iPhone 3Gs not working ?

[kronas]

hello all, a friend of mine has an iphone 3gs on 3x firmwware im told, it is searching for carrier and on slide to emergency connect to itunes, upon connecting it to itunes it states that there is a passcode on the device and this must be removed however it gives no option to enter a passcode, the device will not turn off, so as it stands what do i do as the phone itself is useless ?

[Orby]

I have to ask the obvious question: is this phone your friend's? As in, they purchased it themselves directly from Apple or another reliable source? If they bought the phone themselves, did they set the passcode themselves?

It may be a phone that's been "locked permanently" from too many wrong passcode attempts... in which case, our options are very limited.

[kronas]

I have to ask the obvious question: is this phone your friend's? As in, they purchased it themselves directly from Apple or another reliable source? If they bought the phone themselves, did they set the passcode themselves?

It may be a phone that's been "locked permanently" from too many wrong passcode attempts... in which case, our options are very limited.

i dont know, however what i do know is that the phone may have been dropped/thrown and this has now happened, i have been told what the passcode it is i can see a i symbol its says unknown for imei and ccid.......