I am unable to update my apple tv gen2

also - i bought an apple product because they "just work" - having to dig around in a forum to find a download link is not what i expected from my first apple purchase. 😟

SOLUTION:

Comment out your hosts file. It's blocking the activation server.

http://decoding.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/how-to-edit-the-hosts-file-in-mac-os-x- leopard/

I am having the same problem here in the United Arab Emirates. I brought the ATV2 yesterday from a Virgin store in a mall. Won't update to 4.2.2. It is running 4.2.1. Also cannot get the ATV to show in iTunes!! Works OK for movies, TV shows, rentals etc but even though sharing on, iTunes never shows the ATV is connected. Was hoping the 4.2.2 update would fix this. Just trying now through a VPN with a UK IP to see if this will work. Anyone any ideas on the lack of the ATV in iTunes? To make it worse everything is Apple! iMac with 10.6.8 Airport with latest firmware and iTunes 10.6.1.

Is anyone else facing the same challenge aside from the 4.2.2 update prob?

Thanks

Please tell us what part of the host file to comment out.....

##

# 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

astainedsky wrote:

SOLUTION:

Comment out your hosts file. It's blocking the activation server.

Which hosts file? Is there a hosts file on Apple TV? And is it possible to edit it? If not, there is no hosts file at all. So this is no solution, because this is not the problem.

This worked for us while holding down the option key on a Mac.

I'm not sure I understand the host comment solution but it may explain how I just 'fixed' the problem myself.

Not having an Apple Store nearby I went to my local 'premium reseller' Stormfront. The demo ATV they had on display interestingly was not up-to-date (it was 4.1.1)...I wonder why? They wouldn't let me attempt to update their display ATV but they did let me try updating my own ATV in its place. The update failed just as it did at home. It may be coincidence but they were connecting to a Time Capsule as I do at home. I then went to an (excellent) independent hifi store The Sound Organisation in York and their demo ATV was on 4.2.1. With their permission I updated it to 4.2.2 without any problems. I then swapped theirs for mine and was surprised to see (FINALLY!) it also updated without problems. The only logical explanation I can think of is that the ATV likes some networks/routers/ISPs and not others (possibly including Time Capsule...). I am not at all confident that my ATV will successfully update over wifi next time round - and this could be the iOS5 update. I hope my experience sheds some light on this for those still to update - my advice is try updating at friends or friendly stores near you. Good luck!

Hi magnard. I think the implications are more along the lines that Stormfront vs The Sound Organisation probably have different ISPs and so are hitting different DNS servers and, hence, getting directed to different Apple update servers. If Apple's update servers are load-balanced on IP address, then each DNS server may have cached a different address for the same query.

If would be good if someone could sniff the transactions between the ATV and update server(s) to see what the successful IP(s) are (and which are not successful). That way, we could add a static entry to our /etc/hosts file to point to the good servers.

One thing to try (for those who haven't been successful) is temporarily point your Mac to OpenDNS's servers for name resolution and see if that helps (to do this, edit /etc/resolv.conf, comment out the existing servers and replace with OpenDNS servers). You could also point your router to these servers so you could try upgrading directly on the ATV (modify the router settings for DNS, reboot the router, and reboot the ATV).

http://www.opendns.com/home

Anyway, good to hear you're upgraded :-)

astainedsky: Comment out your hosts file. It's blocking the activation server.

There's nothing in a default hosts file that would interfere, since all the entries are either for v4/v6 loopback (127.0.0.1 / ::1), v6 link local scope, or v4 broadcast.

I'd mentioned, in the post above, that you could try editing /etc/hosts to add a "good" ATV update server (if you knew the IP address of a good one). Someone would have to use a packet sniffer (e.g. Wireshark) to figure this out though. I'd do it, but I'm already upgraded.

Had this problem last few days on a new ATV.

Went into my Router and changed my Primary DNS from 8.8.8.8 (google) to default.

Rebooted Router and ATV.

Updated Successfully

Hope this helps

Hey guys

Thank you so much for the tip with the hosts file

I put the # before the 74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com entry I've had before and then I can restore and upgrade my ATV2 trough the Micro USB cable and a clean ispw. The ispw from megaupload is posted here.

I think it have something to do when you've a device withe cydia ;-). I found this video and you're see there something is written about the apple signature server and cydia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVtYwCwdYUk

My Hostfile now with the

I put the # before the 74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com and then I can restore and upgrade my ATV2 trough the Micro USB cable

I think have something to do when you've a device withe cydia ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVtYwCwdYUk

My Hostfile now with #:

##

# 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

#74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com

#127.0.0.1 gs.apple.com

Now I've just upgraded after some frustrated evenings and nights

I wish you good Luck guys!

Just got the update applied. It's been two weeks of trying and now it has worked...wifi. All appears OK. Ontario, Canada...bob

Thanks bcanuel - updated and working in Nova Scotia as it is suppose to.

It's working in Norway now. It appears the servers are working... :-)

It appears to be working now in Washington DC over WiFi.