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Jailbreak General Information

D

danieltx

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 22, 2011
1
0
I'm finding it difficult to find general information on jailbreaking my iPhone. The phone was originally jailbroken and unlocked by a friend. I want to update it to the latest possible iOS version, and it's time I stop relying on this friend for such tasks. Can anyone direct me to information which provides a good foundation for understanding how to jailbreak, what I need, the caveats, etc. in plain English? It'd be nice if the information is correct, too.

Here's what I've found so far... I hope it's correct.

- "baseband firmware" = "modem firmware"
- the "phone's firmware" = the iOS version
- people use different terminology for the same damn thing (see above)
- unlocking the phone can only be done after jailbreaking
- There is more than one way to jailbreak a phone
- a Mac may be required
- Instead of providing explanations for the layman, dev teams tend to use screen real estate to thank everyone who helped develop the hack. (I'm sure saurik and friends already know they're special; all that can go on a deeper page.)

Here's what ELSE I've found...
- There seems to be a lot of incorrect information out there. (As evidenced by the many posts I've seen which sound authoritative, but have a series of replies, from different sources, debunking all info. in the original post.)
- There does not appear to be an online source which explains and demystifies the iPhone's inner workings as it pertains to jailbreaking, or the jailbreak process itself. There are plenty of step-by-step tutorials, but they always lead me to unanswered questions.
- Many of the jailbreaking instructions I've found seem to be posted by 12 year-olds who do not know how to organize a complete thought. (Present company excluded, of course.)

My Resources...
- An unlocked iPhone 3S 16GB running version 4.0 (8A293) and modem firmware 05.13.04. It was unlocked using pwnage tool, and I have the original SIM used during the process.
- An old, rarely-used, non-Intel Mac running 10.4.11
- PCs running XP and Win7.

I'm not looking for a hand-out. I really just want a good place to learn how to reliably update my phone to the latest possible iOS without turning it into a paperweight.


Thank you in advance,

Daniel
 
Last edited:
danieltx said:
I'm finding it difficult to find general information on jailbreaking my iPhone. The phone was originally jailbroken and unlocked by a friend. I want to update it to the latest possible iOS version, and it's time I stop relying on this friend for such tasks. Can anyone direct me to information which provides a good foundation for understanding how to jailbreak, what I need, the caveats, etc. in plain English? It'd be nice if the information is correct, too.

Here's what I've found so far... I hope it's correct.

- "baseband firmware" = "modem firmware"
- the "phone's firmware" = the iOS version
- people use different terminology for the same damn thing (see above)
- unlocking the phone can only be done after jailbreaking
- There is more than one way to jailbreak a phone
- a Mac may be required
- Instead of providing explanations for the layman, dev teams tend to use screen real estate to thank everyone who helped develop the hack. (I'm sure saurik and friends already know they're special; all that can go on a deeper page.)

Here's what ELSE I've found...
- There seems to be a lot of incorrect information out there. (As evidenced by the many posts I've seen which sound authoritative, but have a series of replies, from different sources, debunking all info. in the original post.)
- There does not appear to be an online source which explains and demystifies the iPhone's inner workings as it pertains to jailbreaking, or the jailbreak process itself. There are plenty of step-by-step tutorials, but they always lead me to unanswered questions.
- Many of the jailbreaking instructions I've found seem to be posted by 12 year-olds who do not know how to organize a complete thought. (Present company excluded, of course.)

My Resources...
- An unlocked iPhone 3S 16GB running version 4.0 (8A293) and modem firmware 05.13.04. It was unlocked using pwnage tool, and I have the original SIM used during the process.
- An old, rarely-used, non-Intel Mac running 10.4.11
- PCs running XP and Win7.

I'm not looking for a hand-out. I really just want a good place to learn how to reliably update my phone to the latest possible iOS without turning it into a paperweight.


Thank you in advance,

Daniel
Click to expand...

Yes, they are synonyous. Unlocking is only possible after the jailbreak, and only possible on certain basebands or, as you like to call it, "Modem firmware." These are usually listed on the jailbreak's home site.
Also, YOU DON'T NEED A MAC AT ALL. Yes, Macs and PC's use different programs, but as of now both platforms have jailbreaks. Exploits are the holes in the iOS, and different exploits lead to different methods of jailbreaking (Bootrom, userland, etc.)
Don't know about the credits.
Yes, a ton of incorrect info is out there; they could brick your iPhone. Be careful where you get your guides. I personally find Redmond Pie to be helpful.
Of course they don't release the inner workings of the jailbreak; this would guarantee that Apple never knows the exploit used for the jailbreak, and therefore would lessen the chance that Apple could patch it up in the next iOS version.
Again, Redmond Pie is a professional blog that is written by adults. It gives a comprehensive and simple guide to jailbreaking.

The current stable release of a jailbreak is on iOS 4.2.1, and I don't know how to upgrade to a version where an SHSH blob (The signature of approval for Apple for restores) has not been saved and Apple itself is not signing. You might have to wait until iOS 4.3's stable jailbreak (Most likely Comex's JailbreakMe) comes out. Just in case, though, Mroogle for methods for UPGRADING to 4.2.1.
 
Nitpick - Unlocking does not necessarily require jailbreaking. But, it does then require a service provider that unlocks, which does exclude everyone on AT&T and a number of other carriers.
 
Thanks for all this great info. As a JB noob but long time iPhone user, I was very nervous to try my first JB last night. I had been working on 4.3 beta stuff so I had to downgrade to 4.2.1 and thus lost all my backed up info but it was so worth the hassle of setting up as a new phone again.

I can't emphasize enough how pleased I am with the 4.2.1 JB experience and all the great JB apps. It's truly amazing what this device can really do now. Why did I wait?
 
bmwhd said:
Thanks for all this great info. As a JB noob but long time iPhone user, I was very nervous to try my first JB last night. I had been working on 4.3 beta stuff so I had to downgrade to 4.2.1 and thus lost all my backed up info but it was so worth the hassle of setting up as a new phone again.

I can't emphasize enough how pleased I am with the 4.2.1 JB experience and all the great JB apps. It's truly amazing what this device can really do now. Why did I wait?
Click to expand...

I too was a beta-tester for iOS 4.3. In fact, I loved the Home Sharing so much that I couldn't downgrade. So, I'm now a beta-tester for the iOS 4.3 jailbreak, and it's fantastic! I really don't care if it's tethered; I charge it every night and carry a backup charger in my backpack anyway. iOS 4.3 jailbreak, totally recommended.
 
bmwhd said:
Thanks for all this great info. As a JB noob but long time iPhone user, I was very nervous to try my first JB last night. I had been working on 4.3 beta stuff so I had to downgrade to 4.2.1 and thus lost all my backed up info but it was so worth the hassle of setting up as a new phone again.

I can't emphasize enough how pleased I am with the 4.2.1 JB experience and all the great JB apps. It's truly amazing what this device can really do now. Why did I wait?
Click to expand...

Haha do I ever remember my first time. Every time I saw my phone being rebooted or re-sprung I thought I did something completely wrong. Glad you're enjoying it and welcome to the good side. :)
 
FYI:
Pwnage doesn't software unlock your phone. That's the responsibility of ultrasnow.
Do you have blobs? They determine what jb you can install.
If you haven't already, d/l tiny umbrella to your computer and hook up your iPhone. Save those blobs to your computer pronto.
Stay away from tethered jb unless you have no choice. Personally they're not worth the hassle. If you use your phone as an iPod touch, it might be worth it then.
 
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