Used 3GS Mystery - How to tell if it's been jailbroken in the past?

[Point2G]

Picked up a used 16Gb 3GS week32 with unknown history. It came with 3.1.2/05.11.07 and AT&T 5.5 Carrier.

It was unactivated at first then the seller put in my active att sim & on a macbook activated it quickly so I could see it was 100% functional.

I want to Jailbreak only for now and do not trust Blackrain rc3 for the most stable JB possible and want to use pwnage 3.1.4. To make matters worse I only have access to windoze and would have to download a custom ipsw.

These custom ipsw seem very much aimed at those who jb/unlocked at 3.0 and need to preserve baseband. Do i need a different custom ipsw if my 3gs is a virgin non-jb? Is it even possible to find out if it's virgin or jailbroken in the past?

Is there a difference in jailbreaking a 3gs with pwnage 3.1.4 directly on a mac vs. getting a custom ipsw and doing it on windoze with itunes in dfu mode?

 

[iPhone-power]

Picked up a used 16Gb 3GS week32 with unknown history. It came with 3.1.2/05.11.07 and AT&T 5.5 Carrier.

It was unactivated at first then the seller put in my active att sim & on a macbook activated it quickly so I could see it was 100% functional.

I want to Jailbreak only for now and do not trust Blackrain rc3 for the most stable JB possible and want to use pwnage 3.1.4. To make matters worse I only have access to windoze and would have to download a custom ipsw.

These custom ipsw seem very much aimed at those who jb/unlocked at 3.0 and need to preserve baseband. Do i need a different custom ipsw if my 3gs is a virgin non-jb? Is it even possible to find out if it's virgin or jailbroken in the past?

Is there a difference in jailbreaking a 3gs with pwnage 3.1.4 directly on a mac vs. getting a custom ipsw and doing it on windoze with itunes in dfu mode?

I would restore it to official Apple 3.1.2 IPSW first, choose set up as new to get rid of any lingering JB issues (if it was JB before) Sounds like the seller did this, but I recommend doing it again just to be sure your 3GS is perfect (only takes about 10 minutes or so)

Then use the links here to get a non-hacktivated custom restore IPSW for the 3GS on 3.1.2. The IPSW will not downgrade your baseband but the jailbreak will work just fine. Use Shift click to install the custom IPSW.

Again, choose set up as new.

iClarified has some good tutorials if this is all new.

 

[Point2G]

Should DFU mode be used instead of Restore mode and when?

DFU mode to refresh back to stock 3.1.2?

and/or

DFU mode to load custom ipsw?

 

[iPhone-power]

Should DFU mode be used instead of Restore mode and when?

DFU mode to refresh back to stock 3.1.2?

and/or

DFU mode to load custom ipsw?

If you are going to restore to official Apple IPSW just connect the phone and punch the restore button.

If you are gonna install a custom IPSW to JB, turn off the phone, hold down the home button, plug in the cable keep holding the home button until you see the iTunes/cable logo on screen. Fire up iTunes and it will tell you it's detected a phone in restore mode. Shift click the restore button and be sure to select the custom restore IPSW.

 

[thelatinist]

The important thing is to set it up as a new phone when it asks, not restore from a backup. That will eliminate any traces of jailbreak that might have been inadvertently backed up by iTunes.

 

[iPhone-power]

I would restore it to official Apple 3.1.2 IPSW first, choose set up as new to get rid of any lingering JB issues (if it was JB before) Sounds like the seller did this, but I recommend doing it again just to be sure your 3GS is perfect (only takes about 10 minutes or so)

Then use the links here to get a non-hacktivated custom restore IPSW for the 3GS on 3.1.2. The IPSW will not downgrade your baseband but the jailbreak will work just fine. Use Shift click to install the custom IPSW.

Again, choose set up as new.

iClarified has some good tutorials if this is all new.

As I recommended

 

[Point2G]

If you are going to restore to official Apple IPSW just connect the phone and punch the restore button.

Would this result in itunes donwloading the ipsw? I much rather point (by shift clicking)to the file myself for safety.
As iclarified wrote "DFU means Device Firmware Update. If a restore using Recovery Mode doesn't work you will want to use DFU Mode as a last resort. When placing your iPhone into DFU Mode it does not load the OS before attempting the restore"

is DFU used ONLY for when Recovery mode fails and could mess the restore otherwise?

seems like safemode in windows - where it takes longer and is more of a hassle, but is the proper way to make major OS changes. Or like using a boot disk for firmware flashes instead of from inside the OS. I'm looking for the purest ultimate way to optimize my new 3GStreasure. I don't plan on installing winterboard even tho it's a 3GS..


If you are gonna install a custom IPSW to JB, turn off the phone, hold down the home button, plug in the cable keep holding the home button until you see the iTunes/cable logo on screen. Fire up iTunes and it will tell you it's detected a phone in restore mode. Shift click the restore button and be sure to select the custom restore IPSW.

Is recovery/restore mode the only way to then load the custom.ipsw what would happen if DFU was used? At that point do you need the OS to load first?

 

[iPhone-power]

Is recovery/restore mode the only way to then load the custom.ipsw what would happen if DFU was used? At that point do you need the OS to load first?

If iTunes downloads the official Apple IPSW it will be from Apple servers. No safer place than that.

Relax, I have downloaded the official Apple IPSW's for the various phones I have had numerous times.

You will also need that IPSW to make your own custom IPSW with Pwnage Tool (if you have access to a Mac) .

Not sure what OS you are talking about, the IPSW is the firmware or OS system for the phone. It has to be installed thru iTunes and takes about 10 minutes until the reboot.

Make sure you get a tutorial on how to restore a 3GS to 3.1.2 using Windows.

 

[Point2G]

If iTunes downloads the official Apple IPSW it will be from Apple servers. No safer place than that.

Relax, I have downloaded the official Apple IPSW's for the various phones I have had numerous times.

You will also need that IPSW to make your own custom IPSW with Pwnage Tool (if you have access to a Mac) .

Not sure what OS you are talking about, the IPSW is the firmware or OS system for the phone. It has to be installed thru iTunes and takes about 10 minutes until the reboot.

Make sure you get a tutorial on how to restore a 3GS to 3.1.2 using Windows.

I meant bypassing the iphone os on boot by going into DFU mode..

 

[iPhone-power]

I meant bypassing the iphone os on boot by going into DFU mode..

I am not sure what point you are trying to make. You can erase the contents of an iPhone (no OS) and restore it.

You can place it into recovery or DFU mode with an OS on phone and restore it.

I think you are way over-thinking this thing.

I have been able to restore every iPhone my wife and I have had, regardless of model, firmware, vanilla or JB or unlocked. And I have been able to put custom IPSW's onto every iPhone we have ever had.

I don't think I have any more advice than I have already offered.

Good luck !

 

[thelatinist]

I meant bypassing the iphone os on boot by going into DFU mode..

What difference does it make? All DFU mode does is bypass iBoot. It allows you to restore your phone if critical files are missing or corrupted that prevent it from entering regular recovery mode. Once you're in either Recovery or DFU mode you should be able to connect to your computer and use iTunes to restore to the ipsw of your choice. No matter which mode you use, when you're done restoring your phone the result will be exactly the same.

 

[iPhone-power]

What difference does it make? All DFU mode does is bypass iBoot. It allows you to restore your phone if critical files are missing or corrupted that prevent it from entering regular recovery mode. No matter which mode you use, when you're done restoring your phone will be exactly the same. No trace of anything previously on the phone will remain.

Thank You ! Not sure what more he needs to know on this ??

 

[Point2G]

What difference does it make? All DFU mode does is bypass iBoot. It allows you to restore your phone if critical files are missing or corrupted that prevent it from entering regular recovery mode. Once you're in either Recovery or DFU mode you should be able to connect to your computer and use iTunes to restore to the ipsw of your choice. No matter which mode you use, when you're done restoring your phone the result will be exactly the same.

Thank you for this! That being said I'm successfully on a fresh 3.1.2, but have tried DFU to the custom.ipsw and get error 1600 - then tried using Recovery mode (the hold home button before plugging in method as suggested) and i get error 1604..

I'm assuming just shift clicking restore with phone just normal is for restore of settings etc...

Still trying, will keep updated and thanks for the help!!

 

[thelatinist]

Thank you for this! That being said I'm successfully on a fresh 3.1.2, but have tried DFU to the custom.ipsw and get error 1600 - then tried using Recovery mode (the hold home button before plugging in method as suggested) and i get error 1604..

I'm assuming just shift clicking restore with phone just normal is for restore of settings etc...

Still trying, will keep updated and thanks for the help!!

You can only restore a 3GS to a custom firmware if it's already pwned. You need either to jailbreak with blackra1n first or to run PwnageTool with your 3GS attached and tell it that your phone has not been previously pwned at the end of the custom firmware creation so it can pwn your phone. If you don't have access to a Mac, blackra1n is your only option; once your phone has been jailbroken with blackra1n, you can then restore to your custom ipsw if you want.

 

[iPhone-power]

You can only restore a 3GS to a custom firmware if it's already pwned. You need either to jailbreak with blackra1n first or to run PwnageTool with your 3GS attached and tell it that your phone has not been previously pwned at the end of the custom firmware creation so it can pwn your phone. If you don't have access to a Mac, blackra1n is your only option; once your phone has been jailbroken with blackra1n, you can then restore to your custom ipsw if you want.

Pwnage Tool 3.1.4 should work on un-pwned 3GS.

Make sure you build a fresh copy of the custom IPSW
Make sure you restart the Mac
I had to un-install then re-install iTunes to get past the 1600 errors when I last JB my 3GS to 3.1.2 (and it was on vanilla 3.1.2 when I did so)

 

[thelatinist]

Pwnage Tool 3.1.4 should work on un-pwned 3GS.

Yes, I believe that's what I said. Since he has Windows, though, it may be easier just to use blackra1n to pwn his phone. He will still be able to restore to a custom ipsw, but he won't have to find a Mac to do so.

He should not have to reinstall iTunes. The reason he's getting the errors is that he didn't pwn his phone first.

 

[iPhone-power]

Good luck !

 

[Point2G]

Yes, I believe that's what I said. Since he has Windows, though, it may be easier just to use blackra1n to pwn his phone. He will still be able to restore to a custom ipsw, but he won't have to find a Mac to do so.

He should not have to reinstall iTunes. The reason he's getting the errors is that he didn't pwn his phone first.

Going though more extensive stock 3.1.2 testing bec. I'm still hesitant to "Make it Ra1n". Just the free apps are enough for a while.. SBSettings and categories are missed the most and now i can see how backgrounder would be pwn but battery life is already average without the JB on 3.1.2..

Is there any advantage to doing the initial JB on the intel mac (assuming i've found a custom.ipsw that is safe?)

 

[iPhone-power]

Going though more extensive stock 3.1.2 testing bec. I'm still hesitant to "Make it Ra1n". Just the free apps are enough for a while.. SBSettings and categories are missed the most and now i can see how backgrounder would be pwn but battery life is already average without the JB on 3.1.2..

Is there any advantage to doing the initial JB on the intel mac (assuming i've found a custom.ipsw that is safe?)

If you have access to an Intel Mac, make your own custom IPSW with Pwnage Tool. Then you know it is correct.