iPhone 4S issue

[jav6454]

Ok, now, I'm rarely stumped on an iPhone issue, but this one takes the cake for me.

Ok small background. iPhone 4S was bought used by friend for himself. It was unlocked from another country to be able to be used in Honduras and had iPhone OS 6.0.1. He left the country (he lives in Honduras) to Denmark where the iPhone now displayed the "Invalid SIM" as soon as he put in a Danish SIM card. Now, he restores the iPhone using iTunes (with his old SIM in) and now the iPhone displays again "Invalid SIM". Meaning his old SIM card no longer works as well.

Here is the more interesting part. He is stuck at the Activation screen. He can't activate it (even though he has iCloud account and even a backup) because of the "Invalid SIM" error. I tried an IMEI unlock, but apparently it is a Verizon/Sprint flavor iPhone (which he didn't know & I didn't as well).

I want to make sure it is what the guy told me, but I don't have access to the Serial Number to check on Apple's website. Now the issue is: How do I get access to the OS main screen? How do I go unlocking this iPhone?

[Agent-P]

I'm not sure on the unlocking portion, but I can try to help with the other.

Is it a Verizon or Sprint model? You listed both, but it can only be locked to one of them. In either case, you could try buying a Verizon or Sprint global SIM from eBay (doesn't have to be active or anything). I had a Verizon model 4S and I was able to get through the activation by putting the Verizon SIM in there (even though I didn't have a Verizon plan). At least then I had access to the home screen.

But the SIM may be harder to find since neither of those carriers primarily use SIM cards (only in certain devices).

[jav6454]

No access to those... and I don't exactly which model due to not being able to check the Serial Number.

[Applejuiced]

Weird.
You won't be able to get in the homescreen unless you activate the phone. And that can only happen with a verizon or sprint sim depending what one is locked to. Or hactivate it when a new jb is released for the 4S.
Was it unlocked with a gevey? That's what it sounds like cause if it was unlocked for gsm use it would work fine with any sim outside the US.
Something your friend is not telling you the whole story.
There was some unlocks for verizon and sprint 4S models on eBay but those are all gone now and they required the phone to have a clean esn.
See if there's any new geveys that work with 6.0.1 I heard they were working on one.
Isn't the serial or imei inside the sim tray?

[Agent-P]

Maybe try finding a custom IPSW online that's already activated? I know there was an iOS 5 one floating around a while back. Not sure if there is one for iOS 6 or not.

Also, maybe try plugging in the iPhone to a computer and open up Redsn0w. In the extras>even more buttons there's an option to identify the device (which will show serial number and stuff). I'm not positive if it'll work, but it's worth a try

[jav6454]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

Weird.
You won't be able to get in the homescreen unless you activate the phone. And that can only happen with a verizon or sprint sim depending what one is locked to. Or hactivate it when a new jb is released for the 4S.
Was it unlocked with a gevey? That's what it sounds like cause if it was unlocked for gsm use it would work fine with any sim outside the US.
Something your friend is not telling you the whole story.
There was some unlocks for verizon and sprint 4S models on eBay but those are all gone now and they required the phone to have a clean esn.
See if there's any new geveys that work with 6.0.1 I heard they were working on one.
Isn't the serial or imei inside the sim tray?

Oh I forgot completely about the serial in the SIM tray! No Gevey as far as he is concerned. He told me everything he knows (I know he has since he is desperate).

Originally Posted by Agent-P

Maybe try finding a custom IPSW online that's already activated? I know there was an iOS 5 one floating around a while back. Not sure if there is one for iOS 6 or not.

Also, maybe try plugging in the iPhone to a computer and open up Redsn0w. In the extras>even more buttons there's an option to identify the device (which will show serial number and stuff). I'm not positive if it'll work, but it's worth a try

Tried this and failed miserably (knew it'd fail, but long shot). Had to go back to 6.0.1 (he didnt have blobs anyway)

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by Agent-P

Maybe try finding a custom IPSW online that's already activated? I know there was an iOS 5 one floating around a while back. Not sure if there is one for iOS 6 or not.

Also, maybe try plugging in the iPhone to a computer and open up Redsn0w. In the extras>even more buttons there's an option to identify the device (which will show serial number and stuff). I'm not positive if it'll work, but it's worth a try

Once a 4S is updated to 6.0 or 6.0.1 currently there is no way to jb or install custom ipsw's of any firmware version even if that particular iphone had shsh blobs saved.
The 4S does not have a bootrom exploit like the 3GS and i4 so only option is to wait for the new JB to be released for iOS 6.1

[jav6454]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

Once a 4S is updated to 6.0 or 6.0.1 currently there is no way to jb or install custom ipsw's of any firmware version even if that particular iphone had shsh blobs saved.
The 4S does not have a bootrom exploit like the 3GS and i4 so only option is to wait for the new JB to be released for iOS 6.1

Yeah I tried to make it go to 5.x.x. Never hurts even though I knew it wouldn't work.

I'm just stumped and like I said, I rarely do get stuck in stuff like this. I'm just kicking myself cause I know the answer might be something simple and stupid.

[AFDoc]

Not sure if this was said/tried but have you tried Tiny Umbrella?

[Applejuiced]

Very weird bro.
Its a CDMA iphone 4S unlocked for internation use and works fine in one country and then he goes to another country and pops a sim and all of a sudden "Invalid SIM".
I dont get it either.
I wonder if it first needs to activate with the original carriers sim either Sprint or Verizon and then will it work?
I think I heard something like that before with CDMA iphones unlocked for international use.
You can probably find/buy sims from either carrier on ebay for about $1 or so if you want to try it.

[jav6454]

I don't know what to do. I mean, he doesn't even know where he iPhone came from. He is Denmark so tryin to get a Verizon or Sprint SIM over there is out of the question due to shipping costs (not to mention time). So all I have is trying to break through that activation screen first.

[Applejuiced]

I wonder if its something else like maybe a bad sim or if taking out the sim cleaning it and reinserting will make any difference.

[jav6454]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

I wonder if its something else like maybe a bad sim or if taking out the sim cleaning it and reinserting will make any difference.

Been there, done that. Didn't solve the issue. He also tried with two different other SIMs.

[Agent-P]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

Once a 4S is updated to 6.0 or 6.0.1 currently there is no way to jb or install custom ipsw's of any firmware version even if that particular iphone had shsh blobs saved.
The 4S does not have a bootrom exploit like the 3GS and i4 so only option is to wait for the new JB to be released for iOS 6.1

Ah, I was not aware that installing custom IPSWs no longer works with iOS 6.X.X. That sort of puts a damper on things.

Still though, I am also stumped as to why switching countries caused the phone to freak out with the sims. The only thing I can think of is that whoever he bought the phone from didn't unlock it properly? Though I don't really know how an unlock could go bad or not apply correctly.

[chambone]

I'd verify the imei first, on one of those imei checker pages. At least that'll tell you the lock status on Apple's servers.

[jav6454]

Originally Posted by chambone

I'd verify the imei first, on one of those imei checker pages. At least that'll tell you the lock status on Apple's servers.

We did. It says locked. However, how the hell did it work before and now it doesn't?

[Applejuiced]

That's a mystery

[jav6454]

I called him up and recommended that he get a temporary phone while he gets back to the US. Maybe taking a closer look and hands on with the device might help.