iPhone 3GS 3.1.2 JB with Black Ra1n: Take two

[Starchild]

I got my 3GS a few days ago (not sim free). Firmware version is 3.1.2, I'm a PC user running Win 7.

Here is the detailed process of my jailbreaking:

Downloaded Black Ra1n RC3 (from blackra1n.com).
Connected my phone, iTunes was on. Then I ran blackra1n.exe and clicked make it rain. It then took a few seconds, the phone rebooted itself, I saw the picture, reboot again, and there I have it: the black drop in the springboard.
I installed Cydia, and downloaded SBSettings. Cydia then left me no other option but to restart the device (after installation was complete). The phone came up in Recovery Mode (I'll call this RM since I'm going to use it again )
From this point I just couldn't avoid this damn RM. Everytime I started my phone it was just stuck on RM. I tried connecting it to a PC, iTunes wanted me to restore it. I tried pressing the "make it rain", this is what happened:
The picture came up almost immediately, then the phone shut off. I start it up manually, and then the phone is back again in RM.
Bottom line is: I couldn't get to the springboard, RM everytime

Luckily for me my data was backed up, and I have restored using iTunes (to 3.1.2 of course), successfully

Now I want to JB again, this time make sure I don't mess this up.

Here are a few things that might have (I'm not sure, but they're worth mentioning) screwed this:

First, was the phone supposed to restart in RM mode, first reboot since the Cydia installation? That quite sucks if it's like that all the time
Anyways, after this RM when cydia rebooted the phone my PC which was synced with this iphone wasn't near me. so I just connected my iphone to another pc which had itunes. Could this be a problem? (not using the original pc to make it rain)

iTunes was on when I first made it rain - can that be a problem?


Also I'm quite confused right now about this method of JB.

1. I see this tethered reboot (did I type this right? ) or w/e all the time. I understand that currently this JB with firmware 3.1.2 has a major limitation: each boot the JB'ed apps disappear. I actually thought that the phone would still work but w/o the jb'ed apps, whereas what happened to me was that the iphone was stuck RM - I hope it's not supposed to be this way.

2. Is there access to reading/writing in this JB? (DiskAid and iFile)?

3. Before restoring I saw that itunes was validating something with the restore. How can I make sure I will always be able to restore with itunes? If I hadn't clicked this option of keeping the ID of my phone in cydia, I would have not been able to restore?

4. Any guess what caused the iphone to be stuck in this RM loop?

So I want to JB again but this time make sure everything goes well.

Looking forward to help, thanks

[B1naryBand1t]

If your iPhone is post week 40 of 2009 you have to use a tethered boot everytime the phone reboots, check the 3rd, 4th and 5th digits of your serial number.. the 1st is the year the 4th and 5th is the week

I havent done it but from what i gather all you need to do is make it rain again and the phone will boot, but everytime you need to resart the phone due to any upgrades etc from cydia you will need to make it rain again

Hope this helps

If your iPhone is post week 40 of 2009 you have to use a tethered boot everytime the phone reboots, check the 3rd, 4th and 5th digits of your serial number.. the 1st is the year the 4th and 5th is the week

I havent done it but from what i gather all you need to do is make it rain again and the phone will boot, but everytime you need to resart the phone due to any upgrades etc from cydia you will need to make it rain again

Hope this helps

If your iPhone is post week 40 of 2009 you have to use a tethered boot everytime the phone reboots, check the 3rd, 4th and 5th digits of your serial number.. the 1st is the year the 4th and 5th is the week

I havent done it but from what i gather all you need to do is make it rain again and the phone will boot, but everytime you need to resart the phone due to any upgrades etc from cydia you will need to make it rain again

Hope this helps