You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Apple TV Death after update?

Seen quite a few people with this problem. After the update the light just blinks. After unplugging ethernet, it can't find router. Some people reset the router and said that worked. Others restored by plugging into iTunes and got it working. I did all of the above multiple times, still death. Going to have to take it into the Apple Store tomorrow I guess. Unless another update comes that fixes this.


Also the weird part, I know it's under warranty since it isn't even a year old, but I went to check the serial number and Apple said the serial number wasn't found.

Posted on Sep 25, 2012 12:29 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 25, 2012 1:40 AM

Had the same issues. Since resetting didn't work for me, I downloaded an old version of 5.0.2 software and restored that via iTunes (hold the option key when pressing the Restore button, this allows to point to a downloaded .ipsw file).


The old version still works fine, so it can't be a hardware thing. Waiting for a 5.1.1 update now

367 replies

Oct 15, 2012 12:38 AM in response to RandomVillain

Hi, Ive been suffering with my ATV3 since the 5.1 update. I was unable to use the atv with the ethernet connection, but wifi worked to some degree. Itunes match would stream but streaming would stop and i received the message "an error occurred loading this content" please try later. So I downloaded the previous 5.0.2 version, and did a restore from my pc. (select atv in window, hold shift and browse to downloaded file) Ethernet worked, but still I was getting the same problem with itunes match, but it was worse! Songs would play for less than a minute and then the dreaded "an error occurred loading this content"

I went back to settings and decided to "upgrade software" back to 5.1 through the ATV.

Happy days, all is working as normal now. Ethernet works fine, itunes match, movie rentals. So i guess my advice is it may be worth trying to upgrade again to 5.1. Good luck, and shame on you Apple for such a balls up.

Oct 16, 2012 4:50 AM in response to RandomVillain

I am another customer with a dead Apple TV (2nd gen) thanks to Apple's latest software update. It was working perfectly well, one night I had the bad idea to click "update" when prompted by the Apple Tv itselfm and it died right then and there.


Blinking white LED and nothing else.


I Tried restoring via iTunes with no joy. Error message -9 (security issue)


taken the Apple TV to the store, they tried to hard restor it, but nada. error code 1064. They said my unit is "faulty" and out of warranty (it is 16 months old, so perfectly within the EU minimum warranty period, but this is another story, Apple is restricting customers rights, it is a criminal offence and I do hope the various class lawsuits around the world stop the disgusting " Apple limited 1year warranty").

They offered me to purchase a repair for £40 (half the price of a new one) or to buy a new one for £99.


I am taking this up with Apple support over the phone, hoping to get some sense out of this surreal situation. I'll keep you posted, but for the love of god, DO NOT UPDATE to LATEST OS.


<Edited By Host>

Oct 16, 2012 4:57 AM in response to diehummel

tell me about it.


It is absurd and I hope someone from Apple is actually reading these posts, it is a growing concern of many users, Apple releasing updates that either royally screw up computer systems to the point of having to do a wipe Os install, it happened to me few times already over the past 5 years, but this is a first.


It's like If I took my Toyota for a check up at a Toyota official centre, they break it during the "update" and then they ask me to pay for half the cost of a new car.


I'm livid. and the idiot at the Apple store kept insisting that my Apple TV breaking down during the software update is just a bad coincidence. I mean, seriously.


I am determined to take this up to Ofcom as it is a disgraceful violations of consumer rights.

Oct 16, 2012 10:03 AM in response to RandomVillain

Like many others my Apple TV Gen 3 died after the latest firmware update (5.1), just thought i'd share my experience as it may save you time.


After firmware update to V 5.1 (5201) front LED blinks but ATV doesn't start.


Try to reset by holding menu and - on remote until light blinks fast.


I found that if i connected only the power and HDMI cables it would start up, but couldn't see any wifi networks. If i connected the ethernet cable (i don't use the wifi) it would restart, i would see the apple logo then the LED would just flash and it wouldn't start up.


Following a suggestion on this thread i connected the ATV to my computer using a micro USB cable, and plugged in power. Device could not be seen in itunes - tried another computer - same. Left it overnight- still nothing. Then i read a post stating that some micro usb cables are better than others, mine looked very cheap, so i borrowed one from a friend and ATV was now showing in itunes.


Did the auto restore in itunes and was back to having no visible wifi. This time it did start up with the ethernet cable connected, but it would not go past the language selection screen. I selected English, it would think about it, then go back to the language list.


So i followed the instruction to manually download the old firmware V5.0.2 and installed that via itunes.


IT NOW WORKS AGAIN!


2 lessons i learned, don't update the firmware unless you have 5 hours to spare - always use a DECENT micro usb cable to connect ATV to your computer.


Apple - this might be your hobby, spending hours fixing botched firmware updates is not mine 😟

Oct 16, 2012 1:34 PM in response to BuddR

I also had the same problems most folks have complained about with the upgrade. After failing twice and restoring my unit twice I finally went to the nearest Apple Store. They replaced my unit and I had them upgrade it in the store to the latest. Everything works as expected. I asked the technician if he has heard of any issues with the latest update and he had not. I pointed him to this post. I would suspect that there is a hardware issue with some devices.Like many companies I doubt Apple will acknowledge this.

Oct 17, 2012 1:40 AM in response to RandomVillain

It has been a number of weeks now and my ATV is still screwed up from the latest upgrade.. Apple, when are you going to fix this.. I have to wait until the what's new screen goes away (15 min) and then after 15 min of use it crashes only to revert back to what's new screen. I have been reading these comment in multiple forums and can't believe the denial apple is in right now regarding this problem.. If this is not sorted out in the next week or so I will seriously look at not purchasing apple products in the future... There are alternatives, I bought my first IPod because I wanted to reward innovation, now this... I am very disappointed, this is a stain on the apple record.. I hope you are reading this apple... Shape up.. I am an early adopter.. Take this seriously..

Oct 17, 2012 6:49 AM in response to RandomVillain

what a disaster. clearly this is a widespread problem, and clearly apple is not monitoring these discussions. i had the same experience w/ iphone 5 (did not work w/ my itunes, when i tried to upgrade itunes, it needed new version of osx, when i tried to upgrade osx, i didn't have the app store, no other downloads available anywhere else on apple.com and so had to get a dvd mailed from apple--this is a problem affecting loads of people, and they did not seem to know about it!). now the apple tv bug. mistakes can happen, but apple should be on top of these widespread bugs, and figure out solutions...

Oct 17, 2012 8:33 AM in response to ishujaat

Ishujaat, Apple is monitoring these discussions. That's why the post from Diehummel above was "edited by host". They delete things that they consider to be damaging to Apple in any way. But they don't appear to make constructive use of anyone's comments.


Apple consider this forum to be communication between customers, not communication from customers to Apple.


You're quite right that this Apple TV update issue is being ignored. An acknowledgement of the problem would be the dignified and proper thing for Apple to do, but so far they have not done so. I for one have less respect for them as a result, and it is not doing their reputation any good at all - particularly in the light of the recent maps problem.

Apple TV Death after update?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.