I recently bought a used virgin iPhone 3gs, with original 3.1 firmware. I have been researching online, looking for the best CURRENT jailbreak and unlock solution and am getting a little lost. The phone has 5.11.07 and I believe it's from 2009 week 37, which if I understand correctly, gives me a choice of untethered jailbreaks from either RedSn0w or Pwnage Tools, or BlackRa1n, (which I'm hesitant to try, due to it once destroying the baseband on another phone). I have both Windows 7 and Mac OSX available, so I was thinking about using Pwnage to get it up to 3.12 with a custom ipsw, then using Ultrasn0w to unlock through Cydia, but I'm open to other suggestions. I plan to store blobs and eventually go to the newest firmware possible (with Tiny Umbrella?) while preserving my baseband, but for now, older is fine. I looked at some posts on the forum here, and it seems like all the 3.1 posts are pretty outdated. Before I get started, I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking any jb/unlock options that might be easier or safer, or newer. Any thoughts?
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3gs with original 3.1 firmware - Pwnage or Redsn0w?
- Thread starter theeinferno
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You phone does not have to be JB to save SHSH blobs. Use Tinyumbrella and save them. Whatever blob(s) you can save is what firmware version you can restore if something goes wrong, during JB or etc.
If you stay at 3.1, you can use Redsnow to JB, and then, use Ultrasnow to unlock. If you wish to update to newer firmware, you must use a custom firmware file (one that keeps your current baseband). What custom firmware version you can use depends on what SHSH blobs you have saved. Thus, for example, if you want to restore with 4.2.1 custom firmware file, you must also have 4.2.1 SHSH blobs saved.
If you stay at 3.1, you can use Redsnow to JB, and then, use Ultrasnow to unlock. If you wish to update to newer firmware, you must use a custom firmware file (one that keeps your current baseband). What custom firmware version you can use depends on what SHSH blobs you have saved. Thus, for example, if you want to restore with 4.2.1 custom firmware file, you must also have 4.2.1 SHSH blobs saved.
Thank you for the advice
I did try to run Tiny Umbrella to save the 3.1 blobs, but it wouldn't work on my PC. I will update my Java and try it again, before attempting to move to 3.1.2. I also checked the iClarified "wizard" and the jailbreakme.com site, before posting this message, but the iClarified wizard gives instructions and links only for 3.1.2 (even if I tell it a lower firmware version) and jailbreakme gave me a "too old" error. Thanks again!
I did try to run Tiny Umbrella to save the 3.1 blobs, but it wouldn't work on my PC. I will update my Java and try it again, before attempting to move to 3.1.2. I also checked the iClarified "wizard" and the jailbreakme.com site, before posting this message, but the iClarified wizard gives instructions and links only for 3.1.2 (even if I tell it a lower firmware version) and jailbreakme gave me a "too old" error. Thanks again!
What SHSH blobs you can save has nothing to do with what OS your phone is currently running. It only depends on what Apple is currently signing / sending out, right now you and anyone can only save 4.3. If that is the case, your only options are to stay at & JB OS 3.1 or goto OS 4.3 with a 4.3 custom firmware file (one that keeps your current baseband = possible unlock).
OK, so if I understand you correctly, the saved TU blobs won't make much difference or be any help if there's a problem; I mainly just need to guard from updating the baseband, which I was mindful of anyway?
Correct. The saved blobs won't do anything right now, but maybe in the future, they will be helpful when JB and unlock comes out for 4.3 and you need to restore to it for some reason.
Do you need the unlock right now? If yes, you might as well take the chance an JB 3.1, and then, use Ultrasnow to unlock. If something goes wrong during JB, you can try restoring with a custom 4.3 firmware (one that keeps baseband = possible unlock). If that fails too, you will be force to restore to official 4.3 firmware and upgrade to 5.16 baseband = no unlock.
P.S. I'd rather use RedSn0w instead of Pwnage Tools, as you suggested, so I tried the download of RedSn0w 0.9.65c8, that is supplied in the sticky for this forum. With the regular, unmodified ipsw for 3.1 it gives me the error "unable to recognize specified ipsw". Tried again with a different download of the same ipsw, getting the same error both times. The file is named correctly and seems fine, so I'm not sure why it isn't being accepted, but I guess I could try it again with another version of Redsn0w, just in case.
I would use an old version of Redsnow made to work with 3.1. Google to find the correct version.