iPhone 3GS w/old bootroom - Can I jailbreak?

[Luch76]

After reading the notes regarding the PwnageTool released on June 22nd, I'm still not clear if I can use it or not. I'm hoping if I describe my scenario, someone can help me understand if I should be able to jailbreak using PwnageTool 4.0 or not.

My situation is:
I have a 3GS with the old bootrom.
When I had the iOS of 3.0 and 3.1.2, I would always use Pwnagetool just fine to jailbreak. However, one day about two months ago my iPhone crashed, and I ended up putting on iOS 3.1.3, and I used the Spirit jailbreak. That's where my iPhone is on now. So I do have the old bootrom, but I went to 3.1.3 (and then used Spirit).

So the question is, will the PwnageTool 4.0 work for me? I don't mind having to "wipe clean" my phone in order to use the PwnageTool, if that helps. I also have my SHSH's on file w/Cydia, if that helps.

I'm referring to this post:
PwnageTool 4.0 Released: Jailbreak & Unlock iOS 4

[ianbroste]

You're out of luck with the pwnagetool thats out since you used Spirit

[Poseidon79]

You can restore to a custom 3.1.3 pwnage firmware if you have your SHSH on file in Cydia.. then restore to a custom built 4.0 firmware to keep your jailbreak. It;s possible since you're on the old boot rom.

[MacDevil7334]

You can restore to a custom 3.1.3 pwnage firmware if you have your SHSH on file in Cydia.. then restore to a custom built 4.0 firmware to keep your jailbreak. It;s possible since you're on the old boot rom.

Don't you need to already be pwned before the device will accept a custom firmware? Whenever I tried to restore to a custom ipsw from stock firmware, the restore would fail.

Here's the proceedure I've used in the past. Note, this assumes you have SHSH blobs on file with Cydia for firmware 3.1.2. Otherwise you are out of luck until a new jailbreak tool is released.

1. Download a copy of STOCK 3.1.2 for the 3GS.
2. Use iTunes to restore to this firmware file (make sure you have pointed iTunes to Cydia's servers first).
3. iTunes will give you an error because your baseband does not match the firmware version and the restore will fail. Your iPhone will now be in recovery mode. This is normal. Exit out of iTunes.
4. Download Blackra1n and use it to jailbreak your phone. This will kick it out of recovery mode. Unfortunately, it will also hacktivate it and you will not get any cell signal. However this does not matter, because your phone is now jailbroken and will accept a custom firmware.
5. Use pwnage tool to create a custom 4.0 ipsw (do no check "activate the phone" if you have a legit carrier). Use pwnage tool to get your iPhone into DFU mode and you should be all set to restore to your custom ipsw in iTunes.

Note: sometimes there will be an error when trying to restore to the custom ipsw in step five. Not sure why this happens, but simply retrying the restore, or rebooting the computer and then retrying usually fixes the problem. If the error persists, try restoring to a custom 3.1.2 firmware FIRST and then restoring to custom 4.0 from there.

Hope this helps!

[Luch76]

Yikes, three conflicting replies.

I'll try the "simple restore" first, and then try your solution if it fails, so thanks for posting that.

[dhamien]

What Posiedon said is right. It's only possible if you have your 3.1.2 (or lower) SHSH file and downgrade using that.