Apple iPad Stuck on Boot Loop

lordra on 14/01/2023 - 02:14
Last edited 14/01/2023 - 09:29 by 1 other user

Hello everyone,
In my free time, I look after the IT needs of older or sick people. One lady, who has a crook knee and cancer (which means she can't make it to the Apple store) and is struggling to make ends meet, has an A1474 iPad Air Wi-Fi (Late 2013 and early 2014).
The last thing she was doing on it was playing a crossword. Finished, locked it/sleep, and put it in the drawer. It wouldn't start again in the morning. It's been that way for the last 6 months and she only just remembered. She doesn't have the OG cable, just some ebay dupes that I bought her ages ago.

I brought it home, plugged it in, and have the black recovery screen, 'plug into iTunes'.

I have a PC & a laptop, both running the latest versions of iTunes & 3u tools.
No original Apple cable.

  1. I used 3U tools to kick it out of the recovery. It started with the white screen with the black apple logo, went dark for a few seconds and then back to the white screen. This repeated about 3 times. Then went back into recovery.

  2. iTunes: Whilst in recovery, tried to do a restore. It gets stuck on Waiting for Ipad, the ipad restarts with the white screen, then finishes with Error 2009 after 2 minutes. The iPad could not updated. An unknown error has occurred, (2009)

  3. 3U Tools: Whilst in recovery, tried to do a Quick Flash and Retain User Data Flash. It does a whole bunch of requesting and sending, sends the KernelCache, iPad restarts, it says 'Restoring' on the log, then after a couple of seconds, fails with
    Error: Device failed to enter restore mode
    Please make sure that the idevice is connected with the usb cable and Apple Device Driver is installed correctly. Flash Failed! 19%

  4. Repeated 2 & 3 on DFU mode. Have an iPad with the white screen with the black apple logo

Any advice please?

Computing Apple Tablet

Comments

  • oscargamer on 14/01/2023 - 07:54

    Get an apple cable

    • lordra on 14/01/2023 - 21:29

      I'll probably need this anyway if I call CS.
      I'll check with the neighbours.

  • Gunnar on 14/01/2023 - 08:15
    +2

    Good in you for doing this for them :-)

    Call apple. Their customer service is great, even on getting help for something that old they will still talk you through it (i had loads of conversations on getting help for my 10YO MacBook)

    • lordra on 14/01/2023 - 21:29

      Will do mate, thank you. Good suggestion. I'll give them a ring tomorrow.

  • harshbdmmaster718 on 14/01/2023 - 15:30

    I commented a something similar on another post who said their iPhone was stuck in a boot loop (restarting over and over).

    Most likely it is caused by bad battery health.

    When a device like an iPhone or iPad restarts, it's processor (SOC) demands the the maximum voltage output from the battery to get the OS started and loaded up in a quick fashion. As a battery in a device get's older it begins to degrade and the maximum voltage of the battery drops lower and lower.
    If the the battery can not supply the maximum voltage the processor demands, the battery will have a sudden huge drop in voltage which will basically be the same as cutting power to the processor. Which will initiate an auto restart process and it will try again, therefore you have a boot loop.

    Most likely you will need to replace the battery.

    • lordra on 14/01/2023 - 21:29

      This does make sense, given they use it ALL the time.
      Ty.

      • harshbdmmaster718 on 15/01/2023 - 17:15

        A brand new battery should last pretty long though. If it died quickly it must have been put through a tough time.

        If there are any tips that will help her to preserve rechargeable lithium battery health here they are.

        • Charge it at any opportunity (even for shorter periods)
        • Try to not regularly let the battery drain below 10%
        • Once 100% fully charged, try to not leave it on the charger for long periods
        • If you can try to keep the battery level above 40%

        I tried to keep it simple. But above are the best methods to maintain a healthy battery.

        Lithium rechargeable batteries can be charged from 80% or from 40% and it does not really matter. They also don't need to be charged to 100% every time, you can put it on, and pull it off the charger whenever you want.
        If popping it on and off the charger regularly is inconvenient, I would say try your best to repeat the cycle of using it until 30% or 40% and put it back on the charger until 100% for the next day.

        • lordra on 16/01/2023 - 23:47

          I guess it's just a matter of where to go to get the battery done.

          I know ifixit has a kit for about $90 but if I muck it up, then I don't want to be THAT guy. 😅

          Any recommendations?

          • harshbdmmaster718 on 17/01/2023 - 16:04
            +1

            @lordra: Well I would take it to Apple. It will cost more but they will give you a 1 year warranty on the battery they put inside, and it will be a good battery designed for great performance with the iPad.

            I have heard of issues with low cost third party replacement services, either they don't get many jobs so the batteries they put in are out of charge and have bad health to begin with. Or worst case I have heard they will put in batteries they have taken out of other devices, and it works out for them because you are back asking them to do another job.
            Don't get me wrong I think there are honest third party businesses out there, and some might even have a good reputation for doing a lot of jobs so they will likely have new healthy replacement batteries in stock. But there is a chance you will get stung, then asked to pay more saying it is the fault of user error etc.

            I haven't needed to replace the battery in my iPad so I can only say what I would do. Maybe try researching and find a popular third party place (who should charge more for their service than a dishonest place) and then compare that to Apple's servicing prices and then compare the terms and conditions of both and make a decision.

            • Windows7forever on 22/01/2023 - 17:41

              @harshbdmmaster718: Don't go 3rd party. My mum got one of them to replace her iphone battery and it was dead again within a year. Utter crap.

          • harshbdmmaster718 on 17/01/2023 - 17:29
            +1

            @lordra: Also I tried to keep it simple above, but I guess to an old lady explaining all that is a bit much.

            So here is the super short version: Keep it charged, keep it charged, keep it charged. e.g. don't let it run out of battery (become 0%).

    • Windows7forever on 22/01/2023 - 17:42
      +1

      Great explanation. If she's been using the ipad frequently for almost a decade, I'd say that's a remarkably long life for the original battery.

      • harshbdmmaster718 on 22/01/2023 - 18:07

        "I'd say that's a remarkably long life for the original battery."

        Yeah they are decently large capacity battery inside, so the original battery should last for a long time before the battery health declines and battery can't supply the maximum voltage output. Within my circle I don't think I have actually heard of someone replacing the battery in a normal size iPad.
        I have heard of the battery dying for the iPad mini model though.
        But yeah if you regularly use the iPad until the screen shuts off and it dies that will speed up the battery health degradation.

        • lordra on 22/01/2023 - 22:15

          Good to know, thanks guys!

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