updated 10-13-2011
Wow – this four year old post has seen a spike in traffic since iOS 5 was released! I no longer use Apple phones, but you’re probably here because your phone looks bricked. Don’t worry, it’s not. If you see this error, your phone is stuck in recovery mode, usually after a successful firmware upgrade. All you need to do now is use TinyUmbrella to kick it out of recovery mode and you’ll be fine!
updated 12-26-2007
If you’re reading this now, it is likely that you got an iPhone after December, 2007, and you decided to Jailbreak it using any number of techniques and tutorials from the internet or youtube. You tried to recover your 1.1.2 software with 1.1.1 software, but were unsuccessful, receiving the error: The iPhone “iPhone” could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (5).
SPOILER: The error was caused by trying to restore to iPhone software that didn’t work. I initially tried this image:iPod1,1_1.1.1_3A110a_Restore.ipsw
but I repeatedly got the 5 error with no restore. The following image restores EVERY time:iPod1,1_1.1.1_3A109a_Restore.ipsw
…resume back story…
Now you’re searching the internet to find out how to get around this stumbling block. Me too. I used iTunes 7.42, iDemocracy, http://jailbreak.com http://jailbreakme.com and jailbreak-1.1.2.zip.
I used the basic instructions fromtouchdev.net/wiki/Jailbreak_1.1.2.
- download software: 1.1.2-jailbreak.zip, and idemocracy2.0 updated with the 2.02 patch.
- Hold the power button(top right) and home button(front center) down on the iPhone until the phone cycles and you see the silver apple. When you see it, release the power button, but continue to hold the home button.
- Open iTunes (probably needs to be a 7.4.x release, i used 7.4.2)Restore the iPhone to 3a109a by shift or right-clicking on the “restore” button and selecting the restore image you downloaded from the internet. (DO NOT USE 3A110a — this is causing error 5!)
- Open independence jailbreak and appinstall – this did fail, but it took the iphone out of recovery mode so i could continue.
- do the prefs://1 using the *#309# call sequence (all over the internet) to get to http://jailbreakme.com. i need to document this better…
- when you go to jailbreakme.com, if you’ve updated to the correct iPhone image, jailbreak can take advantage of the vulnerability in the tiff image and install AppTap, or “installer” on your iphone.
- when your phone restarts, you will see the installer icon. open it, scroll to tweaks 1.1.1, and install Oktoprep. Also add OpenSSH
- UPDATE to 1.1.2 in itunes – it will LOOK like everything is lost, but it’s not!
- run jailbreak 1.1.2 from a mac or pc with the iphone connected (i forget how it works right now).
download jailbreak 1.1.2 from conceited software. It’s been awhile since i’ve done this, but i think jailbreak 1.1.2 runs on both mac and pc.
ALL done! I had a full signal and the app installer!
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Thanks for ur info, I will add it..
I followed up to step three on the instructions and restored my iPhone with 3a109a and it still gave me an error that said unable to restore. (1015) i believe. Any suggestions?
Error 1015 is GOOD. This error comes up when you successfully restore the iPhone to the older firmware.
help its still doing the same
I get the error ( 1015 ) what now?????????
I was able to get out of error 1015 by running iNdependence which can be obtained here… http://code.google.com/p/independence/
I updated my iphone to 1.1.3 from 1.1.1 it was working fine for a day or 2, and then I started losing it’s wi-fi signal and everytime I tried charging it, it would say no service at the top instead of my network “Fido”. And then it just completely lost it’s charge and now won’t charge back up or do anything. It only shows a white screen and rotating wheel loading sign at the bottom when I plug into itunes. I tried to downgrade to 1.1.1 got error 1604, and when I try and Restore and upgrade to 1.1.3 i get error 6.
I am running old bootloader as I initially had 1.0.2 firmware.
SOMEONE PLS HELP ME OUT!!!!
I was accidently updated my iPhone to 1.1.3 with ITunes…now when i restored to 1.1.1. or 1.1.2 i cant because i have a problem:
The iPhone “iPhone” could not be restored. An Unknown error occurred(1)
My iPhone is 1.1.2 OTB, 4.6 bootlouder
What can i do…Please Help me!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU WERE RIGHT THAT NEW 1.1.1 RESTORE PACK WORKED!!!!
I’m facing the same problem as “harmony” but with slight difference; I’ve upgraded my phone from 1.1.1 unlocked to 1.1.2 (locked) then 1.13 (locked too
) and it now gives me this message whenever I try to downgrade to 1.1.1 or 1.1.2 or older
The iPhone “iPhone” could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (1)
any idea how can I get over this problem!
I have the same probablem as Damisi,
If I run the new ziphone unlock tool I get ERROR: ziphone returned 1, aswell.
Please Help
I got an 1.1.2 OOB, which I jailbreaked before the Unlock from GeoHotz was posted, however I accidentally upgraded to 1.1.3, and after executing Independence 4 Beta the phone worked fine for one day, but then after, I am able to use everything but cannot place calls. Now I am trying to downgrade and restore to 1.1.2 but error (5) is always appearing.
I downloaded ziphone clicked on all three boxes and boom fixed.
and eddie I belive error 5 in computer problem. I’m guessing you have a mac tiger, you need the leopard for that program, you can run the Ziphone and it should fix it.
ive done this before on a mac but i was restoring my iphone with 1.1.1 and when i try to restore it, right after its done extracting it says “The iPhone “iPhone” could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (1).” Somebody please help me! thanx
Hi Zibri, do you happen to know how I can get international seetings back on my iPhone, Spanish in particular. I have used your splendid Ziphone, which I thank you for, to unlock and jailbreak and have downgraded from 1.1.4 to 1.1.3 but the international settings are still missing. I want spanish language and region but they are missing yet they were in 1.1.3 before I upgraded. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
I followed up to step three on the instructions and restored my iPhone with 3a109a and it still gave me an error that said unable to restore. (1015) i believe. i downloaded INdependence … now hw do i run it ????
my iphone will not charge, it died down to its last bar(red),
1. the charger is ok
2. the chords is ok
3. i tried both the restore mode and the dfu mode. it does not work and the mac im using does not recognize my phone.
4. the only thing the phone can do is when i press the on/off it showed the icon of the battery with is red bar blinking and the the plug and the lighting volt icon.
5. my wife has an iphone, so i sync her phone first to our mac then tried to restore it, after that i take off her phone and tried my phone and continued the said operation . the mac continued restoring but at the end of it a message promt:
saying. the i phone could not be restored. an unknown error occured (OxE8OOO35).
6. i lost hope and tried to charge my phone with a jvc ipod dock, yes, you heard me right and im not joking, and guess what its charging and the applications are all working fine, plus i can play songs using the jvc dock. its for real man..
but still the problem is, i cant sync in with my mac computer again,
Sir,
ive a iphone 1.1.1 jail breaked . i want to upgrade 1.1.4 .so i tried it with itune . when i trying it im getting one error message
The iPhone “iPhone” could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (5)”.
what ive to do for upgrade . could you please help me .
thank you
Well you posted this over a year ago and it still saved me. Yes I have an unlocked iphone and yes it got screwed up during an update process. The problem was it had somehow locked itself and required a code that I didn’t have. I couldn’t even begin to guess what the code could be because I never went in and activated a code. When I plugged it into iTunes, it woudn’t even touch it because it was locked. Even when I tried to restore it, the restore would give me an identicle error to the one you encountered but the number was 33. Even though the errors were different numbers applying an older update to the phone allowed me to break it out of its funk so to speak. Thanks so much for saving us people who intentionally cause drama for ourselves.
hi im also gettin gthe same error the iphone cannot be restored. an unknown error occcured (5)… can someone help me out///pls its left over useless… so….i tried all the advices above…hey it doent represent permanent problem right ha….
Like many others..getting the ‘The iphone could not be resotred unknow error 13. What I did last night was try to upgrade my itunes to 8 from 7. This also included the attempted upgrade of my iphone to 2.2. During this process, that is when I started to get that error. So my itunes is now 9, but phone not working. Any ideas? I’ve tried many different solutions to no avail. Take it to the Apple store?
oops..itunes is version 8.
I had a jailbroke iPhone on Tmobile. I had to restore the firmware and was trying to re-jailbreak the phone. I get the iPhone could not be restored Unknown Error [5]. What to do?