# Reset old iPhone



## JohnWill

I was given a couple of old iPhones, and I'd like to reset them and use them as WiFi devices with a model train WiFi system. Problem is, I don't know how to do that.  I looked around, and there were a few outfits selling a program that would do it for around $40, but I might as well buy an unlocked version on eBay if I'm going to spent that.


----------



## TerryNet

Good to see you, John!

Exactly how to do that may depend on the iOS version or the phone version. What are those?

If they are password protected do you have the password? Do you have the Apple ID?


----------



## JohnWill

Still alive in spite of reports to the contrary! 

One is, I believe, an iPhone 3 or 3GS, the other is an iPhone 4. If I had the password, we wouldn't be talking. 

They were given to me by the wife of a friend that passed away several years ago, she ran across them in cleaning up. Obviously, they're quite a number of years old. I don't have any passwords. I believe she said one was reset, so I suspect that "should" be able to be fired up, but I'm not sure how. 

The iPhone 4 comes up asking for an iCloud signin, and I can't get by that. She had no idea what the password was, so that's a dead-end road until I figure out how to flush that.

The iPhone 3 comes up asking to connect to iTunes and with a slide to do an emergency call. It's also asking to connect to iTunes and also displays a lock symbol at the top. I can get it to display the IMEI, and that's it.


----------



## TerryNet

If one was reset you shouldn't be having any problems with it--power it on and it should be asking if you want to set it up.

Have you tried connecting the iPhone 3 to iTunes? That seems to be the way to reset it. See How to hard reset the iPhone 3GS. And try the iPhone 4 with iTunes also.

Sorry, but I can't find any other way. I was thinking that a button combination does it, but that's just for forcing a "restart" if the phone freezes and will do nothing.


----------



## JohnWill

Yep, I found all those sources, I was hoping to avoid iTunes, but I guess that's going to be the solution to at least one of them. We'll see...


----------



## bassfisher6522

Have you tried recovery mode?


----------



## JohnWill

Can't get to recovery mode until you can sign in. I'm got the 3GS working, but the iPhone 4 is a loser, it insists on signing onto iCloud to remove the lock. Since the original owner is deceased, that ain't gonna' happen. After some research, it's clear that there is no work-around to just reset it totally.

I guess if I find someone that needs iPhone 4 parts, I'm their man. It's in perfect condition, other than I can't use it.

I attempted to load the apps I was intending to use these for, and alas, they need a new version of IOS than these phones run anyway! All that angst for nothing. 

Thanks for the attempt, I guess ten years is an eternity in iPhones.


----------



## TerryNet

You're welcome, John.  My (small) experience with tablets and smart phones and a smart TV is that after 5 years or less my favorite Apps will no longer work.


----------



## JohnWill

I have better luck with Android apps, so I'm glad that I've stuck to Android over the years.


----------



## Cookiegal

Hi John, it's good to see you. It's certainly been a while.


----------



## JohnWill

Yep, it has been a spell since I've been around I guess. Still kicking, and turned over another year, shooting for 100.


----------



## Cookiegal




----------



## Drabdr

Hey John! Good to see you back. 

Just asking... do you have a computer that you could connect these phone to and empower through ITunes? Those old model Iphones were really intertwined pretty strongly with Itunes.


----------



## JohnWill

I found out the latest version of the IOS I could load on those didn't support my application, so they went into the recycle bin.


----------

