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Configurator iOS7 Initial Setup Problems

In the past I would go through the initial setup of an iPad, configure it the way that I liked it and create a backup using Configurator. Then I would restore that backup along with any profiles to the rest of a cart. It worked flawlessly.


Now, with iOS7 and Configurator 1.4, I've went through the initial setup process on one iPad and then created a backup. However, whenever I restore that backup to other iPads, when that iPad turns on, it's still prompting me for two step of the initial setup process. It's asking for the WiFi network and the Location Services question. The weird part is that I'm placing a WiFi profile on the iPads with Configurator and it doesn't seem to see it, even though Configurator successfully applies it. Sometimes I can just click on my network and it will go through to the Location Services question, other times it will prompt me for the wireless key.


Is anyone else having this problem? Is there a way to skip the initial setup process pages for the end user? I just want the students to be able to pick up the iPad and unlock the lock screen and start working.

iPad, iOS 7

Posted on Sep 20, 2013 8:58 AM

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44 replies

Oct 2, 2013 9:45 AM in response to indie1982

The enterprise tech I've been dealing with got back in touch with me. He's replicated the issue (Restored backups still have to go through Initial Setup) and has confirmed Apple are aware of it.


Just have to wait and see what happens now! In the meantime, restarting your devices after a restore will push them past the Initial Setup screens and straight to the Home screen.

Oct 2, 2013 10:20 AM in response to cogrady84

I have Configurator 1.2.1 but it doesn't help. As soon as you go to check in with Apple it denies 6.1.3 even with the official IPSW. Right now I have three carts, all are at iOS 6.1.3. but only 1 1/2 are supervised. I think it's annoying you can specify for the iPads NOT to upgrade but only after they are supervised. I just need to supervise the remaining iPads and I can leave them on iOS 6 for the time being.


I have tested iOS 7 on an iPad 3 and it was terribly laggy. Granted this was the developer version but from what I'm hearing it still hasn't improved on the production build.


I wrote to our engineer to see if there's a way to still get them supervised without updating but so far have not heard back.

Oct 7, 2013 6:32 AM in response to arizonacat

I have a brand new cart of iPads (Gen 2 wifi 2012) and when trying to use the Apple configurator, I receive an error I can't seem to pin down. I've tried to roll back to iOS 6.3 and others (anything other than iOS 7+) and I get an error "This device isn't eligible for the requested build." I've updated my iTunes, and the Apple configurator is the lastest version. I won't even touch my other cart of iPads for fear of messing them up too.


Any suggestions?

Oct 9, 2013 10:41 AM in response to Josh R1

We are just getting up and running with Configurator 1.4, and we are experiencing both problems noted in this thread:

  1. Random iPads will fail the restoration with a code 4. This is *not* related with Find My iPad, as we do not have that feature turned on. Our workaround is to unplug the iPad, clear the error, plug it back in, and hope and pray the refresh and restore works properly the second time around.
  2. The following screens from the setup assistant are being presented, even following a restore of a backed-up iPad: Wi-Fi, Location Manager, Siri.


Additionally, we had an incredible difficulty getting paid apps to be redeemed. After a while, they would just start erroring out when they attempted to redeem the code. Quitting and reopening Configurator whenever that happened seems to have worked around that issue.


So far, I'm very unimpressed with Configurator 1.4. This is clearly *not* ready for production. We're going to have to deal with it, because we don't have a choice.

Jan 31, 2014 6:45 AM in response to igor-spotme

Pretty sure it was fixed in an updated version of Apple Configurator. Check for a software update.


All my previously Supervised iPads no longer show any of the "Welcome screens" when I restore a backup and there's an option on one of the tabs when you're preparing a device to be supervised to not show any of the "Welcome screens" either.


Shout if you need a pointer...

Jan 31, 2014 6:57 AM in response to indie1982

In our environment, simply updating to the newest version wasn't enough. We ended up un-supervising all the devices, re-supervised one, created a new backup of that one, then re-supervised the rest. That seemed to do the trick for us.


Our other carts that we setup after the newer version of Configurator became available all worked fine right off the bat.


I would still call Configurator a beta-quality program at best. We'll see iPads randomly decide they don't want to restore... sometimes just one, but usually it's a handful of them. When that happens, we have to jump through a series of hoops to get them working again. We still have major issues with passcode'd iPads failing to restore. And just recently, we somehow ended up with an iPad that is in an activation lock stage because it is tied to one of our student's accounts, and we don't know which. Ugh.

Configurator iOS7 Initial Setup Problems

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