# iPhone Suddenly Shut Off, Unknown Error 9



## urufudo (Jul 16, 2008)

About 4 days after I received my iPhone, it just stopped working. I had just downloaded and app and it was installing when my iPhone just shut off all of a sudden. It went to the Apple logo and then the "connect to iTunes" screen. I tried to do a recovery and it wouldn't get past the "Waiting for iPhone" screen... It'd give me an unknown error 9. I even talked for 1.5 hours on the phone with Apple tech support (most of it was with a specialist) and no one had ever heard of this problem happening before.

In the end, the specialist didn't know how to fix the problem. He did seem to think that the phone was getting stuck in the "Waiting for iPhone" mode because I had my old SIM card in it. He explained that the waiting mode was when the phone was connecting to Rogers to verify that there was an account active and that there was an iPhone associated with it. Because I was using my old SIM card and the iPhone isn't associated with my account, he thinks that's the reason why I can't do a restore.

Personally, after thinking about it and talking to a couple people, I think that conclusion is bull. A friend at work has a first gen iPhone and he's able to complete the recovery process successfully, even though his SIM card doesn't associate an iPhone with his account. If that was true, he'd never be able to do a restore. I suppose you could argue that his iPhone has been unlocked but... I don't know, it just seems kind of strange that the recovery process wouldn't work simply because Rogers doesn't list an iPhone as my actual phone. 

I went into a local Rogers store to see if I could get the hardware replaced but the guy behind the counter completely dismissed me without even hearing what I had to say and told me I had to call Rogers because I bought the phone directly from them. So I didn't get a chance to ask him to try activating the SIM card that came with my iPhone. I guess I could go back but I don't really know if it's worth it or if I should just wait until I go home to visit an Apple store (I'm currently out of town).

Has anyone else had any experiences like this?

*Edit:* So I called Rogers and the guy I talked to activated the SIM card that came with my iPhone. I tried the recovery process again and it DID get past the "waiting for iPhone" screen. But it resulted in the exact same "unknown error 9" message. I tried it once more after that and again, it's hanging at the "waiting for iPhone." So now I have to call Rogers back, get them to send me a new phone via UPS and then send my old one back. XX)

I just want to walk into an Apple store on Thursday and get it replaced but I don't know if they do that there or not.  Sigh.


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## MomentsofSanity (Jul 9, 2008)

urufudo said:


> I just want to walk into an Apple store on Thursday and get it replaced but I don't know if they do that there or not.


Then there's good news. It has already been reported on ehMac.ca that the apple stores are doing replacements for defective iPhones.

http://www.ehmac.ca/ipod-itunes-iphone-apple-tv/67431-taking-iphone-into-apple-will-they-have-white-i-wonder.html


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## urufudo (Jul 16, 2008)

MomentsofSanity said:


> Then there's good news. It has already been reported on ehMac.ca that the apple stores are doing replacements for defective iPhones.


Oh, good to know! I wasn't entirely sure if they did it because none of the Rogers people said I could go to an Apple store at all (I didn't ask at the time, but still). I really wasn't looking forward to calling Rogers again, rearranging another shipment and then going through the trouble of shipping my old phone back to them. I think it's ridiculous that you can't just go into any Rogers store and get a replacement. 

Thanks for the info!


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## Sybersport (Jun 7, 2005)

I was having a similar problem - 3 or 4 times daily I would notice that my phone was shut off. Hitting the power button and home button did not turn it back on, nor did hooking it up to a power source.

What I had to do was a restart - i.e. push the home button + power button at the same time. 

I ended up using iTunes to restore my software - and everything has been working fine since. I subsequently went to the Apple store and the genius told me that's what they would have done (software restore)

I would back-up your phone, and do a restore. It will likely fix the problem permanently.


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## urufudo (Jul 16, 2008)

Sybersport said:


> I would back-up your phone, and do a restore. It will likely fix the problem permanently.


That's the thing -- I _can't_. I did everything you can think of to restore an iPhone (switching users, switching computers, switching USB ports, reinstalling iTunes, etc) and none of it works. It always hangs at the "waiting for iPhone" screen and gives me an "unknown error (9)." The Apple specialist was completely stumped and couldn't find any info. The phone is completely borked.

My best guess is that it had a massive hardware failure; nothing I do will fix it so my only option is to get it replaced.


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## mmmcquain (Aug 13, 2008)

*Unfortunate*

I have limited experience with Rogers or Apple, though I have had an iPod for a while now. Yesterday, I bought an iPhone, got it home, tried to sync it to iTunes and wound up in the Kafkaesque Unknown Error (9) Loop. I called Apple's support line in PEI and went through 'un' and 're' installing everything Apple on my PC with no change in the final result. Corey said I should just take the phone back to the store; so I did, only to find that Rogers retail outlets are not set up to take responsibility for the defective merchandise they sell. I would have to spend another hour going through The Seven Useless Steps of Resolution with a Rogers technical support guy before being promised a new iPhone via UPS within 5 business days. Thankfully, I hadn't had time to give my new phone number to very many people AND I still have a land line and cell phone with Bell! Sigh. Not the best of first impressions.


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## atomicoutlaw (Aug 28, 2009)

SORRY BUT THIS IS A HAVE TO AND A MUST FOR A REPLY!!



mmmcquain said:


> I have limited experience with Rogers or Apple, though I have had an iPod for a while now. **("limited experience" but had an iPod (APPLE PRODUCT) for " A WHILE" ?? Im confused, Anyway on with the fun stuff!)** Yesterday, I bought an iPhone, got it home, tried to sync it to iTunes and wound up in the Kafkaesque Unknown Error (9) Loop. I called Apple's support line in PEI and went through 'un' and 're' installing everything Apple on my PC with no change in the final result.**(if this is all they did you had a useless agent)** Corey said I should just take the phone back to the store; so I did, only to find that Rogers retail outlets are not set up to take responsibility for the defective merchandise they sell. **(NO DUH! you buy a PC from Futur shop, the HD crashes, who do you call for warranty? the Authorized Dealer(PPL who sell it AKA Futur Shop) OR do you think you would contact the Manufacturer? They HAVE RETURN POLICIES FOR A REASON (30 days, 90 days) Due to morons trying to return their products 6 months after being bought)** I would have to spend another hour going through The Seven Useless Steps of Resolution **(its actually 6 R's Of iPhone/iPod Touch Troubleshooting)** Recharge the Phone, Restart the Device(turn off and back on), Reset The Device(sleep/wake + home, 15 seconds), Remove iTunes (Bonjour, Apple Software Updater, Apple Mobile Device Support, Bonjour, Quick Time and iTunes), Reset Settings (Settings > General > Reset > Reset ALL Settings), Restore The Device (different USB Ports, Rear USB HUBS! SINCE ALOT OF PC's have CRAPPY 1.0 Front USB Ports, AS WELL unplug any 3RD PARTY Devices (ie: printer, digital camera, etc..))** with a Rogers technical support guy before being promised a new iPhone via UPS within 5 business days. **(The repairs with Apple are ACTUALLY shipped VIA Fed Ex, (Express Shipping) which takes 1 - 3 Business days depending on Location)** Thankfully, I hadn't had time to give my new phone number to very many people AND I still have a land line and cell phone with Bell! Sigh. Not the best of first impressions.


No Offense but i think all of what i had posted was all common sense... 
i Mean im new here and all but wow.. 
dont worry though
you can call apple toll free... 1800 MY APPLE USA Customers
or
1800 263 3394 or 1800 APL CARE for Canadians
They will put a 600$ hold on your credit card, send you and iPhone and you can send yours back in 
Good Luck Mate
Hopefully they dont make you do those The SIX Useless Steps of Resolution
because for alot of people they work. but i guess like yourself your iPhone is TOAST


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