“Apple re-released the Apple TV 4.4.1 update late on Tuesday with a fix that corrects a problem where some users were left with non-functional Apple TVs after installing the new software,” Jeff Gamet reports for The Mac Observer.
“Apple pulled the update after trouble reports started coming in, and has apparently addressed the issues the first version of the update caused,” Gamet reports. “The Apple TV 4.4.1 update is free and available through the software update feature on the Apple TV.”
Read more in the full article here.
Fixing the update is all good and fine, but how am I supposed to install it now that my Apple TV is “non-functional”? I don’t have a micro-USB cable, because nothing else uses it.
I have one; so something else must use it…since I don’t have an AppleTV2…
I believe you can connect it with an ethernet cable to your computer.
You would be wrong on that. Don’t ask me how I know.
Radio shack carries them.
Just unplug it from your TV and the power cord and then plug the AppleTV into your Mac with iTunes running and it’ll restore it to the latest version of software available. No power cord needed.
I had the same bricking issue. I tried the microUSB cable, and it didn’t work. Try this:
1. Leave the AppleTV unplugged for a good, long time (at least 15 min., maybe more).
2. Plug the AppleTV back into your TV and power, etc., just like it was before the update.
3. Hold down the Menu and Down buttons on your AppleTV remote until the light on the front of the AppleTV flashes rapidly.
4. The AppleTV should restart and finish the update.
shroe…
Genius bar worked for me.
Hmm, if the Ethernet cable works I’m set but if not I’ll have to locate a friggin’ micro USB adaptor. 👎😠
No update in Canada yet.
My latest gen Apple TV seemed bricked as well. But, going to the local electronics store and paying $10 for a micro USB cable was much better than buying a new Apple TV for $100. But, I assumed that the power cord had to be used as well but it wouldn’t update. Kept getting a Fail. Then, when trying different things I had it plugged into iTunes without the power cable and it readily restored and updated just fine.
Good to know about the power. I guess I can afford the $2.11 for a micro-USB cable on Amazon.
@Bizlaw
I had this issue some months ago and also tried to correct it with the Micro USB cable (which I had, because I actually do use it for something else). First it didn’t work because I had the AppleTV connected while the power cord was plugged in. I also tried the steps you described – but to no avail.
At the Genius bar we found out that the restore with a Micro USB cable will only work when no power cord is connected – just the Micro USB cable and nothing else.
With the next update I had the same bricking issue and everything was restored nicely just with the Micro USB cable.
@ MacDust
I am quite sure that connecting the Apple TV via Ethernet to your Mac won’t work.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4367