Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

3GS on iOS 5.1.1, should I upgrade it to 6.1.3?

D

darrylcn

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 24, 2015
195
47
I've got my 3GS back and it's a DOG compared to my iPhone 5 on iOS 7, just as I remembered.... I'm wondering (assuming people remember the 3GS :D) if it's worth upgrading it to its last OS version it supports.

On 5.1.1 I'm having an issue with:
-Gmail not allowing Mail to connect (security reasons it looks like)
-iMessage quit working once I took my SIM out of the phone and put it back in my 5, in spite of it being activated and still on wifi.
-Messages that did go through don't show on my iPhone 5 (which btw is happily still able to iMessage sans SIM

Since the performance is already bad I'm hesitant to go up a version. Did anyone do it and think it was an improvement? I thought I remembered someone here saying 6.1.x ran better than 5x. Thoughts? Other than putting the 3GS back in the box and leaving it in the past of course, I'm just messing with it for a short hobby.
 
darrylcn said:
I've got my 3GS back and it's a DOG compared to my iPhone 5 on iOS 7, just as I remembered.... I'm wondering (assuming people remember the 3GS :D) if it's worth upgrading it to its last OS version it supports.

On 5.1.1 I'm having an issue with:
-Gmail not allowing Mail to connect (security reasons it looks like)
-iMessage quit working once I took my SIM out of the phone and put it back in my 5, in spite of it being activated and still on wifi.
-Messages that did go through don't show on my iPhone 5 (which btw is happily still able to iMessage sans SIM

Since the performance is already bad I'm hesitant to go up a version. Did anyone do it and think it was an improvement? I thought I remembered someone here saying 6.1.x ran better than 5x. Thoughts? Other than putting the 3GS back in the box and leaving it in the past of course, I'm just messing with it for a short hobby.
Click to expand...
If it was my 3GS, I would stay on 5.1.1. It is unlikely that iOS 6 is going to fix any of your problems. And while it does handle 6.x fairly well (I had a 3GS on 6.x) 5.x was faster.

Just my take.
 
Got it, thanks. I'm saving blobs from iFaith right now just in the event I go ahead with it. This is all new to me, I generally just don't upgrade too many iOS versions after I get a device. In fact this 3GS is the device I learned that hard lesson on and it's the reason my iPhone 5 is staying on iOS 7 forever. My 6S Plus sits under the tree with whatever it comes with, and I'll be cautious about upgrading it as I was with my 5. Looks like 9.2 is decent so far from what I can tell though. It'll be fun to have a current device again so I can feel comfortable enough to iOS upgrade, at least for a year. My 5's so smooth I think it offsets anything I'd gain by rolling the dice with 8 (now 9) on it anyway.
 
I know what you mean. My own iPhone 5 is on 9.0.1. It was replaced twice and each time was a forced upgrade to iOS 7 and then iOS 8. It's on 9.0.1 because I had intentions to trade it in and a restore was necessary for that.

In any case if there was any way I could get my 5 back to iOS 6.1 like it used to be I'd do it.
 
darrylcn said:
Got it, thanks. I'm saving blobs from iFaith right now just in the event I go ahead with it. This is all new to me, I generally just don't upgrade too many iOS versions after I get a device. In fact this 3GS is the device I learned that hard lesson on and it's the reason my iPhone 5 is staying on iOS 7 forever. My 6S Plus sits under the tree with whatever it comes with, and I'll be cautious about upgrading it as I was with my 5. Looks like 9.2 is decent so far from what I can tell though. It'll be fun to have a current device again so I can feel comfortable enough to iOS upgrade, at least for a year. My 5's so smooth I think it offsets anything I'd gain by rolling the dice with 8 (now 9) on it anyway.
Click to expand...

I just received my 5 that was supposed to be new, sealed in box. It has been opened and updated to iOS 9.1 and it was running like garbage so I went ahead and updated to iOS 9.2.1. It's still slow as hell even with reduce motion enabled. What I wouldn't give to be able to put it back to iOS 6. I'd even be happy with 7.1.2.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren
Unreal, thats tough luch for sure. Two oddly enough things:
1. My original 5 blew up last year and I got a replacement from our local Apple Store. I was dreading it having 8.x on it at that time (got the phone at the end of October '14) but it was sealed and 7ed when I opened it. I was thrilled.

2. My brother (on a 6S just texted me and said he updated to 9.2 and his phone is laggy as heck. I think he restored from a backup though, which I think is a no no. My Plus is getting set up as new. T Minus 3 days 4 hours here...
 
My advice would be to wipe the phone flat (after you've saved the blobs so you can roll back if you don't like it) and install a completely fresh iOS 6 on it. My iPhone 4 ran like a dog after I upgraded it to iOS 7 but wiping and installing fresh made it work well enough until I got my 6 plus.
 
Thanks Drok, I've got the blobs so it may be fun to see if it all works.

Here's the files it saved (also looks like I must have messed with it on my iPhone 5 in '13...)
iFaith%20Files.JPG



Are the ones from today (12/21/15) all I need if I want to downgrade? Other than the ipsw of course. Thanks for helping.
 
Last edited:
Quick update, fixed iMessage, I just disabled it then restarted phone and reenabled. Conversations not only work but they sync between my 3GS and my 5, regardless of which one has a sim card. Phone seems to be working better as I use it. Spotlight is off and I need to mind the amount of background apps but other than that (and google not allowing even its apps on ios 5) things are great. Just glad it's not my main device or it might impact the fun/nostalgia I'm having. Hehe.
 
Yeah I was not thrilled. I don't expect a clean install would make much of a difference on a device this old.

I'm contemplating keeping it just cuz it's so damn beautiful.
 
Knowlege Bomb said:
Those were definitely the best as far as feel in the hand is concerned. Slate iPhone 5 is the most aesthetically pleasing, IMO.
Click to expand...

I'd agree! My 5 is the black colored so I like the look a lot but this 3GS sure is nice to use. Pretty sure I could set it (or probably my iPhone 5) on the screen of my 6S Plus with room to spare, so there's that as far as real estate heh.
 
I'm contemplating giving it a try now that I have the blobs saved. Going to do some google work to ensure I have enough to revert if needed but if I do I might give it a whirl, even just to see if it's doable.

Quick question - would it be a valid test to just reinstall iOS 5.1.1? I'm assuming if I can pull off a fresh iOS 5 install it's logical to assume I can roll back to 5 from 6. Is that the case?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back