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can't restore my iPhone...keep getting Error 3004...help?

TheWart

Diamond Member
Hi all,

about a week or so ago I tried to update my iphone to the latest firmware, and somehow it got messed up and when I cam back to my room it was in DFU mode saying that I needed to restore it. I figured oh well, no biggie, and hit restore. However, after going through about 90% of the restore process, iTunes gave me an Error 3004 message. I did some googling and this is supposedly an error you get when iTunes can't connect to the Apple Server.

However, I am able to download iTunes songs/etc without an issue, so I don't think it is my firewall. Just to be sure, I disabled Little Snitch (my OSX firewall proggie) and I tried to restore using the new 4.2.1. software and I am still getting the same error. I even re-installed iTunes using the latest 10.1 version, but that didn't help.

Does anyone have any ideas about what to do? Is there some way to ping/test to see if it is indeed my firewall that is messing up the restore process? Unfortunately i am out of the country so I cannot just take it to a local apple store.
 
Well I just did my Ipad update with Nov 22nd release of the new firmware and I am not stuck and have been stuck trying 1000 times with an error 34. I am stuck in the restore process, it simply cannot, and my Ipad is useless. I've tried all the suggestions on the Apple support site about the error. Not sure if 3004 or 34 are related. I don't have my firewall running, uninstalled all antivirus etc. Nothing.
 
http://www.ihackintosh.com/2010/02/downgrade-iphone-3gs-os-3-1-3-to-3-1-2-with-cydia-shsh/

Check out that hosts file mentioned in that guide. Open yours and delete everything after the 2 localhost lines. Save it, restart iTunes (maybe entire PC) and try again. If that doesn't work, then delete the hosts file entirely, restart and try again.

Hmm

Thanks for the suggestion, but I went ahead and deleted the hosts file (even though it didnt have the gs.apple.com line in it) and rebooted OSX but I am still getting the same error.


FWIW I can ping gs.apple.com and it responds (albeit pretty slowly with ~700ms ping)
 
I'm an iPhone noob, but I've had some error number in the past when restoring my phone and it ended up being some of my music that was failing during the final sync. I'm not sure if that's considered part of the "restore" process, but trying unchecking all your media synching and let it restore a blank phone?
 
Hmm

Thanks for the suggestion, but I went ahead and deleted the hosts file (even though it didnt have the gs.apple.com line in it) and rebooted OSX but I am still getting the same error.


FWIW I can ping gs.apple.com and it responds (albeit pretty slowly with ~700ms ping)

If you delete the hosts file, you MAY need to reinstall iTunes completely. I'm not sure, but it can't hurt. If you're still having a problem, then it might just be Apples servers getting slammed with the new updates and there's no local problem you can remedy.
 
If you delete the hosts file, you MAY need to reinstall iTunes completely. I'm not sure, but it can't hurt. If you're still having a problem, then it might just be Apples servers getting slammed with the new updates and there's no local problem you can remedy.

Ugh. I uninstalled iTunes, restarted, reinstalled, and am still having issues!

Really lame. I just can't believe this is a hardware issue...

I even rebooted into WinXP and installed iTunes there but no dice.
 
Just tried to update to the latest iphone software myself, I keep getting error 1604. I love Apple's contact us with your problem "express lane". It REQUIRES you give them your phone's serial number.

Well if my phone's in constant restore mode, makes it kinda hard to get that huh?

Makes me want to kick puppies.
 
use saurik's server and restore using a .ipsw from the repository (online site with all iphone firmware).

Just remember you can't go back in baseband for the most part.
 
use saurik's server and restore using a .ipsw from the repository (online site with all iphone firmware).

Just remember you can't go back in baseband for the most part.

Sorry for being a noob, but what do you mean I can't go back in baseband? Like I can't "un-jailbreak" it or something?
 
Sorry for being a noob, but what do you mean I can't go back in baseband? Like I can't "un-jailbreak" it or something?

The only people that have to worry about baseband are people who need it unlocked to be on an unofficial carrier. If you're on AT&T then it's nothing to worry about.
 
use saurik's server and restore using a .ipsw from the repository (online site with all iphone firmware).

Just remember you can't go back in baseband for the most part.

Do you have a link to said repository by any chance?

Update:
Just wanted to give an update for those who might face a smilar problem to mine. What I did was download the official 4.1.x IPSW file, add in the Saurik IP to my hosts file, and then restore my phone. That gave me a 1014 (I think...maybe 1004) error, but I then used TinyUmbrella to "kick" my phone out of recovery mode, and that made iTunes be able to sync all my stuff to it just fine.

I am hesitant to try ad upgrade to 4.2 (after taking out the Saurik IP in hosts of course), so I might just leave it as is because everything is working now.

Thanks for the help all
 
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This error code generally occurs when something goes wrong with the restore process or so many other possible reasons too. If you have an another backup copy of the lost data, then try to use it on other computer on which iTunes is installed. and still if the recovery is not being performed, then the final solution to deal with the problem is an effective recovery program.

This may help you: http://iphone-sms-recovery.blogspot.in/2013/01/iphone-sms-recovery-software-easy.html
 
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