iPhone: Need some major technical advice on a "dead" to me 4S

[tjlmbklr]

Here's a short precursor: I paid someone else to repair a damaged power button for me. Then he said the digitizer wasn't working so he must have damaged the cable when he did the power button. So he fixed that with a new screen, Then he couldn't get the proximity sensor working so he worked on it for 2 more days when I finally said I will take it as is. I noticed on the drive home I had no sound (from bottom speaker) and no signal. So again I brought it back to him. He was never able to get those 2 to work again. He then suggested a recovery. I was on 5.1.1 and Jailbroke. He was not able to get it to restore. It was getting a (-1) error and sometimes a (3194). I have the phone now and have tried tinyumbrella, redsn0w and iTunes and I cannot get anywhere without an error. If it matters I get the (-1) during the "Udating Baseband" part of the recovery.

I assume what he did when he was working on it damaged something internally but why won't it get out of DFU or recovery modes?

Any ideas. I am seriously stuck and have no idea what to do and him and I shared 20 pages of emails and he wants nothing to do with fixing it.

EDIT: I should add I am not only trying to reload the 5.1.1 but I have tried updating/restoring to 6.0.1


HELP!!

[dhlizard]

Sounds to me like you picked the wrong hardware and software technician

A 4S has some major restrictions in order to restore it to 5.x.x
Firmware must be from iTunes restore, not OTA or factory fresh
Hash file must have been saved after the iTunes update.
And host file must be to Cydia, not Apple.

iClarified.com has a tutorial.

Honestly, if all the hardware damage you indicated is accurate, i suspect the phone is FUBAR !

[BumpyFlatline]

The following quote is taken directly from Apple's website regarding the (-1) error...
"This may indicate a hardware issue with your device. Follow Troubleshooting security software issues, and restore your device on a different known-good computer. If the errors persist on another computer, the device may need service."

And this is from the iPhonewiki...
"Error occurs when one uses the "last ditch" method for preventing baseband updates on the iPhone 4. The baseband does not get updated using this method. Use TinyUmbrella to kick it out of Recovery Mode."

[tjlmbklr]

Originally Posted by BumpyFlatline

The following quote is taken directly from Apple's website regarding the (-1) error...
"This may indicate a hardware issue with your device. Follow Troubleshooting security software issues, and restore your device on a different known-good computer. If the errors persist on another computer, the device may need service."

And this is from the iPhonewiki...
"Error occurs when one uses the "last ditch" method for preventing baseband updates on the iPhone 4. The baseband does not get updated using this method. Use TinyUmbrella to kick it out of Recovery Mode."

I have tried TU and RecBoot and both of them just get stuck in a loop and can never get it out of recovery mode. However, I can go from recovery to DFU and vice-verse but I cannot restore of exit either of the 2.

[braxton34]

Unfortunately, the guy broke your phone.
The baseband chip got damaged, which is the reason for the -1 error.
He probably flexed the logic board too much during assembly or disassembly.

The only solution would be to reball or replace the baseband chip, and I'm not even sure if that is possible...

He should buy you a new phone...

[roxxette]

Il save you from these one mate, the -1 error doesnt mean any hardware damage because ive seen it myself couple of weeks ago with a iphone 3g that someone try to update but the device had the ipad baseband so got stuck.

Im thinking what was that i did to bring it back but not sure how to apple on your iphone 4, what i did with these 3g was to roll back to ios 3 wich doesnt required saved blops.

If you had restore to ios 5 if you can and you will get that error, after that jailbreak using redsn0w and let us know.

[tjlmbklr]

Originally Posted by braxton34

Unfortunately, the guy broke your phone.
The baseband chip got damaged, which is the reason for the -1 error.
He probably flexed the logic board too much during assembly or disassembly.

The only solution would be to reball or replace the baseband chip, and I'm not even sure if that is possible...

He should buy you a new phone...

Unfortunately a Better Business Bureau complaint and 20 pages of emails (literally) is not changing his mind. He's not taking responsibility for it. I honestly don't even know if its worth a suing for small claims

[braxton34]

Originally Posted by tjlmbklr

Unfortunately a Better Business Bureau complaint and 20 pages of emails (literally) is not changing his mind. He's not taking responsibility for it. I honestly don't even know if its worth a suing for small claims

Probably not..
Is there a way to find out if others have had similar complaints with this business?
Definately avoid the place and tell everyone you know to avoid it too.

[gd6]

Ya, that guy destroyed your phone. It sucks to hear someone so inept attempting the repair, and I assume this isn't the first phone that hes damaged. I would expect that he wasn't using the proper tools, maybe a metal spudger/pry tool instead of a plastic one.

You have to remove the screen to safely replace the power button on the phone as the cables get in the way otherwise. The guy must have had little experience or just taking a shortcut that backfired on him (trying to bend the digitizer cable sharply to remove the screws holding the power button in place).

Does this guy have a shop or is he working out of his home? He definitely should replace your phone, but he sounds like a lowlife who doesn't want to take responsibility for his mistakes.

Also, The sound is a very easy fix, but the service issue is likely permanent (effectively making your phone into an ipod touch)

[tjlmbklr]

Originally Posted by gd6

Ya, that guy destroyed your phone. It sucks to hear someone so inept attempting the repair, and I assume this isn't the first phone that hes damaged. I would expect that he wasn't using the proper tools, maybe a metal spudger/pry tool instead of a plastic one.

You have to remove the screen to safely replace the power button on the phone as the cables get in the way otherwise. The guy must have had little experience or just taking a shortcut that backfired on him (trying to bend the digitizer cable sharply to remove the screws holding the power button in place).

Does this guy have a shop or is he working out of his home? He definitely should replace your phone, but he sounds like a lowlife who doesn't want to take responsibility for his mistakes.

Also, The sound is a very easy fix, but the service issue is likely permanent (effectively making your phone into an ipod touch)

He has a shop. It's very small and he works on all types of phones and tablets. What you said about removing the screen to get to the power button makes sense. Now I am even more mad at him.

I just wish I knew I had enough to take him to small claims.

[BFizzzle]

Originally Posted by tjlmbklr

He has a shop. It's very small and he works on all types of phones and tablets. What you said about removing the screen to get to the power button makes sense. Now I am even more mad at him.

I just wish I knew I had enough to take him to small claims.

if you win... you can make him liable for all court fees

[tjlmbklr]

Originally Posted by BFizzzle

if you win... you can make him liable for all court fees

So I hear, but he finally sent the phone back and I tried for a long time to restore it. Then tips here gave me a few things to check and next thing I know I have it all apart again.

So now I am met with the dilemma of, do I put it back together and try a small claims his word against mine even though I have 20+ pages of emails shared by him and I. Or do I sell the motherboard as is which they seem to still go for a good price on eBay, then use that cash to fix mine. If I do that then I have no proof the board was bad.

BTW, emails stand no ground in small claims.

[BFizzzle]

Originally Posted by tjlmbklr

So I hear, but he finally sent the phone back and I tried for a long time to restore it. Then tips here gave me a few things to check and next thing I know I have it all apart again.

So now I am met with the dilemma of, do I put it back together and try a small claims his word against mine even though I have 20+ pages of emails shared by him and I. Or do I sell the motherboard as is which they seem to still go for a good price on eBay, then use that cash to fix mine. If I do that then I have no proof the board was bad.

BTW, emails stand no ground in small claims.

not true.. you just have to verify the fact that it is there email..
for example.. if i had a roomate who didnt pay rent etc.. left me to get evicted.. i have emails of her saying she doesnt care.. when i inform her of eviction yada yada.. i then have the application for the apartment signed by her.. which shows the email on it.

not really sure how you could get a confirmed email of his..but yeah. good luck though getting everything straight.