Fix “This device isn’t eligible for the requested build” in iTunes During iOS 5.0.1 Update
iOS 5.0.1 was just released today and you wish to resolve that battery issue you’ve been having. When you were trying to restore you got this error message and unable to restore. Here’s an easy fix.
This happens when iTunes was trying to verify your device during the restore process. iTunes periodically connects to the Apple server to match your device ID and to determine whether your device can be restored or otherwise.
To fix this, open your hosts file and remove (or comment) any line that has something like as shown below:
74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com
In order to access your hosts file, see the instructions below.
Apple OS X Lion
- Open Terminal
- Copy and paste the following code into Terminal
sudo nano /private/etc/hosts
- Press Enter.
- Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
- Save by pressing Command+S, click Save.
Apple OS X Snow Leopard & Leopard
- Open Terminal (Click Spotlight, or press Command+Space. Now type terminal.)
- Copy and paste the following code into Terminal
sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit /etc/hosts - Press Enter.
- Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
- Save by pressing Command+S, click Save.
Apple OSX 10.4.X Tiger
- Open Terminal (Click Spotlight, or press Command+Space. Now type terminal.)
- In Terminal type, ‘sudo pico /etc/hosts‘, press Enter.
- Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
- Press Ctrl+X, then Y to save.
- Type ’sudo niload -v -m hosts . < /etc/hosts’, press Enter
- Type ‘lookupd -flushcache’, press Enter.
Microsoft Windows 7 / Vista
- Click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories.
- Right click “Notepad” and select “Run as administrator”
- Click Yes on the UAC prompt.
- Click File -> Open.
- Change the file filter drop down box from “Text Documents (*.txt)” to “All Files (*.*)”.
- Browse to “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc”.
- Select “hosts” and click “Open”.
- Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
- Close Notepad. Click Save when prompted.
Microsoft XP/2003/2000
- Browse to Start > Programs > Accessories > Notepad.
- Click File > Open.
- Browse to “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc”.
- Select “All Files (*.*)” from the Files of Type drop-down menu.
- Select “hosts” and click “Open”.
- Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
- Close Notepad. Save when prompted.
Now try to restore again. That should work!
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36 Comments to “Fix “This device isn’t eligible for the requested build” in iTunes During iOS 5.0.1 Update”
What about OS Lion? I tried it and it would not let me do this.
updated… see above
No it doesn work, i edit the host file, but still occur that error,it wont be able to restore the costom firmware
HELP
did you remove the line?
yes, try it on my pc and mac. can't restore.(exactly fellow the instruction this web page give)
another question, "siridownload.tk" is it real? i try to port siri to my 3gs like that, and it made my 3gs stuck on boot screen( white apple) thats the reason i need restore the firmware.
yes, try it on my pc and mac. can't restore.(exactly fellow the instruction this web page give)
very weird, i download snobreeze firmware , it works in restore. ( original restore firmware, and original firmware without baseband, both not working) btw, there is a little issue, after i restored,and install ultrasnow, the safari icon become "white", any answer??
is the jailbreak tethered? you need to boot with redsn0w
Tried this and it worked to update the firmware to 5.0.1 did it with baseband 6:15:00 but I was unable to unlock via ultrasn0w, phone still displayed no service after installing ultrasn0w, can anyone help me with this issue?
is this the first time you're trying to unlock this phone? try reinstalling ultrasn0w
turn off 3G first, once connected, switch it back on if needed
as i saw on dev-team blog there's no unlock for 5.0.1 yet
ultrasn0w is not yet compatible for 5.0.1 (older baseband)
Whenever I save the file after entering both # before the line and when I delete the row and then re-open it it has reappeared unchanged. What should I do?
Windows or Mac?
I'm having the same problem as Dan…and i'm on a mac.
Are you saving it with Command + S? That just does a save as. Try doing Control + o. Afterwards press enter and the changes should take effect. Then Control + X to get out. Hope this helps.
Works Great. Tanks.
Thanks for you advice but I still haven't got this working. I followed your steps but my hosts file does not contain the 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com line just these lines:
127.0.0.1 localhost
255.255.255.255 broadcasthost
::1 localhost
fe80::1%lo0 localhost
Has it been masked or moved? Do I need a different version of iTunes (I'm on 10.5.1 (42))?
Thanks!
are you trying to restore to 5.0.1?
for me too… no 74.208…… and I was trying to restore to custom 5.0.1 with no baseband.. iTunes 10.6.1
I messed my MacBook AIr's copy of iTunes up so much from trying to do this stuff, so I ended up just restoring with my brothers MacBook when he was having a nap, and restored with it using my SnowBreeze copy I downloaded. Worked fine completely stock, no modifications. Tip: find a good ime to use family members computers, and loose the headaches.
please help i accidentaly updated my iphone 4s with ios 5.0.1 now i can not activate it and i do not ve the original carrier sim, please assist
Hi Rei , I have exactly the same problem . Please mail me if u find any solution at vivek.barsaiyan2009@gmail.com
Just wanted to say thanks. Was trying this method from my mac on Lion and the changes would not save. After a few attempts I realized that Command + S just does a save as and does not keep the change. Instead I did Control + O to save it, then I pressed enter and then control + X to exit. Checked and saw that it finally changed.
Worked for me this way..
Thank You very Much from Bangladesh.
be safe and have a good one thanks again.
LIFE SAVER!!!!!!!!
Hi, I'm trying to retain my baseband with my iPhone 4 so I can keep the unlock to use Gevey Sim while upgrading to iOS5.0 and followed all the steps, including # in the hosts but nothing works, keep getting the "isn't eligible" message. Using a Macbook Pro on OSx10.6. Flushed dnscache too. No change. Any suggestions?
iPad 2 (WIFI) running iOS 4.3.1, trying to upgrade to 5.0.1 from ipsw file downloaded from http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=85…
I have altered the hosts file:
### Host Database## localhost is used to configure the loopback interface# when the system is booting. Do not change this entry.##127.0.0.1localhost255.255.255.255broadcasthost::1 localhost fe80::1%lo0 localhost#74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com#127.0.0.1 gs.apple.com
And i'm using iTunes 10.5.1 on MAX OS X Lion (10.7.3)
Still getting the "not eligible" error.
Help?
Thankx It worked.
It worked. Thank you so much.
im still getting the "isnt eligible" error even after i do this, im in snow leopard and trying to install 5.0.1.
is there anything else i can do??
thanks
you can only update to the latest iOS if you don't have your SHSH saved
im trying to do that but still get the same error for days. im on a Mac. i tried using tiny umbrella, no success. i deleted all these lines from the hosts file. still nothing. flushed dns. nothing.. now ive got my iphone 4 dead. tried going back to 4.3.3 and the jailbreak fails (redsn0w 0.9.6rc18) it says among many other things "cabletype not changed…" i really dont know what else to try. i have SHSH saved for 4.3.3, 4.3.4, 4.3.5 and 5.1 (i don't know what that means exactly but…) if anyone could help me i'd reaally appreciate
try on a friend's computer
I had similar problem, but then opened tiny umbrella
disable the option saying set hosts to cydia on exit.
That did the trick for me……
It works for me, thanks, from 5.0.1 to 5.1.1