iTouch Emergency Medical Procedures Manual
The following text describes how to restore a non-responsive iTouch after a failed jailbreak attempt.
Symptoms of diseased iTouch:
- History of failed attempts at jailbreaking
- Non-responsive to touch
- Displays pages of scrolling white text before hanging
- Only displays black screen
- Permanently displays restore icon
If your iTouch is presenting with any of the preceding symptoms or other similar signs, proceed with the following proceeds until the patient responds to treatment.
Step 1 – Artificial Rescuscitation: try resetting iTouch by holding down both Home and Wake buttons for 10-20 seconds until iTouch restarts. If iTouch doesn’t reboot and display the home screen, move on to step 2 – defibrillation.
Step 2 – Defibrillation: plug iTouch into the USB while holding the home button down…it should go into restore mode. Once it goes into restore mode (illustrated by a screen that shows the iTunes icon and a USB cable) you should get a restore prompt from iTunes. If you do not get a restore prompt from iTunes then you may have a dysfunctional iTunes installation and should proceed to step 3.
Step 3 – Dialysis: If you are unable to get a reaction from iTunes when you connect you iTouch (even after defib), then your best bet is to reinstall iTunes to fix any issues that you may have with your USB drivers and the iTunes services. Do this with your iTouch disconnected and do not reconnect your iTouch until after the iTunes installation is complete. When the iTunes installation is complete, reconnect the iTouch and you should be rewarded with a restore prompt or at least iTunes will recognize your iTouch and give you the main device screen where you can select the “Restore” button. If you do not see either of these then your computer has other issues and you need a different kind of doctor. We don’t do Windows.
Step 4 – Group Therapy: Regardless of which steps were necessary to restore your iTouch, you should probably know in advance that smoking cigarettes will give you cancer and jailbreaking your iTouch may fail. If either one of these scenarios scare you then you should probably not do it. Also, since as soon as you have finished restoring your iTouch, you will probably pick up another cigarette and proceed to jailbreak your iTouch again (we never learn…do we 
the try the following tips to avoid another failed jailbreak attempt:
- Turn off autolock in settings
- Make sure you have a fully charged battery
- Don’t be impatient and start killing programs and disconnecting the iTouch until it is done
- Be sure you have a reliable wireless network…this means you should probably not use the neighbors unprotected linksys network
DISCLAIMER: Most of article was written with the best of intentions and in a light-hearted manner. The rest of it are serious and meant to advise and assist those of you who want to venture into the unknown world of jailbreaking. You pick which parts are which.
Tina
OMGGGG
THANK YOUUU SOOO MUCH I WAS SCARED HALF TO DEATH!!
Ekie
damn is there anyway that i can undo and itouch sync? i lost all my videos and i seem to not have any copy of them at all T_T help please help
admin
Not sure I fully understand what you are asking but this article will show you how to restore your iTouch to an un-jailbroken state. Give it a shot and let me know how it goes.
Dmol
Hey Dr.,
I tried all of these steps and my itouch is still bricked after attempting to JB it.. unreponsisve with Home+Power button, even after 1 min. All USB’s on don’t recongnise it “USB Device Not Recognised”, same on my laptop.
Let me know if you can help me out.
admin
you first need to get a reaction from your USB…this is NOT a problem with the iTouch…a completely bricked iTouch will still get a reaction of some sort from a computer that has a clean usb setup. Try reinstalling the latest version of iTunes or try another computer. You should at least get iTunes automatically launched and some sort of error message from iTunes about your iTouch. You have to solve this problem first before you can unbrick your iTouch. Trust me…right now, the problem is not with your iTouch (bricked or not)…you must get a response from your PC.
Dmol
yea, I re-installed itunes on this computer, till not picking it up. Keeps coming up with “One of the USB devices on this computer has malfunctioned…etc.” I’ll try re-installing itunes on my laptop and see if it will work. It wasn’t recognizing it on there either.
admin
The usb drivers on windows are easy to get messed up. If you can get that fixed or get a machine that has a working iTunes installation, you can get your iTouch working again. Good luck and keep us updated!
Ryan H
hey. i am jailbreaking an itouch for my friend and i did everything youtube had said. (got the software, put in DFU mode and insatlled everything on the itouch) when it was done, it said it would take about an hour to reboot… well this one has displayed a black screen with the apple sign in the middle for about a couple hours. i tried to reinstall the software to the itouch but the same thing still happens. please help me. thanks
Edgar
Well I have the same problem, i know how to your itunes recognize your ipod… first hold the power button (top left)for 10 seconds, then, hold the menu button (down middle)(very important… continue holding the power button) then just leave your finger from power button, but continue holding menu button for 10 more seconds and ready, itunes will recognize your ipod.
Now, I have a lil problem trying to restore my ipod, well when itunes starts to restore it… it send me a lot of different mistakes, like 9, 3, 6, 1601, 1609, 2006…
Let me know if you can help me out.
simo
YOU ARE GREAT!!!! KEEP UP M8!!!!
splash31
Hi, I was jailbreaking my itouch and when i restore the custome file it went black and i cant boot up again i tried all the steps that you have here. I dont know what else to do could you please help me thanks. Splash31
heriberto casarez
my ipod displays the usb cable pointing to the itunes icon and when i try to connect to itunes it says “itunes can not connect to the ipod”ipod touch” beacase it is locked with a passcode you must enter your passcode on the ipod before it can be used with itunes”:but the icon does not let me put the passcode anywhere what can i do im freaking out
Wazza
I tried to jailbreak with Quickpwn went fine til started to reboot, now just keep rebooting only thing on screen apple sign tried 4 different jailbreaks HELPPP!!!!!!!!!!!
JAIME
So, I decided to have my itouch jailbroken today. It was awesome, I figured out how to ad themes and better apps. I decided to also go in and change the traditional apple symbol to a “retro” apple symbol which I though I wouldn’t be able to see unless I turned it completely off (stupid). I held both the buttons down, turned my 2G itouch off and now, it will not burn back on. I’ve read a bunch of forums and everybody’s pretty much saying the same thing. Reset the unit by holding the 2 buttons down. I connected it to my macbook and the usbs aren’t recognizing it. I attempted to plug it in to my friends laptop and at first it looked like it was going to recognize it and then boom…usb does not recognize device. I was thinking of taking it to the Apple store and just telling them it’s not working w/ out mentioning the jailbreak. What should I do????? desperate in Hawaii
admin
Jaime,
It’s up to you but have you walked through the steps in this artcile? You should try that first before you go to the Apple store. If you want to jailbreak your iTouch thats fine but you should be comfortable with restoring it as well. Keep us posted!
JAIME
I am still not getting a response from my itouch. I reinstalled itunes and everything and still not recognizing. I tried everything that you stated above and no luck. My friends have Jailbroken itouches and iphones and I had then all reset them and all came back on. Do you think that it could possibly be just a glitch in my particular itouch? I am about to recieve another new unit from the Apple Store and would like to jailbreak it. Not sure if I should chance it though. What do you think? Oh, and thanks for the quick response.
Robert Macias
ok look i jailbroke my ipod touch second gen it was working fine for like 3 weeks then all of a sudden my apps wouldnt open i touch them,the app opens and it recloses taking me back to the homescreen i connected it to itunes and unjailbroke it to see if it started to work again but still, the same thing but this time it says i did not download the apps to my itouch couse im not aoutherized to do so but yet im the owner of this computer i dont know what to do im freaking out PLEASE HELP ME
THE SOONER THE BETTER
THANK YOU!!!
also i tried downloading apps wirelessly but the same it opens then recloses
admin
Robert, did you follow the procedures in this article? If so, what happened at each point?
Micko
Thank you,….. whew i was into tears……
Robert Macias
@admin
what procedures
Steven
I got an Itouch in a trade and it was jailbroken and I tried to delete everything. It said it would take an hour, and after that hour it only has the apple in the center of the screen. I tried all the following you said. Let me know if you have any ideas.
Steven
Efren
my itouch won’t open it hang, how would i open it pls. help
Adrienne
I am having the same problem as Jamie… like seriously nothing is working, my i touch still wont even turn on, my computer is just saying it doesn’t recognize the usb. And i was also thinking about turning it in a getting it fixed.
admin
Adrienne, if the computer is not recognizing the device then you have several options. I’ve had it happen on several occasions that the usb drivers for the device had been corrupted by some other software on the computer. My recommendation is to either try reinstalling iTunes or check your iPod on another computer. If neither of those work then you may well need to replace your iPod. Even if you don’t get a response from your iPod you should at least get a response from your computer where iTunes launches or at least complains about a corrupt iPod.
Good luck!
allison
I have a dead ipod touch no image on screen black screen. Screen was white before it went dead.
1 connected it to usb. after sometime it was recognized
2 went to restore screen in itunes
3 restored succesffuuly
STILL NO IMAGE on screen
Please help
tried plugging in usb while holding home button. nothing still
checked on another computer same thing.
allison
moe
hey i actually was restoring my itouch and during it it said that there was an unknown error and that it needed to stop restoring… i need your help big time … what can i do :S
Alyssa
I have a 1st generation touch that is unresponsive. I recently purchased the updated software from itunes and installed it in my touch, then it proceeded to sync all of my music and pictues back on. When it finished I properly unplugged it and when I went to use it the next morning it wouldn’t turn on and my computer doesn’t even read that it’s there. There is nothing wrong with my computer, and my touch has always been in its case and has never been dropped. I have read all I could online and none of these remedies work for my touch. What shoudl I do???
Bryan Waters
Alyssa,
It sounds like you have a battery issue with your iTouch although this is just an assumption. Try leaving it plugged in overnight and then turning it on by pressing the “Home” and the “Wake Up” button at the same time and see if you get a reaction from your iTouch. If not, try http://www.apple.com/support/ipodtouch/troubleshooting/ipodtouch/ and see if the troubleshooting tips there work. If that doesn’t work, I can recommend a battery replacement package but it does sound like the battery is just worn out.
Sorry and good luck! Let me know how it goes!
Patrick
hey i have a problem with my 2nd gen itouch. when i play music on it the ipod will pause at random points. when i take out the headphones and then plug them back in it works for about 20 seconds then does it again. It also doesn’t recognize that it is paused so it keeps playing. When i restore it that seems to help for a while but it always comes back. The really puzzling part is that my alarm works 100 percent. It is fine. it is only with my music that i have issues with. Any suggestions
karen
my menu button is not working?what will i do? please email me.. karenxxv@yahoo.com
tnx
Chris
My son said his itouch turned on then it went off and we can’t get it to turn back on. I have tried everything that has been said so far. When I plug the usb into computer, nothing happens. Nothing happens when you press the home buttong and the other button. Nothing happens when you plug in the power cord. Nothing happens when you click your heals 3 times and say there is no place like home.
Bryan Waters
Before you give up completely, please try plugging into another computer with iTunes installed. If that doesn’t work then you may just have a dead battery. If you determine whether this is the case, we’d love it if you posted your results back here.
Alex
i jailbroke my ipod today. i downloaded a Beatles theme via the jailbreak and it told me “press to reboot” after instalation. i did. it wouldnt turn on again… only show the apple sign every time i held down the power sign. step 1 didnt work. step 2 made my laptop recognize my itouch, but it wont let me restore it. itunes says i have a web problem even though i have 100% connection. my battery was fully charged. can you please help me???
michelle
Hi Bryan
Came a cross your site and it was a gift from GOD!! I was just about to call apple support inregards to my sons itouch problem. Just got it for Christmas and in less then 2 weeks in using it, the touch shuts down…can’t even get the screen to come up…just black tried charging/sync from computer and doesn’t even register that it’s there. tried holding button down for 6- 20 seconds and still nothing!! Anywho after listening to the tears and me ready to pull my hair out read your reply to Alyssa back in Oct 09 and just plugged it into the computer and then held the home button and the other button (top of the itouch) and OMG!!! it came back to life!!! My “short” question to you is should I still contact the apple support and report the problem OR is this a one time thing!!! THANKS SO MUCH
Bryan Waters
Thanks for the kind words Michelle! This happens from time to time due to the complexity of software. It might have been the result of an app that was downloaded from the App store that wasn’t as stable as it should have been but it does happen more often than it should.
Regardless, you probably don’t need to call Apple support unless you are still having a problem. If you have similar issues in the future, try the various troubleshooting steps before calling support. Then if you are not able to address it then I definitely recommend calling support. A couple of words of advice…
If it happens again, ask your son what he was doing when it crashed. Try removing that app from the iTouch…you can almost always figure out the source of problems like this so don’t worry too much. You should feel good about your gift to your son…I use my iTouch daily and while they are certainly expensive, I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth.
Good luck!
Dove
Hi there trying to restore my daughters itouch and got a restore error 1601 what does this mean???
Brothalaw
I jailbroke my ipod, then it was working fine like the internet was fine and all the apps worked fine. But then one day it froze. I didnt know what to do so i just left it plugged up for the night and for half of the next day. Still it doesnt work. But im following the steps and hopefully it gets better. Thanx for the tips!
RJ
my itouch 2nd gen is not working, it displays a usb like image and a circle one, i cant connect to itunes because there is a passcode. i tried opening it but i cnt go to the home area… or i cant open it… i guess i will try to do what u wrote here. tnx
nellu
I love u !! u made my day.. i thought it was broken then ifollowed these steps an dit worked!!!!!!!!!!!!
RBE
I was at my wits end and your article totally helped! Thanks!
shaz
Hi Doc,
you really saved me. my itouch only arrived yesterday and it hanged since last night. I was only able to resuscitate it after discovering your post.
however, i still have a problem. The backlight of the itouch refuses to turn on.
I did a restart but still having this problem.
any idea whats wrong or i really have to go for service?
thank you
Clarissa
I was restoring my ipod and i disconnected it and now its just showing the apple sign and a loading thing its been doing that for hours i turned it off and it still wont work i pluged it into itunes and it wont pick it up. what do i do?