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

kayidee805

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 15, 2011
5
0
alright,so I bought a iPhone 3GS from someone who had att so I had it unlocked/jailbroken to work for another service(SIMPLE MOBILE) and it worked. but then I tried to update it from its 4.1 to 5(which was available on itunes) and now it is stuck on the configure screen.I can only get as far as when it says "Activating your iPhone" then it while say there's a problem.so I need some help with this problem ASAP! thank you if your able to help.I am real frustrated with this problem.
 
alright,so I bought a iPhone 3GS from someone who had att so I had it unlocked/jailbroken to work for another service(SIMPLE MOBILE) and it worked. but then I tried to update it from its 4.1 to 5(which was available on itunes) and now it is stuck on the configure screen.I can only get as far as when it says "Activating your iPhone" then it while say there's a problem.so I need some help with this problem ASAP! thank you if your able to help.I am real frustrated with this problem.

That's the problem.
You never update a JB and unlocked iphone to official firmware.
It will lock up each time. The unlock its software based and not forever, you cant just update to whatever firmware is available on itunes.
 
with the latest firmware, you will need original sim to by pass the activation screen. There is no way to go around this. Original sim does not need to be active. Old/inactive sim works as well.
 
I have a old sim from ATT,do I just put it in and start it up with it?I have done that & it showed the same screen as it did when I used my new one.
 
I have a old sim from ATT,do I just put it in and start it up with it?I have done that & it showed the same screen as it did when I used my new one.

Yes, it should work fine. You don't even need to hook it up to Itunes, you can activate your phone directly from your phone. Making sure you have wifi connection and just follow direction on the phone.
 
Not sure what company "simple mobile" is or if you will need to JB and unlock it again in order for the iphone to recognize and be able to use your sim.
Just activating the phone might not be enough.
 
I plug it in and iTunes and it says "There is no sim card installed in the iphone you are attempting to activate" and when I try to do it on the phone I get an error screen (could not activate iphone)and just keeps asking to try again.so will I have to unlock it again?is there still hope for this phone?what are my options?
 
Sound like a hardware issue to me where your phone can't detect a sim card in it. Why don't you downgrade it back to 4.1, activate it and see what baseband you have inside, then we can guide you to the next stage.
 
but I cant get that far!ive tried 2 different att sim cards and this new one and none of them will activate the phone
 
I plug it in and iTunes and it says "There is no sim card installed in the iphone you are attempting to activate" and when I try to do it on the phone I get an error screen (could not activate iphone)and just keeps asking to try again.so will I have to unlock it again?is there still hope for this phone?what are my options?

That's what happens because you had the ipad bb installed and now you updated to official 5.0.1
Now your baseband is in inconsistent state and wont recognize any sim at all.
You’ll need to reflash the 06.15 baseband again (using redsn0w). Be very careful if you use redsn0w to reflash the iPad baseband — don’t interrupt the process.
And also you will need to downgrade back to 4.1 since ultrasnow unlock doesnt work with 5.0.1 yet. If you have researched you would have found all that out. So your attempt to go from JB and unlocked 4.1 to 5.0.1 is not as easy as you though by just updating with itunes.
 
That's what happens because you had the ipad bb installed and now you updated to official 5.0.1
Now your baseband is in inconsistent state and wont recognize any sim at all.
You’ll need to reflash the 06.15 baseband again (using redsn0w). Be very careful if you use redsn0w to reflash the iPad baseband — don’t interrupt the process.
And also you will need to downgrade back to 4.1 since ultrasnow unlock doesnt work with 5.0.1 yet. If you have researched you would have found all that out. So your attempt to go from JB and unlocked 4.1 to 5.0.1 is not as easy as you though by just updating with itunes.

Sorry to bump an old thread but I have the same issue.

I was running an UNLOCKED 3GS on iOS 3 or 4, can't remember which one it was, and then I stupidly updated the OS to 5.1.1 through iTunes. Since then I have been unable to activate the phone. So I used redsn0w 0.9.12b2 to revert the phone back to the iPad baseband/firmware and to unlock it once again. I used both iOS 3 and 4 IPSW and while I was able to get to the home screen and use apps etc. I am not able to get service or wifi (original SIM card in the phone during this whole time).

I believe that I am following the steps that Applejuiced has written but with no luck... any suggestions?
 
This is ALL NONSENSE ... Dont listen to them ive figured it out.

This is ALL NONSENSE ... Dont listen to them ive figured it out.

what you need to do uninstall your itunes comepletely, and also delete all files from User/Docuements/Music/Itunes folder. Then what you need to do is google "old itunes" and download version 9.2 as that is the oldest one that will accept the 3GS.

Then when older version installed, simply get your phone into DFU mode (google it if you dont know it) and itunes will tell you its found a phone that needs to be restored. then simply click the itunes restore.
Once complete, your phone will be downgraded from crappy ios 6.

Then you need to install the latest redsn0w (google it), i used version 0.9.13dev4. On there press jailbreak, turn off your mobile, follow instructions to get into DFU mode again. then click on the "Downgrade from Ipad Baseband", let it works its magic.

AND ... POW!!!

I am god, ive searched for hours and nobody could help me. so i say your welcome in advance.

Good luck.

Aaron :D
 
Certainly did, but the reason im posting this now, is this only just happened to me, and iv also noticed it happens to loads of other people every time an ios comes out from apple.

so dont use your frickin sarky comments with me sunshine, iv done many people a favour here and i dont appreciate sarcasm.
 
This is ALL NONSENSE ... Dont listen to them ive figured it out.

what you need to do uninstall your itunes comepletely, and also delete all files from User/Docuements/Music/Itunes folder. Then what you need to do is google "old itunes" and download version 9.2 as that is the oldest one that will accept the 3GS.

Then when older version installed, simply get your phone into DFU mode (google it if you dont know it) and itunes will tell you its found a phone that needs to be restored. then simply click the itunes restore.
Once complete, your phone will be downgraded from crappy ios 6.

Then you need to install the latest redsn0w (google it), i used version 0.9.13dev4. On there press jailbreak, turn off your mobile, follow instructions to get into DFU mode again. then click on the "Downgrade from Ipad Baseband", let it works its magic.

AND ... POW!!!

I am god, ive searched for hours and nobody could help me. so i say your welcome in advance.

Good luck.

Aaron :D

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I had been searching for hours and this fixed it.
I have a question though, afterwords do you re-install the current iTunes and you can upgrade to a jailbroken 5.1 OS right? I am a bit new to this. Thanks again!:D
 
This happened to me too, when I tried to reset it cause my mum said I could have it but it had all her old stuff on it. But, whatever you do, DO NOT UPDATE TO IOS6!
 
This happened to me too, when I tried to reset it cause my mum said I could have it but it had all her old stuff on it. But, whatever you do, DO NOT UPDATE TO IOS6!

Why NOT:confused:

Just so you don't like it that doesn't mean others won't enjoy iOS 6.
I have the 3GS, updated to iOS 6 and happy with it.

Oh, and maps do work for me, and I am not even in Europe or the US.
 
Why NOT:confused:

Just so you don't like it that doesn't mean others won't enjoy iOS 6.
I have the 3GS, updated to iOS 6 and happy with it.

Oh, and maps do work for me, and I am not even in Europe or the US.


Cause thats what breaks the iPhone! So don't use your sarcastic comments cause 3Gs just isnt good smart enough for iOS6!
 
I played the software unlocking chess game for years with Apple ... Meaning that I couldn't upgrade software because it would lock my iPhone ... Would have to wait for an unlock to come out etc

I would suggest saving hassle by getting your iPhone officially unlocked. Their are a ton of eBay auctions for doing this. Basically your iemi number gets puts into Apple's server as unlocked and when you hook to iTunes and go to take an update it authorizes. I have been officially factory unlocked since the iPhone 4 and can't be happier.
 
is still not working!!!!

Hi i ended up in this site looking for a same answer and i did what yoiu said and when i plu my iphone into itunes it said the iphone software upate server could not be contacted


This is ALL NONSENSE ... Dont listen to them ive figured it out.

what you need to do uninstall your itunes comepletely, and also delete all files from User/Docuements/Music/Itunes folder. Then what you need to do is google "old itunes" and download version 9.2 as that is the oldest one that will accept the 3GS.

Then when older version installed, simply get your phone into DFU mode (google it if you dont know it) and itunes will tell you its found a phone that needs to be restored. then simply click the itunes restore.
Once complete, your phone will be downgraded from crappy ios 6.

Then you need to install the latest redsn0w (google it), i used version 0.9.13dev4. On there press jailbreak, turn off your mobile, follow instructions to get into DFU mode again. then click on the "Downgrade from Ipad Baseband", let it works its magic.

AND ... POW!!!

I am god, ive searched for hours and nobody could help me. so i say your welcome in advance.

Good luck.

Aaron :D
 
Hi i ended up in this site looking for a same answer and i did what yoiu said and when i plu my iphone into itunes it said the iphone software upate server could not be contacted

Do you have the 3GS. Might have to do with your baseband being on 6.15.00
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.