IPhone 3G update to 3.0 with repeated 1013 errors - now bricked iPhone! ;-(

Question

Attempting to update an iPhone 3G to 3.0 from 2.2.1 and it's now a brick.
Note that I've tried this now from THREE different computers, two macs and one windows box with identical results. I've uninstalled iTunes on the windows box before doing the update attempt.
The error message is "1013" which also takes you to this highly uninformative page: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1275.
Ok, the USB cables and ports on three computers see the same problem error. So it's either the iPhone itself or iTunes 8.2 (23) or both.
Digging a bit deeper I found that there is a log file kept on the mac. Change to this directory from your home directory "~/Library/Logs/iPhone Updater Logs/" where you'll find one "iPhoneUpdater N.log" file for each attempt to update that you've done.
When the error occurs Apple asks if I want to send the info to them! YES!!! Make sure you do so that they can sort this out.
Ok, looking in this log file (I won't dump it all here) you can see a number of errors. The end of the log file shows:
Powering radio on through AppleBaseband
- Ping failed, trying again, 21 tries left
- Ping failed, trying again, 20 tries left
- Ping failed, trying again, 19 tries left
- Ping failed, trying again, 18 tries left
- Ping failed, trying again, 17 tries left
Exception at :0:
- BBUReturnTimedOut(10)/16: Pinging timed out
unexpected bbupdater exit code 16
==== end of device restore output ====
2009-06-17 23:39:34.000 iTunes124:11483: <Restore Device 0x188a3ef0>: Restore
failed (result = 1013)
2009-06-17 23:39:44.000 iTunes124:20b: iTunes: Restore error 1013
Clearly there are some problems. Earlier in the log file it had problems updating a number of files.
Now I've tried this "Connect your iPhone to the computer. press and hold sleep and home, and as soon screen goes blank, count off 5 seconds, then let go of sleep and keep holding home." That didn't change anything. sigh.
It's almost as if this particular version of the iPhone that I have is incompatible with the current iPhone 3.0 operating system components. Maybe there is a bad driver? Hmmm....
Ok, here is another error in the log file.
Loading FLS file /usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE2_04.26.08.fls...OK
Sending Block of type CodeClass(0) from file /usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE2_04.26.08.fls...
Beginning Dynamic EEP erase at 0x20E40000 to 0x20EBFFFE...Progress: 0 percent, 0 of 524286 Progress: 100 percent, 524286 of 524286. OK
Sending Security Block...OK
Erasing Load Area from 0x20040000 to 0x2068FF66 (this will take some time)...OK
Sending data for mapping 0: progress: 0 percent, 0 of
6618984 progress: 0 percent, 2048 of
6618984 progress: 0 percent, 4096 of
6618984 progress: 0 percent, 6144 of
6618984 progress: 99 percent, 6617088 of
6618984 progress: 100 percent, 6618984 of 6618984. -- OK
Checking validation result... - Warning: Validation result code indicates failure, result code = 0x0
So clearly the file "/usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE2_04.26.08.fls" isn't transferred properly! Something is amiss somewhere...
Could it really be that it can't download the update file to the iPhone due to USB problems? Surely Apple has access to fault tolerant file transfer protocols they can use?
Sigh... now I'm without my primary phone... grrrr... arrrrg... should have waited....
Apple maybe you could learn something about "ACID TRANSACTIONS" and include them into the update process to guarantee either 100% success or 100% abort rollback?
I don't know if this is relevant but now in iTunes on the iPhone page it no longer shows any values at all for the "name, capacity, software version or serial number" fields which is kind of spooky. Does this mean that I need to take the phone in for service? Is it permanently toast?

Answer 1

Just visitied the Apple Store in Vancouver and wasn't allowed in! They had a wall of orange shirts AND two mall SECURITY guards preventing people from entering UNLESS you were there to purchase a new iPhone 3GS!
The orange shirt gave me grief refusing to allow me to see a service person! So I asked to speak to his manager. Matt showed up and read me the same riot act of BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! They claimed it was the first day since they opened that they closed their Genius Bar!
The fact remains that it was APPLE's Update that bricked my iPhone that I depend upon.
So the manager went off to get his boss when I asked him too. I think he was just glad to get away from a rational insistent customer spoiling their wonderful happy Apple day selling new phones.
So a non-technician showed up and offered to take my phone into the store and try to update it. She lied. She returned to tell me that my warranty was expired due to the "water litmus" paper being RED. ***? You've got to be kidding! I've NEVER had it anywhere near water! The lie was that she didn't actually try to connect it and that she was going to secretly find out if my warranty was void. Not what I call informed consent.
So I asked her to check and try updating the phone anyway and off she trundled. Less than no time she returned telling me that my iPhone couldn't be seen by three of their computers! ***! It was working on my three computers at home!
In fact as I type this it's running another update this moment. About 3/4 done.
So now Apple's Update Bricked my iPhone which was working perfectly without any problems. If they hadn't brought their update out the phone would still be working just great!
Needless to say I'm extremely annoyed yet composed (for the moment).
So my options at this point seem to be to (1) replace the phone for ~260.00 CAD or (2) upgrade to a 3GS for an indeterminate amount if FIDO permits it, or (3) hope that Apple home base gets their act together with a new iTunes update which can at least get the phone working again, (4) toss the phone off a bridge, (5) sue Apple and FIDO for their negligence in providing faulty software updates that bricked the phone. Grrr... Arrrggg....
Oh, it just failed the update again! At least it can be seen by my computers (two mac and one vista box).
Ok, now what...
CHECK YOUR iPhone warranty voided strips to see if they are RED/PINK! If it's only iPhones with RED that are the problem then maybe that's the cause. HOWEVER, if even ONE iPhone has this problem and it's not got a RED water strip then it's conclusive that the problem is elsewhere - basic diagnostic process and rock solid logic. Please check your RED WARRANTY VOIDED STRIPS and let me know here... you check them with a flash light at the bottom of your iPhone in the slot where the SIMM card is and where the dock/cable connector goes in. Shin the light into there and move the phone or the light about till you see either a 1/4 inch long strip - RED/PINK means you Apple won't honor your warranty or their craftsmanship.
Ok... now to find out how much it will cost to upgrade to a 3GS on the FIDO plan. Sigh. Grrr... arrrggggg....