Please help-Re jailbreak and Unlock - Iphone 3G

[Bashy]

Hi,

I have an Iphone 3G 8GB that was bought in the US (I'm in the UK).
When the phone was bought it was bought 2nd hand and was unlocked and JB'd
That was a couple of years ago.
I have since bought a 3GS and now a 4S, but my 4 year old son has the 3G.
Today he managed to get into the settings section on the phone (which was hidden using SBsettings), went to General, Passcode, then set a passcode. Obviously, he doesn't know the passcode .

The main problem is the home button doesn't work. We have been using a little program (forget the name now) purchased through cydia to exit programs with a swipe on the base of the screen.

As I have no home button, I'm not able to put the phone into DFU mode.
I've retored the phone via Itunes (I panicked and had to do something as the boy was crying his eyes out).
I thought at least if I got a working phone, as least he'd have the basics (no mario themes etc)

I think it's installed the latest firmware and has hopefully got rid of the passcode, but I'm not certain as it's asking me to put in a SIM card to activate it.
I've tried my O2 card from my 3GS, but of course it's not recognised as it's the wrong carrier.
This is when I remembered it was unlocked (even though he doesn't have a sim card installed and just uses it like an Itouch i.e just for games.

The main problem is the fact the HOME button doesn't work I suppose.

Does anyone have any advice??

Cheers

 

[iDonev]

I hope this helps.

Edit: If the above didn't work, give this a shot.

Edit2: Just FYI - the gesture app you referred to is most likely Activator.

 

[Bashy]

thanks Idonev. Will give them a go.

Does that mean if I do the DFU mode, I don't have to activate the phone as I haven't got a valid sim.
Can I then go and unklock it? is that possible with no home button and the latest firware (whatever that is I think Itunes has now installed it).

Also, the 'gesture' app was something with a q in it. I paid for it, I know that much (through cydia)

Thanks again

 

[iDonev]

I will assume you have a PC (not a Mac).

You should do the following thing:

1) Download sn0wbreeze.
2) Download the latest iOS version (I believe it's 4.2.1) for the iPhone 3G (just google it)
3) Follow a tutorial such as this one to see how to create a custom firmware. Note: when choosing a mode, choose Expert and then go to General and check the "Activate Phone" option. Also opt to install the iPad baseband on the next screen.
4) Use the files from my previous post whenever you have to enter DFU.
5) After you restore to the custom firmware you'll have to unlock the phone (you'll see the No Service sign up top). Go to Cydia, let it refresh and install ultrasn0w. Reboot and you should be okay.

 

[Bashy]

That sounds excellent Idoven...will give that a try tonight. If I can get it working again, my son will be over the moon (and will be under strict instructions not to mess around again).
Thanks again

 

[1982ollie]

Hi,

You are going to have a problem here. As I found the only way to get past this screen is to put the correct sim car in (Which you can't do) or to jailbreak your phone with the latest version of Redsn0w, but to this you need to enter DFU mode.

Then you will need to install the carrier unlock from Cydia: Ultrasn0w. This would all work fine, but you wont be able to get into DFU mode, unless anyone else has any ideas on here.

The only other way you can do this, is to download version 4.1 of IOS and restore via itunes using it. To restore via itunes with a previous version you need to know where you have downloaded it of course on your computer. Then you will need to hold down shift and press restore with the mouse in itunes.

Select the file. This will then restore it back to 4.1. This version will allow you to get into the phone without having to activate. The if you want to jailbreak and unlock. Open safari with wi-fi or course. type JailbreakMe 3.0 / This will allow you to jailbreak your device without having to go in DFU mode. Once phone is jailboken, open cydia and then install ultrasn0w, this will then unlock you phone.

Try this and give me a shout if you get stuck or come across a problem.

Remember in the future, never update in itunes unless you have researched before doing so, as you will lose your jailbreak and your carrier unlock. Then when you try to fix, there may not be a jailbreak or carrier un-lock for the lastest version that you are running.

Hope this helps.

 

[1982ollie]

Hi,

Select the file. This will then restore it back to 4.1. This version will allow you to get into the phone without having to activate. The if you want to jailbreak and unlock. Open safari with wi-fi or course. type JailbreakMe 3.0 / This will allow you to jailbreak your device without having to go in DFU mode. Once phone is jailboken, open cydia and then install ultrasn0w, this will then unlock you phone.

Hope this helps.

I've just checked what versions are compatible on www. jailbreakme .com and I don't think 4.1 is compatible, however 4.2.6 through to 4.2.8, so I would suggest trying 4.2.6 first as the lower the IOS, the more chance you have of itunes doing a restore. As apple somewhere along the line stopped signing off IOS downgrading (Restoring to a lower firmware vision that is out). I believe it was somewhere around 4.3.

The reason you have to go down this route, is you can't get into DFU mode. All other jailbreak utilities require you to go into DFU mode. So this is why you have to use www. jailbreakme .com as this doesn't require you to go into DFU mode and can be done straight from Safari.

Just thinking about this if you just want this to work for you son as an ipod touch. Don't worry about the jailbreaking and un locking. Just restore back to version 4.1, this way your son will at least be able to use the phone. Are but you have no home button, so you will need cydia to install a gesturizer. But this is still an option i guess. I have never thought about using my phone with out a home button. Yeah, just thinking about it, its going to be a nightmare.

But I hope you can see where I?m going with this. Try downloading 4.2.6 first, restore with itunes the way i said above, then jailbreakme .com via safari. Then if it does work and you wish to unlock the carrier. Install ultrasn0w via cydia.

Good luck, hope it works for you.

Again you can shout me if you need some help.

 

[1982ollie]

I'm thinking that you have a 3GS, so give Idonev instructions a try, as this will work. If this is your first time jailbreaking with snowbreeze. It can be a little tricky. But that should work ok for you too.

Good luck

 

[iDonev]

1982ollie, iPhone 3G was capped at iOS 4.2.1. You cannot go higher (the same way you can't get iOS 4 on an iPhone 2G)

Also it's hard for me to imagine that you can skip the activation screen on iOS 4.1. Regardless, downgrading the OS requires that the user has their blobs saved in Cydia and since there is no such indication in this case, it's best to go the safe route of the latest firmware for the device.

Bashy , I forgot to mention one last (optional) step:

6) As this point the phone will be partially functional. The thing it will be lacking is push notifications (and reportedly worse battery life). Since the phone's user is quite young, I don't know whether you'll bother with this, but here's a tutorial on how to enable push notifications.

Clarification: by installing SAM you would fix the potential battery drain issues as well.

 

[1982ollie]

1982ollie, iPhone 3G was capped at iOS 4.2.1. You cannot go higher (the same way you can't get iOS 4 on an iPhone 2G)

Also it's hard for me to imagine that you can skip the activation screen on iOS 4.1. Regardless, downgrading the OS requires that the user has their blobs saved in Cydia and since there is no such indication in this case, it's best to go the safe route of the latest firmware for the device.

How did I manage to downgrade my device then. I didn't save any shsh blobs, I just downloaded 4,1 from snowbreeze. Then did shift restore in iTunes with no errors. Believe me, I couldn't understand myself. But I did work. Then I jail broke with redsn0w and used ultrasn0w.

Thanks for all you advise and comments.

 

[Bashy]

Thanks for all the comments guys...Have been following Idoven's steps have created the custom firmware, but having trouble getting phone in DFU mode without the home button.
The 2 links Idoven supplied, the first one doesn;t work and the 2nd is for Mac's (Windows only unfortunately).
Have found a video on youtube with a link, so am trying that now. Will keep you all informed.

Cheers

 

[Bashy]

Nope...can't enter DFU mode. Think the problem is because the phone currently is display the 'no sim card instaled' ;Insert a vaild sim card with no pin lock to activate iphone'
When connected and itunes opened, itunes just tells me to disconnect and insert a sim card.
Obviously I don't have one as I'm in the UK and the phone is from the US.

Both the DFU programs I've tried (one from idoven and the one from youtube) say:-
Looking for iphone
USBmuxlistenercreate: no error

Then stops there...
Can anyone help????

In hindsight, I shouldn't have tried to restore the phone through Itunes, but I panicked and just wanted to get rid of the passcode lock.

Any help would be much appreicated. Thanks

 

[iDonev]

Okay this is a long shot so keep your fingers crossed.

1) Make a copy of the original IPSW you downloaded.
2) Change the extension from IPSW to ZIP.
3) Extract the contents.
4) Navigate to Firmware -> all_flash.
5) Search the contents of this directory for two specific files: LLB.m ** ap.RELEASE.img3 and applelogo.xxx.img3 (The ** and xxx stand for characters that differ from device to device.)
6) Depending on the device/firmware you might have several subfolders. Delete all instances of LLB.m ** ap.RELEASE.img3 that you find. (there might be more than one)
7) Rename applelogo.xxx.img3 to LLB.m ** ap.RELEASE.img3 (replacing the ** with the appropriate characters for your device)
8) Close all folders and create a new ZIP file of the whole thing.
9) Now rename the ZIP to IPSW. (in future steps I will refer to this firmware as the custom firmware; the firmware created by sn0wbreeze is the sn0wbreeze firmware )
10) Now go and download RecBoot.
11) Use RecBoot to enter Recovery (not DFU) Mode. If successful, you'll see an iTunes logo on the phone and iTunes will allow you to restore the device.
12) Restore to the custom firmware (the one you deleted some files from)
13) If all goes well the phone should be restored according to iTunes but will not boot (black screen).
14) At this stage, open sn0wbreeze and choose the menu iReb -> Run iReb.
15) Select No and if everything is well you'll see a label saying "Exploiting with l1mera1n". If you get this far you have a cause for celebration! This means you've successfully gone in pwned DFU mode.
16) Now open iTunes and restore to the sn0wbreeze version of the firmware.
17) Continue following my original steps.

Edit: Oh! And don't forget to do Shift+Restore in order to specify the firmware.

Edit2: Decided to bring all steps in one tutorial

18) After you restore to the sn0wbreeze firmware you'll have to unlock the phone (you'll see the No Service sign up top).
19) Go to Cydia, let it refresh and install ultrasn0w.
20) Reboot and check your carrier logo. If it's there, you have cellular signal.
21) At this point the phone will be fully functional with two exceptions. The things it will be lacking are push notifications and reportedly worse battery life. Since the phone's user is quite young, I don't know whether you'll bother with this, but here's a tutorial on how to enable push notifications.

Clarification: by installing SAM you would fix the potential battery drain issues as well.

 

[Bashy]

Thanks so much Idoven...will give this a go tonight when the kids have gone to bed.
Needs to work really as off to Euro Disney tomorrow and the boy would love his phone back working on the train.
Will let you know how I get on.
Cheers

 

[Bashy]

Huge thanks to Idonev who sorted my problem with this Iphone 3G.
It involved teamviewer, Veency and many hours but got it all sorted in the end.
Thanks again Idonev, my son also says big thanks ;-)