RESTORE before or after JB/unlock?

[JBfilms]

Hi, I need to jailbreak my new 3gs 3.1.3. (5.12.01 old bootrom) and wonder how I get the old 2g phone backup on there... can I just restore with itunes before the whole jb /ul procedure?

anybody got exact instructions on jb/unlock procedure for that model also or a link?
thanks

[i.Annie]

Yes you'd want to restore before jailbreaking/unlocking. If you go the other way you're just wiping out your jailbreak/unlock with the restore.

Depending on how old the 2g back up is, you can or can't bring it up into the 3GS. If it was on 3.1.x it should be fine.

To get the back up into your phone, you can either restore your 3GS and restore from the back up, or you can extract most of the contents and SSH them into your 3GS.

If you'd rather go the easier restore way, you'd have to check for SHSHs on your 3GS to see if it can restore without being bumped up to 4.2.1. Since you need to unlock, you don't want to be forced up to 4.2.1.

[JBfilms]

thanks, Annie, but how do i extract contents? and how do I know if I will be force bumped to 4.2.1, can I cancel the process if I plug it into itunes and click restore? what if I do get bumped? (yes, I am a noob)

any direct instructions or link for the whole jb/ul procedure for my specific phone?

[i.Annie]

iTunes will tell you it's taking you to 4.2.1, you'd have to click OK to allow it. If you cancel in the process you'll probably mess your phone up. You can't get forced to 4.2.1 without your knowledge.

You should probably check your SHSHs to see if you have any saved with TinyUmbrella. If you want to know how to extract the contents, you should go ask x98car or iYeow or Google search. I have no idea how to do it. I never keep info on my phone in forms of back up or anything else for more than a couple months.

I can only give you jailbreaking steps if you find out if you have SHSHs or not and if you plan on just finding another method to extract your back up or if you plan on restoring.

[JBfilms]

yes, I went through some info with iyeow, but he's on his way to malaysia now i guess (he was in vancouver before or maybe that's his VN?). anyway i got the shsh info from tiny umbrella, but it only responded under 4.2.1, dunno what that means. you can see the conversation here:
need help pls: unlock/jailbreak 3gs and upgrade FW