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Repair information and guides for the iPhone 6S released by Apple on September 25, 2015. Models: A1688, A1633

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Error 26 in iTunes?

Any one have any experience with error 26 in iTunes? I'm drawing a blank with apple's arbitrary error codes and troubleshooting suggestions.

Edit: I'm shooting to try to resolve this error code without data loss, but it appears that this will most likely not be a possibility.

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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Unit was unable to update no matter what I tried. And it was stuck in recovery mode due to some type of software failure or because the phone was interrupted during an update over wifi. So preserving the data while getting the phone back from recovery mode appears to not be possible (kept getting error 26 all around).

When the unit was restored and updated, it was able to finish and be brought back to working order, albeit with data loss.

Looks like you were correct Rany, the unit's partition table is funked up. Perhaps down the line something like Dr. Fone may be able to resolve this, as of right now that software hasn't been working with any unit on 10.3.1 in recovery mode.

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A company recoveritall.com have informed me they can recover pictures with error 26

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@Brian Lang please see comment above

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Thank you. Since my original post I started working with 2 companies that can get data by resolving error 26.

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@Brian Lang.. which companies were they?

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What is the history of this iPhone?

Was it already at 10.3?

Possibly a DFU restore will get it fixed but with loss of data. And my belief is with error 26 your data partition is bloated and unrecoverable anyway.

EDIT August 4, 2017: following the comments on the OP's question, here's an important affirmation:

At this date, you cannot get data from a device that fails to update and throws errors 26.

Whoever tells you otherwise is trying for easy non-refundable diagnosis money or don't know what they are talking about, just assuming it may be some random failure they can fix to recover data..

Don't send your devices to anyone who claims to get data from an Error 26 device unless they offer a no-fix-no-fee solution.

Don't pay for any software or any person making this claim until you have proof that they have your data recovered or you are certain to get a 100% refund in case of failure.

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It's a iPhone 6s that boots to iTunes logo only. Can't verify for sure which OS is currently installed (cause it's stuck in recovery mode) but from the iTunes logo icon the unit is most likely in iOS 9, or 10. I'm attempting to install iOS 10.3.1 without losing the data, but it's looking increasingly unlikely that this will be an option. Thanks Rany.

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If it is allowing you to update, go for 10.3.1. Nothing to loose.

If you are only allowed to restore, there is a workaround. I can make it update instead of restoring while it thinks it is updating. But I believe the outcome will be the same which is error 26 = user data partition bloated and lacking of space to perform update and clean up.

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Yeah, you were right, it refused to update OS while preserving the data, but it was able to restore.

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I do data recovery. Error 26 is a flatliner for me, so far. Hope someday we can overcome it.

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@rany - Has anything changed with regards to data recovery and error 26? Is it even worth it to take the EMI shields off of the board and inspect for obvious damage? Or is this purely a software issue?

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This gives specific solution for error 26:

http://www.techinpost.com/how-fix-solve-...

Turn off your iPhone

Open iTunes & then

Connect your device to your PC by USB cable

Press & hold Home + sleep/wake button for some seconds

Now, release the power button

You will get ‘Connect to iTunes Screen.’

Now, your iPhone will be detected in ‘Recovery Mode.’

Backup & Restore the Data

That’s it, done

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Yeah, but this is talking about an sql server. Thought only Microsoft had those

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Thanks for the link Mayer. Unfortunately the phone I'm working on is already stuck in recovery mode so most of the suggested troubleshooting steps (reset network settings, etc don't really help). I was hoping to bring the unit back to a working state without losing data, but it appears that it may not be an option.

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Want to thank you for your expertise, i was able to recuperate my data, good job.

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How did u do This?

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Actually i had the same error but using idevicerestore on linux (only got a ubuntu XD) the error message is very clear:

BlockFindAll: found 926 blocks but needed 28996

Disk full error

  • The volume Data could not be repaired.

volume type is pure HFS+

primary MDB is at block 0 0x00

alternate MDB is at block 0 0x00

primary VHB is at block 2 0x02

alternate VHB is at block 25380774 0x18347a6

sector size = 512 0x200

VolumeObject flags = 0x07

total sectors for volume = 25380776 0x18347a8

total sectors for embedded volume = 0 0x00

CheckHFS returned 8, fsmodified = 0

fsck failed on /dev/disk0s1s2

leaving fsck_filesystems, returning 26

Looks like this error indicates a broken filesystem...

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what solution is there?

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Doesn't that say, basically, that your disk is full?

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Hi Brian Lang,

Here is a good link to the Error 26. Please let me know if it helps :)

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Not really a good link.

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Thanks Blake, unfortunately the bare essential troubleshooting steps that apple suggests are usually helpful once in a blue moon. Tried multiple computers, lightning cables, dock connectors to rule out the basics, but no luck.

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Hi.

i m stuck in same situation after trying to upgrade iOS 12.4.9 to 12.5.1 on my iPhone 5s in 2021.

any new developments that can restore this error 26 today in 2021?

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There are rumours a solution is coming sometime this year. So hang onto the phone.

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Is this without wiping the phones data? The new solution

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@Vanessa Powney Yes data will be saved.

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Hi.

will the solution be coming from apple directly or 3rd party provider like dr Fone, AnyFix, etc

Tq

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@Chris Stables - any updates in this ?

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Oh awesome. That will be great. I have an iphone 5s with the same

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Brian Lang will be eternally grateful.
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