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Help - My 10 yr old son permanently locked (disabled) my iPAD

My 10 yr old son permanently locked (disabled) my iPAD(Model A1416). I know my passcode, but it says "iPad is disabled, connect to iTunes". Connecting to iTunes doesn't help becasue it tells me to unlock it.


I need to recover valuable family pictures. The iPAD was not synch'd between picture time and now.


Am I doomed to loosing our pictures forever, even though I know my passcode?

iPad

Posted on May 31, 2014 11:48 PM

Reply
9 replies

Jun 1, 2014 2:27 PM in response to ja112358

How can I unlock my iPad if I forgot the passcode?

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/ipad-troubleshooting-repair-faq/ipad- how-to-unlock-open-forgot-code-passcode-password-login.html


iOS: Device disabled after entering wrong passcode

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1212


How can I unlock my iPad if I forgot the passcode?

http://tinyurl.com/7ndy8tb


How to Reset a Forgotten Password for an iOS Device

http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-a-Forgotten-Password-for-an-iOS-Device


Using iPhone/iPad Recovery Mode

http://ipod.about.com/od/iphonetroubleshooting/a/Iphone-Recovery-Mode.htm

You may have to do this several times.


Saw this solution on another post about an iPad in a school environment. Might work on your iPad so you won't lose everything.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘iPad is disabled’ fix without resetting using iTunes


Today I met my match with an iPad that had a passcode entered too many times, resulting in it displaying the message ‘iPad is disabled – Connect to iTunes’. This was a student iPad and since they use Notability for most of their work there was a chance that her files were not all backed up to the cloud. I really wanted to just re-activate the iPad instead of totally resetting it back to our default image.

I reached out to my PLN on Twitter and had some help from a few people through retweets and a couple of clarification tweets. I love that so many are willing to help out so quickly. Through this I also learned that I look like Lt. Riker from Star Trek (thanks @FillineMachine).

Through some trial and error (and a little sheer luck), I was able to reactivate the iPad without loosing any data. Note, this will only work on the computer it last synced with. Here’s how:

1. Configurator is useless in reactivating a locked iPad. You will only be able to completely reformat the iPad using Configurator. If that’s ok with you, go for it – otherwise don’t waste your time trying to figure it out.

2. Open iTunes with the iPad disconnected.

3. Connect the iPad to the computer and wait for it to show up in the devices section in iTunes.

4. Click on the iPad name when it appears and you will be given the option to restore a backup or setup as a new iPad (since it is locked).

5. Click ‘Setup as new iPad’ and then click restore.

6. The iPad will start backing up before it does the full restore and sync. CANCEL THE BACKUP IMMEDIATELY. You do this by clicking the small x in the status window in iTunes.

7. When the backup cancels, it immediately starts syncing – cancel this as well using the same small x in the iTunes status window.

8. The first stage in the restore process unlocks the iPad, you are basically just canceling out the restore process as soon as it reactivates the iPad.


If done correctly, you will experience no data loss and the result will be a reactivated iPad. I have now tried this with about 5 iPads that were locked identically by students and each time it worked like a charm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Try it and good luck. You have nothing more to lose if it doesn't work for you.


 Cheers, Tom 😉

May 31, 2014 11:53 PM in response to ja112358

If it's disabled then you won't be able to copy anything off it. Since you last backed it up to your computer's iTunes you haven't backed it up to the cloud, so you won't have the photos on a cloud backup either ?


There are instructions on this page for how to reset a disabled device : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1212


That page includes :

If iTunes asks you to enter the passcode, try another computer that you've synced with. Otherwise, follow the "Use recovery mode" section below.

...

Use recovery mode

Follow these steps if you never synced your device with iTunes, if you don't have Find My iPhone set up, or if you can't get to your own computer. You'll need to put your device in recovery mode to erase the device and its passcode. Then you'll restore your device.

  1. Disconnect all cables from your device.
  2. Turn off your device.
  3. Press and hold the Home button. While holding the Home button, connect your device to iTunes. If your device doesn't turn on automatically, turn it on.
  4. Continue holding the Home button until you see the Connect to iTunes screen.
  5. iTunes will alert you that it has detected a device in recovery mode. Click OK, then restore the device.

Jun 1, 2014 1:26 PM in response to King_Penguin

My family loves the line of Apple products and the identity & lifestyle it has created for families, but I'm not sure I like the idea of being forced to erase my own personal data .... even when I absolutely know the passcode for my device.


As an engineer, I am absolutely sure there are tools for recovering data from my device, but I'm not sure why these solutions aren't available to (verifiably legal) customers experiencing a catastrophic problem with their device's design.


I don't want to be forced to accept a personal loss by Apple's design, simply because their designers failed to allow, account or prioritize for protecting family valuables in their design.


I'm hoping that an Apple representative, with the right forensic tools, can read this post and ethically decide to help my family recover our valuables from their device.

Jun 1, 2014 1:30 PM in response to ja112358

Apple, with the exception of forum staff, does not participate here.


The pass code lock is an anti-theft feature. It takes 10 failed pass code attempts before requiring an iTunes restore. Of course you know your passcode, but the person trying to get into your iPad doesn't. If there were unlimited attempts, a potential thief would be able to get in.

Jun 1, 2014 10:44 PM in response to ja112358

FORCE IPAD INTO RECOVERY MODE


1. Turn off iPad


2. Turn on computer and launch iTunes (make sure you have the latest version of iTune)


3. Plug USB cable into computer's USB port


4. Hold Home button down and plug the other end of cable into docking port.


DO NOT RELEASE BUTTON until you see picture of iTunes and plug


5. Release Home button.


ON COMPUTER


6. iTunes has detected iPad in recovery mode. You must restore this iPad before it can be used with iTunes.


7. Select "Restore iPad"...


Note:


1. Data will be lost if you do not have backup


2. You must follow step 1 to step 4 VERY CLOSELY.


3. Repeat the process if necessary.

May 9, 2016 3:37 AM in response to ja112358

If you remember your password you may be in luck. I forgot mine but knew it had to be something I would eventually remember (like a birthday or post code etc). After attempting to enter passcode 10 or 11 times (can't remember exactly), my iPhone running iOS 8.2 was disabled. The plug into iTunes symbol appeared, then according to online instructions I was supposed to restore. However I didn't have a backup so didn't want to do that. my solution? I plugged device in to PC, started iTunes. Closed iTunes and uninstalled, unplugged device. Then I reinstalled the latest version of iTunes and plugged in device to PC and opened itunes again. At this point, my device passcode entry was reset back to zero, so I had another 10 or 11 attempts. I did this process (uninstall and reinstall itunes) 3 times (30+ passcode attempts) until I got the right one. i have since tested this on another device running iOS 8 and worked.

Help - My 10 yr old son permanently locked (disabled) my iPAD

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