[iMore Question]

The error message is "this username & password cant set up this ipad" please help.

[353786ma]

Are you on 9.3. If so just downgrade. Apple has stopped signing. Just google your device full name and thean ios 9.2.1. Once downloaded enter dfu mode. Connect your idevice to itunes. Hold the powe button and home att the same time untill your idevice turns off. Then realse the home button but keep holding the home button. Your screen should be black and itunes should say that your idevice is in recovery mode. Then press shift and restore and select your ipws which you downloaded earlier. Wait sit back and have a cup of coffe. After the restore it should activate.

[Rob Phillips]

Are you on 9.3. If so just downgrade. Apple has stopped signing. Just google your device full name and thean ios 9.2.1. Once downloaded enter dfu mode. Connect your idevice to itunes. Hold the powe button and home att the same time untill your idevice turns off. Then realse the home button but keep holding the home button. Your screen should be black and itunes should say that your idevice is in recovery mode. Then press shift and restore and select your ipws which you downloaded earlier. Wait sit back and have a cup of coffe. After the restore it should activate.

I DO NOT recommend downloading iOS from a third party and installing that on your device.

[Rob Phillips]

The error message is "this username & password cant set up this ipad" please help.

Welcome to iMore! Try going to http://appleid.apple.com and logging in, just to make sure you have the correct Apple ID and password and there isn't any account-level reason you can't log into your iPad. If all looks well there and you still can't activate your iPad, boot into recovery and allow iTunes to download and install a fresh copy of iOS. Follow the link for more info on that.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201263