Q: iPad 2 upgrade to iOS 8 causing performance issues?

Take a look at this successful solution!

keithfrommariettaOct 12, 2014 3:25 PM Re: IPAD2 very slow after IOS 8 upgrade
Re: IPAD2 very slow after IOS 8 upgradein response to pacoKAS

SOLVED:  IOS 8 Issues on iPad 2:

I just returned home from a visit to the Genius Bar. Like you and many others, when I upgraded my iPad 2 to IOS 8, it became practically unusable. It was VERY slow, lagged whenever trying to to do anything. Lots of screen freezes and apps spontaneously crashing. I was convinced that the processor on the iPad 2 just couldn't handle the new IOS and I went in to see about restoring to IOS 7.

Thankfully, I was hooked up with a very sharp guy at the bar. The problem is not with the OS, it is with it being an *upgraded* OS. He used the analogy of when you had an older Windows computer and how over time (and over upgrades), they just tended to get slower and slower because of all of the garbage that was carried forward in the upgrades. At those times (and if you've ever had a Windows computer, you get this), the only thing that would speed it up would be to wipe the machine and do a fresh install of the current OS and then reload your apps, and the viola, everything would be fast again. Well, it turns out that IOS can suffer the same problems.

THE FIX:  FIRST, be sure you have a current iCloud backup of your device.  Connect your iPad to a computer that has a clean fresh copy of IOS 8 on iTunes (this is best done with a computer other than the one that you sync your device to because you DO NOT want to restore it from a back up just yet). Ideally, if you do this at an Apple store you'll be assured of the right version there and someone to answer any questions you might have along the way. You then hold the power and home button down to hard-reset the device and continue to hold them down until it reboots into recovery mode. You then follow the instructions on the computer to reinstall the OS on the device (which wipes everything from it and then reinstalls a clean copy of it). Once this is done (which only takes about 15 minutes), your device will reboot and ask you to set it up. Answer the questions about language, location, etc. and continue until it asks you to log into your iTunes account. Once you do that, it will ask if you want to either 1) Set it up as a new device, 2) Restore from iCloud, or 3) Restore from iTunes. Choose (2), restore from iCloud. This will ensure that it brings down "clean" copies of all of your apps and preferences rather than the potentially corrupted ones that might reside in your iTunes backup. That's it! It will take a few hours depending on how much data and apps you have, but I am happy to report that my iPad 2 is now running IOS 8 and it's running as fast as it ever did when it was brand new!

To sum it up, this process 1) Wipes your device and the garbage causing your problems, 2) Loads a clean and bug-free version of IOS 8 to your device, and 3) restores your apps and data so that it looks just like it did before the wipe, with the exception that it works now!  :-)

Note also that by following this process you don't have to go through the painful and laborious process of reloading all of your apps, data and/or settings. iCloud takes care of all of that for you.

I am going to state a healthy amount of skepticism here. Since I am a curious person at heart, I am going to try the steps related and post my results soon.

He's not the only one ...

iPad 2 has major problems with iOS 8 [solved]

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6586844

I am not able to download App updates nor iTunes on my iPad 2 [solved]

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6590416

Ok, here is my assessment of the posted solution.

First, the instructions posted on getting the device into recovery mode are incorrect. You need to connect your iPad to your computer via the USB cable, power the unit off, and then press and hold both buttons to turn it back on, and it will enter recovery mode.

Second, It does appear that the OS is ever so slightly snappier on a fresh boot, but still nowhere, and I mean nowhere, as responsive as iOS 7.

I have chosen to set the iPad up as new, rather than restoring a backup to evaluate the system from a pristine load of the OS.

When trying to put the stock Apple apps into folders, there is noticeable lag when trying to move the icons into folders. When trying to change the names on the folders, the system is sluggish to respond with the keyboard.

After going into the app store, and reloading some apps (17 to be exact), I have found the system to be less than responsive and the app store struggles to keep working while the apps load in the background. I set the unit aside to allow it to load the apps without me further taxing the system, and now I am getting errors loading the selected apps, after selecting "Retry", the apps seem to finished loading, the system is clearly struggling to load the the applications. Now yes I know that this may be related to internet connections and the App Store itself, so I have attempted to load the same apps on my wife's iPad that was never upgraded from iOS 7, no issues there. If you are curious, it took better than 30 minutes to load the apps on my iPad2, and my internet connection speed tested out at 41/11 from Seattle to Las Vegas.

When navigating the OS, and using the browser, it's a click or tap, pause, continue. I am amazed at the latency in basic navigation.

The last test I performed, after waiting for all the apps to load, and rebooting the iPad, was to start the game Plants vs. Zombies 2. This is a test of patience. After a short period the game loaded  and signed into Game Center. This is a huge improvement over the previous load time before installing the OS fresh.

All in all, the posted solution by Star Traveler is not going to restore the performance of your iPad 2, to iOS 7 levels or anywhere close. While the iPad is functional, it is not an experience that anyone should be proud of.

If you are still on iOS 8, or 8.0.1, then 8.0.2 will be a minor improvement from where you are. If you are having significant functional issues with your iPad since loading iOS 8.x, it may resolve some of them.

I must say that I am still less than impressed by the performance of iOS 8. I am even less pleased that I have needed to reload my iPad twice, in two different ways, to correct issues. Any yes, both times I wiped the iPad, it was set up as new.

I've done this as well. I uninstalled and reinstalled iTunes from my computer to be sure I had the latest version. Then followed the steps and the only thing I did differently than you is before I started the reboot/ restore, I removed the apps I wasnt using to save time, and when I did my restore, I restored from the backup I did just before the reboot. It seems to have helped a bit, but sadly, I wouldn't call it a completely successful solution as it still seems sluggish in many areas. Thanks to the OP for sharing this information!

Thank you for sharing your experience. While it is proven to make performance issues less severe, reporting this as a solution is irresponsible and misleading.

HHaving the same issues, slow loading pages and freezing and pages closing out or not responding.    Not good enough to know how to do the backup and restore without help.  Can I go to an Apple store and have the people there do it for me??   Otherwise I am lost.  I have an old Mac mini and never use ITunes.

I totally agree - we should not report "SOLVED", unless it really does solve the core issue(s).

So I'm holding off on performing that protocol - even though I could see how it may make the situation better, it is too aggressive for what it buys you (the cost/benefit ration just aint there.)

I will throw this out:  (Seems to make a bit of difference)

1. Under Settings -> Notifications:
   • really trim these down.  I've basically turned off all but my core must haves
2. Under:  Settings -> General::
   • SPOTLIGHT SEARCH:
     • OFF on Spotlight Suggestions and Bing Web Results
   • ->ACCESSIBILITY -> Reduced Motion:
     • On - sort of counter intuitive
     • Probably already done for most...
   • MULTITASKING GESTURES
     • OFF
   • BACKGROUND APP REFRESH:  (Biggest by far in my opinion):
     • OFF - unless there is a **** good reason to be on...
3. Under:  Settings -> Wallpaper:
   • Solid color - probably in my head any gains....
4. Under: Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services:
   • Trim - trim - trim
   • Don't forget System Services
5. Under: Settings -> Safari:
   • Spotlight Suggestions - OFF
   • Preload Top Hit - OFF
   • Clear History and Website Data - Just because you're there....
6. Under:  Setttings
   • Remember how in Step 2 we turned off Background App Refresh - well, not really - so....
   • Scroll down and you'll see all your apps.  I went through each on individually and turned off Background App Refresh

This protocol is a lot of work - the only difference - you're not blowing out you entire system and then restoring from scratch. 

I think that it sort of worked.  My system seems a bit better - though not where it ought to be.

Hope this helps....

If you have not done a backup, it should be fairly straightforward to do the iCloud backup. I would feel more comfortable having that done before going into see  Apple Support at the store. But, if it's impossible, then you can insist on getting the backup done first before they start doing something to it. If you don't say anything about doing the backup, you can't count on them doing it for you. Look at the iCloud part of the following document.

Back up and restore your iOS device with iCloud or iTunes

You should be able to do the iCloud backup without problem ... no computer required. There are some deficiencies in it, but you'll save all your pictures, and notes, contacts and personal data inside other apps. There "may" be some loss of documents in iBooks, things not purchased through the store. I won't go into it all ... just know that most of the stuff will be saved.

Good luck with your appointment!

I would prefer "nuking it" ... :-) ... setting it to factory default. It's actually something that everyone should be doing every six months to a year, anyway ... to keep your system pristine and clear.

Actually the iPad 2 can cope with iOS 8.0.2 ... as many others have it coping quite well. I believe it's an accumulation of garbage and corrupt files from over a period of time that is causing most of the problem, just because of the good results that many have had with resetting it to factory default.

I Haver the same problem and i can resolve. Also can not connect to The usb Port Denon ceol.

Question - as everyone's talking up the iCloud backup -> Nuke it from space -> iCloud restore...

I believe that an iTunes backup is more complete (hence safer) over just an iCloud backup.  Please correct if I'm incorrect. 

Eg.  Google Authenticator's storing of tokens only within an encrypted enviro (i.e. iTunes with encryption turned on.)  So, were you to use this tool on your device and restore via iCloud - this app won't work anymore and potentially locking you out of your account(s). 

What other mission critical apps that people are using on the iPads that are potentially affected by this route?  I'd be a bit more cautious before recommending such a drastic move.  Especially if the payoff is not well understood.  

The iCloud backup misses a few things, on purpose, in order to keep the backup small and quick. The iTunes route covers these things that iCloud misses by design. If you do iCloud backups every day and the iTunes backup every couple of weeks, you'll have the best of both.

If someone knows the exact items that iCloud leaves out by design, then they can take care of it by another route, other than iTunes. So, with "knowledge" you can make up for the designed limitations of iCloud. But iCloud works well for the average and standard user.

Back up and Restore your iOS Device with iCloud or iTunes

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1766

iTunes: About iOS Backups

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4946

ICloud: iCloud Storage Backup and Review

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12519

Over a week ago I poke with Apple Support on phone. we did a complete wipe and reinstall thru iTunes. I believe I am running iOS 8.0.2 and my iPad2 is still not the same. it lags, it freezes, it lcks up, I have to go to multi-task to shut things down. sweeping icons during transitions are not smooth.

please Apple, give us a roll back or better iOS8 upgrade .