DEAR GOD PLEASE HELP, Iphone 3G Hack, HELP HELP HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!

mrudes

Member
Jun 20, 2009
12
0
0
Visit site
Hello,


My name is Matt. I am severely disabled and have an iPhone on AT&T. I talked my Mom into buying an iPhone from eBay that was already unlocked for (after tax) about $800. I get it, set it up, works great. Make calls, goes on internet, great. Tried to download Shazaam, won't work, needs OS 3.0. Then I try to update it to OS 3.0, because none of the applications from the App store would download, and EVERYTHING HAS GONE TO HELL.

Seriously, my life is falling apart, I can't take this **** right now. I'm on the waitlist for UCLA Law, I feel like a worthless piece of crap, and I don't need a stupid iPhone making me feel like a deevolved monkey! If someone could help walk me step by step through the process of turning this $800 piece of **** back into a useable phone, I will bow down to your feet (see offer below)

THis is what happened:

The iPhone 3G came preinstalled with OS 2.1.1. It had a little sim card attachment that I put my Mom's T-Mobile SIM card onto, put that into the phone, and it worked just fine. OK. The sheet that came with the phone said "Don't update", but me being the freaking dumbass that I am, I said, "Screw it, I'll try updating." The Appstore wouldn't work, it needed OS 3.0, and the apps was why I wanted the phone for my Mom.

Now I'm in hell.

After installing OS 3.0, the phone now says that there is no SIM card installed. I tried to use Pwnage to get the iPhone BACK to OS 2.1.1, just so I can get the phone back to a place where it is a PHONE, but nothing is going right.

I'M PULLING MY HAIR OUT.

When I try to "Restore" the iPHone to the factory settings, by holding down "option" and clicking Restore, it looks like it'll work...until it says, "Error 1600", and it won't let me restore it, so I can't continue with the Pwnage stuff. I already ran Pwnage once, and even though it happened half an hour ago I don't remember the sequence of events----I think I updated to OS 3.0, freaked out, then tried to use pwnage, then freaked out.....

Please please please please please, I need help with the following:

1) Getting the iPhone of of 3.0 (which has turned it into useless brick) and back to 2.2.1

2) If possible, getting the phone to 3.0 AND working on T-Mobile.

I'm not uber-technologically knowledgeable, but I've been around Macs my entire life. I can't write Applescript, but I thought I knew enough to attempt pwnage. I am running Mac OS 10.5.6, aluminum Macbook Pro, about 2 years old.

So please, please have pity and help a cripple out.

Thanks,


Matt
 
Last edited:

Cut.n.Pasted

Active member
Jun 17, 2009
30
0
0
Visit site
Dude, you updated the iPhone to 3.0.

From what youre describing, your iphone is not factory unlocked. You're actually using some kind of "rebelsim" or "turbosim" which is an attachment to the sim that somehow makes the iPhone work with 3rd party sim cards, so it becomes "unlocked", but the phone itself is not really unlocked after all.

Most likely the turbosim you are using is not compatible with OS 3.0 and now you're stuck with a beautiful mp3 player.

Your options are:

1. Wait for ultrasn0w which is a little software patch that fully unlocks the iPhone with 3.0 OS. It will be released sometime this weekend.

2. Go back to previous OS. A headache for most people, even experienced iPhone users.

I can't help you with either! But at least now you know where you are standing.
 
Last edited:

Ghecko

Well-known member
Mar 11, 2009
201
6
0
Visit site
Your bricked bro, i am sorry to say it, you should of never updated just because you wanted to play with a APP.

Just sign up for ATT, thats the best i can tell you.
 

HHI944

Member
Jun 20, 2009
12
0
0
Visit site
search your local craigslist. Most likely there are some entrepreneuring individuals offering to jailbreak for a fee. One of them should be able to play SIM card swap around and get you where you jailbroken/unlocked (is ultrasnow out yet?) on 3.0.

Or, steal a friends sim that has an ATT iPhone and use it throughout the restore/jailbreak/unlock process.
 

Cut.n.Pasted

Active member
Jun 17, 2009
30
0
0
Visit site
Your bricked bro, i am sorry to say it, you should of never updated just because you wanted to play with a APP.

Just sign up for ATT, thats the best i can tell you.

Hmmm... the device is not technically "BRICKED" that would mean he permanently damaged the phone.

In his case, I believe, he just updated to 3.0 and it won't recognize the sim card. Which is normal.
 

mrudes

Member
Jun 20, 2009
12
0
0
Visit site
Follow-up Q's

Hello,

To CutnPaste and HHI944, thank you for HELPFUL responses. I didn't come on here to be "HA HA HA'd" at. But hey, if it makes you feel better to laugh at me because I made a mistake, go for it. I'm trying to get my mother a great phone without having to suffer through AT&T service where I live, which is sh$t. I guess that's pretty funny.

Ahem...my aside finished...I have a genuine AT&T activated iPhone 3G myself, so I have an AT&T iPhone SIM. How can I use this to at least restore the "turbosim" iPhone to 2.2.1 (the OS the phone came with) so that at least the stupid, overpriced "turbosim" will at least make the phone a PHONE? Like it was for two minutes before I updated?

It would seem easy to jailbreak an iPhone, with all the guides out there, but none of them are addressing my problem. I kept searching "Jailbreak iPhone 3.0" and would get links that say "iPhone 3.0 jailbroken! Yay!" but no download would be in sight--they all referred to Ultrasn0w, which I guess is the new Pwnage tool, but no one knows how long it will be till that comes out.

If nothing else, if someone could answer these following questions, I would be very grateful and would help me understand what my chances of success are:

1) Can I jailbroke the iPhone to the point that it will make calls and access internet on T-Mobile?
(this I already got answered...yes, except not on 3G...)

2). Can I access the Appstore, on the iPhone itself, and download apps (which would have to be in OS 3.0, because I guess non-updated phones can't download apps).

3) Would I be able to update the phone in the future, or would I need to continue to jailbreak it each time an update comes out?


If I can't figure this out by Monday, I'll look on Craigslist. I just had a bad experience with a Craigslist person who was paid to help get access to OS 9 files but never followed through....

Thanks!
 

obee1

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2008
98
0
0
Visit site
The 3.0 base band got updated when you upgraded to 3.0. This is why Dev-Team warns people that want to unlock their phones. I doubt even Ultrasnow will address your problem. According to what Dev-Team says on their site, once the base band is changed, the phone cannot be unlocked.

Sign up with AT&T if you want your phone to work.

For more info, check out the Dev-Team blog. blog.iphone-dev.org

You seem a bit confused on the difference between jailbreaking and unlocking your phone. While it needs to be jailbroken to unlock the phone, jailbreaking it will not unlock to be used on another carrier.
 
Last edited:

HHI944

Member
Jun 20, 2009
12
0
0
Visit site
I'm pretty sure he'll be able to unlock it once ultrasnow goes live. On the blog they mention that you won't be able to have cell coverage if you go ahead and update OS/Jailbreak until Ultrasnow releases.

OP, I would wait until Ultrasnow comes out (should be any day now) and put YOUR sim into the phone to restore it to factory then jailbreak then, obviously, unlock.
 

obee1

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2008
98
0
0
Visit site
I'm pretty sure he'll be able to unlock it once ultrasnow goes live. On the blog they mention that you won't be able to have cell coverage if you go ahead and update OS/Jailbreak until Ultrasnow releases.

You're right. My bad. I've been ignoring the unlock news, 'cause T-Mobile totally sucks in my area, so I'm stuck with AT&T anyway. :p
 

obee1

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2008
98
0
0
Visit site
I hate Tmobile and ATT coverage here SUCKS. I'm praying Apple goes to Verizon.

I'm the opposite...hate AT&T (I still can't believe they botched the MMS release), but T-Mobile coverage sucks here. Never had T-Mo, though, so maybe I'd hate them too, given the opportunity.

Totally with you on the Verizon thing though.
 

Cut.n.Pasted

Active member
Jun 17, 2009
30
0
0
Visit site
...I would be very grateful and would help me understand what my chances of success are:

1) Can I jailbroke the iPhone to the point that it will make calls and access internet on T-Mobile?
(this I already got answered...yes, except not on 3G...)

2). Can I access the Appstore, on the iPhone itself, and download apps (which would have to be in OS 3.0, because I guess non-updated phones can't download apps).

3) Would I be able to update the phone in the future, or would I need to continue to jailbreak it each time an update comes out?
...

1) Already answered...
2) Yes you can. As long as your phone is Itunes Activated. Non-updated phones CAN download apps, as long as you have the required OS version for that app. Most apps right now are either 2.2 or 2.2.1.
3) Everytime you update the iPhone FIRST you will need to check for a new Jailbreak/Unlock, which are released very fast thanks to the dev team guys. That is not really a problem, just wait a couple of days without updating until they release the JailBreak/Unlock.

And to clarify... Jailbreaking and Unlocking are two different procceses.

1. Jailbreaking allows you to install third party apps (non-Apple Store Apps) like cydia and installer for example)

2. Unlocking overrides the AT&T sim lock, so you can put any sim, from any carrier in the world.

PwnageTool (mac) for 3G only jailbreaks the phone, it does not unlock it. Neither does RedSn0w (the windows version). It just jailbreaks the 3G.

So.... wait for ultrasn0w if you want to use T-Mobile in your iPhone 3.0
 

Cut.n.Pasted

Active member
Jun 17, 2009
30
0
0
Visit site
Hey, reading some forums around tonight I read this post:

"If you're going to create a custom firmware using PWNage Tool and you're using Expert Mode, do NOT check the "Activate the phone" box in the GENERAL section if you have a legit carrier such as AT&T. Otherwise, you'll get no service. You may get bars but no Edge or 3G. I know this from personal experience."

That might fix your AT&T sim issue.
 

aros13

Member
Jun 20, 2009
19
0
0
Visit site
ok try this it worked for me on me on the betas for 3.0

1. try and restore it. This will not work and the screen should say connect to itunes with the cd and plug

2.hold down both the power/sleep button(located at the top right of the iphone) and the home button(located at bottom of phone, center button) for 15 seconds then release the home button and hold the power/sleep button for 2 seconds

3. Now download iphone 3g 2.2.1 5h11 firmware from tysiphonehelp . com then go to downloads and find iphone 3g 2.2.1

4. go down and pick iphone 3g 2.2.1 5h11 and save the file!

5. option restore to the 2.2.1 (5h11) firmware and you should be good to go

6. The phone wont be unlocked but it will be fully functional

7. WAIT for ultrasnow to come out
 

anon(52425)

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2009
1,508
11
0
Visit site
So this iPhone came to you NOT unlocked but Jailbroken. It came with a Turbo SIM which isnt software unlocked. So first you got lied to and paid 800 for an jailbroken 3G.

Then you went against what the note said (he probably should have told you why though) and updated anyway...

Rofl. UCLA law you say?
 

athynz

Member
Jun 1, 2009
5
0
0
Visit site
So this iPhone came to you NOT unlocked but Jailbroken. It came with a Turbo SIM which isnt software unlocked. So first you got lied to and paid 800 for an jailbroken 3G.

Then you went against what the note said (he probably should have told you why though) and updated anyway...

Rofl. UCLA law you say?

Dude, seriously not cool. Yeah he made a mistake but come on, cut him some slack.

I'm seriously jonesin for the QuickPWN 3.0 jailbreak... I D/Led redsn0w but I'm a bit leery of using it. Hopefully Dev Team will put it out soon as a Father's Day gift... LOL

To the OP - If it's not super critical I'd wait for a few days for the Dev Team to release the latest version of QuickPWn to jailbreak 3.0 and since they've already gotten ultrasn0w working to unlock 3.0 on the 3G you should be good to go upon the release. Just jailbreak, update Cydia, D/L ultrasn0w, and unlock. If you gotta have service on that phone sooner you might want to bite the bullet, restore to stock 3.0 and get service with AT&T... Good luck.
 

anon(52425)

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2009
1,508
11
0
Visit site
athynz...

I'm just saying is all. He shouldnt have updated if the seller included a note. It would be different if there was no notation included.

And if I were the OP, I would demand my money back...

800.00 bucks! For a used and LOCKED 3G?

Anyway, good luck OP.
 

mrudes

Member
Jun 20, 2009
12
0
0
Visit site
New Update:

I have successfully gotten the phone BACK to 2.2.1 using PwnageTool 2.2.5 and the ispw for 2.2.1. I had to insert my AT&T SIM from my working iPhone 3G into the "new" not-working iPhone 3G, then used PwnageTool to option-restore it. Now it looks like a basic iPhone, except with the Cydia and Pineapple logo.

That by itself is good news. I quickly tried sticking the T-Mobile SIM card into the phone along with the "ebay" SIM...I'll call it an assistant-SIM...(I put the assistant-SIM down first then the T-Mobile on top) but it didn't work. The SIM wouldn't register. It seemed for a split second it would...but it didn't. Maybe I had it upside down or orientated the wrong way...dunno.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to keep fiddling, I'll try again tonight.

However...do you think it's possible that in all the switching of SIMs back and forth that I damaged the assistant-SIM, and if I just bought a new one I'd be OK? ... Otherwise, I'll try again tonight.
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
259,994
Messages
1,765,266
Members
441,220
Latest member
Airwaysoffices