Replacing phone w/3.1.2 old bootrom non-tethered jb

[swimkim]

Update: Got my replacement phone up and working just like I want. Thanks for the help!

I had an exquisitely perfect 3GS w/3.1.2, old bootrom, non-tethered blackra1n jailbroken since November. Two weeks ago it went for a swim... in my washing machine. (There's no smiley option for sobbing.) I tried the rice trick for a few days, and after that was able to create a backup (itunes 9.0.0.70 if it matters) and even answer calls, hear text/email alerts, and use it for 3G internet tethering; but the screen stayed dead. I sent it to Milliamp, but it's beyond what they'll repair. They're sending it back. I assume I'll still be able to connect it to itunes and use it for anything that doesn't require the touchscreen to actually work.

I'm considering spending a pretty penny to replace it with another 3GS 3.1.2 w/old boot rom and non-tethered jailbreak. It would cost a lot more than doing an out-of-warranty replacement thru Apple, but I need the non-tethered jb with no need to re-jailbreak on restart.

1. Is it possible to do a non-tethered JB on a brand new 3GS w/3.1.3? I've been studying this: http://jailbreakmatrix.com/images/jailbreakmatrix.png and reading forums till my head spins, and I'm still confused. Does the answer to that question depend on whether the SHSH from my original phone was stored w/Saurik, and would that be transferrable to the replacement phone? (I think I saved the SHSH, but is there any way I can find out for sure?)

2. If I get another 3GS 3.1.2 w/old bb and a non-tethered jb, can I keep that functionality and also restore the replacement phone with the data from my original phone's backup? Again, if it makes a difference, I think I saved my shsh on Saurik's server back in November, but I'm not completely certain.

Although I hope it doesn't come to this, I guess I'm willing to sacrifice my text history, notes, contact list and apps if that's what I have to do to have a non-tethered JB phone that I can also use for internet tethering. But I have one last question:

3. In your opinion, should I just suck it up and deal with a tethered JB until 4.0 comes out - and how long might that take, and do we even know if a non-tethered JB with internet tethering capability (all this tethering is so confusing) is likely to be possible with future firmware?

oops, one more question:

4. Is a fourth way involving diy physical repair even possible? (Milliamp said that I need a new logic board.)

 

[terraphantm]

Right now it's impossible to jailbreak a 3.1.3 3gs period, old bootrom or not. There will be an untethered jailbreak released in the new future, but since it's not a bootrom exploit, it won't be "pwned for life" on the new bootrom devices.

If you do get a 3.1.2 phone w/ the old bootrom, then yes you can jailbreak it untethered, and restore from the backup of your original phone (keeping your texts, call history, etc...)

The SHSHs you have saved aren't relevant, since they are unique to each individual phone.

 

[AppleHack23]

Right now it's impossible to jailbreak a 3.1.3 3gs period, old bootrom or not. There will be an untethered jailbreak released in the new future, but since it's not a bootrom exploit, it won't be "pwned for life" on the new bootrom devices.

If you do get a 3.1.2 phone w/ the old bootrom, then yes you can jailbreak it untethered, and restore from the backup of your original phone (keeping your texts, call history, etc...)

The SHSHs you have saved aren't relevant, since they are unique to each individual phone.

That is not entirely true, actually most of it is false. You can have a custom 3.1.3 firmware on a pwned iPhone 3GS, if it has the old bootrom. You can do this by using the Windows application, Sn0wbreeze, which is an unstable Jailbreak and is not recommended by me or most of the people here. Also, when someone makes an untethered Jailbreak for devices with newer bootroms, that is a bootrom exploit. Otherwise if it weren't, we'd still have tethered Jailbreaks. Well we kind of do, since they haven't released it yet. What you're thinking of is a USB exploit. They haven't found one yet for 3.1.3 on the 3GS. They're working on it though.

 

[Applejuiced]

I say go for an out of warranty replacement.
Sooner or later there will be a jb available and even untethered for newer 3GS.
It doesn't have to be a bootrom exploit but we can wait and see.

 

[swimkim]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. OK, so I get that the SHSH thing is irrelevant if I'm replacing the phone. What I'd still like to understand is: if I do get an older jailbroken 3GS w/3.1.2, is there a way around the requirement to upgrade to 3.1.3 when restoring from my original phone's backup?

You can have a custom 3.1.3 firmware on a pwned iPhone 3GS, if it has the old bootrom.

So this means that if I want a jailbroken 3GS right now, I need an older phone from a third party, since if I go through Apple it will have 3.1.3 and newer bootrom and therefore even the inferior sn0wbreeze hack won't work?

Also, when someone makes an untethered Jailbreak for devices with newer bootroms, that is a bootrom exploit. Otherwise if it weren't, we'd still have tethered Jailbreaks. Well we kind of do, since they haven't released it yet. What you're thinking of is a USB exploit. They haven't found one yet for 3.1.3 on the 3GS. They're working on it though.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit I don't understand the significance of a bootrom exploit vs. usb exploits or other jailbreaks; are they easier for Apple to shut down? And when you say we "kind of" have tethered jailbreaks, what is it that "they haven't released" yet? I guess I don't have to understand all this in order to make a decision, but I'm curious.

I say go for an out of warranty replacement.
Sooner or later there will be a jb available and even untethered for newer 3GS.
It doesn't have to be a bootrom exploit but we can wait and see.

Thanks for this perspective. I guess it comes down to cost vs. utility & immediate gratification. The out of warranty deal would save me a few hundred $, but depending on how long I'd have to go without a jailbreak, the higher price might be worth it to me. (Also, the more I spend, the more careful I'll be with my phone in the future.)