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SIM doesn't want to work on iPhone 4S iOS 6.1.3

ThunderMasterMind

ThunderMasterMind

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 29, 2016
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I just restored iOS 6.1.3 on my 4S, and tried to activate it with the SIM card of my iPhone 6S, so I could go back and forth between phones without an issue, but It wouldn't activate (it did finish initial setup, so everything else is working fine). iTunes returned an error saying, "The iPhone "iPhone" could not be activated because of an unknown error occurred (0xE00002D). Please try again later." The phone just says Searching... but if I plug in the old SIM, the signal bars show up, but it doesn't work anymore because the card is deactivated.

Immediately I assume the newer SIM card (Nano with Micro-SIM adapter for the 4S) was too new to function with the older technology in the 4S, but I could be wrong. Any ideas?
 
You should be able to activate the 4s using the old deactivated SIM as long as you are on a WiFi network. Don't know why the SIM from the iPhone 6S isn't working. Perhaps it isn't making the proper contact using the SIM adapter?
 
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In my experience, a 4s running iOS 9 can take up to 10 minutes for it to register. That's what happened when I worked at Cricket and someone brought in a 4s to activate on a new plan. It was ridiculous. But I am not sure if it would be the same on iOS 6.
 
Applejuiced said:
How did you restore it to the old 6.1.3?
Click to expand...
OdysseusOTA with OTA blobs supplied straight from Apple's servers.
[doublepost=1479440187][/doublepost]
Freakonomics101 said:
In my experience, a 4s running iOS 9 can take up to 10 minutes for it to register. That's what happened when I worked at Cricket and someone brought in a 4s to activate on a new plan. It was ridiculous. But I am not sure if it would be the same on iOS 6.
Click to expand...
Well I guess I'll give it some time to attempt and process, I don't know... it's just weird.
 
ThunderMasterMind said:
OdysseusOTA with OTA blobs supplied straight from Apple's servers.
Click to expand...

I heard about issues with that process and people experiencing problems where the baseband chip doesn't function any more and you cannot use the phone as a phone any more.
So you can downgrade and just use as an ipod touch where in the end is pointless IMO.
Like said above it should activate with the old inactive sim also and let you in the home screen.
I'd try a normal restore with original ios firmware instead.
 
Applejuiced said:
I heard about issues with that process and people experiencing problems where the baseband chip doesn't function any more and you cannot use the phone as a phone any more.
So you can downgrade and just use as an ipod touch where in the end is pointless IMO.
Like said above it should activate with the old inactive sim also and let you in the home screen.
I'd try a normal restore with original ios firmware instead.
Click to expand...
The method I use doesn't have any baseband issues at all. I used it last November when I downgraded from iOS 7 and it worked perfectly. The old SIM card is recognized by the phone when I plug it in, so I guess it's just an issue with my new SIM.
 
ThunderMasterMind said:
The method I use doesn't have any baseband issues at all. I used it last November when I downgraded from iOS 7 and it worked perfectly. The old SIM card is recognized by the phone when I plug it in, so I guess it's just an issue with my new SIM.
Click to expand...

Weird, you're sure the whole process went through fine and with no issues?
Also did the phone activate with the old sim and let you in the home screen? Or are you still stuck at the activation screen?
Like mentioned above any iphone can activate with old inactive sim cards that have no service.
As long as the sim is from the carrier that the phone is locked to or if the phone is unlocked it will activate with any sim.
Maybe we need to move this thread to the hacks sections since you're using a jailbroken device and software hack to enter unsigned older ios version.
Probably others that used this JB method OdysseusOTA have valuable info or further details that could help you.
 
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Applejuiced said:
Weird, you're sure the whole process went through fine and with no issues?
Also did the phone activate with the old sim and let you in the home screen? Or are you still stuck at the activation screen?
Like mentioned above any iphone can activate with old inactive sim cards that have no service.
As long as the sim is from the carrier that the phone is locked to or if the phone is unlocked it will activate with any sim.
Maybe we need to move this thread to the hacks sections since you're using a jailbroken device and software hack to enter unsigned older ios version.
Click to expand...
The new SIM was installed before the phone booted into the Setup for the first time, I got the the activation screen, iTunes couldn't activate it, then the setup proceeded to the next step, like it didn't even happen.

And... no this shouldn't be in the hack section because this firmware is actually signed by Apple. It uses Apple's current OTA blobs for iOS 6.1.3, which pretty much means that this is signed and stock.


I just reset iOS in the settings app to try and re-activate it and I got this in iTunes:


unnamed.png
[doublepost=1479441649][/doublepost]I am using iTunes 11.4 though... perhaps I should attempt to activate it with the latest version.
[doublepost=1479441994][/doublepost]Update

The phone just did this:

image.jpg
 
For the iPhone 4S the only firmware version currently signed by Apple is 9.3.5
Not 6.1.3 that you installed via a jailbreak hack that can damage your baseband permanently.
It sounds like exploit installation issue.
This is not a stock ios issue, this a JB hack problem that should be in the jailbreaks section.

Read many people with baseband problems using this hack "Odysseus".

"There may also be problems with the baseband if you attempt to downgrade to a firmware with a different baseband than you are currently on. Make sure you check the baseband. I cannot stress this enough. If you only know how to click a “jailbreak” button and do not know much about the underlying components of iOS, please do not try this as you will probably mess up your device. I only recommend experienced developer use this tool."

http://dayt0n.com/articles/Odysseus/
https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/4nbmtx/question_iphone_5_ios_712_odysseus_activation/
https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/3r9o4i/release_iphone_4_4s_5_5c_ipad_2_3_bundles_for/
 
Last edited:
Applejuiced said:
For the iPhone 4S the only firmware version currently signed by Apple is 9.3.5
Not 6.1.3 that you installed via a jailbreak hack.
It might be a hardware issue or exploit installation issue.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Nope. iTunes will only install iOS 9.3.5, but Apple signs OTA blobs for iOS 6.1.3, 8.4.1, and 9.3.5. Which means that you can stitch the OTA blobs and install them that way. If you have a 4S on iOS 5, without a computer, you must update to iOS 6.1.3, then you can update to 8.4.1, then you can go to 9.3.5.

This is what OTA software update does, it doesn't go to 9:

image.jpg


Anyway, I don't know, it just refuses to work with the new SIM. Not that big of a deal, I just wanted to have this 4S as a backup and just a phone I could tinker with without messing with my current phone, but I guess that just isn't going to happen.
 
Applejuiced said:
I just posted more info and links above.
Looks like you might have messed up the baseband chip on your 4S permanently.
You might not be able to use that device as a phone again.
Click to expand...
Baseband should be just fine, when the tool finished, and I put the old SIM in after I tried the new SIM and it recognized it and Verizon popped-up in the carrier settings. It's not a baseband issue, it's just a SIM issue.
The tool I use is a Windows tool, and the tool double checks the Baseband and makes sure the baseband is ok. This Phone has never gone past iOS 7 so...
 
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