How to Fix iTunes Error 3194 on a Mac – This device isn’t eligible for the requested build

Posted on January 2, 2014 by admin

This video will show you how to Fix iTunes Error 3194 on a Mac – This device isn’t eligible for the requested build.

Hi All
Earlier I created a video on how to Fix iTunes Error 3194 while using Windows. This video will show you how to fix the same error on a Mac.
You will need to open up Terminal in Finder and type the following command.
sudo nano /private/etc/hosts

Press Return and Enter your password.
Once you have typed your admin password you will see all the entry’s in the hosts file.

Mac Terminal Hosts file

Now Apple says, look for an entry containing “gs.apple.com”.
The next step I delete any entry back to the local file which essentially sets the hosts file back to defaults.
However Apple says, Add the # symbol and a space (“# “) to the beginning of the gs.apple.com entry.

You can save the file by pressing Control-O. Hit Enter when prompted for the filename and Control-X which will allow you to exit the editor.
Restart your Mac and you should be good to go.

Good luck guys.

30 thoughts on “How to Fix iTunes Error 3194 on a Mac – This device isn’t eligible for the requested build”

Baaz on March 24, 2014 at 5:22 pm said:

hi matt 😀 my iPhone is on 7.0.6 jailbreak and when i try to restore it gives me error THIS DEVICE ISN’T ELIGIBLE FOR THE REQUESTED BUILD ERROR
i try every thing as u said in ur video but it not works. please can u tell me wats the problem,?
i have iphone 5s and am trying to restore iPhone6,2_7.0.6_11B651_Restore
here is the pic
http://s13.postimg.org/alce99m2v/Screen_Shot_2014_03_24_at_17_12_37.png

please help :/

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Baaz on March 24, 2014 at 5:46 pm said:

ok its done when i restore my iPhone iOS 7.1. :/ i lost 7.0.6 . thank you matt 😀

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KevinKaanen on April 4, 2014 at 6:56 pm said:

Hello ……..123myit team.

I have an problem with restoring my iPhone 4 iOS 7.1 Beta 5 – iOS 7.1 Beta 3.

So i have downloaded my ipsw on my desktop.
I still have the problem this device isn’t eligible for the requested build error 3194. I have seen your video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz56bCvKEVo but is doesn’t work because i don’t have any line in my hosts file with gs.apple.com.

Please help me.

Thanks for you support.

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on April 4, 2014 at 10:22 pm said:
  
  Hi KevinKaanen
  What version is the device currently?
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
bryan on April 15, 2014 at 4:06 am said:

Matt first of all thank you for your time and help, I unfortunately have followed these steps and tried a restore from my ipsw 7.0.4 on my iphone 5, which it was on prior to this boot loop error. i continue to get this error regarding eligibility of build regardless. I have tried tiny umbrella and the such to no evail as well. Any other ideas? your help is greatly appreciated.

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on April 15, 2014 at 7:55 am said:
  
  Hi bryan
  You are trying to upgrade from 7.0.4 to what?
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
  - bryan on April 16, 2014 at 3:56 am said:
    
    Matt,
    thank you for the quick reply, greatly appreciated.
    I have my phone stuck in a reboot loop, with the apple logo. It was on iphone 5 ios7.0.4 prior via OTA update and want to keep the ios 7.0.4. The only way i can think to get it out of this loop is a restore. I do not want to upgrade to ios 7.1
    Thank you again for your time as it is greatly appreciated.
    Bryan
    
    Reply ↓
albarsha on November 28, 2014 at 12:49 am said:

hi i bought iPhone 5s from my friend he forgot the apple store password and is email password to recover the password so i upgraded ios from 8 to 8.1.1 to setup from beginning because when i want to reset the iPhone was asking password after upgrading the iPhone i have same problem i got same email id is there and cannot change it i try to downgrade but i am getting error 3149 removing in the hosts gc.apple ip also same problem i am using windows 7 not mac my itune ver is 12.0.1.26

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on November 29, 2014 at 1:58 am said:
  
  Hi albarsha
  I have not looked into downgrading ISO 8 yet. But do you have the SHSH blobs file for the version you are trying to downgrade to ?
  Have a look at this video might give you some more information.
  Before you Upgrade Downgrade iPhone iPad iPod Firmware
  Good luck
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
Caron on January 5, 2015 at 10:12 pm said:

When i go into my host files there is no apple line??

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on January 6, 2015 at 5:01 am said:
  
  Hi Caron
  What are you tyring to do exactly? Upgrade or downgrade the firmware? What ios are you currently on?
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
Jay on January 14, 2015 at 10:22 pm said:

Hi Matt

I have a problem which you may be able to help me with…..

I had to upgrade my jail broken iPhone 5 to 8.1.2 because the 8.1.1 ipsw file I downloaded was giving me the ‘this device isn’t eligible for the requested build’ error.

I downloaded both the 5,1 and the 5,2 versions and they both did not work.

The 5,1 said strait away ‘the device isn’t eligible….’ Strait away…. But the 5,2 looked like it was working. It was extracting and preparing until I got the dreaded error.

Also I’ve done the whole # space thing on the hosts file to, before I upgraded to 8.1.2 but nothing worked and Im lost

I’m currently on 8.1.2 but I want to be on 8 or 8.1.1

Any help would be amazing thank you

Jay

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on January 15, 2015 at 8:12 am said:
  
  HI Jay
  You cant downgrade. If you want to downgrade you would need to have the SHSH blobs file.
  Watch this video might shed some light.
  Before you Upgrade Downgrade iPhone iPad iPod Firmware
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
Kyle on May 25, 2015 at 5:48 pm said:

Hey dood im iOS 7 and i use an old Mac 0.10.7 and when i do sudo nano thingy it doesnt give me the gs.apple.com! No 3 lines its only the local hosts and stuff but no gs.apple.com! I wanted to UPDATE to ios 8.2 since theres a jailbreak for it iOS 8.3 doesn have jailbreak yet but when i restore and update my iPhone with the file iOS 8.2.ipsw it says This device is not engristed… Error 3194! Please email me since i really forget about all of this so email me and reply thank you! 🙂

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- 123myIT on May 26, 2015 at 12:20 am said:
  
  Hi Kyle
  You may have missed the boat on this one. You wont be able to upgrade to iOS 8.2. Apple only allows you to upgrade to the latest iOS this being. 8.3.
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
Salah on July 11, 2015 at 10:31 am said:

Hello,
I need help with my iPhone 5, I upgraded to 8.4, now I can’t make phone calls, so to fix it, I tried to downgrade to 8.3, but I get the error message “this phone is not eligible for this build” I tried everything, but I keep getting the same message.

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on July 13, 2015 at 8:06 am said:
  
  HI Salah
  Basically once you upgrade your iPhone firmware you cannot downgrade it. You are stuck with that version.
  The only suggestion I have is that you can installing 8.4 again.
  iPhone DFU Mode – iPhone is disabled
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
Ali on September 29, 2015 at 5:27 am said:

Hi Matt. Thanks for your guidance. Unfortunately, I have really weird problem. I do all above things such as host file, updating itunes to 12.3, changing USB port, etc. but, I try to restore ipad air 2 to 8.4.1 and ipad 3 to 8.4 but same problem. I also use VPN to connect to another country’s server to connect to Apple servers. I am pretty sure that I have the right ipsw file and also dont want to downgrade any of them.

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on October 1, 2015 at 12:56 am said:
  
  Hi Ali,
  The latest IOS is up to 9 now. So you will only be able to install IOS 9.
  Check here for firmware versions.
  IPAD
  
  Also check this video for guidance. DFU mode.
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
  - Ali on October 1, 2015 at 5:53 am said:
    
    Actually I think there had to be a problem regarding the itunes or my MBP, because iOS 8.4 was installed on ipad air 2, and by downloading ipsw and trying in DFU mode, you should be able to restore it to 8.4. I think the problem is somewhere else.
    
    Reply ↓
    - 123myIT on October 2, 2015 at 11:51 am said:
      
      Hi Ali,
      No worries let me know what you find.
      Cheers
      Matt
      
      Reply ↓
Keith on October 5, 2015 at 5:29 pm said:

Hi Matt!
I was upgrading my nephew’s iPhone 4,which was running system 4.3.2,unfortunately it stalled at the verification stage displaying”the device isn’t eligible for the requested build”.I have tried all your recommendations from the video.I am stuck and wondering whether its apple servers which aren’t signing in old devices.Please help,even if its returning it back to 4.3.2.
Thanks
Kind Regards
keith.

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on October 5, 2015 at 10:18 pm said:
  
  Hi Keith
  Look up this page here.
  IPHONE FIRMWARE
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
  - Keith on October 6, 2015 at 6:11 pm said:
    
    Thanks Matt!
    I have used different firmwares,The specific one being iPhone3,2_7.1.2_11D257_Restore.ipsw (iPhone 4 (8GB)).I have even tried directly from Apple Server,it almost finishes verifying till it gives “the device isn’t eligible for the requested build”.Could it be Apple Side or a Hardware issue.If so is it eligible for replacement by Apple.
    Best Regards
    keith.
    
    Reply ↓
    - 123myIT on October 6, 2015 at 10:16 pm said:
      
      Hi Keith,
      Check which model you have.
      IDENTIFYING IPHONE MODELS
      Cheers
      Matt
      
      Reply ↓
      - Keith on October 7, 2015 at 6:57 pm said:
        
        Hi Matt!
        Thanks a lot for your help so far,I checked and its actually a 16GB iPhone 4.The correct firmware being iPSW iPhone3,2_7.1.2_11D257.Unfortunately,It has still given me the error.Device not eligible for this build.I don’t reside in the US, can you please verify on whether iTunes
        servers don’t sign in old devices.And whether a replacement is possible.
        Kind Regards
        keith
      - 123myIT on October 8, 2015 at 10:57 pm said:
        
        Hi Keith,
        Basically you cant just upgrade to any firmware otherwise you will get that error. It can only be the latest version of firmware for your model.
        From what I can see this should be the one you need to use.
        7.1.2 (4 8GB): iPhone3,2_7.1.2_11D257_Restore.ipsw ?
        Cheers
        Matt
أحمد علي on December 14, 2015 at 8:26 am said:

Hello I have an problem with restoring my iPhone 5s iOS 9.1 Beta 5 – iOS 9.1 Beta 3.

So i have downloaded my ipsw on my desktop.
I still have the problem this device isn’t eligible for the requested build error 3194. I have seen your video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz56bCvKEVo but is doesn’t work because i don’t have any line in my hosts file with gs.apple.com.

Reply ↓
- 123myIT on December 14, 2015 at 11:05 pm said:
  
  Hi Mate, the main thing is that the lines are not taken up with something else. In your case I think you are trying to restore a version that will not work now.
  Have a look here for IOS support.
  IPHONE FIRMWARE
  Cheers
  Matt
  
  Reply ↓
Lia on March 18, 2016 at 12:43 am said:

My Ipad 2 is stuck on a reboot loop and it won’t let me restore it. I’ve already fixed the host file and its still not working. Could you please help me?

Reply ↓