Unable to logon to official Apple Site

[bob12603]

I've been trying for about 5 hours to log on to the official Apple site but I keep getting, eventually, a message saying "The system is unavailable. Please try again." But it's hard to believe that this site has been down for this length of time and I am wondering if I am doing something wrong.

The site initially wants me to "Sign in." and I supply my email address (as my Apple ID) and then my password and then click on a blue button saying "Sign in." and that takes me to a screen asking me to "Pick a username". And this screen knows my first and last names so I think that confirms that the info I've entered thus far is OK. So I choose a "username" (probably one already in use but it would tell me that, right?) and then click a box saying that "I have read and agree to the Apple Support Communities Terms of Use" and then click on a blue button saying "Continue" and then see, again, "The system is unavailable. Please try again."

Is it possible that this site is down for like 5 hours!?!?!?!

Thanks, Bob

 

[Roy Rob]

I've been trying for about 5 hours to log on to the official Apple site but I keep getting, eventually, a message saying "The system is unavailable. Please try again." But it's hard to believe that this site has been down for this length of time and I am wondering if I am doing something wrong.

The site initially wants me to "Sign in." and I supply my email address (as my Apple ID) and then my password and then click on a blue button saying "Sign in." and that takes me to a screen asking me to "Pick a username". And this screen knows my first and last names so I think that confirms that the info I've entered thus far is OK. So I choose a "username" (probably one already in use but it would tell me that, right?) and then click a box saying that "I have read and agree to the Apple Support Communities Terms of Use" and then click on a blue button saying "Continue" and then see, again, "The system is unavailable. Please try again."

Is it possible that this site is down for like 5 hours!?!?!?!

Thanks, Bob

I have just gone into the official Apple site without a problem, but you don't give your location.

 

[bob12603]

Thanks Roy,

I'm in the US - East Coast. I just tried again and I get exactly the same result - "The system is unavailable. Please try again."

I should have said earlier that I have this problem when I go here http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/ and then click on Communities and end up here:
https://discussions.apple.com/community/ipad

Also, I have tried logging in from a different computer and that made no difference.

Any idea how I can resolve this?

Thanks, Bob

 

[Mickeylittle]

Not sure what you're doing or where you're going but no problem for me either. I just go to Apple.com and click around to whereever I want. If I want to check my account, which I did just to see, I signed in and it worked too. Here is the link.

Apple

 

[buerkletucson]

Thanks Roy,

I'm in the US - East Coast. I just tried again and I get exactly the same result - "The system is unavailable. Please try again."

I should have said earlier that I have this problem when I go here Apple - Support - iPad and then click on Communities and end up here:
https://discussions.apple.com/community/ipad

Also, I have tried logging in from a different computer and that made no difference.

Any idea how I can resolve this?

Thanks, Bob

Clicked on your link and logged right in, no issues here.

 

[bob12603]

I think that I have resolved this. I think that the problem was that 1) I had to choose a "username", and 2) I had "ActiveX Filtering" turned on in IE 9 (the MS Windows browser). Unfortunately I can not prove this because I tried to log on using the iPad and then was able to choose a username and successfully complete the logon. Now, having obtained a username, I can logon using IE9 without a problem.

I think that turning on ActiveX Filtering provides increased security/privacy - at least that is why I have it turned on. And I would expect that a clever web page could figure out that it is turned on and issue an appropriate message. But even if that is not possible a message saying that "the system is unavailable" when it clearly is not seems inexcusable.

This iPad is my first experience with an Apple product. I would say, so far, that their reputation for great looking hardware is well deserved, but their reputation for great human factors and great software is much exaggerated. I am also beginning to sense a "our way or the highway" attitude which I don't find appealing. I concede that a tightly controlled and closed system allows Apple to avoid some of the problems in the MS world.

Anyway ... my thanks to the several participants here who took the time to experiment on my behalf and respond.

Thanks, Bob