I don't know what's wrong with 3GS

[johnboy11]

I know this is my first post but please help.

I was in Boston and bought a second hand iPhone 3gs and when i came home to Ireland and plugged it into my PC, my iTunes started to update software, firmware etc. It then got stuck in recovery mode and I received error 1015.

I followed this video and everything looked fine until it rebooted and i was back to square one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHrWsBmqUzw

I also tried to kick it out of recovery mode with Tinyumbrella which didn't work.

I'm desperate for help as I spent 250 dollars and might never get to use it.

 

[Europa]

Moved to iPhone Unlock.

You have to be really careful to not update unlocked iPhones until you're 100% certain the firmware you are updating to has an untethered jailbreak that hacktivates and an unlockable baseband. iTunes doesn't force you to update, so until you're sure it's safe, just click 'No, and don't remind me' when it says an update is available. Staying on older firmware is sometimes the only way to keep it unlocked with an untethered jailbreak.

Now to fix it. It sounds like the previous owner installed the iPad baseband on it to unlock. Do you know which firmware SHSHs he saved in Cydia? The first thing I would try is running RecBoot (try first) and Fix Recovery (try second) to exit recovery and then limera1n to jailbreak. You could also try running limera1n right now while it's in recovery mode. If that doesn't work and if you don't know which SHSHs are on file in Cydia, restore it. I'd start at 4.2.1. Modify your hosts file so it redirects to Saurik's server first. Then download the 3GS version of it at iClarified.com (don't use Internet Explorer - it saves it as the wrong file type). Then hold the shift key while pressing the restore button in iTunes and browsing for the ipsw file. You'll get a 1015 error after the restore. Then try RecBoot, TinyUmbrella, or the Fix Recovery to kick it out of recovery mode. If that works, run limera1n to hacktivate and jailbreak, and ultrasn0w to unlock (assuming it has the iPad baseband, 6.15.00).

 

[johnboy11]

thanks so much for the reply, is there anyway you could could go into more detail about the host file and sauriks server?
When you say to install 4.2.1 is that through iTunes?
Thanks, i'm completely clueless when it comes to this

 

[Europa]

Yes, in iTunes. But have you tried what I suggested to do first? Post back if that doesn't work and I'll link directions for modding the hosts file. Are you using a PC or Mac?

 

[johnboy11]

i tried recboot, fixrecovery and limera1n but they all did their thing and left me back in recovery mode, is this normal or is my iPhone really in bad shape?

 

[Europa]

It's fixable, it just takes some time. Knowing which SHSHs are on file would decrease that time. If you don't have time for this, you could sell it as an iPhone that's stuck in recovery mode and buy one that's unlocked. Just be sure you don't try to update it in iTunes.

How to edit the hosts file:
Mac-http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=7556
PC-http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=7557

SHSH and Saurik's server info:
http://www.saurik.com/id/12

Download the 3GS version of 4.2.1. If you get an 'ineligible for requested build' error when trying to restore to it, try 4.1. The hosts file must be modified prior to doing this.
http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=750

If it has the iPad baseband, you don't have to make a custom firmware for an old firmware version as long as the SHSH for it is on file. Otherwise, you have to use Pwnage Tool or sn0wbreeze to make a custom firmware. And you'll need to make a custom firmware if you ever want to update to the latest firmware.

 

[johnboy11]

I'm starting to worry now, I edited the hosts file and put my iPhone in dfu mode, then did the shift + restore. once iTunes extracted the software i got a 3194 error and stopped

 

[Europa]

If you correctly edited the hosts file, that error means there is no SHSH on file for 4.2.1 for your phone. You can try some of the other firmware versions just in case the previous owner backed one of them up.

Otherwise, you'll need to make a custom 4.3.5 firmware with Pwnage Tool (Mac only) and restore in DFU mode. It's a fully tethered jailbreak, though.
http://maypalo.com/2011/07/27/ios-4-3-5-jailbroken-using-pwnagetool-for-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch-guide/

 

[johnboy11]

since i'm on windows does that mean I'm screwed?

 

[PinkBanana]

since i'm on windows does that mean I'm screwed?

No you can always use snowbreeze for windows. I was in a similar situation and use windows, eventually with some patience, it worked for me. But if you know someone with a mac, pwnage tool is a lot easier.

 

[Europa]

No you can always use snowbreeze for windows. I was in a similar situation and use windows, eventually with some patience, it worked for me. But if you know someone with a mac, pwnage tool is a lot easier.

You have SHSHs so you could restore to something other that 4.3.5, though, right? You got snowbreeze to work? I thought you had someone else fix yours with Pwnage Tool? We don't know if he has any SHSHs. Apparently, he doesn't have 4.2.1. That's why I suggested trying 4.1. I don't think you can make a custom 4.3.5 with snowbreeze at this time. If he doesn't have any SHSHs saved, he'll need to make a custom 4.3.5 and Pwnage Tool can do that.

 

[Europa]

since i'm on windows does that mean I'm screwed?

Did you try 4.1 or 4.o.2?

 

[johnboy11]

I used 4.1 and got the 1015 error but recboot and tinyumbrella couldnt kick it out of recovery mode
edit: I tried fixrecovery and got a message on my iPhone saying "error, no successful firmware download after 60000 ms!"

 

[Europa]

Okay. I think you have a 4.1 SHSH since you didn't get the 3194 error with it. Try restoring to 4.1 two times in a row. Check the hosts file and make sure it is still modified to direct to Saurik's server before restoring.

 

[johnboy11]

I'm finally out of recovery mode but now I need to sim unlock the phone. Do I need to jailbreak to unlock or can i unlock it first?

Edit: I got it, thanks so much for all the help!

 

[Europa]

Awesome. Glad to help. So, did it work after you tried restoring it to 4.1 two times in a row then? Yeah, the jailbreak will hacktivate it since you don't have an AT&T SIM. Then install ultrasn0w and you should be set.

 

[PinkBanana]

You have SHSHs so you could restore to something other that 4.3.5, though, right? You got snowbreeze to work? I thought you had someone else fix yours with Pwnage Tool? We don't know if he has any SHSHs. Apparently, he doesn't have 4.2.1. That's why I suggested trying 4.1. I don't think you can make a custom 4.3.5 with snowbreeze at this time. If he doesn't have any SHSHs saved, he'll need to make a custom 4.3.5 and Pwnage Tool can do that.

I did get snowbreeze to work Mindi. According to his cydia it just says he has 4.3.5 saved. I will try snowbreeze to make a custom 4.3.5 and if it lets me then i'll post back here.

 

[johnboy11]

yep, i tried 4.1 twice and then fixrecovery kicked it out of recovery mode. Limerain and cydia jailbroke and unlocked it

 

[Europa]

I did get snowbreeze to work Mindi. According to his cydia it just says he has 4.3.5 saved. I will try snowbreeze to make a custom 4.3.5 and if it lets me then i'll post back here.

Alright. I just remembered you saying you couldn't get sn0wbreeze to work so you took it to a friend who fixed it for you. I've heard that sn0wbreeze hasn't been updated for 4.3.5. Pwnage Tool for 4.3.5 is tethered so I wouldn't use it unless my phone had no SHSHs on file.

yep, i tried 4.1 twice and then fixrecovery kicked it out of recovery mode. Limerain and cydia jailbroke and unlocked it

Cool. That was what worked for me when I fixed a friend's 3GS last week. He didn't know what SHSHs were on file or how the previous owner had unlocked it. After trying a few firmware versions, two restores in a row to a stock 4.1 finally worked.

 

[PinkBanana]

Alright. I just remembered you saying you couldn't get sn0wbreeze to work so you took it to a friend who fixed it for you. I've heard that sn0wbreeze hasn't been updated for 4.3.5. Pwnage Tool for 4.3.5 is tethered so I wouldn't use it unless my phone had no SHSHs on file..

Yes, but this was after I got back off my hols. It decided to fck up on the last day. I made a custom 4.3.3 with snowbreeze and re-jb. it's worked fine ever since