Q: ANY ONE KNOW WHAT IS ERROR 3 IN ITUNES WHEN I TRY TO RESTORE IPHONE 5 TO IOS 7 IT STUCKS IN THE END AND AFTER 30 MIN THIS COME OUT "UNKNOWN ERROR 3" CAN SOME ONE HELP ME PLZ

Thanks so much!!!!! Genius. Phone was constantly searching so I decided to update to latest firmware. Bam! Error Code 3. Froze it for 30 min and restored. Like magic it was back. I did get a new SIM card before I tried this and MAYBE that will solve the issue of still searching for the people who have successfully restored their phone but have "searching" issues.  But you are the man!!!

Thank you. I'm glad my Freezer Physics worked for you!

A quick update on the last message concerning "searching" issue. After I just proclaimed my success with restoring and not having a searching issue I restored my backup. All of a sudden, my phone is stuck searching. I refreeze and restore once again and everything is fine. Attempt to backup (full backup with photos etc) and searching again. So finally, I did the freeze physics, set up as a new iPhone and just synced my contacts and downloaded my apps again one by one. No issues for 12 hrs

Had the unknown error 3 on iphone 5.  Used the freezer trick and it restored!

Awesome. The freeze trick worked for me also. Thanks!

You're very welcome!

Hi guys, I have the same problem with my iphone 5 (error 3). I read the whole topic and I think I tried all solutions to bring it to life again. It was working well on 7.0.4 (no problems at all), than 7.1.2 update came out and I downloaded it, tried to restore and everything it gives me is unknown error 3. I've tried "freezer fix" a few times, didn't work, but I'm still trying. Here is my restore log. Thanks in advance.

https://mega.co.nz/#!pksFiTTb!NevQcPMSzQV0k8f_QDhnHSzU4Q3yICVRCIwNHBWSzdw

UPDATE:

I didn't mention that I bought this phone as used and it was working.

After I searched all forums, I found out that maybe bad battery is causing this error and most of other errors, so I opened the phone and BUM !

Chinese 2680mah battery in it. I've also tried restoring without battery, I get other unknown errors like 21, 2009.

Thanks in advance.

Same issues and glad to have found this thread. Have tried the freezer trick but didn't help, will try later on again.

Just like some other people mentioned before I have also been getting a error 1669 after error 3. These errors keep coming so I also scheduled an appointment with the Genius bar to see what they can do for me.

Will update my post.

THANK YOU!! I placed in the freezer for 5 min, its working, been dead for a week!

You are very welcome! I'M glad the freezer physics worked for you.

Hi,

I tried the freezer technique.. But my iPhone is still in recovery mode. Not working. it ends up with error 3 code when I'm trying to restore..  is there any other way to come out from recovery mode?? 

why there is no solution for error code 3 from Apple ???

IIf you are still getting Rror (3) after the freezer:

(1) put in freezer for twice the time, making sure it is off, attempt Restore thru a cable while leaving iDevice inside the freezer

(2) If (1) fails, your Flash is too far gone for freezer technique to work. Fall on your sword to an Apple Genius and if that fails, bit and Apple refurb iDevice

HI Kenneth,    Its sounds silly ! but what is the basic reason to keep iPhone in freezer?

Not a silly question at all.

if you go back to near the bottom of page 2 of this thread, look for my name, you will see a somewhat detailed explanation.

THe the short version is I did semiconductors (computer chips) design and development for 25 years before "retireing" to do iOS. The physics of Flash chips is such that at colder temps certain Flash chip program and erase characteristics change in such a way that the "root issue" gets worked around by deep chilling the iDevice.