Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iOS 8 Update Failed

Just tried to update my iPad Air to i OS 8 about half an hour after it was released to the public.

After the iPad restart in order for my Mac to install the software, a message came up in iTunes... Says iPad can't be updated at this time.


Basically I can't even use my iPad now because it's stuck in recover mode. Cant restore it either, "iPhone software update server cannot be contacted at this time please try again later".


Really need my iPad for school tomorrow and all my work is in there. I have backups but still...

Extremely disappointed, Apple 😟

iPad, iOS 8

Posted on Sep 17, 2014 11:36 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 17, 2014 12:09 PM

Wait till Apple's servers are less busy. It will be much safer and quicker than trying to download when everybody else is.

105 replies

Oct 6, 2014 11:20 PM in response to gail from maine

iPhone Data Recovery is a powerful recovery tool which enables you to recover deleted or lost data files from iPhone directly or extract to recover from iTunes/iCloud backup file easily and quickly. It’s the world's 1st data recovery software for iOS users to recover lost data including Contacts, SMS, Photo, Video, Notes, Call history and more from iPhone, iPad & iPod touch. The program also works with iOS 7, iOS 8, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s/5c, iPad Air and iPad mini 2 and so on.

Oct 14, 2014 4:48 PM in response to Peterbilt379X

Same thing happened to me.


On my iPhone 4s I started the upgrade process. After downloading the upgrade and rebooting itself during the upgrade it came back up in recovery mode. I could not get it out of recovery mode. I even tried those utilities that are supposed to exit recovery mode but it just restarted the phone and went back into recovery mode. So I had to restore my phone and I lost everything.

Oct 21, 2014 12:24 PM in response to Vizion1

Just now reading your post, as I am surveying the users on this site to see how the 8.1 upgrade is going. Still running iOS7 on my iPad and iPhone. Still gonna wait a couple more weeks before even thinking about upgrading.


I can't figure out how anyone with $15,000 worth of legal data on an ipad or iphone would not carefully back up that data every day and be sure that the back up is securely stored elsewhere. How in earth can it be Apple's fault that you weren't careful about backing up? Upgrading operating software on any device can fail or have a glitch. Why would you even try to upgrade with "valuable data" at risk? Ain't Apple's fault, no how, no way.

Oct 22, 2014 10:16 PM in response to IOS8UpgradeErasedMyPhone

Apples and oranges my friend (no pun intended). Windows is a computer. An iOS device is an iOS device. It is NOT a computer. Nevertheless, if you are not smart enough to back up your valuable information on any computer or iOS device, for that matter, on a regular basis, then you are courting disaster. There is nothing that will save you from a hard drive crash. There is nothing that will retrieve your information from a lost or stolen computer or device.


Backing up is older than computers. What do you imagine carbon copies were designed for?


And when it comes to computers or to iOS devices, the fact remains that they are electronic devices. Things happen, things fail. Usually when you least expect it. So, if you don't think that doing something as seemingly simple as a MAJOR upgrade of your operating system might erase everything on your computer, then you are living in dreamland, and eventually, reality will bite you in the arse...


GB

Oct 24, 2014 6:26 AM in response to gail from maine

A) An iPhone is a computer. It is a handheld computer.


B) I am not debating the merits of performing timely backups.


I guess where we differ is thinking that an upgrade is one of those instances where it is possible to crash a system and force the user to reload everything from a backup. If an upgrade is made available and it causes even 2% of the devices to crash, I think that is unacceptable.


FYI, I love Apple. My first computer was a Macintosh 512. My family has a Macbook, iPad and two iPhones. But Apple really needs to get a handle on all of these upgrade problems.

Oct 24, 2014 8:46 PM in response to IOS8UpgradeErasedMyPhone

This is not unique to Apple. It is unique to iOS/Android devices. Take a look at the internet if you don't believe me. Although I back up my Mac whenever I do a major upgrade, I rarely back it up for the "normal" updates that come down the line (the same way the updates come down the line for Windows machines from Microsoft). I have never had my Mac crash after an update or an upgrade.


iOS/Android OS updates are a different animal. I admit that if we are going from 8.0 to 8.0.2, I am not as cautious about backing up (but since I have automatic iCloud backup, I also don't get all wound up for that reason as well). But I did take 2 seconds to hook my iPhone up to iTunes on my Mac and back it up there before I downloaded iOS 8.1 (which I also did via iTunes). OTA updates are potentially fraught with issues, so I only do OTA updates for small updates.


My point is that it is the nature of the iOS/Android device to be a bit less stable when messing with updates (and especially upgrades) to the OS. That's just the way it is....(and Androids are no less susceptible - probably more susceptible) to the potential issues than Apple devices are.


Cheers,


GB

iOS 8 Update Failed

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.