iphone won't restore, think its downgraded version, itunes error 1015? can any1 help?

sunni

Hello

Well I got a friends iphone and having problems restoring it. My old one was 3GS 32GB and think this one is an older version iphone. I've went to itunes to try and restore and keep getting this message 'The iphone could not be restored, an unknown error occured (1015)'

Before I sold my newer version iphone I backed it up and have a folder saved called 'my iphone'

Kind of panicking now as I'd everything backed up in itunes with my previous iphone and not sure if it's all lost now.

Now my iphone is in recovery mode - starting to drive me insane as I don't know what to do is it possible to downgrade in itunes or not sure what to do? Everytime I open up itunes it says itunes has detected an iphone in recovery mode and to restore, then I click restore, then it still brings up same message as above 'The iphone could not be restored, an unknown error occured (1015)

Not sure what to do can anyone give me any advice?

sunni

jayme1

find out exactly if it is a 3GS or a 3G, (if the writing on the back is shiny it is a 3GS if it is dull then it is a 3G)

then go to here and download the latest fimware for the phone (for a 3G it is 4.2.1 and that is the only one that will work, for a 3GS it is 4.3.5) if you try to load the wrong firmware you will properly break the phone

then plug the phone into itunes and hold shift and click restore (if you are using OSX then hold option while clicking restore) navigate to where you saved the firmware file and select it)
(you will need an internet connection while doing this)

that should work if it doesn't take the phone to apple.

ps no idea why you would get rid of a high end 3GS for a now unsuported 3G model

sunni

Well I managed to get this sorted earlier, downloaded 4.1 firmware and it's worked now in itunes it tells me there's an update available 4.2 - so must download it.

Not sure if it's an 3G, there's a cover on it so need to take that off. Capacity on it says 6.9GB and Model is MB489B.

I think it's probably a 3G, is it 8GB?

jayme1

yes model MB489B is an iPhone 3G 8GB Black and the maximum firmware you can put on it is 4.2.1