iPhone 3Gs iOS 5 update Error (-1)

Tried 5.0.1. Still getting the error -1.

I believe i have found a solution for Error -1.

I tried upgrading my iPhone on my notebook to 5.01 but kept getting Error -1 so i simply tried restoring the iphone on another computer and the restore went through without a hitch.

Also you need to force your device into recovery mode by pressing on the home key for 5 seconds and connect your USB cable to the iphone whils still holding onto the home key.

Do let me know if it works for you guys

Wayzibum, I really want to try this but am not quite clear on what to do. I have already tried running restore on several different computers, but I never tried holding down the home key while plugging in the iphone. But when exactly do you do that part? When you first plug it in? (Before you try to restore it?)

Ok here's how i managed to get it to work. i'm guessing your iphone

is already in recovery mode so i dont have to worry much about data loss.

1) Launch itunes (iphone not connected)

2) Hard reset iphone (iphone not connected)

3) Plug cable to comp and be ready to connect it to iphone

4) Press home key for 5 seconds

5) On the 6th second, connect cable to iphone

6) Wait for itunes to detect iphone and follow restoration procedure.

Thats how i did it and it worked. However, i must add on that although i managed to

get my iphone to work, the ios laggs really bad. I so regret upgrading to ios 5.1

Caution to those who are looking to upgrade your iphone, DON'T DO IT!

Seems like there's more bugs on this version than the previous one.

Waysibum, thanks SO much for these detailed instructions. I am not exactly sure what a "hard reset" is, but I have a feeling that step will be impossible for me anyway because my phone doesn't even turn on and off. Every time I plug it in to the computer, it's battery is dead and has to recharge a little (because I can't turn it off). Then the screen gets the picture of the blue itunes logo and the white USB on it, indicating it needs to be restored. I can't get anything but that screen, unless I actually plug it in and run restore, in which case the screen does show an empty lozenge shape that fills up slowly as the restore proceeds, but when it's full and seems fully restored, a message on the computer says, "This iphone cannot be restored. Unknown error [-1]"

So I am afraid I can't do what you did. But I am really glad it worked for you!! And maybe it will help a lot of other people on the site.

And I definitely agree with you in your warning to one and all: DO NOT UPDATE!!

OK, I figured out how to do the hard reset, I put my phone in DFU mode, and I even downloaded "tiny umbrella" as per another commenter's suggestion (though I kind of don't know what I am doing with it). I was very excited because the phone DID do some different things, and got a new error (#11). But sadly, at the end of the day, I still ended up with the same screen and the same error (-1). *sighs*

At this point, it's not even about having my phone to use again. I just can't believe the phone is beyond fixing when it was fine before and seems just to be "stuck"---it seems like there must be a way to get it out of this loop. If it were "dead" or even showing weird stuff on the screen that indicated major problems inside, I would give up. But it looks OK and is responsive. Just stuck.

And I wouldn't mind proving the doomsayers at Apple wrong, since they clearly do not know what the problem is because not enough people have it for them to bother to find out.

The Apple tech at the Genius Bar (who gave me the party line about how my phone must have had a problem BEFORE the update) actually acknowledged this when I asked why Apple didn't just write off all the people who had battery problems, telling them the problem existed before the update. She said it was because there were more of them.

Ok. I had an error updating myself. My error code was different and my phone is iPhone 4. This might help you:

I had tried a number of things and I'm not sure exactly what helped but here's what I did.

In iTunes I right-clicked my phone and told it to transfer purchases, sync, then backup. Just in case I was going to screw up my phone.

I opened cmd and cleared dns cache. (Simple one line command: ipconfig /flushdns) this is on windows BTW.

I downloaded the latest version of tinyumbrella. (tinyumbrella.com instructions on site). On first use my firewall asked if I want to allow it, say yes. Use it to grab SHSH files for your device. If you've never jailbroken then you'll have to change a setting so that it's not asking Cydia but rather asks the apple server.

Then turn on TSS Server with it. What it does is intercept the packet from iTunes asking for confirmation to install a particular firmware for your device. Not plug in phone and turn on iTunes and update.

I used the restore button and iTunes warned me that proceeding will restore AND update. I said yes (or OK, forgot the button label...) and about 2 hours later and a couple restarts of the phone (iTunes does that for you) my phone was back with no loss of data and happily on iOS 5.0.1.

Wither it was a clean DNS cache or using a fake TSS server I'm not sure. But it worked for me and I hope it works for you. If you have problems downloading the firmware try getting it from http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=750

If you need to do it that way then you'll have to hold the shift button when you click on update so you can browse to your downloaded firmware. (this is all for windows 7 pro. I don't think the procedure would change much for Mac but the commands and keyboard shortcuts will be different.)

Minor typo earlier: after turning on TSS server, do plug in iPhone and open iTunes.

Also when selecting Cydia or Apple to grab SHSH files you can click the check box labeled update baseband. That way you can be completely updated. If you don't want to update baseband (cause you want to use T-Mobile or other carriers) don't check that box. But if you're using other carriers you really shouldn't be reading this discussion thread anyways cause you can't use 5.0.1 until its been jailbroken and unlocked.

Or those that are locked in restore tinyumbrella can do that too. Just start it up (don't need TSS server unless you want to alter what firmware you want to use) Plug in the phone to computer and find the button that says exit recovery mode. Presto. Now if somehow you have 5.0.1 and you don't want it try using the aforementioned checkbox about ask Cydia for SHSH, download latest firmware you know works on your phone from iClarified.com, shift-click on restore in iTunes (with TSS server running) and pick the older working firmware you just grabbed. Thats what tinyumbrella was really made for, so you can backpedal a firmware install without Apple's knowledge. I just happened to find out that I could use it to bypass iTunes asking Apple for confirmation before installing new version.

If you've never used tinyumbrella or Cydia before then you MIGHT not be able to get your old SHSH file. You need the SHSH file that corresponds to the firmware you are trying to install and apple is only issuing SHSH for 5.0.1 now

hi friends,i did a mistake of upgrading it to os5.0.1 as it showed as latest upgrade.and my phone is not working since than,the initially configration itself doesnt get completed as it say the sim is not activated.on speaking to apple guys they had no clue about the same.having lost all data on the phone and still its not working,the apple guys say my status shows as a locked phone where as it was an unlocked phone from begining.....

can any body help...have tried restoring it more than 2 times

****.....Shouldve read this before I updated.....*****......My phone is turning on and off every couple minutes. HELP PLEASE.

Error -1 is a hardware fault you cant fix it. Had this problem with my iPhone and had to be sent back.

You cant fix it its a hardware fault...no matter how many different computers you use to restore your phone you will still get error -1. Happened to me and iphone was sent back.