iTunes 1015 Error, tried everything. Nothing working iPhone 3G

[AdrianCubed]

I've got an iPhone 3G 16GB. It was jailbroken ages ago on 4.1 with 6.15.00 via Pwnage Tool.
A few days ago I noticed my App store app and iTunes app were missing from the phone, and unable to be searched. I was unable to load apps onto the phone via iTunes as well. So I figured let me kill two birds with one stone, and update from 4.1 to 4.2 jailbroken/unlocked and the subsequent restore would fix the Appstore Apps not showing up. I figured it would be straight forward.

I was immensely wrong.
Following iClarified's guide using PwnageTool for mac update/jailbreak/unlock to 4.2.
I downloaded RedSn0w (latest) to no avail as well.

The phone has bricked itself (Showing the USB to iTunes) screen. It wont restore, keeps giving Error 1015. Despite MANY attempts and videos and google searches, and using TinyUmbrella/iReb/Fix Recovery/Rec Boot. Restoring to custom firmwares, restoring to Stock firmwares. All have failed. I cant get the iPhone to even restore legit in iTunes.

Frustrated, I tried to downgrade back to 3.1.3. Going as far as downloading Pwnage tool 3.1 the 3.1.3 ipsw and 3.1.3 Custome ipsw. Either I did something wrong, but it didn't work. Something about Bootneuter. Regardless. For the first time in my jailbreaking history I cant seem to fix this one myself.

I need help, If I can just get this effin thing to restore then I can do the rest.

 

[AdrianCubed]

... anyone?!

 

[Europa]

I already offered all of my suggestions via PM. I'd just keep trying to kick it out of recovery mode. Also, make sure it's in DFU mode.

 

[AdrianCubed]

I GOT IT TO WORK! lol.

Right, so what happens. I didn't need to use limerain, redsnow, or ANY of the recovery kick programs. After trial and error I figured the fact that the iPad baseband 6.15.00 is throwing the error, BECAUSE the iPhone is sending complicated messages to iTunes. (I don't have any use for the iPad baseband because prior to this whole debacle the phone was already on 6.15.00.)

Its an iPhone, with an iPad baseband, trying to restore to an iPhone 4.1 firmware and iTunes see's this as an issue. Using this logic, I figured because iPhones are on 5.xx.xx basebands they naturally wouldn't throw an error 1015 in iTunes I figured let me go back a few Jailbreak iterations. Namely to PwnageTool 4.1 and have pwnage tool make a custom ipsw WITHOUT THE IPAD BASEBAND. It built, the ipsw, went into DFU and then in iTunes alt/option restoring to that custom ipsw you've just made and after waiting the entire process completed, im in, everything works fine.

So as usual. Pwnage tool never ceases to fail me. (I've always used it for jailbreaking circa 2.x.x days)
You will need two things.
-Pwnage tool 4.1
-Standard 4.1/8B117 ipsw.

Have pwnage tool do its thing, make sure you make it build the ipsw package WITHOUT the ipad baseband. Then Have iTunes restore to that custom ipsw you just made. (On the chance that you get error 1015 again, try and restore it again to the custom ipsw).

Now, once "in" you can choose to setup as new iPhone or restore from a backup of your data.
You are jailbroken, if you wish to unlock then proceed to cydia and use whatever Sn0w unlocker is out these days.

What an effin palava this whole thing has been. I'm just gona leave it at 4.1.2 and call it a day. Although tempting it is to update it to 4.2 using the same logic, I REALLY cant be bothered. The next iPhone whenever it comes out, Im just gona buy a factory unlocked version in the highest GB size. I hope this helps anyone out there on Mac, who has an iPhone 3G on 6.15.00 baseband trying to update to 4.1 or 4.2 and you are stuck in the USB to iTunes recovery mode with 1015 errors and redsn0w/limerain/recboot/recoveryfix/tinyumbrella isn't working for you.

 

[Europa]

Glad to hear you got it working. Once the iPad baseband is on the phone, it's there to stay. You won't be able to remove it and you don't need to reinstall it.