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I think I have a legitimately bricked iphone. Experienced user.

Boydbme

Boydbme

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 30, 2008
50
0
So..

I was running 4.0.1 on an iphone 4 32gb on contract with AT&T. I jailbroke with jailbreakme.com and installed the usual jailbreak suspects (sbsettings, custom icons, etc.)

This is where things went wrong. I activated the phone toggle in SBsettings and after using it a few times my phone began reporting "invalid sim" up where the service is displayed. A respring did not fix the problem and so I did a reboot. After rebooting the phone asked me to connect to itunes and wouldn't let me into the phone.

Once I connected, itunes said that the phone was locked with a passcode (which it is) and that I needed to enter it onto the phone in order to connect. I could not enter the passcode, since it wanted me to connect to itunes so I was in a catch-22.

I put the phone in DFU mode and did a restore to the same version 4.0.1. Once the restore was done, the phone attempted to activate and hung for a while. Then itunes displayed a message "there is a problem with your iphone" and recommended I take it to apple.

The IMEI # has been reset to default and now starts with 0049 on the info screen available on the phone where it asks you to connect to itunes.

I cannot get into the phone, and restoring always results in the same outcome even when done on different computers.

so... am I totally bricked or is there still hope? I'm open to all suggestions. All of my google searching just brings up iphone 2g posts from 2007 when this was apparently more common.

thanks and I would really appreciate any help you can offer. I am a very proficient mac and iphone user and should be able to provide you with any more information should it be needed.

thanks in advance.
 
Uh oh, this may be the old error 23. Sure sounds like it. I had this happen on a 3GS last summer. All i could so was bring it to Apple and they exchanged it. Sounds pretty much like what is happening to you.
 
SpaceKitty said:
Uh oh, this may be the old error 23. Sure sounds like it. I had this happen on a 3GS last summer. All i could so was bring it to Apple and they exchanged it. Sounds pretty much like what is happening to you.
Click to expand...

Will they have an issue with the IMEI number being changed to the 0049 one? Or can this be attributed to a hardware failure in the phone or some other cause besides jailbreaking?

I mean, it is possible that this is a coincidental hardware failure and that SBsettings had nothing to do with it. right? lol :eek:
 
SpaceKitty said:
When this happened to me last summer, iTunes said that the IMEI and ICCID #s were unknown and that a repair was needed, iPhone can not take or make calls.
Click to expand...

ok, my IMEI number and ICCID number both have values currently. Really hoping that apple doesn't care.
 
Ok, try and restore the phone again and this time remember what the error code is and post it here. When I had this problem last summer, iTunes and my phone both told me that my phone was locked with a sim pin and to use the phone, I had to unlock it. Again that was on a 3GS and you have an iPhone 4 so it really sounds like it's exactly the same problem. On the iPhone 4 the symptoms may just be slightly different since it's new hardware.
 
The 0049 IMEI occurs when the baseband is corrupt I believe. Have you tried a DFU restore? Otherwise there's not much else you can do other than exchange it at an Apple store.
 
SpaceKitty said:
Ok, try and restore the phone again and this time remember what the error code is and post it here. When I had this problem last summer, iTunes and my phone both told me that my phone was locked with a sim pin and to use the phone, I had to unlock it. Again that was on a 3GS and you have an iPhone 4 so it really sounds like it's exactly the same problem. On the iPhone 4 the symptoms may just be slightly different since it's new hardware.
Click to expand...

There is no error code. just a page that comes up in itunes after it tries to connect to the store to activate. the page says

"there is a problem with your iphone. We're sorry, the iphone you connected may be damaged and cannot be activated for service.." it goes on to say they recommend taking it to apple and they provide a link to look for apple stores near you.

My fear of taking it to apple is the IMEI # starting with 0049 being a tell tale sign that it has been hacked.

moussekateer said:
The 0049 IMEI occurs when the baseband is corrupt I believe. Have you tried a DFU restore? Otherwise there's not much else you can do other than exchange it at an Apple store.
Click to expand...

I have tried a DFU restore. About to try downgrading if it will let me to see if that helps.

when itunes detects the phone in recovery mode and offers to update and or restore the info under the phone says

capacity: n/a
software version: n/a
serail number: n/a

is there any known way to repair the baseband on the phone? I didn't use ultrsnow or any tools. just a jailbreak. My fear is that the SBsettings phone toggle (the one with the airplane icon) somehow corrupted the baseband while being used. Does this sound possible?

thanks for all the replies so far.
 
You're fine dude. It's a problem that's known about. Set up a genius bar appointment, explain that your phone started giving you SIM errors, you did a regular restore and a DFU restore and all of your IMEI data is reset to default. Genius bar will swap your phone, you're up and going in no time.
 
Boydbme said:
I mean, it is possible that this is a coincidental hardware failure and that SBsettings had nothing to do with it. right? lol :eek:
Click to expand...

Not merely possible, but certain. Neither SBSettings nor JailbreakMe.com nor the Phone toggle can cause the kind of hardware failure you are experiencing. If you have problems that persist after a DFU restore, then you have a case of hardware failure, plain and simple.
 
Since rumors abound regarding 4.0.2 being released imminently, I'd try to get a replacement asap -- if you still intend to jailbreak.
 
thelatinist said:
Not merely possible, but certain. Neither SBSettings nor JailbreakMe.com nor the Phone toggle can cause the kind of hardware failure you are experiencing. If you have problems that persist after a DFU restore, then you have a case of hardware failure, plain and simple.
Click to expand...

Alright then! so very eerily coincidental hardware failure it is! Thanks for the responses everyone. unfortunately I'm out of a phone until at least Sunday as I am currently traveling away from home. Bummer.
 
thelatinist said:
Not merely possible, but certain. Neither SBSettings nor JailbreakMe.com nor the Phone toggle can cause the kind of hardware failure you are experiencing. If you have problems that persist after a DFU restore, then you have a case of hardware failure, plain and simple.
Click to expand...

This. Your hardware failed. It sucks, but it happens. Set up a gbar appointment, get it swapped. End of story.
 
Applejuiced said:
Why would they care?
Its obviously a problem and they will replace it for you as long as you're still under warranty.
Click to expand...

if you google iphone IMEI 0049 you get all kinds of jailbreak threads asking for help. that's why I thought apple might care. Wasn't sure if IMEI 0049 was a jailbreak only problem or not.
 
have you tried to do a regular iTunes restore?

if you are traveling, maybe look up an Apple Store in that area. you can go to any of them. and if they swap most likely you will get either 4.0 or 4.0.1 not the upgraded.
 
chargit said:
have you tried to do a regular iTunes restore?

if you are traveling, maybe look up an Apple Store in that area. you can go to any of them. and if they swap most likely you will get either 4.0 or 4.0.1 not the upgraded.
Click to expand...

You really need to read the posts in this thread before you post. He's restored a few times.
 
Try changing the lmhost file, so that it points to "74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com".

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\lmhosts.

This keeps iTunes from authenticating and will instead authenticate from cydia.

This will only work if your shsh is saved.
 
hidefguy said:
Try changing the lmhost file, so that it points to "74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com".

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\lmhosts.

This keeps iTunes from authenticating and will instead authenticate from cydia.

This will only work if your shsh is saved.
Click to expand...

I have my shsh on file with Cydia. any idea how to accomplish this on a mac though? it's all I have access to. Interested in hearing more about this.

chargit said:
I did read the posts! he never said he did a regular restore he just did a dfu restore. those are different!
Click to expand...

thanks for the response. unfortunately it is impossible for me to do a regular restore since the phone shows up in itunes but none of the options are available since it is not activated.
 
Boydbme said:
I have my shsh on file with Cydia. any idea how to accomplish this on a mac though? it's all I have access to. Interested in hearing more about this.
Click to expand...

Not a Mac user but try searching for \etc and instead of lmhost look for "host".
Good luck.
 
hidefguy said:
Try changing the lmhost file, so that it points to "74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com".

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\lmhosts.

This keeps iTunes from authenticating and will instead authenticate from cydia.

This will only work if your shsh is saved.
Click to expand...

ok, found instructions and added that line to my hosts file on OS X located in /etc/hosts

still no dice. I can't downgrade to 4.0 even though I had shsh for 4.0 saved in cydia

trying to restore to 4.0.1 give me error 1004
 
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