I upgrade my iPad 4th Gen to iOS 10.3.3 yesterday. But, now it can't connect to iTunes.

Question

I upgrade my iPad 4th Gen to iOS 10.3.3 yesterday. But, now it can't connect to iTunes.

Dear Administrator,

I upgraded my iPad 4th Gen. to iOS 10.3.3 yesterday. Now, the iPad can't connect to iTunes. When I plug in the iPad, iTune issues error:

iTunes could not connect to the iPad “Zigang's iPad” because an invalid response was received from the device.

What should I do, I was expecting that I could still connect to the iPad, at least from Xcode and to restore my iOS 7.1.2 if anything goes wrong. Now, Xcode won't recognize the iPad.

Please help!

Thank you very much for your time and effort in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

Zigang Pan

iPad (4th gen) Wi-Fi, iOS 7.1.2, White 64G

Posted on Nov 14, 2017 8:28 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Demo

Level 10

166,494 points

Nov 14, 2017 8:35 AM in response to zigangpan2002

In order to sync with iTunes using a device running iOS 10, you must be running Windows 7 or Mac OS X 10.9.5 with iTunes 12.6 at minimum. If you don’t meet those requirements, that explained the message that you are getting.

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Answer 2

Nov 14, 2017 8:43 AM in response to Demo

Dear Demo,

I thought that I could downgrade to iOS 7.1.2 if it can't connect to iTunes, since I did an upgrade of my iPhone 4S to iOS 9.3.5 the day before. Now, the iPhone connects to iTunes 11.4 without trouble which is beyond my expectation. So, I thought that maybe Apple have solved the problem of having to upgrade my Mac OS to recent versions in order to connect to newer versions of iOS on my devices. So, I took the plunge to upgrade my iPad to iOS 10.3.3. Is it still possible to downgrade the iPad to iOS 7.1.2? Or even to iOS 9.3.5 (I did have a software image of iOS 9.3.5 for my iPad that I downloaded from iOS Developer Center that I thought that I might use it in the future.) Please advice!

Thank you very much for your time and effort in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

Zigang Pan

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Answer 3

Demo

Level 10

166,494 points

Nov 14, 2017 8:46 AM in response to zigangpan2002

Downgrading is not supported by Apple, so you cannot official downgrade the device. Your iPhone software will not work on the iPad. The ipsw files are device specific, I believe. However, I have never wanted to or tried to downgrade.

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Answer 4

Nov 14, 2017 9:05 AM in response to Demo

Dear Demo,

I do have the ipsw file for my specific iPad stored in Xcode. So, if there is a way to use that file or simply have Xcode to recognize my iPad, I will be able to downgrade to iOS 7.1.2 or iOS 9.3.5. The trouble at the moment is that the iPad can't connect to my iTunes or Xcode. So, that is very problematic. It is really convenient to sync with my computer on iTunes with my devices, it allows me to have updated version of all the information everywhere. So, I hope that I would be able to preserve that capability for my iPad. I really don't want to upgrade my Mac OS. That is too much to ask of me. Mac OS matured at 10.6.8. But, iOS is maturing or matured just this couple of years. So, I still upgrade my iOS. But definitely, I won't upgrade my Mac OS.

Sincerely yours,

Zigang Pan

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Answer 5

Demo

Level 10

166,494 points

Nov 14, 2017 10:24 AM in response to zigangpan2002

I’m sorry. I misunderstood what you were saying about having the correct ipsw file. Unfortunately that does not change the fact that your device can no longer communicate with the old version of iTunes. If it cannot communicate with iTunes, you can’t force the downgrade.

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Answer 6

Nov 21, 2017 4:54 PM in response to Demo

Dear Administrator,

I definitely want to down grade my iPad 4th Gen to iOS7.1.2 or 9.3.5. It is too inconvenient not to be able to load anything onto the iPad, except from the cloud. Please help!

Sincerely yours,

Zigang Pan

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Answer 7

MichelPM

Level 10

80,958 points

Nov 21, 2017 5:10 PM in response to zigangpan2002

No cognizant employees from Apple are reprresnted here in these communities.

These are user to user support forums, moderated only by specialised ASC staffers.

We are all just users here, like you!

Apple has never supported downgrading/reverting to a previous iOS version!

That stated, it’s no longer possible to do so, any longer.

Apple stopped signing on iOS 9.3.5 and iOS 7.1.2 years, ago!

Sorry.

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Answer 8

MichelPM

Level 10

80,958 points

Nov 21, 2017 5:35 PM in response to zigangpan2002

The ipsw files will not help you if the iOS versions are no longer being signed onto by Apple!

Apple even stopped signing onto iOS 10 over a month, ago.

So, no going back to iOS 10 any longer, either, for users who wanted to revert back to iOS 10, also.

You are out of luck!

Those files are useless to you, now, at this waaay too late timeframe.

Sorry, this is NOT going to happen for you.

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Answer 9

MichelPM

Level 10

80,958 points

Nov 21, 2017 5:52 PM in response to zigangpan2002

FYI for the future.

Apple only signs previous iOS versions for downgrading for only a very short time.

Usually for only about 7 days, or so, give or take a day.

Apple left iOS 10 signed on for downgrading for about 14 days due to the fact that iOS 11 is an all new, MAJOR iOS upgrade (similar to the MAJOR iOS upgrade that was iOS 7).

So, Apple left iOS 10 signed for a full week longer.

It is what it is.

I am just the messenger.

You simply waited too longer to make the decision to upgrade your iDevice to last supported iOS.

Anytime after 2016 would’ve been too late and you wouldn't have been able to downgrade or revert then, either.

Sorry.

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Answer 10

MichelPM

Level 10

80,958 points

Nov 21, 2017 6:02 PM in response to zigangpan2002

zigangpan2002 wrote:

Ok! So ugly this gets. I own the device but I can't determine what software to use on it. So, I just have sell this one and get a iPad 3rd Gen then.

FYI,

You might want to rethink that iPad 3 strategy.

With the introduction of iOS 11, Apple has rendered all 32-bit iDevices and 32-bit applications obsolete.

Currently, iOS 9.3.5 and earlier are still be supported by most App developers, but look for this to change in the near future as more and more older 32-bit apps get left behind in the app update cycle.

You may get another year maybe two using older iPads, like the iPad 2, 3, 4 and iPad Mini, but eventually, you WILL NEED to purchase more modern and up to date iPad and a computer that is up to date enough in its operating system to support it!

So, Good Luck to You!

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