[ipad] iPad ... Cisco Meraki ... Lost mode or?

[Koldov]

I've put this here although it could have gone in Cloud, but as it relates mostly to iPads and most people with Meraki are probably managing iPads...

 

Well, we're back and all the devices we loaned out are slowly trickling in... very slowly...

 

To hasten this I plan to remind 'anyone' who has them, by making the devices unusable until returned by putting them into lost mode or something similar.

 

However, I haven't done anything like this before and I'm a bit concerned about putting them into some unrecoverable state (and unfortunately never really used Meraki for anything more than adding a couple of apps)...

 

They are passcoded and linked to Meraki and in DEP, so I should be able to revive them if that happens.... but....

 

Using Meraki what is the best/easiest way of accomplishing this (hopefully en masse)?

 

Also, once they are in 'Lost Mode' how do you get it back up and running?

Edited March 8, 2021 by Koldov

[tmoon-mint]

You would just turn off lost mode again using your MDM. As long as the device has an internet connection it will receive the command.

[Koldov]

Well, now we have finally recovered the last iPad...

 

Unfortunately it seems to be stuck in 'Lost Mode' as for some reason it hasn't automatically joined the school wi-fi.

 

Any ideas?

[tmoon-mint]

You could try a lightning to Ethernet adapter but if accessories are disabled on the lock screen im not 100% sure whether it would work or not.

[Koldov]

Well, this is a pain....

 

Seems like it was a known problem a while ago (and as our iPads are stuck on an old iOS version it might have been fixed).

 

See the answer at the bottom of the page:

 

https://community.sophos.com/sophos-mobile/f/discussions/103205/managed-lost-mode-on-none-cellular-devices-cannot-turn-it-off

 

Anyway, not having a 'Lightning to Ethernet adapter' I decided to just wipe and restore the whole thing (iPad is in DEP so no problem)....

 

However, how do I reset it?

 

We have a Mac-Mini server that was originally used with Configurator when we first started using iPads, but moved over to DEP. So I attach the iPad and it says I need to do a restore and when I try it stops with various error messages.... and iTunes can't restore it either...

 

Now I've unplugged it to try a different method of getting it on the internet and it seems to be stuck in 'restore mode' and I can't get it out!

[tmoon-mint]

Before a restore can take place it has to be able to verify the version being restored is still signed so I suspect your issue is filtering related.

[atcoates]

Can you just put the Ipad into DFU mode, that's what I normally do for wiping Ipads that can't be contacted etc.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-put-ipad-in-dfu-mode?r=US&IR=T

[Koldov]

Before a restore can take place it has to be able to verify the version being restored is still signed so I suspect your issue is filtering related.

 

Doesn't appear to be filtering unfortunately, I've run a filtering report for the period of the failed restore and nothing has been blocked.

 

Can you just put the Ipad into DFU mode, that's what I normally do for wiping Ipads that can't be contacted etc.

 

Yes, it's in DFU mode for restoring, I even tried a strange bit of dodgy software to pull it out of DFU mode as it was stuck and tried to get a Lightning/Ethernet adapter going but also realised I have removed it from our MDM (as it was going to be restored), so it isn't going to recieve any messages to come out of 'Lost Mode' anyway...

 

Both AC2 and iTunes are giving me this:

 

 

 

But there appears to be so many issues like this Google is all static... and no help!

[Koldov]

Eureka!

 

At last, got it sorted!!!

 

Kept trying with the Mac-mini with AC2 and iTunes, but no joy... different USB ports, different cables... nothing, just error 9.

 

In a last ditch effort, I installed iTunes (yuk!) on my Windows 10 work machine and here is where it gets interesting...

 

Put the iPad into restore mode and iTunes recognised it, giving me the option to update/restore.

 

I chose update to start with to see if it worked and after downloading, unpacking and starting to install the software I heard Windows 10 disconnect and reconnect the USB twice (I had it through a powered hub - which is not recommended, but might have helped... maybe) and it may be why the Mac-mini fails as it didn't seem to pick up the USB connection again (?).

 

Anyway, after that it continued to install the update, then rebooted the iPad... then it asked me for the passcode and finished installing the update. It now also seems to have the Wi-Fi enabled, but it was still in lost mode (and unfortunately as I'd removed it from our MDM I can't unlock it).

 

iTunes then complained that it couldn't connect to the iPad because it was locked and in 'Lost Mode'...

 

So, I redo the whole process and chose restore...

 

A little hiccup with Meraki as I haven't had to do this with a re-enrolled iPad, but now all is good!