Advice on Modding/Jailbreaking iPhone 4

[pwscottiv]

So, I'm on 01.95.00 and 4.0.2. I'd really appreciate some advice on jailbreaking and making modifications to my phone. First and foremost, I want to make sure my phone doesn't lose any performance or stability by the modifications I do to it. I know that jailbreaking can compromise my phone's security due to the fact that I can load whatever apps I want to it, but I can deal with that. What I don't want is to deal with annoying problems that are directly due to the jailbreaking/modding I choose.

Although I haven't done anything to my phone as of yet, I do have a LOT of experience with computers, software, warez, and modding other devices, so basically, I can handle nearly any level of difficulty required. That said, I do have a life and would rather choose a well proven method rather than spend the next year trying to get my phone to work properly.

At this point, unless I hear compelling reasons to do more, I really just want to be able to load applications without being tied to using the iTunes store. It would also be cool to be able to store files in various directories that I could access via USB or a web browser, but that's not super important. I guess modding might be cool too, but I honestly don't know what's available. Thanks in advance for the help!

-Scott

EDIT: I think I'd also prefer to operate unteathered, as I don't usually have my laptop with me, and it would suck to have my phone out of commission if it crashes.

 

[BlindMellon]

Best check out the iPhone Hack section. You've got a bit of research ahead of you.

 

[pwscottiv]

Best check out the iPhone Hack section. You've got a bit of research ahead of you.

Yeah, i have done a little research and there's a crap load of options out there... That's why I was asking for some advice from people who are really experienced with this already... I don't need to be given a comprehensive list of step by step instructions, but it would be nice to have a better idea of what the various options are and what the associated advantages/disadvantages are for each. For example, should I preserve my baseband? If I do, will there be any disadvantage in doing so? If I change my mind, is there a reliable method available to downgrade?

Thanks in advance for the help!

-Scott

 

[Givmeabrek]

The previously poster tried to tell you nicely. The fact remains that with all of your research you still landed in the wrong forum!!

 

[heisenberg123]

Yeah, i have done a little research and there's a crap load of options out there... That's why I was asking for some advice from people who are really experienced with this already... I don't need to be given a comprehensive list of step by step instructions, but it would be nice to have a better idea of what the various options are and what the associated advantages/disadvantages are for each. For example, should I preserve my baseband? If I do, will there be any disadvantage in doing so? If I change my mind, is there a reliable method available to downgrade?

Thanks in advance for the help!

-Scott

perserving basebands is only relivant if you want to unlock the phone, if its just a jailbreak you want then youtube how to jailbreak iphone 4.0.2 and you will see video demonstations

 

[pwscottiv]

perserving basebands is only relivant if you want to unlock the phone, if its just a jailbreak you want then youtube how to jailbreak iphone 4.0.2 and you will see video demonstations

I have indeed watched a few videos and skimmed the wiki page on jailbreaking. There's more than one recognized method of jailbreaking out there, and I was hoping to be able to get some advice as to which methods are better and why. I could spend the next month reading through hundreds of forum posts to get to the same conclusion, but I'm hoping to be able to largely avoid that if at all possible. Thanks!

 

[heisenberg123]

I have indeed watched a few videos and skimmed the wiki page on jailbreaking. There's more than one recognized method of jailbreaking out there, and I was hoping to be able to get some advice as to which methods are better and why. I could spend the next month reading through hundreds of forum posts to get to the same conclusion, but I'm hoping to be able to largely avoid that if at all possible. Thanks!

well you have to be specific i dont think there is that many options to jailbreak 4.0.2, i think Redsnow is the only option if not i would recomend using redsnow its very easy to use

 

[Kyotoma]

I would also recommend redsn0w. It's extremely simple. Find it on iclarified.com

 

[pwscottiv]

well you have to be specific i dont think there is that many options to jailbreak 4.0.2, i think Redsnow is the only option if not i would recomend using redsnow its very easy to use

I was thinking of using redsn0w as well. But what about pwnage tool to preserve my baseband. But I've heard that there's problems associated with preserving your baseband sometimes... And I don't really need to unlock right now... That being said, I don't want to box myself into a corner... Once I upgrade my baseband, is there a way back?

 

[heisenberg123]

I was thinking of using redsn0w as well. But what about pwnage tool to preserve my baseband. But I've heard that there's problems associated with preserving your baseband sometimes... And I don't really need to unlock right now... That being said, I don't want to box myself into a corner... Once I upgrade my baseband, is there a way back?

no you cannont downgrade your baseband, so you will have to descide if thats important to you before you pick your method of jailbreaking

EDIT: based on this doesn look like your baseband is unlockable so that might make your descission easier

http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=4253

 

[pwscottiv]

no you cannont downgrade your baseband, so you will have to descide if thats important to you before you pick your method of jailbreaking

EDIT: based on this doesn look like your baseband is unlockable so that might make your descission easier

http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=4253

01.59 is listed there... Is that not the same as 01.59.00?

 

[eastercat]

You wrote that you're on 1.95, hence iisforiphone's comment.
Like it or not, you have to read the forums until you understand what's going on. It doesn't require a large investment of time; an hour a night until you've got it figured out. If you really are technically minded, you should get the hang of it within a week or so.

01.59 is listed there... Is that not the same as 01.59.00?

 

[heisenberg123]

You wrote that you're on 1.95, hence iisforiphone's comment.
Like it or not, you have to read the forums until you understand what's going on. It doesn't require a large investment of time; an hour a night until you've got it figured out. If you really are technically minded, you should get the hang of it within a week or so.

this


if you have to ask what you should is to vague, choose what "you" want to do, reasearch how to do what it is you have choosen to do, if you get stuck then ask the how to's and state what you have tried and what step your stuck or confused by

first i would if i were you descide if you want to perseve your baseband then take it from there

 

[pwscottiv]

this


if you have to ask what you should is to vague, choose what "you" want to do, reasearch how to do what it is you have choosen to do, if you get stuck then ask the how to's and state what you have tried and what step your stuck or confused by

first i would if i were you descide if you want to perseve your baseband then take it from there

I don't think I'm going to bother preserving my baseband. I don't have a current need to unlock, I've heard that there can be problems with doing so, and that there can actually be advantages to keeping your baseband updated... I was just making sure my conclusions were correct, as it sounds like it's a completely permanent decision. As in, it's impossible to downgrade.

So seeing as I don't need to preserve my baseband, I'm planning to upgrade my firmware and baseband to the latest release, use RedSn0w to jb, and cydia to load apps. Does this sound like the correct choice? Are there any other, possibly superior, methods I might want to consider before going forward? Are there any additional mods/apps I should look at? Thanks a lot!

 

[heisenberg123]

I don't think I'm going to bother preserving my baseband. I don't have a current need to unlock, I've heard that there can be problems with doing so, and that there can actually be advantages to keeping your baseband updated... I was just making sure my conclusions were correct, as it sounds like it's a completely permanent decision. As in, it's impossible to downgrade.

So seeing as I don't need to preserve my baseband, I'm planning to upgrade my firmware and baseband to the latest release, use RedSn0w to jb, and cydia to load apps. Does this sound like the correct choice? Are there any other, possibly superior, methods I might want to consider before going forward? Are there any additional mods/apps I should look at? Thanks a lot!

yes you can upgrade to firmware 4.3.3 than use the latest redsnow to jailbreak

jailbreak 4.3.3 with RedSnow for MAC

http://http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=14567

jailbreak 4.3.3 with RedSnow for Windows
http://http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=14562


you can also youtube it if you feel video demo is easier to understand but those tutorials are pretty straight forward

 

[sbddude]

I would reccomend keeping the baseband anyway. If you ever need to travel internationally, or want to increase resale value it would be useful.

Preserving baseband is not that difficult - just use pwnagetool to make a custom IPSW and restore in itunes. What this means is that you run pwnagetool, give it the path at 4.3.3 firmware, and let it build the ipsw for you. You can leave all the defaults.

As for USB access to files and such, the iphone is not really good at that. You can use ifile (a cydia app) to manage files but it can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

 

[pwscottiv]

I would reccomend keeping the baseband anyway. If you ever need to travel internationally, or want to increase resale value it would be useful.

Preserving baseband is not that difficult - just use pwnagetool to make a custom IPSW and restore in itunes. What this means is that you run pwnagetool, give it the path at 4.3.3 firmware, and let it build the ipsw for you. You can leave all the defaults.

As for USB access to files and such, the iphone is not really good at that. You can use ifile (a cydia app) to manage files but it can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

Yeah, that's what I was wondering. There's actually a pretty good chance that I am going to be traveling internationally, and it would be nice to just be able to swap carriers and stay on the same phone. I have heard from several people that my phone may not perform as well with this older baseband though... Does anyone have any good data on whether or not there's any benefits? For example, I've heard that the reception is better on the newer basebands... I've also heard that the "increase" in reception is fake and just makes your phone show more bars... Have you heard anything either way? I have heard there's a problem in that after making a custom firmware with pwnagetool, theres only one bar that shows up, but that can be fixed with ultrasn0w?

 

[eastercat]

Any reception improvement is likely nominal. For people on 4.3+, there is an issue where the older bb has some clashes with the JB; people have to open the sim card tray and reinsert for things to get working properly. If you don't need the latest ios, 4.2.1 doesn't have any issues.
I'm still weighing if it's better to wait for ios 5 or suck it up and go to 4.3.3.

For example, I've heard that the reception is better on the newer basebands... I've also heard that the "increase" in reception is fake and just makes your phone show more bars... Have you heard anything either way? I have heard there's a problem in that after making a custom firmware with pwnagetool, theres only one bar that shows up, but that can be fixed with ultrasn0w?

 

[Benji222]

Any reception improvement is likely nominal. For people on 4.3+, there is an issue where the older bb has some clashes with the JB; people have to open the sim card tray and reinsert for things to get working properly. If you don't need the latest ios, 4.2 doesn't have any issues.
I'm still weighing if it's better to wait for ios 5 or suck it up and go to 4.3.3.

With the news of Unlocked phones being sold in the US I uped my BB.
No point no IMO

 

[eastercat]

Well, since I'm still on contract, I'll wait until the unlocked 2012 iphone; this'll give me time to save up the $750 for the higher capacity iphone. Also, I'm travelling to Canada in August. I'm pretty sure AT&T will refuse to carrier unlock my iphone, so I need the unlock.

With the news of Unlocked phones being sold in the US I uped my BB.
No point no IMO