I have read many posts and have yet to find this error code in any of the references.
I saw one that said it may be a security network issue but I have nothing blocking iTunes (in fact, did my iTunes update before restoring the Apple TV) but still my Apple TV continues to produce this unknown error code 38.
This pretty much makes my Apple TV useless. Please advise.
Typically it will be related to interference from security software, if anything like that is installed on your system you will need to verify
Resolve issues between iTunes and security software
if it persists take it to Apple
It was indeed some security issue that we had to boot my computer in safe mode to get around.
This really makes little sense to have to do this for Apple TV when my TV is web enabled (should be able to do it from there) and my iTunes can update on my laptop without issue through whatever security hang up the Apple TV was hung up on.
Even though my primary career is IT and I understand MOST of the reasons around some of these things, this one is perhaps one of the most giant flaws I've seen in an Apple product yet.... for a company that prides itself in making it's products easy for everyone to use, I'm with these other, "less savvy" folks when they say they shouldn't "have to" do it this way... oh well...
For those coming in late to the party with the same issue, if you're running Windows, boot in Safe Mode and try again.
Having a smart TV is irrelevant, when a device is in recovery mode it has to be connected to a computer.
The issue has more to do with your system and the software running, which was preventing the restore. This is not something that most users have to deal with.
the reason you need to do it in safe mode is not by demand of the Apple TV but by windows if you change the windows security settings it should had worked in normal windows mode too
The Apple TV could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (38).
