Can't restore or update iPhone 5 - TATSU declined to authorize

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Level 1

38 points

Can't restore or update iPhone 5 - TATSU declined to authorize

I'm attempting to either restore or update an iPhone 5 which won't boot. It's stuck on the apple logo boot screen. Hard reset does nothing. There was no physical or water damage it just stopped booting last week.

Each time I try and either do update or restore I get the following error from iTunes:
iPhone could not be restored (or updated). TATSU declined to authorize this image on this device for this user.

I have noticed the IPSW file iTunes automatically downloads says iPhone4 in its filename which seems weird to me considering it's an iPhone5: iPhone_4.0_32bit_10.1.1_14B150_Restore.ipsw

I have also tried downloading one for iPhone 5 and doing command click on the update or restore button in iTunes to select that particular ipsw file but I still always get the same error.

I have tried normal restore mode and DFU mode via iTunes.
I'm signed into iTunes as the same apple ID as the phone.
I've authorized the mac for this apple ID in iTunes.

Anything else I can try? it does not matter if I lose the data on the phone. Just needs to work again. Is there a way to view the boot sequence from my mac or the phone either via terminal or xcode or something so I can see where it's hanging in the boot sequence?

iPhone 5, iOS 10.1.1

Posted on Nov 26, 2016 12:42 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

usi999

Level 1

9 points

May 16, 2017 4:15 AM in response to njorl

I also have an iPhone 5, and try this, as this worked for me:

I downloaded a iOS 10.3.2 IPSW from the internet (just google it) and I custom restored it via. iTunes by holding "option" key on my Mac.

And surprisingly it worked out just as smooth as I could wish.

I think the problem lays in when you restore from iTunes IPSW, it only downloades the 10.2.1...? But it worked, and that is the only matter I care about🙂

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Answer 2

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

May 14, 2017 4:15 PM in response to jjukofsky

See this support document about the 3194 error. It contains a section on information in the hosts file for a Mac. There are also additional troubleshooting steps there too. If you see Error 3194, Error 17, or 'This device isn't eligible for the requested build' in iTunes - Apple Support

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Answer 3

barbbigg

Level 1

13 points

Apr 22, 2017 11:33 PM in response to njorl

I need more information about how to find the gs.apple.com I look in finder under all my files, nothing. I look in applications. Nothing. It's not coming up and am having the same problem of not being able to reset my phone.

Original problem is that the storage doesn't add up to 10gb, only about 4gb. Others had this problem. They deleted whatsapp from their phone and that restored their GB. Me no. Then it said to restore the phone. I can't because of Tatsu. Going round in ever more complicated problems because of no storage left when my phone says I have none but doesn't tell me how or why even after deleted almost everything. It's not icloud storage, it's phone storage. I deleted almost everything on icloud but still no luck.

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Answer 4

May 14, 2017 4:15 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

iPhone 6. Not jailbroken. Never have. Turned my phone off bc it was laggy. Hasn't turned back since.

Getting the TATSU (3194) error when trying to update or restore from my MacBookPro.

Didn't have any apple.com lines in my host file.

Per another thread, I tried to add the above to the host file (sans the #) and got "unknown error. (17)"

Per *another* thread, I tried adding these into the host files and trying again:

#74.208.10.249 GS.APPLE.COM

#127.0.0.1 GS.APPLE.COM

#74.208.105.171 GS.APPLE.COM

Obviously didn't work.

HELP!!!!

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Answer 5

usi999

Level 1

9 points

Jun 6, 2017 4:08 AM in response to george_dudley

Hey George

If you are on a Mac, you have to open iTunes and connect your device. Then go to the device via. iTunes and hold the "alt" button on the left side on your keyboard, and press "restore". Afterward, you should be able to custom choose an IPSW file. Good luck!😉

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Answer 6

Jun 11, 2017 6:31 PM in response to usi999

BEST SOLUTION FOR THIS ISSUE !

"

I also have an iPhone 5, and try this, as this worked for me:

I downloaded a iOS 10.3.2 IPSW from the internet (just google it) and I custom restored it via. iTunes by holding "option" key on my Mac.

And surprisingly it worked out just as smooth as I could wish.

I think the problem lays in when you restore from iTunes IPSW, it only downloades the 10.2.1...? But it worked, and that is the only matter I care about"

THANK YOU USI999

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Answer 7

Jun 27, 2017 10:30 AM in response to usi999

usi999's method was the only thing that worked. For some reason, it finally let me turn off Find My Iphone after hitting 'option' restore when it wouldn't let me before, even though the password was right and I removed it on the icloud website. Weirdest thing, thank you!

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Answer 8

barbbigg

Level 1

13 points

Apr 22, 2017 11:36 PM in response to njorl

Tried via terminal but neither 74.454.656.343 or gs.apple.com were found

Any other suggestions about how to find this on my mackbook air?

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Answer 9

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Nov 26, 2016 12:45 PM in response to njorl

I don't recall ever seeing this error before. Are you sure this is an iPhone 5? If you were to look in Settings>General>About>Model, what is the model number?

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Answer 10

njorl Author

Level 1

38 points

Nov 26, 2016 2:43 PM in response to njorl

for anyone else who comes across this or something similar. It turned out that my hosts file had an entry to gs.apple.com which was causing apple's signing (TATSU) server request to fail. So you need to check your hosts file on the computer you are running iTunes on to see if there are any entries to gs.apple.com and then either remove those lines or comment them out by placing a # at the start of the line. like so #gs.apple.com 74.454.656.343 easiest way is via terminal. look up how to edit host file if you don't know how. on my mac the host file was located at /etc/hosts once in terminal: sudo nano /etc/hosts will open an editor, once changed control x will exit, type y when propted to save then enter to save your changes to the hosts file. all done.

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Answer 11

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Nov 26, 2016 2:48 PM in response to njorl

Usually the only time that hosts file gets changed like that is if you had previously jailbroken that phone, or used that computer to jailbreak a phone in the past.

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Answer 12

Jun 6, 2017 12:59 AM in response to usi999

Can you explain how you custom restored via iTunes? I downloaded the IPSW, then I opened it using iTunes (default), but nothing happens. Thanks for your help!

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