Device returned unexpected status "CertificateRejected".

Question

Hi all,
I’ve recently jumped headfirst into deploying iPads with Apple Configurator (just a class set of 20 at this stage).  I think I've figured most of it out, but am having trouble with errors when restoring from a backup while checking devices back in.  I've seen two errors so far, "Unable to send ClearPasscode command to device" and "Unable to check profiles".  Both are accompanied by the description:
Device returned unexpected status "CertificateRejected".
Code 5
Domain com.apple.configurator.error
It seems the check-in errors occur on all devices except the one from which the backup was made.  iPad 1, from which the backup was made, is the only device which will successfully check back in.  Again, these errors only occur when I have devices set to Restore from a backup in the Supervise screen (meaning that they restore from a backup while checking back in).
If I set all devices to “Don’t restore backup” then they all successfully check back in.  But obviously this is not desirable as documents, etc. are left on the devices after check in (which is fine if you’re then checking out to another user who has already checked a device in and out, but if you are checking out to a brand new user, they end up with documents and settings from the last user of that device).
Following advice from another forum I've looked in Keychain Access and set the Apple Configurator root certificate to "Always Trust".  It was previously set to "Use System Defaults" which resulted in the red text "This root certificate is not trusted".
I’ve also tried a fresh install on Apple Configurator on a fresh user account, repaired permissions, but still the error occurs.  I prepared an iPad with no profiles, no apps, backed that up and restored it onto a second iPad using the prepare tab.  Then refreshed them both using that backup as the restore option.  Checked them out, checked them in, and they all fail with errors except for the iPad from which the backup was made.
Any ideas what I’m doing wrong?
Cheers,
Ben

Answer 1

Configurator is terrible for backups (and in general.)
I just create a backup in iTunes and then restore that backup through iTunes to the iPads (and use Configurator for everything else.) The only problem with this method is you have to do them 1 by 1 (start one off, wait for it to reboot, when it lets you start another off, etc.) iTunes doesn't support simultaneous restores or backup restores.
You might run into other glitches after this method, but I've found it to be the most effective, with 100% success restoring a backup. Give it a go and see how it works for you, if you have the time to sit there while 20 iPads restore.