How to get iPhone 3G past activation, want to use with T-Mobile?

[stutter55]

Just purchased a used Apple iPhone 3G from my friend. Before she sold it to me, she put the phone in reset mode and erased all her contacts/applications.

However, when I turn on the iPhone...it is in emergency mode and it asks me to connect to iTunes. The iPhone is locked to AT&T and I believe has 3.0 software on it. (Not sure 3.1.2 or 3.1.3, or even older...but not 2.0 for sure!)

My end goal is to get it to work to T-Mobile. From what I have researched (about 4 hrs), I will need to jailbreak & unlock it. However I can't even get past the activation screen.

I have read this link:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/942632/

It seems to say I need to upgrade to 4.0 first and then jailbreak/unlock. How do I go about doing that?

Below are my questions:

1. How to get past activation?
2. What software to jailbreak?
3. What software to unlock?
4. How to upgrade to OS4.0?

From my research, I am looking for a untethered jailbreak...This http://jailbreakme.com site seems cool but I can't even get to it on the iPhone because I am stuck in emergency mode. If you can't tell, I am new to this...I am worried about bricking this phone.

Thanks
Michael

 

[Stuart21]

I believe if you download blackra1n you can get the phone activated without having an att sim card. I don't know a way to get the phone activated on 4.0 without an att sim card. I would recommend not upgrading to 4.0 on the 3g it runs very slow and you can't even use the multitasking feature. Download blackra1n by googling it and then open the program and click make it rain. Then it should boot it out of the connect to itunes screen and allow you to jailbreak the phone and unlock it. Hope that helps.

 

[thekarbunkler]

ran into this problem yesterday. i ended up using an ATT sim card that was not active and it worked. or just find someone with ATT and pop in their sim. it takes no longer than 60 seconds.

 

[Myzhi]

Just use Redsnow. You can't use jailbreakme.com because it doesn't activate the phone.

 

[eastercat]

If you have the 3G, I suggest you skip 4.x entirely and stick with 3.1.3. As far as activation, you don't need to do that. I downgraded for a co-worker two phones that are on T-mobile.
You need to have either 3.1.2 or 3.1.3 (which you get from iclarified), redsnow and recboot. Put all of these into a folder on your desktop or some other place that is easy for you to find.
edit: these are instructions for use with a mac

Connect your phone to itunes.
Turn it off
Start DFU mode
Once you get the recovery message, press <option>+recover button
Choose either 3.1.3 or 3.1.2
Once done, kick out of recovery with rec boot
Start redsnow
Use 3.1.2
Find wifi signal
Use wifi to connect to cydia and d/l ultrasnow
Put T-mobile sim in

 

[SilentLight]

sorry...attempted to reply to the wrong post.

 

[stutter55]

ran into this problem yesterday. i ended up using an ATT sim card that was not active and it worked. or just find someone with ATT and pop in their sim. it takes no longer than 60 seconds.

I have a old ATT Sim. So i put in the sim and run it with iTunes? Wont it ask my ATT account info which I don't have b/c I am a T-Mobile user?

PS - I am on Windows XP

 

[stutter55]

Should I be using blackra1n or Redsnow to hackivate/jailbreak/unlock?

Are these tethered or un-tethered jailbreaks?

Thanks

 

[Myzhi]

Should I be using blackra1n or Redsnow to hackivate/jailbreak/unlock?

Are these tethered or un-tethered jailbreaks?

Thanks

Pretty sure all 3G phones are untethered. Use Redsnow. Dev Team hacks are more stable and hassle free than others.

 

[livlif]

I have a old ATT Sim. So i put in the sim and run it with iTunes? Wont it ask my ATT account info which I don't have b/c I am a T-Mobile user?

PS - I am on Windows XP

Just put the old AT&T sim in and it should get u past the activation screen on ur iPhone.

 

[miki66]

u need to activate with att sim card then jailbreak and unlock