Ipad2 has major problems with iOS 8

No, there is no way to get to iOS 7, so that's out of the question.

Try to restore your iPad to "factory fresh condition". Apple is currently selling iPad 2s on their online store website, and those are "factory fresh iPad 2s" and thus are fully operational with iOS 8.0.2. You probably need to get your iPad 2 back to the factory installed condition, to see how it's operating.

Be sure to do your backups first, before fiddling with it. Here's how to get your iPad 2 - just like the ones that Apple is selling TODAY on their online store website.

Use iTunes to restore your iOS device to factory settings

Don't restore your personal data just yet. You can do that later. First try it out in the factory fresh condition and see how everything operates. If there are still major problems and things won't work properly, you may have a hardware problem that needs to be fixed. You'll have to schedule something with the Genius Bar.

http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Try that and let me know how it goes ... :-) ...

I'm so glad to hear that. It also gives hope to all the other users having trouble.

I did that a few days ago and my iPad 3 is now performing as fast as it was before the iOS upgrade to 8.x.x.

Before, it was slow, froze sometimes, apps crashed, etc, as reported by many.

The "Restore to Factory Settings" worked for me.

Very good! I am so glad to hear that ... not only for your sake, but for the sake of many others who may think that they have an "impossible situation" and this is "Apple's fault". I knew things would eventually come around and show that to be the case. I'm glad you stuck with it and got your solution!

what do you mean by personal data?

Don't load your backup on just yet; keep it factory-fresh ...

ok, got it. thanks! hope it works.

now i have a couple of new questions. (so i'm a little dense!) 1. after restoring the ipad to factory fresh, do i set it up as a new device? and 2. when i'm ready to put my personal info on, do i just restore from the backup? (my concern is will restoring from backup undo the factory-freshness?)

thanks!

Well, the idea here is to confirm to yourself that when it is factory fresh (without your backup on there) ... that it is operating properly. So, that means setting it up as new (but you want to keep your backup in reserve for later restoral, just not now). And when you start it up, you need to see how it operates. "IF" problems show up at that stage (and without your backup on there), you can show it to Apple and get resolution of those problems, and show to Apple that it doesn't have to do with your backup data, but it's solely doing that in a factory fresh condition. Now, many people have not had problems at that point, and I'm hoping you don't either ... and then they just go and do the backup restoral, since they've confirmed everything is working okay at that point.

Now, going back to when it is in factory default condition ... there have been those users (who have reported on this forum) that they've taken their machines down there in that factory fresh condition and Apple has seen the problems and has replaced the iPad for them. Now to me, that means it was a hardware issue, because Apple does not replace machines for "software issues" ... they just fix the software issues. So, the fact that they had their iPads replaced means that there was some kind of hardware issue. They got new iPads as a result.

But, let's say it works for you, so you don't get a new iPad ... :-) ... then you restore your backup after that. And I'll tell you that some people have found out when they restore their backup, the problems return. And that means the "trouble" is in your backup! Just to give you "one example" of the trouble that could be in your backup ... one user had Apple do a special diagnostic on their iPad that was giving them trouble. Apple found one app that was causing them trouble, and they said to get rid of it, since the developer had not updated it for iOS 8. He did and the trouble went away - just from that one app. So, an app you have on your iPad could be your trouble, too. But, I can't predict that ahead of time, so I can't tell you that it's going to be your problem. Others have done the reset to factory default condition and restored their backup and that's it ... they're all done and everything is working fine.

I just can't say ahead of time, what is going to be your problem ... a replacement of your iPad because of hardware issues, or a clean and fresh system install to get rid of corrupt files, or an app that is bad and you need to get rid of that. It's just that this is a "methodology" to troubleshoot your iPad and in doing this, you'll arrive ... eventually ... at what your problem is. I hope that explains it ... :-) ...

thanks for taking the time to answer so completely. it's pretty much what i thought, but wanted to make sure. i've screwed this kind of thing up before!

I know I'm probably breaking some type of 'forum rules' but this is Apple's fault. If an IPad needed a factory reset as part of the IOS8 upgrade then that should have been part of the upgrade process. For Apple to introduce IOS8 to millions of IPads - rendering a large percentage of them unusable - is outrageous. I in fact did a factory reset on my iPad2 and it did make it usable once again. Users should not have to embark on weeks worth of guessing to get their device working properly again

Sorry if I offended anyone for criticizing Apple 😢 -- but, the facts are what they are.

If you have corrupted files and an accumulation of garbage stuff that should be cleaned out, that's not Apple's fault with a new iOS. AND, IN FACT Apple has provided you a way to get that "clean" system. I've always recommended that people clean out their system at least every year. If Apple DID NOT ALLOW YOU to clean out your system, then you would have a complaint.

it's a valid point. it wouldn't take much to say, "do this first"--especially since we're already instructed to do a backup before installing a new OS. it'd be a smart PR move, too. you'd have a lot fewer angry customers and a lot less bad press. thanks, Rotten.

I Took my iPad 2 to the Genius Bar and they did a factory reset, wiping the iPad and installing the iOS for me. I still have the problem of no carrier, sometimes three or four times a day. I reinstalled my apps via the App Store, not even restoring my backup out of fear of causing some hidden data to ruin my factory freh iPad. Still the problem keeps occurring. My only solution is to reset all settings under the general tab and I get the carrier back for a little while. I am sorry to say this to me is an Apple hardware/software compatibility issue. To date I have been unable to get a resolution with Apple and even the Genius Bar is at their wits end.