Q: Failed restore from iCloud backup after IOS8 update

After spending several hours to update my iPad mini (1st gen.) from IOS 7.1.2, here are my results:

Attempt 1: update from iTunes (on WinXP PC).

The update itself was successful. After reboot, iTunes asked to setup as new device or restore from the backup (done just before update).

I've selected restore, it said it was successful.

Then the iPad rebooted but did not come up, hung forever with just the Apple logo on black screen, no progress bar.

After ~ 20 minutes of waiting I had to put it to restore mode and connected to iTunes again.

Then iTunes ceased to recognize the iPad and only offered recovery to factory default.

I had to accept this.

Attempt 2:

The recovery was successful. This time I've disconnected it from iTunes as soon as the screen come live.

After connection to wi-fi it asked to restore from iCloud backup.

Again I've selected the last backup.

Again it rebooted and just stayed on the Apple logo for half a hour without signs of progress.

Attempt 3:

Another recovery using iTunes.

This time I did not let it to restore any backup and continued as new device, but with existing store account.

Photos and contacts saved in iCloud have been restored.

I had to re-download apps, restore lot of settings; lost some PDFs and other documents in Books,

but the iPad is finally alive and updated.

Still have to figure out which files I can get from my iCloud backup, and how to delete the old "zombie device identity from iCloud and iTunes...

So far the conclusion is that after update to IOS 8, the device should be set up as new. Any variant of restore a backup - iTune or iCloud - is no go.

Please don't take this as a complain - who writes software without bugs may throw the first stone...

but deep inside I hoped for a little miracle from Apple - and was disappointed :-(

-- dd