I woke up this morning and my iPad3 screen was on the Could Not Activate iPad screen with the error stating "Your iPad could not be activated because the activation server is temorarily unavailable. " There is a "Try Again" button at the bottom of the screen and hitting it umpteenth times yields nothing. What is up with this? It was working fine when I went to sleep last night.
iPad (3rd gen) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iOS 6
More info on this:
I have a beta version installed since I am a developer. I tried restoring through iTunes and got an error stating the software had expired and must be updated to a newer version. I tried the Restore button and got an error: "There was a problem downloading the software...The requested resource was not found".
I then downloded the IPSW file manually and tried again, this time I held the Option key down and selected the IPSW file I downloaded. I got another error: "The iPad could not be restored because the firmware is not compatible."
Don't know what to do at this point. Any suggestions from anyone?
More info on this:
I have a beta version installed since I am a developer. I tried restoring through iTunes and got an error stating the software had expired and must be updated to a newer version. I tried the Restore button and got an error: "There was a problem downloading the software...The requested resource was not found".
I then downloded the IPSW file manually and tried again, this time I held the Option key down and selected the IPSW file I downloaded. I got another error: "The iPad could not be restored because the firmware is not compatible."
Don't know what to do at this point. Any suggestions from anyone?
Happened to my iPad... And two seperate roomates iPhones last night / this AM alwo 😟
I beleive we all had the development ios6 installed...
WOULD LOVE A FIX PLEASE!!!!???
Got mine restored. Here is what I did:
1. Removed all IPSW files form ~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates.
2. Powered down iPad completely.
3. Opened iTunes.
4.Held down the Home button on the iPad while connecting it to iTune via cable.
5. Had iTunes download the correct IPSW and restore my iPad.
That's all it took. Worked like a charm. Hope this helps.
This is bull****,
My iPad did the same thing this morning.
My iPad did the same and the suggested fixes are not working for me.
Same activation problem here, ***! Restoring now, hoping it will solve the issue … Thank you Apple for a wasted evening of restoring and re-synching …
Have identical problem without warning. Apple, you might have warned us developers that iOS6 beta would time out.
Someone from Apple please tell us all the fix.
I have a similar problem.
I bought a used iPad 2 off the Gazelle eBay store for my mom. I purchased it a few days BEFORE the official release of iOS 6. When I got it (a day or two after iOS 6 launch), I was shocked to see iOS 6 on it, but didn't think much of it (I should have known things were iffy, since it had iOS 6 AND the iOS 5's YouTube app on it).
Now, come October 1, this iPad needs "activated," and I cannot figure out how to do that. Nor can I "restore" it via iTunes (says it cannot find the requested resource).
So, now what do I do? I emailed Gazelle support, but am not confident they'll help.
UPDATE ...FIXED.
1. Turn iPad off.
2. Connect USB charging cable to computer with iTunes that hold a backup.
3. With iPad off, press continuously home button while pusing in dock connector.
4. This switches iPad on and auto connects to itunes and restores itself.
Got it too. I did the steps that Webstyr outlined on my iMac running 10.7.5, but I couldn't restore it. When I tried ton my Macbook with 10.8.2, it worked.
Now restoring from iCloud. Should be good to go.
I have attempted several of the solutions suggested and each time after spending an hour restoring the sytem it will not activate.
Apple - please help us and all the others who are trying to get their devices working again. It is your software that is failing to function in a reasonable manner.
I finally found the secret handshake that fixed my iPad:
Manual Update Instructions
1) Download the iOS IPSW file for your iPad or iPhone version.
2) Open iTunes on your computer and connect your iPad/iPhone using the USB cable.
3) Depending on whether you run Windows or have a MAC, follow
Mac – Hold the Option key and then click on the “Check for Update/Update” button.
Windows PC – Hold the Shift key and then click on the “Check for Update/Update” button.
4) A dialog screen will appear prompting you for the location of the IPSW file you downloaded. Find the file in the file browser and select the IPSW file.
5) iTunes will now use the iPSW file and update your iPad/iPhone to the new iOS version. This will take approximately 10 minutes.
Thank you Bajzek, that worked.
PS: F|_|CK YOU APPLE for your **** poor communication with your consumers and your incompetent support staff, which are far from "geniuses".
Oh dear, my last iPad backup was 23/09/2012. Can I stil back it up in this state before restoring?
What worked for me was something similar. I had the IOS6 beta version on my iPAd3 Wifi, running iTunes 10.6.3 and it suddenly stopped working and told me to activate iPad?? Each time I tried to activate the iPad either connected to my Mac via iTunes or over Wifi it said that the activation server was unavailable. And there was no issue with my Wifi conenction whatsoever. Here's what fixed it for me:
1) Shut down iPad completely
2) Delete any iPad IPSW files on your mac/PC -- You might be able to skip this part
3) Upgrade version of iTunes software from 10.6.3 to 10.7 --- For some reason iTunes thought I was running the most current version of software even though I was running 10.6.3 and 10.7 was avaialble. I had to go to apple.com/itunes and manually download the latest version rather than updating via iTunes app.
4) Restart Mac
5) Open iTunes
6) On iPad hold down the Home button and while holding it downt plug into the iPad the cable thats connected to your PC - You should see an iTunes and usb cable images on your iPad
7) Follow prompts in iTunes to restore your iPad to IOS clean version (IOS6)
8) Restore your iPad from a previous backup - I chose to setup a new iPad just to be safe
Hope this helps....
Activating your iPad could not activate ipad
