problems jailbreaking unactivated 3Gs (4.2.1) with redsn0w

[potejam]

I have run into a series of problems while trying to jailbreak a 3GS currently running 4.2.1 with redsn0w 0.9.6b6. To sum it up, I am stuck in a recovery mode loop that various methods haven't gotten me out of... Any help from anyone will be very appreciated!

The first issue is that this is a used phone that has had all settings/content reset, is locked to a particular carrier, and does not have a SIM. So from the outset it couldn't go any farther than the emergency call screen.

From what I understand, it should be possible to jailbreak with redsn0w despite the fact that I have an unactivated phone. Before I get into all the problems I've run into, is what I'm trying to do even possible???

3GS
iOS 4.2.1
BB 5.15.04
Old bootrom (I think! Serial starts with 88926...)
redsn0w 0.9.6b6
TinyUmbrella 4.21.02
Windows Vista

[Simon]

Yes it is possible. Restore to 4.2.1 first. then you can use redsnow on it to jailbreak and activate. If you want to unlock you will have to do the iPad baseband update too.

Use idetector to find out what bootrom you have first.

[potejam]

Yes I do have the old bootrom.

I have tried restoring through iTunes to a downloaded 4.2.1 IPSW (shift restore), but I get a 1015 error upon completion, returning me to restore mode. I have tried getting out of this with TinyUmbrella but I just keep returning to recovery mode. I have tried the iTunes restore both from the recovery mode and from the DFU mode (which I got into with redsn0w). Both methods give me the same results. Should I just try to restore with the basic default iTunes option instead?

I have also just tried to do the jailbreak with redsn0w. The process seems to work fine, but it never gets beyond the "Installation Activation Bundles". It lags on that for several minutes (though the progress bar halts at various stages) then reboots to the recovery mode screen. And I'm pretty sure that after all that nothing has happened since TinyUmbrella reports my baseband to be unchanged (though I have been selecting to update it to 6.15).

A few things which may or may not be part of the problem. This phone was never jailbroken before (as far as I know) and apparently does not have any SHSH on file. I saved this with TinyUmbrella before trying anything, but maybe this didn't really work. Is this going to stop me from restoring to a downloaded 4.2.1 ISPW?

Another thing is that I can't turn the phone off. All I can do is go from recovery mode to DFU mode. In redsn0w the directions are to go into DFU from a phone that is OFF. I have to do the sequence from the recovery mode screen, which seems to work fine because redsn0w proceeds "normally". But maybe this is part of why the jailbreak doesn't seem to complete...?

[Simon]

If you are getting the 1015 error then it sounds like the iPad baseband is already installed. you will need a custom 4.2.1 to restore to. Do you have access to a Mac?

[potejam]

No unfortunately I don't have access to a Mac. The FW versions that can be downloaded are not adequate?

TinyUmbrella still reports my baseband as 5.14.04. Is it likely that it is reading the wrong baseband?

[Simon]

If you are stuck in recovery then tiny umbrella will report the last known baseband. Check your PM for a custom firmware.

[potejam]

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

I assume I should do it from the DFU mode?

[Simon]

You need to enter pwned dfu first with redsnow. Then restore to the custom one in itunes.

[potejam]

Hey that worked like a charm. Thanks!

So I didn't actually have to go back into redsn0w to jailbreak, though. After restoring to the custom FW my phone launched and recognized the third party SIM card I had already loaded into the slot, and was fully functional.

I don't have Cydia yet (or ultrasn0w for that matter) and yet I am unlocked. I just checked TinyUmbrella, and I have been updated to the iPad BB, but did NOT lose my GPS functionality.

Obviously I need to get Cydia to get my jailbreak apps, but I'm actually a little apprehensive about going in through redsn0w again. Is there any chance I am going to lose what I have right now by installing Cydia through redsn0w, and is there any other way to do it than that?

Thanks!

[Simon]

Thats the only way to get cydia on there right now.

[lolliluvs]

hi there i need custom fw as well this is exactly the problem im having...

[Simon]

check pm

[potejam]

So it turns out that I DID lose my GPS updating to baseband 6.15.0

I had thought all was good, but it was because the network positioning just happened to be very close to where my house actually is. But once I moved around I realize that it was not an active GPS reception (no blinking blue circle around "location") and it was off by quite a bit sometimes.

I thought I was one of the lucky ones, but apparently not. Really hope the Dev Team can get a fix for this one. GPS functionality is a pretty big feature of the iPhone.

[dave1970]

Sorry to hijack others thread. I have the same problem, bought a iphone 3gs with ios 5.0.1, in order to unlock and jailbreak I updated to baseband using redsnow, but unfortunately when i restarted it goes to the screen saying iphone and asking me to select language, country and trying to activate. Now I don’t have a sim, is there anyway you can send me the custom firmware in order to make my phone work again.
Thanks in advance
-Dave