New iPhone User - Beginner Questions - Pre Jailbreak

[rockerboy402]

Hello TiPb:

I am a recent iPhone user, coming over from 4 years of loyal BlackBerry usage. While BlackBerry didn't really have "jailbreaking", it did allow you to install Hybrid Operating Systems. My move to iPhone was purely hardware, speed, and dependability. Over recent months the BlackBerry appeared to have fallen behind, but when I used the BlackBerry I spent days of research before installing a Hybrid OS. I'll pose my easy, hopefully 1-2 liner questions, first and then move on to the question that might prompt longer responses. I have read some of the other threads here, but I'd just like to make sure I'm clear on everything.

1) I'm on my work computer. I won't be home for some time to sync with my home computer. I can, however, backup my phone on my work computer. So the question remains: if I am going to jailbreak my phone, do I need to be able to sync my phone in order to get everything back on it if I need to do a data recovery or something? Or will a backup allow me to restore my contacts, emails, apps, etc. if I need to restore?

2) On the topic of restore, will jailbreaking my iPhone wipe it? Assuming I do it correctly, will it just layer on the OS modifications on top of the iOS without removing all my data?

3) I've heard of sn0wbreeze and redsn0w for jailbreaking. I am on a windows 7 64 bit computer. Which of the two should I use? If not either of those two, what is the best recommended? I will preface at this point that, while I do prefer simplicity and safety of my data, I am a Software Engineer so I have no problem going with a more complex jailbreaking solution if it is more recommended.

4) The big question. Why should I jailbreak? I've read all about the advantages, but what are the disadvantages? Sale me jailbreaking.

 

[rockerboy402]

I should also state that I have iPhone 4 with iOS 4.2.10. Is this okay?

 

[SnapThrow]

1. The backup that is created when you sync with iTunes is what you need to restore all your settings and most of your data to your phone (some data you restore by resyncing like music). So if you backup with iTunes at work you will need to restore to that same computer. And iTunes is a bit picky about syncing to more than one computer so you have to make a choice.

2. You don't restore when you jailbreak (you do that when you need to wipe the jailbreak) so it is non-destructive.

3. First question to ask if if your device can be jailbroken. If you are on iOS 4.3.3 then it is easy... navigate to jailbreakme.com on your device and touch "free." If you are on 4.3.4 or 4.3.5 you can jailbreak but it would be tethered and I would highly recommend staying away from that.

sn0wbreeze is Win only, redsn0w is Win/Mac ... I've only used redsn0w (until jailbreakme.com) and other than some people having problems getting the device in to DFU mode, it is easy. The software really holds your hand as far as that goes too ... tells you what buttons to hold when and shows you a timer.

4. Read the forums. For me -- better SMS with quick-reply (I use BiteSMS), glanceable information (I use Lockinfo) and better folder options/functionality (I use FolderEnhancer) are the three big reasons. I also use a few tweaks like Barrel, Five icon dock/switcher, SleepFX, SwitcherMod, and Weathericon to make my wall-garden Apple device more "mine."

 

[rockerboy402]

1. The backup that is created when you sync with iTunes is what you need to restore all your settings and most of your data to your phone (some data you restore by resyncing like music). So if you backup with iTunes at work you will need to restore to that same computer. And iTunes is a bit picky about syncing to more than one computer so you have to make a choice.

2. You don't restore when you jailbreak (you do that when you need to wipe the jailbreak) so it is non-destructive.

3. First question to ask if if your device can be jailbroken. If you are on iOS 4.3.3 then it is easy... navigate to jailbreakme.com on your device and touch "free." If you are on 4.3.4 or 4.3.5 you can jailbreak but it would be tethered and I would highly recommend staying away from that.

sn0wbreeze is Win only, redsn0w is Win/Mac ... I've only used redsn0w (until jailbreakme.com) and other than some people having problems getting the device in to DFU mode, it is easy. The software really holds your hand as far as that goes too ... tells you what buttons to hold when and shows you a timer.

4. Read the forums. For me -- better SMS with quick-reply (I use BiteSMS), glanceable information (I use Lockinfo) and better folder options/functionality (I use FolderEnhancer) are the three big reasons. I also use a few tweaks like Barrel, Five icon dock/switcher, SleepFX, SwitcherMod, and Weathericon to make my wall-garden Apple device more "mine."

I'm on Verizon iOS 4.2.10. Is that the correct version number I should be looking at because I don't even have the option to get to 4.3.3.

 

[Fausty82]

I'm on Verizon iOS 4.2.10. Is that the correct version number I should be looking at because I don't even have the option to get to 4.3.3.

Yes... the latest GSM firmware version is 4.3.5. The latest for the VZW device is 4.2.10.

 

[rockerboy402]

Yes... the latest GSM firmware version is 4.3.5. The latest for the VZW device is 4.2.10.

Thank you. So does this mean I'll be able to jailbreak with 4.2.10 on my phone?

 

[rockerboy402]

Also, tethered or untethered jailbreak?

 

[Fausty82]

Also, tethered or untethered jailbreak?

I haven't seen an untethered jailbreak solution for 4.2.9 or 4.2.10 (4.3.4 or 4.3.5 on GSM)... I think there's a tethered jailbreak for it, though.

 

[SnapThrow]

I should also state that I have iPhone 4 with iOS 4.2.10. Is this okay?

Your on Verizon... sorry, I assumed GSM on AT&T when I wrote my post with 4.3.3. I don't follow the Verizon JB info as closely but I do not think you can JB 4.2.10 yet...

 

[rockerboy402]

How much of a pain is it, if it is even possible, to roll my iOS back to a supported version for untethered jailbreak (4.2.8 I think from my research)?

 

[Fausty82]

How much of a pain is it, if it is even possible, to roll my iOS back to a supported version for untethered jailbreak (4.2.8 I think from my research)?

If you have not saved your SHSH blobs (basically, it's the authorization key provided by Apple that marks the version of iOS "active" and valid), you can't. Apple uses a signing process to activate the iOS version, and they only "sign" the most recent version that they have released - currently CDMA 4.2.10 and GSM 4.3.5.

The only way around that signing process is to have had that earlier version installed on your device and then to have gone through the process of saving the SHSH blobs (using a program like TinyUmbrella).

If you don't have the blobs saved from an earlier install, you cannot load/run anything but the current iOS versions. They will load fine, but the activation process that requires accessing the Apple servers will fail and you will be left with the functional equivalent of an iPod.

 

[Peligro911]

I should also state that I have iPhone 4 with iOS 4.2.10. Is this okay?

You can JB tethered but no unteathered yet not sure of there will be cuz ios5 is around the corner

On Verizon the ideal is 4.2.8 or gsm 4.3.3 so you can use jailbreakme site. Anything higher apple fixed the PDF exploit that jailbreakme uses jailbreakme exploit actually is what caused apple to push put a update.

If you do jailbreak and it'd done correctly it will not wipe your phone but always backup just incase.

I have always used redsnow to jail break if your not worried about baseband if you need to preserve baseband for unlocking that's when snowbreeZe comes in and makes custom Ipsw files that leave the baseband untouched

 

[rockerboy402]

Well that's disappointing that I can't unthether jb now. Guess I'll have to wait for someone to release an untether jb that I can use. And avoid updates lol.

 

[Fausty82]

Well that's disappointing that I can't unthether jb now. Guess I'll have to wait for someone to release an untether jb that I can use. And avoid updates lol.

And with iOS 5 looming on the horizon, I suspect that any exposures/holes in iOS 4.x.xx from here on out WON'T be updated/released... instead, I feel confident that they are concentrating on iOS 5... We may see a tweak or two, but I doubt much wholesale JB development for iOS 4 at this point in the game.

#justmyopinion

 

[Peligro911]

Well that's disappointing that I can't unthether jb now. Guess I'll have to wait for someone to release an untether jb that I can use. And avoid updates lol.

Ya I agree with Hank as far as iOS 4 gos .. Funny thing is I'm a team pure guy lol my iPad is on 4.3.5 but had issues crashing iTunes every time I sync a video in the pictures folder .. Not a biggie but took a min of frustration to figure it out. So pure people have disadvantages from upgrading too lol
I do jailbreak and unlock for other people so I do keep up on the news most of the times unless it a major improvement to the os don't update or at least wait till there's a JB out for it first lol

 

[Massie]

And as much as I'd always rather have an untethered jb, a tethered is certainly workable...after your initial setup, reboots should be few and far between.