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ro66i3 Author

Level 1

85 points

iPhone 5S activation error 0xE8000013

Hi,

I have an unlocked iPhone 5s which was recently updated from iOS 10.0.2 to iOS 11.0.1 through iTunes on a Macbook running OSX Sierra with all latest updates. The update went without a hitch. After the initial setup screens of choosing country, language etc., iTunes gave the following error:

The iPhone "iPhone" could not be activated because an unknown error occurred (0xE8000013). Please try again later.

If I try to activate the iPhone using a working SIM (either on WiFi or Mobile Network), the the following message is displayed:

Your iPhone could not be activated because the activation server cannot be reached. Try connecting your iPhone to iTunes to activate it or try again in a few minutes.

So, I started troubleshooting in the following order:

Check the Apple System Status (iOS Device Activation is online continously)
Followed Apple's guide on 0xE errors
Tried the setup on a Windows 10 with all latest updates but ran into the same aforementioned issue with iTunes (both Macbook & Windows laptops have the latest iTunes installed)
Changed USB cables but to no avail

I am sure the issue is specific to the iPhone 5s & iOS 11 because using the same cables and laptops both my iPhone 6S & iPad Mini 2 updated to iOS 11 smoothly.

If any other iPhone user have this issue I would like to hear from them & how they got it resolved (if they could).

Thanks!

iPhone 5s, iOS 11.0.2, Unlocked iPhone 5S

Posted on Oct 6, 2017 5:54 AM

Top-ranking reply

Lawrence Finch

Level 10

208,910 points

Posted on Oct 18, 2017 5:53 AM

chiaraChiara wrote:

Hi ro66i3,

Unfortunately Iphone 5c does not support IOS 11. The last release is IOS 10.3.3 i guess.

This is a really stressfull situation. A software issue is preventing me to use my phone.

Is there any method for flashing a previous release? Am I stuck with 10.3.3?

Thanks.

A software issue is not preventing you from using your phone. The fact that updating iOS requires that the phone be reactivated, and that reactivation is failing, is preventing you from using your phone.

Here are the reasons you might get the message that the Activation Server is unavailable:

It really is unavailable. Rare, but it happens. You can check its status here: https://www.apple.com/support/systemstatus/
Your version of iTunes is out of date. You need 12.6.3 or later.
The phone does not have a valid SIM installed.
Your antivirus or firewall is blocking access to gs.apple.com. Try temporarily disabling it.
Your router's firewall is blocking access to gs.apple.com or to a port that it requires (443).
Your phone is jailbroken, or it was at some time in the past.
Your computer was used to hack or jailbreak some iOS device in the past (not necessarily the device with the current problem), and its network database was corrupted. Hacking includes using some questionable apps such as recboot, reiboot, Tinyumbrella, redsn0w, etc. If this is a possibility inspect your computer's hosts file. If there are any lines in the file that reference gs.apple.com that is the explanation. You will need to rebuild the hosts file.
Your phone has a hardware problem. Take it to an Apple store for diagnosis.

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297 replies

ro66i3 Author

Level 1

85 points

Oct 24, 2017 12:21 AM in response to aliaszzz

Well, if they intend to do it per device then the best bet for everyone having the activation issue is to contact Apple Support, invest time & effort to get this sorted out.

The iOS 11.1 final beta doesn't solve the issue and unless a last minute fix is included in the final release of the next version, this might be it for the affected devices.

The only thing that gets me is I expected atleast an official acknowledgement from Apple that this issue exists and affects "this type of certain devices" so that we are aware of what the source of the problem is.

aliaszzz

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2017 1:20 AM in response to ro66i3

Totally agreed with you. Apple should have stated anywhere in their support site about this matter because we as end user does not know what is going on with our device. Seeing original untouched Apple device have also encountered the same problem makes me think this is definitely a problem on the ios 11 itself. People are claiming a lot of things including IC modification (NAND, bluetooth etc), screen and touch ID. As for now i would like to hang on to what Apple Specialist have told me (eventhough they are not quite sure about the IOS 11 problem and the 0xE8000013) because they confidently said that there is no problem with my device. Fingers crossed 😕

aliaszzz

Level 1

4 points

Oct 24, 2017 8:53 AM in response to olhays

Have not and may not try 11.1 beta 5 due to low monthly data quota. But i doubt that beta version have the capability to overcome our issue. Most of information regarding installing beta version involved either developer or public beta tester and also some end user with their phone in activated status. i think installing through restore/update is possible but not able to activate due to UDID not registered for beta testing. Not trying to be funny but i am tired waiting for official 11.1 release 😟

ro66i3 Author

Level 1

85 points

Oct 24, 2017 10:03 PM in response to olhays

Not playing with betas anymore & will shoot straight with the iOS 11.1, which I hope gets the device back to working condition. As for the hardware issues with iOS 11, those specific parts either stops working or does not work as expected, which I suppose is Apple's way of enforcement. From all the articles and posts I have read, none of these hardware issues affected device activation.

If any of you has come across any discussions or threads which associates iPhone hardware replacements with device activation issues, please share.

XoXoL

Level 1

4 points

Oct 25, 2017 7:50 PM in response to ro66i3

Talked to Apple representative. He told me that this issue was made for purpose, it was their intent to make unofficially repaired devices not to be able to be activated. That Apple will never allow them to work again. It will be only worst.

Also, guys, you can go to checkcoverage.apple.com and check your iPhone by serial number. If you see something like this “iPhone was utilized” - then forget about your device.

When I asked the representative how did it happen that my iPhone which was utilized appeared on the market, isn’t it Apple’s business to avoid such situations, he said that partners (who is responsible for the utilization) steal such iPhones, repair them and sell. So that it is our problem now and Apple doesn’t care about it all. They will only torque nuts more and more.

For me it is obvious that it is Apple’s fault that utilized iPhones got to the market. And we are paying for their mistake. But nothing we can do.

aliaszzz

Level 1

4 points

Oct 25, 2017 8:37 PM in response to XoXoL

Wow. It is a complete opposite from what apple specialist told me last week. Perhaps some people do know better about this issue. However i would like to hang on to what they have told me. Waiting for 11.1 release, if it still doesn't work i might follow up with my previous report in case they have something new to tell me.

XoXoL

Level 1

4 points

Oct 25, 2017 8:48 PM in response to aliaszzz

You know dude, people are naive, including me. After I was told that sad truth I still believe in your words - iOS 11.1 will fix it :) I want to believe...

Time will show, at least not too much to wait.

MoSobhii

Level 1

4 points

Oct 26, 2017 3:36 AM in response to ro66i3

I updated my iphone 5s to ios 11.0.3 and then i couldn't activate it anymore !
it's not a refurbished iPhone!
tried iTunes ( ver. 12.7 ) restoring iPhone and this didn't solve the problem
tried many sim cards and extra cables and nothing
read tons of articles to figure out what the problem with my iPhone and i didn't get to anything!

ANY HELP 😟 ?

zaman450

Level 1

9 points

Oct 26, 2017 6:53 AM in response to aliaszzz

Waiting for the next update. If it didn't solve activation issues, my phone

will be a bricks which may throw to the forehead of apple. Thanks all my

friends.

On 26 Oct 2017 7:03 p.m., "Apple Support Communities Updates" <

Oct 26, 2017 8:03 AM in response to XoXoL

You are mixing 2 issues. If the phone has been repaired with non-Apple parts you will get an error. However, according to the documentation for iOS 11.0.3 it will now allow phones repaired using non-Apple screens to work again if you upgrade to 11.0.3.

The other issue is that the phone was stolen after it had been returned as part of an exchange. These phones will never work again. If you buy phones (new or refurbished) from an Apple authorized retailer this will never happen. However, if you buy on Craig's List, Amazon or eBay, or local sleazy retailers, there is no guarantee that the phone is not stolen. At least with Amazon and eBay you have recourse. But other sources, you are out of luck if the phone you buy has been stolen.

deggie

Level 10

167,285 points

Oct 26, 2017 8:19 AM in response to XoXoL

The message on yours means that someone who requested that an iPhone be replaced under their warranty got the replacement but then did not send in their supposedly broken iPhone. How would Apple be able to stop this from happening, send Apple police to retrieve the iPhone.

As far as I know there is no software capability to shut down the iPhone, yours may actually be failing. But if at any time that iPhone was jailbroken or rolled back using your computer then you can get the error you are seeing. Put the iPhone in DFU mode (Google it) and use a different computer to restore it.

ro66i3 Author

Level 1

85 points

Oct 26, 2017 10:10 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

"Addresses an issue where touch input was unresponsive on some iPhone 6s displays because they were not serviced with genuine Apple parts"

Devices that have non Apple displays are expected to work post iOS 11.0.3 update only on the 6s models as per documentation (excerpt above). No mention of other models. So, officially the current update doesn't fix other models repaired with non Apple parts. So the last hope is on 11.1 to revive them.

Stolen or devices that were sneaked out of Apple stores/centres, will not be activated by Apple so people who possess them can ditch or recycle those devices for usable spares. No other options.

Now the question remains for the rest of us whose verification with Apple checks out. Will 11.1 get our devices back to usable status or if we are expected to pay atleast $200 to Apple (out of warranty) to get it fixed?

aliaszzz

Level 1

4 points

Oct 29, 2017 4:58 AM in response to Saifulapm

Have not tried ios 11.1 beta. just waiting for the official release. Just my thought, I don't think the betas will fix this issue because normally betas activates using registered device's UDID for developer or public tester. i don't think it will activate our unregistered UDID. Just hope that official release does fix this issue. For the time being, double check your IMEI, SERIAL and everything else. Many developers have said that any mismatched information on our board (due to unofficial repairs) will cause changes in UDID and this makes activation failed. But for those which have no problem with their device (including me) should just wait for the official release just as Apple adviser have said. Few days to go guys.

Nungi

Level 1

8 points

Oct 29, 2017 6:27 AM in response to aliaszzz

I would like to share my experience with Apple Service. After contacting them for a week, i got a call from apple support last Thursday (26th) saying that they are sorry to make me wait for a long time and that they will replace my phone, all i have to do was go to the nearest apple authorized service center and get a replacement there saying that apple has approved it and show my case id. But when i went there and after they go through my phone, they told me that my phone has been modified and therefore they cannot replace it. I was a little bit shock because i bought it from a trusted retailer 4 months back. And the person in the service center told me that apple purposely made ios 11 to stop all the phone which has been stolen and modified from activation. If ios 11 is really made to stop all those,my question is that my phone was able to activate even after i update to ios 11.0.03 and it was working fine until i decided to change my passcode and forgot it and have to restore it. It make me really confused. But im sure gonna go back to the place where i bought it and ask for explanation or even replacement.

aliaszzz

Level 1

4 points

Oct 29, 2017 7:05 AM in response to Nungi

Hi Nungi.

Sad to hear that but something came across my mind. How on earth Apple re-seller / svc centre knows more than Apple Specialist / Engineer? Apple Customer Care / Specialist / Engineer says that they doesn't know about this issue until it is reported by user (they might be pretending). Confusing but am I the only one who think how weird this is? 😕 😕

I bought my Apple Refurbished 5s from one of the official re-seller here in Malaysia back in June 2016. Obviously now it is over the warranty period. In my case, the re-seller doesn't care about my case. They even asked me to talk to Apple Care first without taking a look at my 5s and also asked me to go to different re-seller/shop for this issue (bad after sale svc). So i did report to Apple Care about this issue including the issue with the re-seller. I doubt that my device have been modified in such ways. Fingers crossed. Going for the official IOS 11.1 and we'll see after that.

iPhone 5S activation error 0xE8000013