HOW TO - Fix Recovery Loop following a downgrade

blogquerty · Oct 22, 2011

I remember it was quite long with redsnow. I also though it was stuck, but it wasn't after waiting 10 mn. Tell me if you're unstuck now because i'm really tired of this activating loop.

z06mike · Oct 24, 2011

Thanks for this guide, it gave me some help.

Jones2020 · Oct 24, 2011

Can please someone help me ?

I tried to downgrade from 4.3.5 to 4.3.3 and I don't know what went wrong and I got stuck in a recovery mode loop !! The first sollution wont work, it puts me back right into the loop and fixrecovery43 also

Pleasee help !!

mistahk · Oct 24, 2011

Can please someone help me ?

I tried to downgrade from 4.3.5 to 4.3.3 and I don't know what went wrong and I got stuck in a recovery mode loop !! The first solution wont work, it puts me back right into the loop and fixrecovery43 also

Pleasee help !!

Try using resn0w, adding version 4.3.3. Select "Install Cydia" and then let redsn0w install. Wait at least 15 minutes for everything to install. If it gets stuck when installing redsn0w, use TinyUmbrella to "exit recovery".

Jmills87 · Oct 24, 2011

Do you have your 4.3.3 SHSH saved?

mugen13 · Nov 20, 2011

I'm having problems restoring my phone. I'm jailbroken on 4.3.3 using snowbreeze and I cannot get the phone to restore to 4.3.3. I had some problems using itunes 10.5 so I've downgraded my itunes to 10.2. I've gone into the host file and changed the gs.apple.com address so it will verify the 4.3.3 ipsw. I've gone into Tiny Umbrella unchecked the Set Hosts to Cydia on Exit.

The phone gets about 80% done restoring then it throws the error "the iphone "iphone" could not be restored. An unknown error occured (1)" and puts the phone into a recovery loop. Thats when I have to use snowbreeze to restore the phone to life since following the instructions to use redsnow did not work. It would look like it starts working then something goes wrong and it goes back into recovery loop forcing me to use snowbreeze.

Does anyone else have this problem? If someone can please help so i can take it in to get checked by apple!

Pramodh · Nov 20, 2011

The same thing happened to me. I tried everything possible, but failed. So I had to update and restore to ios 5.0.1. Try using irec or rec boot. Or just boot tethered using red snow.

mugen13 · Nov 22, 2011

I wasn't able to restore unjailbroken 4.3.3 either. Ended up with the choice of jb 4.3.3 or ios5.

Frank2011 · Nov 22, 2011

Hi there
I had several issues with my ipad1.
In 4.3.3 I JB it. With saved SHSH.
And I recommend everyone to do that it will help you out in most
cases with Tiny Umbrella.

After a while I restored it and then put ios 5.0.1 on it.
Later wanted to JB again but then the problems began.....

It was stucked in every way.(better stayed in 5 and not downgrade...i thought)
I tried TU to downgrade to last known ipsw/firmware on my device.
But got several times the recovery mode (the wellknown white plug with itunes logo)
Also hit fix recovery in TU.It gave errors, like device unknown or invalid device etc.
I also did edit,removed, reinstalled the host file in windows 7 pc.
Also downgraded to 4.2,4.3, 5.0 etc.
Even downloaded older version of Itunes ( 10.2)
And I also used several computers ( ASUS windows Vista, MSI with 7 and even
OSX Lion on my mac mini.

Never seen so many errors in two days! (3194,14,20 etc)
If you like errors here's a list

iTunes Errors - The iPhone Wiki

These progs I had used, Greenpoison, Redsnow,recboot,ireb,Fixrecovery
to get out of the recovery loop.
With Greenpoison, the screen said "Panic: We are hanging here..."
But nothing helped. It was lost and broken I thought....
Although I never gave up and as long as it went in DFU mode and as I had
the SHSH blob, I tried and tried.
(DFU: hold home button and power button together then after 10 sec release the power button and 10 sec later release the home button (you should see black screen)

I put the device in dfu mode then let TU run the TSS server.
After that in itunes: didn't let me restore stock firmware (gave errors) or JB it (errors).
Fix recovery to get out loop , also didn't help.

Here is how I finally (after two days) manage to get my Ipad Back!

Step 1: I Got the latest Itunes
Step 2: I copied (on usb stick) the local stored SHSH blob from the asus to the msi.(not necessary,my msi runs better)
Step 3: I put the device in dfu mode.
Step 4: Connect to pc
Step 5: let TU run the tts server to run saved SHSH.
Step 6:After a few minutes I stopped TU.I didn't wait for the results etc.
Step 7: Disconnected the ipad from pc.
Step 8: Pushed home and power button till itunes logo and plug appears (recovery mode)
Step 9: Connected to pc with itunes on (it will ask you to restore before you can use this device)
Step 10: I hit restore.So plane stock restore with latest ios, 5.01 in my case.Not hitting shift and restore or alt etc.to restore with downloaded ipsw.

Somehow my device was out of the recovery loop and Itunes restored it with the latest firmware in the regurlar way.
However I kept my fingers crossed and not hoping getting error again during the session.
But this time it went on without stopping and I thought it will be good this time!

Pffff.. I am really happy got my ipad back.

A lot of time and work spend on fixing it but it was worth doing it all the way.
It gives you a good feeling when things are well done.

Important thing is to save your SHSH blob.
Also try on several pc
Restart pc will also helps sometimes.
Try lower version of itunes
The trick of adding apple server in host file didn't worked out for me.
Don't panic getting errors. I ignored them mostley.

Note:This helped me out.It was based on my situation and settings.
My situation was: not jailbroken ios 5.0.1 manage to downgrade..

Nikunj · Dec 5, 2011

hey m new user of iphone i took it from london factory unlocked now i get to know that i can do jailbreak ma phone for better use but before that i have updated in ios5 without SHSH file so now is that possible to downgrade ma iphone to 4.3.3 ???

Jmills87 · Dec 5, 2011

Nikunj said:
hey m new user of iphone i took it from london factory unlocked now i get to know that i can do jailbreak ma phone for better use but before that i have updated in ios5 without SHSH file so now is that possible to downgrade ma iphone to 4.3.3 ???

Unfortunately without your 4.3.3 SHSH there is no way to downgrade.

bab2010 · Dec 5, 2011

Jmills87 said:
Unfortunately without your 4.3.3 SHSH there is no way to downgrade.

And with 4.3.3 SHSH saved, he could have being able to downgrade from ios 5+ to iOS 4.3.3?

Jmills87 · Dec 6, 2011

Yes, as long as you have your SHSH you can always downgrade.

Stee · Dec 20, 2011

Hi ! I got a problem with my iphone 4 4.3.5, i try to downgrade it with redsnow but now it freez on recover mode ( itunes logo and cable). I would like to fix it but i dont know what to do else. Please help me to fin a solution.

BRS
STEE