iPhone iPhone 3g, 4.2.1, 05.15.04 jailbreak/unlock

[zedder17]

Hi,

I've recently acquired a 3g, 4.2.1, 05.15.04 that I'd like to jailbreak and unlock. From my previous readings a while back, the only way to unlock was to upgrade the baseband to 06.15, with never being able to ever downgrade. Is this still the case or was a way developed to keep your current baseband but still unlock??

If there was a way developed, can you please guide me?

Or if the only way to unlock is to upgrade to the iPad baseband (06.15), can some one please guide me with the easiest/safest directions!!??

thanks!

 

[Crystal-RX]

Hi,

I've recently acquired a 3g, 4.2.1, 05.15.04 that I'd like to jailbreak and unlock. From my previous readings a while back, the only way to unlock was to upgrade the baseband to 06.15, with never being able to ever downgrade. Is this still the case or was a way developed to keep your current baseband but still unlock??

If there was a way developed, can you please guide me?

Or if the only way to unlock is to upgrade to the iPad baseband (06.15), can some one please guide me with the easiest/safest directions!!??

thanks!

Before you go with the Ipad baseband which no way to go back down. Download tiny umbrella on your computer, run it with your phone hook up and see what bootloader is on your phone. If it has 05.08, then you can downgrade its baseband and do not need to install Ipad baseband.

do this and report back.

 

[zedder17]

thanks for the quick response!

I have the phone hooked up with tiny umbrella, where does it show the bootloader? is that the number beside the baseband?

 

[Crystal-RX]

That is correct. What do you get?

 

[zedder17]

5.9....

this is what's there: 05.15.04-5.9_M3S2

so since I'm not at 05.08, I have no choice but to upgrade the baseband?

 

[Crystal-RX]

IPad baseband is your only option now.

1. Download 3g 4.2.1 on your PC
2. Download 0.9.6rc16 on your apac
3. Jailbreak it and install iPad baseband with redasnow.

 

[zedder17]

ok, I downloaded 3g 4.2.1 and redsn0w 0.9.6rc16!


I'm going to do it but I just have a couple questions if you don't mind:

1) I understand that once you upgrade to 6.15, there is no downgrading, but what are the cons of going to 6.15? I've read possible battery draining issues, what else?

2)Once it's jailbroken and unlocked, can it still be hooked up to iTunes for sync'ing and backing up?

3) Is it true that the 3g's iOS can only be upgraded as far as 4.2.1?

thanks for your help!!

 

[bobodidley]

I was trying tiny umbrella but it shows no info!

Hi, I have been reading your post and was trying the same options. I start tiny umbrella and it shows no phone information. on 3gs 4.2.1 05.15.04 jailbroken with cydia. Any idea what im doing wrong wit tiny umbrella?

 

[Crystal-RX]

ok, I downloaded 3g 4.2.1 and redsn0w 0.9.6rc16!


I'm going to do it but I just have a couple questions if you don't mind:

1) I understand that once you upgrade to 6.15, there is no downgrading, but what are the cons of going to 6.15? I've read possible battery draining issues, what else?

2)Once it's jailbroken and unlocked, can it still be hooked up to iTunes for sync'ing and backing up?

3) Is it true that the 3g's iOS can only be upgraded as far as 4.2.1?

thanks for your help!!

1. The cons is your phone GPS is no longer working.
2. Yes, you can hook up to Itunes and do as you wish with normal Iphone. Just don't restore it.
3. That is true, the latest firmware for 3G is 4.2.1

----------

Hi, I have been reading your post and was trying the same options. I start tiny umbrella and it shows no phone information. on 3gs 4.2.1 05.15.04 jailbroken with cydia. Any idea what im doing wrong wit tiny umbrella?

Downloading baseband is only apply to 3G with bootloader 05.08. Since you have 3GS, there is no option for you. The only option for you if you want to unlock is to install an Ipad baseband. However, it will kill your phone GPS.

 

[bobodidley]

Thank you for such a prompt reply!

I figured the Ipad base band is the only option. I actually tried it but was failing each time at ipad fetch but read elsewhere that if you are using redsnow and trying to install cydia and fetch ipad base band at the same time it will crash.

Question? What exactly will that limit me to if there is no GPS?
I am assuming when apps want to use your location.



(Sorry for the insane run on sentence above )

 

[zedder17]

so if the phone goes haywire and I need to do a restore, is it possible? how?

Sorry for all the questions...

 

[Crystal-RX]

so if the phone goes haywire and I need to do a restore, is it possible? how?

Sorry for all the questions...

You still can restore but you will need a customs firmware to restore it to. You can use sn0wbreeze (if you have PC) or Pwnage tool (if you have Mac) to cook a customs 4.2.1 firmware to restore it to.

You can always restore to 3.1.3 using official firmware, and use tiny umbrella to exit recovery at the end of the process when you see 1015 error.

 

[zedder17]

sounds a bit involved...may need your help when/if the time comes!

ok, I'm going to reboot the pc and give the jailbreak/unlock a go...will report back!

 

[zedder17]

success!!!

at first I tried to install Cydia and upgrade the baseband at the same time, but redsn0w quit while "fetching baseband files...", so i had to take the phone out of recovery mode and tried it again....but this time I only installed Cydia, then after it was done, I upgraded the baseband.

I then opened Cydia and searched for ultrasn0w and installed it. I won't know if the unlock actually worked until my wife gets home with her phone so I can put the SIM into this phone.


All worked well...thank you very much Crystal-RX for all your help and quick responses! Have a Merry Christmas!!

 

[Crystal-RX]

Congrats and Merry Christmas to you.

By the way, if you are in the US and will be using T-Mobile, make sure you disable 3G in setting, general, network.

 

[bobodidley]

Thank you Crystal-RX!

I also decided to unlock and all went well but when I opened Cydia and downloaded the dev source nothing showed up to install. I finally searched manually and installed. All went well tested the phone with a call. The only thing odd is it still shows as AT&T. I assume they will not show all carriers? I am not sure what country or carrier this sim is from. I was doing this for a friends co-worker.


Thank You so very much for all of your help and prompt responses.

 

[Timbalan]

I'm trying to do something very similar with a iphone 3g on an older bootrom.

Tiny umbrella reports: 04.26.08-5.9_M3S2

Just wanted to confirm that the iPad baseband would also be my only option. (Looking at that I think I'd rather stay at 3.1.2 an keep GPS functionality)

Thanks in advance I was pleasantly stunned to see a current thread so related to what I am looking to do.

 

[Crystal-RX]

I'm trying to do something very similar with a iphone 3g on an older bootrom.

Tiny umbrella reports: 04.26.08-5.9_M3S2

Just wanted to confirm that the iPad baseband would also be my only option. (Looking at that I think I'd rather stay at 3.1.2 an keep GPS functionality)

Thanks in advance I was pleasantly stunned to see a current thread so related to what I am looking to do.

Actually, you are lucky. You still have the old baseband 04.26.08 which can be unlock by ultrasn0w. So, all you have to do is to cook a customs 4.2.1 firmware with and restore to it. Once you done, jailbreak it with redsn0w and then unlock with ultrasn0w.

You do not need ipad baseband on your phone and your GPS will be working perfectly

 

[Timbalan]

Actually, you are lucky. You still have the old baseband 04.26.08 which can be unlock by ultrasn0w. So, all you have to do is to cook a customs 4.2.1 firmware with

With? Would snowbreeze work? Or is there a better choice?

Also would I wanna use the latest redsnow or an older one? So much seems to have changed since iphone 3g and 4.2.1 days.

 

[Crystal-RX]

With? Would snowbreeze work? Or is there a better choice?

Also would I wanna use the latest redsnow or an older one? So much seems to have changed since iphone 3g and 4.2.1 days.

Yes, use sn0wbreeze (if you have windows) and pwnage tool (if you have Mac) to cook this 4.2.1 customs firmware.

Also, just use 0.9.6rc16 and you are good to go. Later redsn0ws were update/change so they work on 3GS/Iphone 4 with newer firmwares.

 

[zedder17]

well, when my wife came home I tried her sim in the 3g but was unable to make a call...it read her phone number off the sim, but that's it...

She is using virgin mobile...can virgin not be used with an unlocked iphone?

also, when I unlocked it, the sim was not in the iphone...does it need to be in the iphone before I run ultrasn0w?

 

[Crystal-RX]

Once it is unlocked, it will work with all GSM network's SIM. Also, you do not need sim to be in the phone during unlock.

So, check the following:
1. What baseband on the phone now. Make sure it has the one that supports by ultrasn0w.
2. Make sure ultrasn0w is installed. Go to cydia, manage, packages, and look at ultrasn0a to make sure there is a green check next to it.
3. All the above check, reboot the phone, if still no signal, try to toggle air plane switch of and on.

 

[zedder17]

thanks, I'll double check tomorrow but I know the baseband did upgrade to 6.15...and Ultrasn0w has the green check mark...one thing I'm not sure of is if virgin mobile Canada is running on gsm??? Does anyone know off-hand? I'll need to research tomorrow!

 

[Crystal-RX]

thanks, I'll double check tomorrow but I know the baseband did upgrade to 6.15...and Ultrasn0w has the green check mark...one thing I'm not sure of is if virgin mobile Canada is running on gsm??? Does anyone know off-hand? I'll need to research tomorrow!

Here is a quote I found;

"Virgin Mobile worldwide
GSM is used in the UK, South Africa, Australia, France and Canada. CDMA, for phones with R-UIM cards, and GSM, for phones with SIM cards, are used in the US, and India (Virgin has access to Bell Canada's CDMA and HSPA+ networks.) GSM was launched in India recently. Virgin Mobile South Africa and India use two different mobile telephony standards, GSM and CDMA."

 

[zedder17]

kind of a confusing statement!

First it says: "Virgin Mobile worldwide GSM is used in the UK, South Africa, Australia, France and Canada."

then it says: "...GSM, for phones with SIM cards, are used in the US, and India (Virgin has access to Bell Canada's CDMA and HSPA+ networks."

I checked the baseband, it is at 6.15, ultrasn0w has a green checkmark and I also tried toggling the Airplane Mode....I also re-installed ultrasn0w...no luck!

am I SOL with Virgin Canada on this iPhone 3g??

It has a SIM card, but I'm not sure if it's on GSM or CDMA...