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Another 22 million minute iPod Touch lock question

I have read all of the posts about this on this site. I've also watched way too many YouTube videos about it...


Here's my question: Can the Genius Bar remove the wait time to make it possible to enter the passcode?


My son's iPod has been turned off since about Thanksgiving. Yesterday, he turned it plugged it in, it turned on, and it gave this message about being locked for 22 million minutes.


THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A BUG in the software.


No one has been playing with it or messing with it. This is not a result of trying the password too many times.


We know the passcode. We just want to have the chance to put it in and unlock the device.


Yes, it is more than a year old. No, it is not backed up to a computer or iCloud (he's 10).


We would just follow the directions to factory reset it, but it has pictures on it of him and his grandfather that passed away about a year ago. They were very close and he really wants those pictures.


So, llass, please don't post your stock answer. I can look that up the 10 other times you've posted it.


I want to know if it is worth the hour and a half trip to the closest Apple Store, if they can unlock it, and if they can, how much they are going to charge me?



Thanks! I appreciate any info that you can provide about this!

iPod touch (5th generation), iOS 7

Posted on Mar 6, 2015 7:11 PM

Reply
5 replies

Mar 6, 2015 7:15 PM in response to bmaddux

Regardless of what you think you know regarding the passcode, you are well beyond unlocking it with a passcode.


Placing your device into recovery (DFU-Device Firmware Upgrade) mode:


Follow these steps to place your iOS device into recovery mode. If your iOS device is already in recovery mode, you can proceed immediately to step 6.

1. Disconnect the USB cable from the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, but leave the

other end of the cable connected to your computer's USB port.

2. Turn off the device: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds

until the red slider appears, then slide the slider. Wait for the device to turn off.


* If you cannot turn off the device using the slider, press and hold the

Sleep/Wake and Home buttons at the same time. When the device turns off,

release the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons.


3. While pressing and holding the Home button, reconnect the USB cable to the

device. The device should turn on. Note: If you see the battery charge warning,

let the device charge for at least ten minutes to ensure that the battery has some

charge, and then start with step 2 again.

4. Continue holding the Home button until you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen.

When this screen appears you can release the Home button:

5. If necessary, open iTunes. You should see the following "recovery mode" alert:

6. Use iTunes to restore the device.


If you don't see the "Connect to iTunes" screen, try these steps again. If you see the "Connect to iTunes" screen but the device does not appear in iTunes, see this article and its related links.

Note: When using recovery mode, you can only restore the device. All user content on the device will be erased, but if you had previously synced with iTunes on this computer, you can restore from a previous backup. See this article for more information.

Mar 6, 2015 7:37 PM in response to Kappy

A different user, but the same stock answer...


I don't want to be rude, but did you actually read my message? If you did you would see that I've already read this answer at least 10 times, because it is posted on every other question about this 22 million minute issue.


Second, you will see that we are trying to avoid this. I'm asking, does the Genius Bar folks have a tool to get this thing unlocked? We know the passcode, I bought it and it should be registered to me. It is registered to my Apple ID, of which I have the login and password. I should be able to prove that it is not stolen and that I am the owner.


The question is, can the Genius Bar unlock it and how much will they charge me if they can?


I know I can factory reset it, and if it was just because my son couldn't remember the passcode, then I would. But this is not his fault and there are pictures we want off it. If they can be preserved, I would prefer to do that. They are worth enough that, even though this is a problem with Apple's software, I might be willing to pay it.


So, please do not reply again with instructions on how to factory reset it, or anything else that will wipe it.


If they won't or can't do it, period, then just tell me. If they might or can, but the appointment is going to cost me something, please tell me what it'll cost (because trying to find that on the website is next to impossible). Once I know these things, then I can decide what is reasonable to do.

Mar 6, 2015 7:47 PM in response to bmaddux

Obviously, you haven't gotten the point. There is no way to reset it without restoring it. No one can unlock it. If they could, then it wouldn't be much of a security protection. The device can be restored, but it cannot be unlocked without erasing the content.


I read your message. Thanks for assuming I didn't and being rude about it. Apparently, you've learned all there is over and over, but you still haven't gotten the point. So, at the risk of being rude, you are really slow.

Mar 6, 2015 10:04 PM in response to Kappy

Say what you want, but your answer didn't indicate that you had actually read the post, and your response didn't answer the question.


We all know that the people working at the Genius Bar have tools and utilities that the rest of us don't have. I think I have a valid question. If you had answered "they can't do anything for you", you would have indicated you read the question, answered the question, and been done even quicker than pasting in the stock answer.


On that note, if you are an Apple employee, shame on you. The company I work for would fire an employee for your second response.


HOWEVER, if you are a volunteer, which I suspect you are, than you can have what ever attitude you want, and, in the end, you have answered my question and helped me out, so I thank you.


Have a good weekend.

Another 22 million minute iPod Touch lock question

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