Help: Following software update, locked out!

[kenatease]

Help! I screwed up my wife's iPad 2 and it's most stressful!

This morning I updated to iOS 8.3 I think it was. When it was finished installing it asked if I want to activate location services and Find-my-iPad and I stupidly said yes, although I'm pretty sure we had NOT been using that feature previously because it NEVER asked for a password when sliding to unlock the device for use. So then it wanted my iCloud password and it was on a different floor of my house so I tried what I thought it was but to no avail and I again FOOLISHLY wound up asking for password reset. So Ok, the password got reset and it works just dandy. For example I can login just fine with my known Apple ID and that new password onto the Internet Apple management site and iCloud.com -- NO PROBLEM.

But I cannot successfully use that password to unlock my iPad for use! How many friggin passwords does this machine need?? I also tried using my Apple Store password which didn't work either. At online Apple support it says when this happens I have to ERASE my iPad and restore from a backup. That's not right! - not fair! I have a valid password and I/we are the legitimate owners of this device The online iCloud site CLAIMS that my latest backup was 8PM last night but I do NOT believe that for one second and I am loathe to ERASE the whole iPad in some vain hope that there's going to be salvation down the road! What exactly do they mean by "erasure" anyway?

Just tell me straight up: why in hell is my new password not working to unlock the device for use? Why can't I go the Apple or the iCloud website and simply login and get the system to disable password security for my iPad? Or set the password to unlock the device? There has GOT to be a more intelligent way to resolve this than total ERASURE. Who was the birdbrain who dreamed up this NIGHTMARE!?

Please: HELP!

 

[scifan57]

Help! I screwed up my wife's iPad 2 and it's most stressful!

This morning I updated to iOS 8.3 I think it was. When it was finished installing it asked if I want to activate location services and Find-my-iPad and I stupidly said yes, although I'm pretty sure we had NOT been using that feature previously because it NEVER asked for a password when sliding to unlock the device for use. So then it wanted my iCloud password and it was on a different floor of my house so I tried what I thought it was but to no avail and I again FOOLISHLY wound up asking for password reset. So Ok, the password got reset and it works just dandy. For example I can login just fine with my known Apple ID and that new password onto the Internet Apple management site and iCloud.com -- NO PROBLEM.

But I cannot successfully use that password to unlock my iPad for use! How many friggin passwords does this machine need?? I also tried using my Apple Store password which didn't work either. At online Apple support it says when this happens I have to ERASE my iPad and restore from a backup. That's not right! - not fair! I have a valid password and I/we are the legitimate owners of this device The online iCloud site CLAIMS that my latest backup was 8PM last night but I do NOT believe that for one second and I am loathe to ERASE the whole iPad in some vain hope that there's going to be salvation down the road! What exactly do they mean by "erasure" anyway?

Just tell me straight up: why in hell is my new password not working to unlock the device for use? Why can't I go the Apple or the iCloud website and simply login and get the system to disable password security for my iPad? Or set the password to unlock the device? There has GOT to be a more intelligent way to resolve this than total ERASURE. Who was the birdbrain who dreamed up this NIGHTMARE!?

Please: HELP!

The iCloud password and the password to unlock your iPad are separate. I'm afraid that the only way to get into the iPad if you've forgotten the password is to do a factory restore and set up the iPad from your latest backup.

After you do the restore, you set up the iPad just like you did when it was new except you're given the choice to set it up as a new iPad or from a backup. Select the backup option and your iPad will be identical to when the backup was created, with all data and settings restored.

The reason you have to do it this way is a security measure, designed to stop someone like a thief from bypassing the password and being able to access all your info.

If you want, you can log into your account on iCloud.com and check out the stored backups. If one was really done last night, it should be there.

 

[kenatease]

Okay good, I am REALLY appreciative of your reply and now I understand better. I guess I'll have to go that route. My main fear is that the iPad won't come back from the backup restore with quite EVERYthing the way that it was, including data files for apps. But if you say so man... well lottsa THANKS! (Hey, the thing is I don't remember our even having SET UP backups, but yeah, the iCloud site says it has that one from 8PM yesterday, so here I go.)

 

[scifan57]

Okay good, I am REALLY appreciative of your reply and now I understand better. I guess I'll have to go that route. My main fear is that the iPad won't come back from the backup restore with quite EVERYthing the way that it was, including data files for apps. But if you say so man... well lottsa THANKS! (Hey, the thing is I don't remember our even having SET UP backups, but yeah, the iCloud site says it has that one from 8PM yesterday, so here I go.)

Here are the Apple instructions for regaining access to your iPad. https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204306

 

[kenatease]

Okay, Scifan57, I am doing this now. I am a nervous wreck until this is resolved so forgive me please. Don't leave me, okay? I did the erasure and or course I refrained from clicking on the option to "Remove device from account". Then I powered up the iPad and did the first few obvious steps, and no snags yet. It claims it is in the process of restoring from the iCloud backup right now. The screen wants to go to sleep so I cannot see any progress. I guess that's normal and all. (more later)

 

[scifan57]

Okay, Scifan57, I am doing this now. I am a nervous wreck until this is resolved so forgive me please. Don't leave me, okay? I did the erasure and or course I refrained from clicking on the option to "Remove device from account". Then I powered up the iPad and did the first few obvious steps, and no snags yet. It claims it is in the process of restoring from the iCloud backup right now. The screen wants to go to sleep so I cannot see any progress. I guess that's normal and all. (more later)

Restoring from an iCloud backup can take some time, up to several hours, depending on how much was on the iPad. If you haven't already done so, plug the iPad into the charger, that way it won't go to sleep and lose the WiFi connection. The screen will black out, but that's normal.

 

[kenatease]

Progress report to whom it may concern. The machine now claims to have successfully restored all settings (is what I think it said) and is now at the stage where it is, I guess, going to re-download all of my wife's apps, and it suggested a connection to AC power to conserve battery during that process, so of course I obliged. I've set the iPad on a shelf and my fingers are crossed. If the data files for those apps don't reappear along with this restore then I shall be truly incensed (not to mention screwed)!

 

[kenatease]

Progress report: Yo I really don't mind if it takes all day. I care that it works. I just peeked and sure enough the apps that had been shown darkened are one by one slowly being restored. I am starting to cheer up slightly - THANKS YOU ALL!!

 

[kenatease]

Concern concern concern! How will I know if the restore has stalled. It seems to have stalled now but little do I know. Here's what I can tell you...

That other time I just happened to see one icon, which I believe was an icon for an app, light up after being dark, so I knew the restore was progressing. But consider this. Under Settings>>About it says the iPad has 24 apps. I assume this number represents the apps that have so far been restored. That number hasn't changed in half an hour. There are several dozens of apps darkened so I would expect the number 24 to increase with time. I'm growing concerned

Then, the icon for Apple App store has the number 23 in a little colored circle atop the icon. Is that meaningful and how? Also, I touched an icon for a darkened app and the title instantly changed to "Waiting...". Should I assume that means that the restore process hasn't yet gotten to that app but it is now enqueued? Another app icon shows about half dark and half light with the title "Loading..." under it. I have to assume it means that particular app is in the process of being restored currently. But that display also hasn't changed in half an hour. The iPad has plenty of power via AC and the WiFi indicator shows a connection and strong signal. Can you think of anything I could do to confirm progress or make sure that the restore isn't stalled?? I'm a lousy nervous WRECK over this mishap, ARGGH!

THANK YOU!

 

[scifan57]

Was there any other content on your iPad besides apps, such as photos, music, movies, or TV shows? It could be downloading those at the moment.

There's also the iCloud restore troubleshooting guide. https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201418

 

[kenatease]

Thanks again for your help. I'm not sure what to make of this. There is just one video (listed in Settings>>About and the wife doesn't recall anything about it). Of course, the same readout says there are 24 apps but we know there are 50 or 60, most darkened. Wife says she bought some apps from iTunes. I'm totally dazed about such affairs and don't know why some came from App Store some from iTunes.

But now the meat: None of the displays of which I spoke have changed in over an hour! But if I go to Settings>>iCloud>>Backup there is an option there to "Stop" restoring the iPad because it is "currently" undergoing a restore. Yet while navigating around Settings I thrice got a pop-up saying that iCloud authentication failed. That's not healthy I figure. Now if I were to touch "Stop the restore" would I be able to start it up again where it left off or only start Setup all over?

I can wait til tomorrow morning and just let the thing proceed. I could. Should I? Thanks again for being there!

 

[kenatease]

Progress report. Y'know, trying to load a page in Safari is truly the only really reliable way of knowing that your internet connection is Ok. I am sorry I don't have the glib answers but we've had problems with our iPad staying connected to the Web despite all outward indications of a good connection. I know this has occurred several frustrating times to me/us. Well it happened here. I went into Safari and pages did not load. I released and then reconnected to my WiFi and things are looking up and I even saw one more dark icon go lighted! More later.

 

[kenatease]

News to report. Progress! But the Restore finished and I got the message that not all items were successfully restored. Arggh.

Settings>>About now shows 58 apps which is good. That colored circle above the AppStore icon is now showing 9, whatever that means. There are still about 35 to 40 darkened icons, which I believe are all apps. Maybe there's a way to restore those -- I'll look into that in detail perhaps tomorrow. The content isn't on any Mac or PC of ours I can assure so I don't really know. Shouldn't I be able to restore each one individually somehow since we paid for each one and it's a matter of record? I'm a little SWAMPED right now and I'll wait for my head to clear some before proceeding. I'm gonna go see now what it says under Settings>>iCloud>>Backup. More later.

 

[kenatease]

My head's spinning, whoa!

Now it says that it is NOT finished restoring, ha! That circled number over AppStore is down to 4, whatever that means. I haven't made an exact count but those 35 to 40 darkened icons now seemed to have about halved in number, perhaps.

I'll keep posting with news as it happens. Thanks again for being there, you all!

 

[kenatease]

Yeah! I just noticed that the Settings>>General>>About now claims the existence of 83 apps. That's what I call PROGRESS!