Scattered reports of iPhone OS 3.0 update problems

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Updated at 12:15 p.m. PDT

While the majority of commenters on CNET and around the Web are reporting success in downloading iPhone OS 3.0 Wednesday, there were scattered reports of problems.

My colleague Stephen Shankland, a CNET News reporter, tried several times to download the OS update around 12 p.m. Pacific to his iPhone and received the same error message, pictured above, each time.

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A handful of CNET commenters reported problems accessing iTunes. "I see that the upgrade is now available, but four times the message I get after a couple of minutes is that the download has 'timed out,'" said one reader, and another reported, "Same issue here, cannot connect to the iTunes store to activate so the phone won't work."

A quick perusal of Twitter showed a smattering of people with the same issue.

This, of course, is a repeat of what happened last year, when Apple's iTunes servers couldn't withstand the barrage of traffic when customers tried to update to iPhone 2.0 software at the same time new iPhone 3G buyers were attempting to activate their phones.

Anyone else having problems with the update today?

Update 12:45 p.m. PDT: Reader Michael Samstag wrote in to say his iPhone was rendered unusable when he tried to install the update. "It has the 'connect to iTunes' message and will only allow emergency calls," he says. "I signed up for the 'Apple callback' for tech support and they called back and put me on hold for 20-minutes. Then the call got disconnected and now the earliest callback time is between 6:15 p.m. EDT and 6:30 p.m. EDT. So, I'm looking at having no cell for a minimum of three hours, probably longer."

Gizmodo is also hearing reports of phones "bricked" from the update. We're still waiting for comment from Apple.

Update 1:05 p.m. PDT: We're also getting feedback about general sluggishness and intermittent problems accessing Apple's Mobile Me service. But it sounds like the situation isn't as bad as last year. That was when the simultaneous launch of the iPhone 3G and Mobile Me wreaked havoc on across Apple's servers and related Web services.

Update 2:26 p.m. PDT: My colleague Stephen now reports success in installing the update--after 30 tries over the course of 2.5 hours. Samstag, the reader who earlier reported his phone had been bricked by the update, also says it's working now.

Seems like things are getting back to normal now.

[XanderB2009]

It's 3pm EST and I'm still getting the error message.

[MaggieRed]

I got the message too, freaked me out as it appeared to brick the phone. Then I noted I wasn't logged into my iTunes account because I was updating from my work Mac and as soon as I logged in, it finished the update immediately.

Won't make that mistake again!

You hardly notice the change. The new Voice Memo's gives it away and flipping mail sideways along with careful scrolling with your finger as it will quickly select the text your over at the time.

Other that an operator error, seems great.

[anthonyp719]

I have the same problem. "Can't connect to the activation server." Mine is not bricked though. The 3.0 OS downloaded but I got the error before it started to install.

[anthonyp719]

I have the same problem. "Can't connect to the activation server." Mine is not bricked though. The 3.0 OS downloaded but I got the error before it started to install. Has anyone with a Jaillbroken iPhone 3G tried yet?

[MaggieRed]

FYI bricked to me was rendering it as an Emergency Use Only mode.

I'm just happy it fixed it self after I logged in.

[anthonyp719]

Ah, success. 3.0 is a go. =:)

[bonesbautista]

Yes. Got the download, couldn't activate it - ejected and unplugged it, got it activated.

Wanted to restore my iPhone with a fresh firmware. I'm on the 4th or 5th try and have an emergency-only brick for now. Those guys really need a new activation system. On the 6th try now...

[anthonyp719]

Mine is on its way to 3.0. Hopefully it wont brick. No more Activation server error.

[skwagoner]

itunes downloaded and installed 3.0 fine but upon restart the phone stopped working? Any ideas?

[Seaspray0]

Think happy thoughts.

[dhantley1]

I have had a problem with the new IPhone 3.0 software download. My phone is now locked up and I am unable to use it

[sfgiant44]

No problem downloading 3.0, but my phone locked up when I updated the phone (16GB 2g) and Itunes does not recognize it both PC and MAC, anybody have a resolution. The graphic on the phone is USB cable to Itunes.

[Ndelible]

Went through first try shortly after 10; took forever and then said it was upgrading firmware. Then, got the timed out message and the phone is on emergency call, won't go anywhere else. Gonna try again

Update message popped up when I docked my 3G at 10.05am. Download took 15 minutes. The "unavailable server" message popped up when the download was complete. I ejected the 3G from the dock, turned it off and on, redocked and the download proceeded to complete in less than a minute. Everything works fine. Competed the entire process by 10.35am.

[MustangTwit]

4 times I got this error. Still can't do anything.

I had the same problem multiple times for over an hour. Under iTunes in the menu bar enabled check for updates, even though I was running the latest version. Message came back that iTunes was up to date and then the 3.0 update completed with out the application sever not available message. Hopes this helps you.

[somesigma]

Yeah I'm getting the same error message as Steven Shankland... hopefully Apple can get it sorted soon

[erosal]

It took several cycles of unplugging/replugging into iTunes, but I was finally able to activate after the 3.0 upgrade.

However, now I'm missing most of my downloaded applications.

Has anyone seen a fix for this?

[Perry_Clease]

Look and see how many "pages" are on your iPhone. When I upgraded the software installed the new Voice Memo app, that pushed my other apps to new pages with the page after the home only having one app. So see if your apps are on "back pages", if so use the rearrange procedure to put them where you want.

Page #1 is now the search page. When you double tap the Home Button you now go to page #2, do a swipe to the right to get to search.

As to update problems. My download stopped and I had restart downloading it, after that it installed fine. No doubt that the servers are busy.

[erosal]

You had it exactly right -- thanks a bunch!

[Perry_Clease]

"You had it exactly right -- thanks a bun"

Your welcome.

[droxse]

I've been getting the server is unavailable message for the last hour
3:30 NYC

[thitt73]

OS 3.0 downloaded flawlessly in about 12 minutes.

[kaibelf]

Same - took me about 6 minutes, and flawless install.

[kiwitrout]

It 7:30 am here in New Zealand and I can not get in yet to the activation server.

[miike4]

I have the same experiance here in Australia and you are not alone on
this it means we have to wait until it is free that mean a few hours or aday
it a real bummer!!!
mike

[usuubishouji]

Ugh. This is really annoying. I get that error message as well.... Tried for the last half hour

[macaholic4life]

Yeah, it's like 3:30 and I've been trying for about an hour and a half now. It's getting kind of frustrating.

[macaholic4life]

I'm on the East Coast by the way, and it just started working, so only an hour and 3/4.

[hvyfe]

Keep trying, I had to connect 10-12 times. Sooner or later you will get through. There is nothing wrong with your phone or computer. Finally it will activate your phone. Hope this helps.

[thashiznit01]

I've gotten this message about 5 times now... still waiting.......

[dtriplett24]

Its 236CST here. Still having activation problems. Successfully downloaded just can't get activated to install.

[wca42]

Same problem here... Downloaded 3.0 in about 15 minutes, then cannot connect to activation server

I got the sofware downloaded OK, but it had problems updating the phone. I've had to try to restore my phone 2 times with no luck. I am on my 3rd try to get it working. It has been " Verifying iPhone software" for a while now.

[RCrazy001]

Getting same message! Its getting frustrating. Apple should have been prepared for this long ago.... I guess not.

[xtianchristian]

Hello Everyone!! SOLUTION HERE!!!!!! PUT YOUR IPHONE IN DFU MODE (WHICH IS HOLDING THE TOP AND HOME BUTTON AT THE SAME TIME AND DON'T LET GO UNTIL YOU SEE THE IMAGE OF A "USB CONNECT TO ITUNES LOGO" WHILE IT'S CONNECTED TO YOUR COMPUTER ON ITUNES. AFTER THAT, YOUR COMPUTER WILL RECOGNIZE IT AND WILL HAVE YOU RESTORE AND THEN WILL FULLY RESTORE EVERYTHING WITH THE 3.0. ***REMEMBER TO BACK UP YOUR IPHONE BEFORE DOING THIS SINCE IT FULLY RESTORES YOUR IPHONE*****