iPhone 5s constant white scree with apple logo

Scenario: A friends iphone 5s was indefinitely stuck on the white screen and apple logo until the battery ran out.

Apparently this can be fixed using third party software, but it has to be paid for which I didn't care to do.

Its was possible to restart the phone in update mode and get iTunes to check for upgrading the OS, except it errored, so the next thing is try a restore (not this will lose data not stored on iCloud):

To perform a restore.
1 get the latest iTunes installed,
2 plug the iPhone 5s in via usb,
3 hold home and hold power,
4 the screen will go blank, keep holding the home button, for a couple minutes
5 iTunes will find it and do prompts to download software (1.85GB)
6 let go of home button
7 when the download finishes, continue the prompts for restore.
8 once the phone is restored it restarts and prompts language (or no sim card)

The phone is now usable, but all your data is gone.

Note:
1. Turning the iPhone off is possible by holding down the home butting, and keeping it held while holding down the power button, The screen goes off, keep held 2 seconds more then release.