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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

Top-ranking reply

theFeverDog

Level 1

19 points

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

View in context

367 replies

Jan 4, 2013 12:52 PM in response to EastcoasterWestcoaster

I just tried a hard restore by hooking up the ATV3 to my iTunes, and no luck: it did restore properly, but when I connect it to the TV & the WiFi, it hangs up on "Loading Kirby's Library" and just keeps loading... never connects.

Kirby

dchao99

Level 4

2,080 points

Jan 4, 2013 1:31 PM in response to EastcoasterWestcoaster

@kirby

Maybe you could try to upgrade your iTunes to 11, and see if that solves your problem.

Jan 4, 2013 3:41 PM in response to dchao99

You know what, it worked: after updating to the most recent version of iTunes, ATV3 finally connected to my library. It took a minute but it did kick in. I'm surprised that that was necessary tho... I was using the most-recent version of iTunes that came before the recent issue of 11.

So the fix for me with ATV 3 was:

- hard reset by attaching it to my Mac and doing a "restore" from inside of iTunes

- updating to iTunes 11

Thanks everyone!

Jan 10, 2013 4:43 AM in response to RandomVillain

Problem solved. Thank you all of this discussion.

Jan 11, 2013 9:01 PM in response to RandomVillain

The update bricked my ATV2. after the update, I plug in power apple logo show up then disappeared then only black screen. can't even go to select langage screen. only black screen after the apple logo. I tried restoring back to 5.0.2 still no help. please help.

Jan 12, 2013 2:50 PM in response to DookieMonk

Fixed now. turn out it's my HDMI cable.

64211659

Level 1

0 points

Jan 12, 2013 4:09 PM in response to 64211659

My ATV can now find my wireless network. After uplugging the ATV, my comcast modem, and my Apple Airport. It seems that the select button takes two clicks to get it to select. In Pandora, If i only click once on the channel I want to hear, it gives me a selection to make it a favorite. It I click twice, I can skip that part.

Jan 14, 2013 2:40 AM in response to DookieMonk

@Dookiemonk How'd you fix it?

My ATV only shows iTunes/USB logo and if I try to restore it on my Mac, I got error 9.

Tried several USB-cables, no solution.

ishujaat

Level 1

0 points

Jan 25, 2013 11:14 AM in response to RandomVillain

like a lot of folks, after updating my ATV2 to 5.1 i had the dead apple tv with the blinking light and a usb connect graphic on screen.

followed the procedures above and attempted downgrade to 5.0.x as well as upgrade to 5.1.1

in both cases, itunes spends a while "preparing apple tv for restore" but then ends up with error message:

apple tv could not be restored, an unknown error occurred (1611)...

thinking it was a problem with micro-usb cable, went and bot a new one (checking for data transfer ability) for 15 bucks. no difference...

anybody else experience this? any solution?

that stupid ATV2 has been sitting like a brick for the last 3 months, almost ready to chuck in the garbage and get a roku or something...

Jan 26, 2013 7:00 AM in response to ishujaat

Yes I had this exact problem. I was using a macbook to try to restore to previous version and it WOULD NOT go past the "preparing apple tv for restore". What I ended up doing was running iTunes on a windows laptop and the restore worked perfectly.

Jan 29, 2013 6:02 AM in response to RandomVillain

I tried to update and it failed with a strange error (unknown error) so I tried to do the restore with the cable. I detached everything and then attached the cable and then power and it showed up in my iTunes. The resore also failed, and now it will not even show up on iTunes 11 on a PC. iTunes says it is the latest. Any ideas? Or did I brick it somehow?

Jan 29, 2013 8:54 AM in response to RandomVillain

Despite trying all the fixes mentioned in this thread, WIFI remained completely broken on my ATV3.

I just took my ATV3 back to the apple store and got a replacement. The new ATV3 works perfectly on 5.1.1, and WIFI performance is superb 🙂

Jan 29, 2013 5:10 PM in response to roadappleofmyeye

Got this to work by following instructions for putting ATV in DFU mode here:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3416425?start=15&tstart=0

Bricked Apple TV won't restore (error 9)🙂

Jan 30, 2013 11:04 AM in response to RandomVillain

I updated my ATV3 yesterday only to find out that I could no longer use my Ipad remote. Rolling back to 5.0.2 worked for me. Learned a valuable lesson. Always read the forums before updating.

Himself

Level 1

0 points

Jan 31, 2013 7:48 AM in response to ishujaat

The latest ios update (AppleTV2,1_5.2) bricked my ATV2 - I tried everything to no avail and then I found Apple Configurator a free download from the App Store, it's actually intended for schools/businesses with multiple install needs but it solved my problem.

Apple TV Death after update?