Updating to iOS 4.0.1 on the 3GS…
This evening, I plugged my iPhone into my computer and when iTunes opened, it informed me there was an update available. I like to keep my software up-to-date, so I started to download the OS update. Big mistake.
The download itself took a short while but when it was ready, I tried to install it. Back in February I updated to version 3.1.3 and more recently, I updated to iOS 4 and had no problems. This time, the update bar on my phone got to about a quarter full and then it just stopped. I thought it might be because it was a large update so I left it for over an hour. When I returned to my desk, it hadn’t moved. That’s when I started to panic.
Obviously, I couldn’t eject my iPhone because it thought it was still updating so I just removed the USB cable. I reset it a couple of times and tried again. The update bar froze. I reset it once more. Guess what? It froze. I’d read reports on the web that some people had “bricked”* their iPhones during the update process.
Apple doesn’t have any offical way of letting you downgrade the OS on the iPhone so I couldn’t get back to iOS 4. After a bit of googling, I found a way of perhaps fixing the phone (which by this point was demanding that I plug it into iTunes to restore it…but that didn’t work!).
Anyway, if you’re having problems, first of all, disconnect your phone and reset it (hold the button at the top and the home button at the same time for a few seconds) and make sure you’ve closed iTunes.
Secondly, try removing the iOS 4.0.1 update (the file may have been corrupted when it was downloading). To do this navigate to-
- Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates (Windows)
- Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates (Mac)
When you’re in the right directory, there should be a file with the extension .ipsw. Delete this. Now reconnect the phone, open iTunes and try to restore it again. Deleting the .ipsw file forces iTunes to re-download it. This time it should work (it did for me).
Of course, you could just not install the iOS 4.0.1 update 
*This is the word the cool kids use to describe an iPhone which is farked. I’d never heard of the term until tonight. Clearly I’m not cool enough.
aggravated Music : You're Gonna Go Far, Kid by The Offspring
Thanks Lynsay.
Just stumbled across this post.
I had done the upgrade, but had problems with the ipod and my photos. My iphone was saying updating library, but there was no progress bar etc. I followed your advice on resetting the phone and then a progress bar showed up – waited for the progress bar to finish and everything was back to normal.
Problem solved for me – so thanks.
I’m using a 3G iphone by the way.
Comment by Duncan McFarlane — August 14, 2010 @ 10:20 pm