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

Unlocking iPhone 3GS with unknown firmware

E

ethanzh

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 5, 2011
34
0
Oslo, Norway
Hi, I recently bought a 3GS from a friend. She had completely restored the thing so it was on the connect to itunes screen. I do not know the firmware it was running and neither does she. How do I 1. Get past the connect to itunes and 2. Unlock it???
Step by step instructions would be much appreciated.

thx!

Note: I am on Sprint
 
Last edited:
Just connect it to itunes and set it up as a new phone then take a look. Why wouldn't you do that?
 
Give tinyumbrella a try. If it connects it will tell you what firmware and os is on it. Maybe even the baseband, I don't remember.
 
You can restore to 4.1 since apple for some reason is still signing it.
Then you will have to JB with redsnow and install the ipad bb to unlock.
And no you cant unlock without the jailbreak.
 
Applejuiced said:
You can restore to 4.1 since apple for some reason is still signing it.
Then you will have to JB with redsnow and install the ipad bb to unlock.
And no you cant unlock without the jailbreak.
Click to expand...

How do i restore if the phone is on the connect to itunes screen? Whenever i connect to itunes it say SIM isnt supported and nothing else
 
ethanzh said:
Must it be 4.1? or can i unlock with 5.0?
Click to expand...

Unlock base on Iphone's baseband. If you can put a customs OS5 on it with preserving its baseband, then if the baseband on it can be unlocked with ultrasn0w, then you can unlock it. The problem is that you can't put os5 on your phone now because Apple has stopped signing 5.0.
 
Crystal-RX said:
Unlock base on Iphone's baseband. If you can put a customs OS5 on it with preserving its baseband, then if the baseband on it can be unlocked with ultrasn0w, then you can unlock it. The problem is that you can't put os5 on your phone now because Apple has stopped signing 5.0.
Click to expand...
OK, so i put into DFU, restore with 4.1, jailbreak with redsn0w, how bout the unlock?
 
ethanzh said:
OK, so i put into DFU, restore with 4.1, jailbreak with redsn0w, how bout the unlock?
Click to expand...

Like I said above, unlock is depending on Iphone's baseband, Ultrasn0w can only work on the following baseband;

04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01, 05.13.04, 06.15.00 or 01.59.

So, you need to check the modem firmware (baseband) on your phone and see if it is one of the baseband above. If yes, then it can be unlocked.
 
dave420 said:
I am surprised noone mentioned it, but you can't use the 3GS on Sprint here in the USA.
Click to expand...

And no amount of software hacking will get around it because it's a hardware limitation.

Edit: Why did you edit that post? As far as I can see, you were correct. Did you figure out or notice something that I've missed?
 
Nermal said:
And no amount of software hacking will get around it because it's a hardware limitation.

Edit: Why did you edit that post? As far as I can see, you were correct. Did you figure out or notice something that I've missed?
Click to expand...

I edited the post because I noticed the op's location was Norway, so my "here in the USA" post possibly wasn't relevant. I thought maybe they had some sort of international roaming plan with Sprint that lets them use a GSM phone in another country. I am not sure if anything like that exists though. It still seemed odd to me.
 
Nermal said:
And no amount of software hacking will get around it because it's a hardware limitation.

Edit: Why did you edit that post? As far as I can see, you were correct. Did you figure out or notice something that I've missed?
Click to expand...

I saw the OP's location also so not sure if he's really talking about Sprint USA or there's Sprint in Norway also:confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back