An error occurred while restoring this iPhone (-1).

milomoo, my iphone is also 3gs and as i mentioned previously it encountered the -1 unknown error with the ios5 update. now it is functioning well with ios5 for more than 50 hrs. this is just to confirm what you said that the problem is not just with 4s models, but also with 3gs and, as i gathered, ipad. any luck yet?

No luck yet, Dennis. My iphone got messed up while IOS5 was downloading, and now I have no way of downloading it again that I know if. When I plug in my iphone, it just tells me to restore but then (after trying for 7 minutes or so and getting though the first parts of the process), it says it can't do the recovery. So I am just stuck in that loop. I don't even know if IOS5 finished downloading. And I am not sure how to check other than uninstalling and re-installing itunes. But maybe I will try that (though I have already done it once).

milomoo, what i did was try the ios5 restore via dfu mode (shift or alt for mac + restore command button). this process needed me to have the ios5 update saved on my computer. but i am guessing you have already tried it also. would be happy to hear from you of any progress with this hassle. from my side, this ios5 update has caused me no less than five sleepless nights and 5 days just to try to solve it.

Finally got w/ Apple...they gave me "free" call and went thru ONE restore process with me before it kicked out the error code. I tried this on 3 separate computers and the tech told me he was going to escalate it to a senior advisor named Justin. The tech came back on the line...told me I probably have a hardware problem..nothing they can do.. ********. I have a software problem and its obvious Apple DOES NOT know how to fix this so they left me hanging with a dead iphone. I can't seem to even get the phone in dfu mode...I get how to get it there but during restore mode, is the screen supossed to stay black the ENTIRE restore or does the apple logo eventually appear? I'm still gettting the error code but will just keep trying and trying 😟

I just don't believe this is a hardware issue...this is a replacement phone and only 4 months old...

Ashley, it's infuriating that they are giving you that run-around. Obviously since lots of us are having this problem, it is NOT a hardware problem. In all cases, our phones were fine till we downloaded the update they TOLD us to get, right? Definitely true in my case.

I have been calling the tech guy who was helping me and gave me his extension. At the beginning, he called me repeatedly, even got me to let him onto my computer to get info about the software and hardware I was using, so they could research it. But now, when I leave messages every day asking him to return my calls even if there is no news, just so I will know they are not blowing me off, I hear nothing. I was trying to be patient and nice about the fact that APPLE crippled my phone with their download. Now that I'm realizing I will never get my phone (or the stuff on it) back, I am not feeling so nice. I hope I am wrong and they come out with a helpful update, but it's not looking good ...

Hi all,

I too have the same issue with my 3GS. Updated to ios5 and now it wont restore. Have tried DFU mode, different PCs, different USB ports, etc about 30 times. Its as if the restore process finishes, but then times out and the error code appears. The phone is left with the apple logo, or with the logo and an empty progress bar. Then the USB cable/iTunes logo appears then the phone just powers down.

Anyone made any progress yet?

Have just seen this on another website:

iOS 5 contains a whole new baseband. This means that those of you on iPad2 GSM/CDMA be VERY wary. Once you perform ANY kind of restore, if apple is no longer signing that firmware, you will be STUCK in recovery with no way of getting out.

Seems that something may have gone wrong with the baseband in relation to the ios5 install??

I should add that this came from a site which talks about jailbreaking, etc. I have never jailbroken my phone, but am getting this -1 error.

A friend is having the same issue and i've found no work around so far including taking out the sim card, recovery mode, DFU move...everything.

This only works if you are able to restore thus kinda fruitless. A lot of the issues don't let you get that far and keep the phone in recovery mode.

Yes I'm also having this problem, I had my old iphone replaced to this piece of crap because my old phone had a cracked screen. At the moment, this phone now is completely useless, comes up with this exact error over and over. At first after upgrading to ios5 things were ok for a short while until I noticed my reception bar dropping to nothing and going into no service or sos only.

So I tried various things by turning off 3g of wifi and that seemed to help, until 2 days ago, the phone decided I needed to restore it....couldn't even get the process started out of dfu mode, even so I now get this error. I'm on a 30 day warranty and will be demanding a "new" replacement as I have a feeling this phone is only a refurbished phone which I'm not satisfied with considering it's costing me a fortune just to travel all the way to the apple store.

I seriously prefer my old phone with the broken screen and atleast it was usable, although I never upgraded the OS on that phone because I didn't want to make the effort on a phone that had a screwed screen.

I have had this new phone (refurbished) for 4 days, personally I would be embarassed working at apple if I was the customer service. So now I have to wait another 3 days to see them again next Saturday, if they don't give me a new phone, this one will end up being smashed on the ground infront of all the customers and I will just go buy a nokia and be done with it.

It's hard not having this phone while at work, I can't check the time whenever I'm out and about unless I ask some stranger. I feel naked without a phone at the moment and getting to the stage where I couldn't give 2 ***** about the features, this is why I decided to stick with my 3gs and not upgrade as the changes they made were so pathetically small.

See how things go Saturday, could be a good day for the person serving me or a bad one...I have a 30 day warranty so hoping they don't give me another crap refurbished phone and charge me more money for their screw up.

Hope you all figure out what the problem is, just a shame there is no information on what error -1 means.

I just made an account to let IsisPisces know that his fix worked for me too! Thank you so much! You're a life saver!

I have the same error -1, iPad 2 is stuck on recovery mode since ios 5 relsease. Any one got working? how about 5.0.1 update?

Tried 5.0.1. Nothing changed.

I finally called a new person at APPLE using my same case #, and she got my original person to email me. He says he has not heard back from the researchers about my issue (the -1 error, trapped in restore loop), but if there is no news by Monday, he will "set up service for [my] device." Not sure what that means. I have an appt to take my phone to the Genius Bar today (45 min away). Will let you all know if there is progress (doubting there will be, but who knows). Oh, and update yesterday did nothing for me either.

yeah 5.0.1 shows the same error, so sad..keep us posted. Thanks