3GS stuck at Green Poison boot image after system reset. DFU restore generates an error

[MinimusMaximus]

I just got given an iPhone 3Gs from a family member. I don't know much about this phone specifically, although I have JB'd a few phones in my day.
What I do know is she jail broke the phone using Green Poision (I know that because of the boot image).

Here's the deal: when I got the phone it was dead, so I plugged it in to the PC via USB when I got home. After a 1/2 hr or so I booted it up and it looked fine. I was able to browse the home screen and have a look around on the phone. Then I immediately went into the settings and looked at the FW and BB version (4.2.1 FW, 05.15.04 BB). After that I went into the Reset Settings and did a complete system reset figuring I wanted to start with a clean phone.

Here's where it all goes wrong...
Now the phone is stuck at the Green Poison boot screen. A hard reboot just takes it right back to the boot image where it hangs again. The phone pretty much just discharges itself until it shuts off.

I was however able to boot into DFU mode with iTunes but at the end of the restore (15 min later) I get an "Unable to Update or Restore..." error.

Not sure where to go next... HELP!!!

[jwil736]

What is the error number iTunes is giving you? Should say error 1600, or 3194 etc.

[MinimusMaximus]

Honestly I cant' remember right now. I'll have to check when I get home.

Question regarding the restore: should I be using a alternate firmware version to restore with (like a older version)?
When I tried restoring last night I just plugged it into DFU mode and let iTunes go out and handle the restore. I'm assuming it fetched whatever the latest firmware is.

[xboxbml]

What version were u trying to restore?.. If anything but the latest 5.0.1...u need shsh blobs...do u have those?...

[MinimusMaximus]

I wasn't trying to really restore to anything.
The phone was jailbroken (not by me) with GreenPoison at FW4.2.1. When I got the phone I went into Settings> Reset All Settings, in an attempt to wipe the phone clean of music, apps, photos etc.
When the phone rebooted from the reset it never booted past the GreenPoison boot image (apple/skull image).
So my only hope of rescue was to DFU into the phone, at which point iTunes took over. I'm not sure what FW it tried to restore it to.

I guess to answer your question; I don't know what version I was trying to restore to. What version "SHOULD" I restore to? Do i even have a choice? What are my options with this phone at this point?

Again, this was given to me already JB'd. If it were me I would not have used GP as an jb tool.

[jwil736]

It will be restoring to 5.0.1 , we would need to know the error number to help any further.

[xboxbml]

Yeah...if I were u I'd download tiny umbrella, plug phone in, run TU, click on phone name on left side of screen, click on save shsh on right side. Then click on advanced tab, check the request shsh from cydia check box, and the when connecting a device box. Make sure all other boxes are UNChecked. Then go back to general screen and click save shsh again. U should see all saved shsh blobs in gen tab..if u see 4.2.1 in there, u can download the 4.2.1 ipsw and put in dfu mode and shift+click restore to it! This will leave bb where it is...not sure if u unlock..

When u shift+click restore u have to run TU and click on start TSS server first..

If u don't care about unlock or being on iOS 5.0.1, just doing what u were doing should work. As stated need more on error...

[MinimusMaximus]

Yeah...if I were u I'd download tiny umbrella, plug phone in, run TU, click on phone name on left side of screen, click on save shsh on right side. Then click on advanced tab, check the request shsh from cydia check box, and the when connecting a device box. Make sure all other boxes are UNChecked. Then go back to general screen and click save shsh again. U should see all saved shsh blobs in gen tab..if u see 4.2.1 in there, u can download the 4.2.1 ipsw and put in dfu mode and shift+click restore to it! This will leave bb where it is...not sure if u unlock..

When u shift+click restore u have to run TU and click on start TSS server first..

If u don't care about unlock or being on iOS 5.0.1, just doing what u were doing should work. As stated need more on error...

I just downloaded and ran Tiny Umbrella but with the phone plugged in and in recovery mode TU does not display the phone on the left side of the window. It only shows "Show All SHSHs"

I tried restoring in iTunes using Shift+Restore and using a downloaded 4.2.1 FW and it came back with a 3194 error

"The iPhone "iPhone" could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (3194)"

[jwil736]

3194 means iTunes is looking to apple for a signature to validate the IPSW. You either have to change your hosts file to look at cydia's server or run the TSS in TinyUmbrella. After you've done one of these, close iTunes and reopen. Restart the SHIFT + Restore and should go through.

[MinimusMaximus]

Kay I did that but now I get an error 1600. I'm still using the downloaded 1.4.2 FW
This time iTunes got a little further in the restore process but not much.
Could it be that the first time iTunes tried to restore the phone and error'd out it attempted to flash a 5.0.1 firmware and now there are remnants of that FW?

But also my phone is still not showing up in TinyUmbrella. I'd expect the device's name to show up under "Show All SHSH's" but there's nothing.

[iYeow]

Your baseband is already Non unlockable, just restore to 5.0.1 from recovery mode. Do your downgrade after booted up.
Once you are at 5.0.1,
Run tiny umbrella
Select : request shsh blob from cydia
Click save shsh
Look under general tab for shsh blob.

[jwil736]

Sorry missed that, he is right. Good luck to your unlock.

[MinimusMaximus]

Sorry missed that, he is right. Good luck to your unlock.

...meaning now I wont be able to unlock now that my baseband is updated?

~EDIT~
Tried to Restore in iTunes with 5.0.1 and still getting the 1600 Error

[MinimusMaximus]

I was able to get my 3gs out of its coma.
I ended up having to download and install the latest version of iTunes then I let it restore the phone to the 5.0.1 with 5.16.05 baseband. Now it's an iphone again. Working on unlocking it now.

[xtacy]

You could have used ifaith ..

[MinimusMaximus]

You could have used ifaith ..

Tried that. No bueno...

This phone was literally stuck in limbo.