keep getting error 9 or 3194

[vipster]

Hello,

Background info: I am "that guy" in my family that "knows about computers". I was asked today to update an ipad 2 to the latest ios version by a family member that does not know where the on/off switch of his coffee maker is. This is my first experience with an ipad. (clearly not one that would make me change my mind about my hardware choices...) Sincerely hoping someone here can help me avoid eternal vendetta in the family.

According to the system info the device had ios 4.3.3 installed. I downloaded iTunes to perform the upgrade (could not find an update option in the ipad menu). The device was recognized and I requested the update to the latest version (9.x).
This failed with an error code 9. I tried several times but kept getting the error.
I have taken the device home to try it on my own PC. Same thing. I tried many times, and all of the sudden it reset to version 4.3.3. I have no idea what I did differently.

Then I stupidly tried to update again and now I am no longer able to get past the error 9. Google brought me to this forum post. I have followed this to the letter except for the part with tinyumbrella which I do not understand very well. I installed this software and found no advanced tab. I am only able to
"Fetch OTA for DFU-iPad2,2" which returns a list of 14 things of type OTA (version 10b329(6.1.3) and version 12H321(8.4.1)) and 4 of type Unknown or beta, there seems to be a new one for every time I try to update manually. These seem to be ios versions.
Point 6 of this post (manually reset and choose the downloaded 4.3.3 firmware) will funnily enough return a 3194 error. Maybe I should be trying to install version 8.4.1? It is not listed here, but I downloaded it from this site. It returns the same error.

The 3194 error apparently has to do with my host file. My hosts file contains the line "127.0.0.1 localhost" and nothing else. Clearly, having never touched an ipad before i never tried to jailbreak one. Maybe I should be trying to install a more recent version since these are mentioned in the tinyumbrella software?
I tried to ping the apple server on gs.apple.com but all packets were lost. Not sure if this is normal. My firewall is turned off.

The iPad shows a larger apple logo with below a progress bar that doesn't progress during the attempted update. Then it returns to the iTunes-connection screen and the PC returns the error 9 message.

I have been working on this all evening. Does anyone have a solution for this?

 

[J. A.]

It looks like you're trying to install the wrong software version, thus the 3194 error.

When the iPad doesn't finish updating, and it shows the "Connect to iTunes" screen, it's in recovery mode. In that case, you should follow these instructions:
If you can't update or restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

The latest software version is 9.0.2, btw, the only one aigned by Apple, so this will be the only software you'll be able to install.

During the update/restore, iTunes connects to Apple's servers. You get error 9, if something is preventing this: either your security software, or the USB connection doesn't work without problems.

Hope that helps.

 

[vipster]

Hi, thank you for your swift reply.
I found the official link to version 9.0.2 and tried to install it as explained in the previously mentioned thread, but still the problem remains.
It does not appear to be a USB error: itunes recognizes the device and as I explained I was able to get the device back to work once.
I have disabled my firewall and antivirus software.
Not sure if this information helps but I can visit the app store in itunes.

 

[vipster]

Ok, after another day at the job I finally found a solution.
Th ReiBoot software has unlocked the iPad so it is now functional again.
Still has not updated iOS though...
The version in the device is still set to 4.3.3

 

[J. A.]

If you use iTunes to update/restore it/use recovery mode, you don't have to download the software. iTunes will load the right iOS for the iPad by itself, and then update the device.

Try restoring it, and if that doesn't work, recovery mode, as described in the link above.

 

[vipster]

hello J.A.: i have tried it countless times yesterday and today. itunes always returns error 9 and locks the tablet in restore mode. It keeps happening, also after unlocking the device with the aforementioned tool
I was unable to get out of this locked mode from within itunes., The only way was to use the tool.
Ipad can not be updated unfortunately, they'll have to keep using ios 4.3.3 and I will continue to happily use my nexus 9 android tablet

 

[J. A.]

It's a pity that your first (and only) experince with iPads is this one. My daughter's iPad 2, more than three years old, is running iOS 9.0.2 without problems.

One last solution would be to contact Apple or take it to an Apple Retail Store, and let them take a look at it.

 

[White Iverson]

I'm glad I found this forum website. I have the same exact problem. I'm also on 4.3.3. I have tried everything. It's not the USB. It's not iTunes. It's the firmware. I've read all over the place and world and I called apple and I have come into a solution. The only way to fix this problem is by updating the iPad to 5.0 THEN updating to the most recent IOS. But I still haven't been able to figure out how to update my iPad (without jail breaking it) from 4.3.3 to 5.0. It has something to do with the update. It just won't let you update that huge gap. My iPad 2 is brand new. I've never used it but when I bought it, it had 4.3.3. So I know for a fact it's not a hardware problem. How would be update 4.3.3 to 5.0 without jailbreak?

 

[scifan57]

I'm glad I found this forum website. I have the same exact problem. I'm also on 4.3.3. I have tried everything. It's not the USB. It's not iTunes. It's the firmware. I've read all over the place and world and I called apple and I have come into a solution. The only way to fix this problem is by updating the iPad to 5.0 THEN updating to the most recent IOS. But I still haven't been able to figure out how to update my iPad (without jail breaking it) from 4.3.3 to 5.0. It has something to do with the update. It just won't let you update that huge gap. My iPad 2 is brand new. I've never used it but when I bought it, it had 4.3.3. So I know for a fact it's not a hardware problem. How would be update 4.3.3 to 5.0 without jailbreak?

I'm afraid there's no way to update to iOS 5. The only iOS version you can update to is iOS 9.1. You're getting these error messages because your trying to install an unsigned iOS version on to your iPad.
You're going to have to connect your iPad to iTunes on your computer and update that way. You may want to use the restore function instead of the update function. This will erase your iPad and install the latest iOS version. You can then set up the iPad from the backup you make just before starting the restore.

BTW, Jailbreaking will not help in trying to update to an unsigned iOS version, if you decide to try it.

 

[White Iverson]

I'm afraid there's no way to update to iOS 5. The only iOS version you can update to is iOS 9.1. You're getting these error messages because your trying to install an unsigned iOS version on to your iPad.
You're going to have to connect your iPad to iTunes on your computer and update that way. You may want to use the restore function instead of the update function. This will erase your iPad and install the latest iOS version. You can then set up the iPad from the backup you make just before starting the restore.

BTW, Jailbreaking will not help in trying to update to an unsigned iOS version, if you decide to try it.

That's the problem. You can't restore this iPad. You can't update this iPad. There is nothing you can do. I figured out how to remove it from recovery mode by force exiting the loop. My only problem is updating the iPad from here. I can't do it over WI-FI because 4.3.3 isn't supported. That's the reason why the only solution is to update the iPad to 5.0 first. I've already used the restore function so many times. I've tried everything. I've tried DFU mode, it makes no difference.

 

[White Iverson]

Also I'd like to add, I own about 6 iPads and I know it's not my computer or cord for a fact. If you read up on error (9) it indicated it has to do something with the cord. All my iPads have updated fine except for this one (the first I've had on 4.3.3)

 

[scifan57]

Don't use WiFi to restore the iPad, connect to iTunes on your computer to do it. OTA updating via WiFi was not introduced until iOS 5. As I said before, you can't under any circumstances whatsoever update your iPad to iOS 5. Apple is not signing iOS 5 for the iPad 2 any longer. They haven't done so since 2012. The only update that you can ever install on your iPad is iOS 9.1. Try downloading the iOS 9.1 update for your iPad to your computer, then try the update.

The 3194 error you received is because you tried to update to an incompatible firmware for your iPad. In this case it's any firmware version not presently signed by Apple.

Have you thought about taking the iPad to the Genius Bar at the nearest Apple Store. They should be able to do the update for you. If they can't update it, there may be a hardware problem with the iPad.

 

[White Iverson]

Well that's the thing you couldn't use WiFi to update the iPad even if I tried. 4.3.3 doesn't have updates over WiFi. I've already tried connecting it to iTunes many times. I've tried a mac iTunes and I get the same error every time. This is a new issue for iPad users who are on 4.3.3 and are pretty much stuck until Apple fixes it. I have the 5.0.1 IPSW and I was going to try TinyUmbrella to bypass the signature. I will try it as soon as I can and will come back here if I find a solution. For now, there is no solution for it. 4.3.3 isn't the best IOS, that's for sure.

EDIT: I will try downloading the new IOS manually and selecting it manually to see if it works.

 

[scifan57]

Once again. YOU CAN'T UPDATE TO IOS 5.0.1 OR ANY OTHER OLDER iOS VERSION. Tiny Umbrella or any other method will not help you bypass the online verification with Apple servers. You won't find a way to update to iOS 5 because their isn't one. Take your iPad to an Apple Store and let the Genius Bar do the update for you. If Apple cannot help you now, you may have to wait until Apple fixes whatever is stopping the update to iOS 9.

There is no inherent reason why an update through iTunes should not work.

 

[mintek]

@scifan57

What he's trying to say is he cannot go straight to the latest version from 4.3.3. - this is the reason he is trying to get to IOS 5 first:

You cannot jump to IOS 9.1 from version 4.3.3 (some sort of coding issue), you can only jump to IOS 9.1 from IOS 5 or greater, so if you're anything below that it is unfortunately nearly impossible (you will continue to receive error 9). You must first get to IOS 5 which he is trying to do, but because it isn't signed there is no way.

This might be a method that may work for you:

There was recently a find that strictly iPhone 4S & iPad 2 can get to IOS 6.1.3.

See if you have any luck with this method, so instead of going 4.3.3 -> 5 -> 9.1, you could go 4.3.3 -> 6.1.3 -> 9.1

This method does require to be jailbroken though, so you will have to jailbreak your 4.3.3 then eventually you will get to standard 9.1.

Hope this helps.