IPad – Erase a 1st gen iPad

ipadipsw

I have a 1st gen iPad that I don't know the passcode for. iTunes tells me that I need to enter the passcode before I can use it with iTunes.

So I followed some instructions and put the iPad into Recovery mode, which let me connect to iTunes and hit the Restore button.

iTunes apparently will not let me just restore the iPad using the iOS version it currently has; instead it demands that I let it download a new iOS version first.

But my internet is so slow and unreliable where I live now that I have not been able to get iTunes to finish downloading.

So I found a website that lets you download IPSW's. I downloaded 5.1 for iPad 1st gen. I then held Option while clicking Restore in iTunes, chose this IPSW file, and iTunes told me it is not valid.

So….
Questions:

  1. Is there any way I can use this iPad as-is without knowing the passcode?
  2. Is there any way I can restore it without downloading any huge IPSW files?
  3. If not, is there any other way I can get rid of the passcode or wipe the device clean?
  4. I welome jailbreaking and 3rd-party software in my quest…

Best Answer

The iPad 1 should be good to go for a valid version of 5.1.1

I'd say the easiest thing to do would be to take the iPad to a copy of iTunes that has a good internet connection or download a reputable copy (for whatever reputable means to you) of 5.1.1 IPSW and use your iTunes to wipe and restore the iPad.

Jailbreaking might be an option, but I'd go with easy.

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