another computer, the unit always responds with an error code 28.

Additionally, the unit cannot be powered on without the USB cable attached and iTunes forcing it to wake up to perform the recovery process. If I press the Wake button, it does nothing. Same with Wake and Home buttons at the same time. They will not wake the unit up.

If these clues suggest something others have dealt with, I am certainly open to hearing what worked for you.

Reply

Answer 7

cpickrell

Level 2

300 points

Mar 12, 2011 12:21 AM in response to Phillip Dampier

This is the support article to follow:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1275

Error 23, 28, 29, 40, 1002, 1011, 1012, 1014, 1611: These errors may indicate a hardware issue with your device. Follow the steps in this article and also attempt to restore while connected with a known-good 30-pin Dock Connector cable, computer, and network to isolate this issue to the device. If the MAC address is missing or the IMEI is the default value (00 499901 064000 0), this can also confirm a hardware issue.

Reply

Answer 8

Dah•veed

Level 9

64,651 points

Mar 12, 2011 3:40 AM in response to Phillip Dampier

Have you updated to the most resent version of iTunes? 10.2.1 (1)?

Reply

Answer 9

Mar 12, 2011 9:38 AM in response to cpickrell

cpickrell wrote:
This is the support article to follow:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1275

Error 23, 28, 29, 40, 1002, 1011, 1012, 1014, 1611: These errors may indicate a hardware issue with your device. Follow the steps in this article and also attempt to restore while connected with a known-good 30-pin Dock Connector cable, computer, and network to isolate this issue to the device. If the MAC address is missing or the IMEI is the default value (00 499901 064000 0), this can also confirm a hardware issue.

Been there and done that. I am currently trying the advice regarding an iTunes upgrade. It did not report there was one when I ran iTunes yesterday evening, so I manually forced an upgrade and am going to re-try the advice noted above.

Reply

Answer 10

Mar 12, 2011 10:02 AM in response to Phillip Dampier

Nope, no joy. Still error codes (usually 9 but often 28) after multiple attempts and variations. The only time the unit's screen even responds is when iTunes is trying to perform the restoration. Once it fails, it goes and remains dark.

It had demanded restoration from the moment I took it out of the box, which I think is probably a safe indication the unit had problems from the get go.

Reply

Answer 11

cpickrell

Level 2

300 points

Mar 12, 2011 10:21 AM in response to Phillip Dampier

Unfortunately Phillip, I agree. I think it is time to visit the retailer or your local Apple store.

Reply

Answer 12

Mar 12, 2011 2:18 PM in response to cpickrell

The final diagnosis from Apple's customer care:

DOA-Defective Unit

The rep recognized the issue straight away. Unfortunately, it has been more common with this first batch of units than they would have liked. It's a manufacturing defect in the connector jack. They are not sure if it is the ribbon cable or the physical connector itself, but it's now a "known issue" according to them.

At least I found out straight away, instead of having the thing fail later on after the return period expires. Apple insisted I'd be much better off returning the unit instead of sending it in to have a refurb sent back. I agreed.

So back to Best Buy for a refund. I'll wait awhile for the first few batches to work their way out of the retail chain and then try again when they have this issue sorted out at the factory. But others should keep an eye out for similar issues and get their unit down for exchange a.s.a.p. if it turns up.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

Reply