Stumbling start for iOS5? Upgrade errors stump users

Apple Inc.'s latest operating system for mobile devices, iOS 5, triggered a worldwide trending on Twitter shortly after its launch Wednesday, but not exactly for the right reasons. Many users upgrading to iOS 5 complained of error messages that interrupted the upgrade process, several tech sites reported Thursday (Manila time). Tech site TechCrunch said many users complained of encountering an “internal error" as Apple's iTunes software attempts to activate each device. One particular message - "Error 3200" - became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, it added. "The issue is reportedly related to Apple’s servers, which are unable to keep up with the massive influx of traffic. The fix? A lot of people suggest to just keep trying, though some of them are saying it took dozens of attempts before their request went through," TechCrunch said. It also noted the problem came as Apple is officially launching its server-based iCloud, which will rely on Apple’s servers being able to handle high traffic. PC World's Jared Newman complained of data loss - including music and photos - when updating an iPad 1 from iOS 4.3 to iOS 5. "After installing the new software and unplugging the iPad from my PC, most of my apps were gone--along with all my music, photos, and other data. If the furious Twitter chatter today is any indication, I'm not alone," Newman wrote. Apple enthusiast site MacRumors also noted this was a growing thread in its forums. "At this point, simply waiting and retrying seems to be the best solution," it said. Computer security firm Sophos said in a blog post that other Apple users upgrading to iOS 5 saw messages related to internal errors such as 3002 or Error 3004. "Theories are bouncing around the net that Apple is simply a victim of its own success, and its servers have not been able to cope with demand for the new version of iOS, meaning that devices are failing to properly register themselves with the mothership. If that's true, you might be wise to wait a day or two," it said. Other problems Tech site Mashable also cited other problems reported by users, including:

• Having to reorganize all your apps.
• Backup taking a long time. One user said it took three hours.
• Downloading the upgrade taking a long time. It’s more than 700 MB, and because the servers are so overburdened, it’s taking longer than usual.
• Inability to register for iCloud.

But Mashable also noted a few users are saying the process has been seamless — even though most find it takes a long time to download iOS 5. "Some report downloading the update in 15 minutes. But after that, there is an extra backup process that takes much longer than usual," it said. — TJD, GMA News