Fix “This device isn’t eligible for the requested build” in iTunes During iOS 5.0.1 Update

iOS 5.0.1 was just released today and you wish to resolve that battery issue you’ve been having. When you were trying to restore you got this error message and unable to restore. Here’s an easy fix.

This happens when iTunes was trying to verify your device during the restore process. iTunes periodically connects to the Apple server to match your device ID and to determine whether your device can be restored or otherwise.

To fix this, open your hosts file and remove (or comment) any line that has something like as shown below:

74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com

In order to access your hosts file, see the instructions below.

Apple OS X Lion

• Open Terminal
• Copy and paste the following code into Terminal
• sudo nano /private/etc/hosts
• Press Enter.
• Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
• Save by pressing Command+S, click Save.

Apple OS X Snow Leopard & Leopard

• Open Terminal (Click Spotlight, or press Command+Space. Now type terminal.)
• Copy and paste the following code into Terminal
• sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit /etc/hosts
• Press Enter.
• Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
• Save by pressing Command+S, click Save.

Apple OSX 10.4.X Tiger

• Open Terminal (Click Spotlight, or press Command+Space. Now type terminal.)
• In Terminal type, ‘sudo pico /etc/hosts‘, press Enter.
• Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
• Press Ctrl+X, then Y to save.
• Type ’sudo niload -v -m hosts . < /etc/hosts’, press Enter
• Type ‘lookupd -flushcache’, press Enter.

Microsoft Windows 7 / Vista

• Click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories.
• Right click “Notepad” and select “Run as administrator”
• Click Yes on the UAC prompt.
• Click File -> Open.
• Change the file filter drop down box from “Text Documents (*.txt)” to “All Files (*.*)”.
• Browse to “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc”.
• Select “hosts” and click “Open”.
• Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
• Close Notepad. Click Save when prompted.

Microsoft XP/2003/2000

• Browse to Start > Programs > Accessories > Notepad.
• Click File > Open.
• Browse to “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc”.
• Select “All Files (*.*)” from the Files of Type drop-down menu.
• Select “hosts” and click “Open”.
• Remove 74.208.151.171 gs.apple.com or add ‘#’ in front of this line (commenting).
• Close Notepad. Save when prompted.
• 
  

Now try to restore again. That should work!