iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak, Untethered, Unlocked 3GS

If you look at my posts, you can see that I wait to upgrade to the new iOS until I have to.

Like now.

I have 2 Apps (not sure which ones) that show up on the upgrade list, but when I select all the upgrades (all) stop because one app needs iOS5. So you have to upgrade each app individually...pain.

So yesterday I looked to see if the iOS5 had an Untethered Jailbreak (JB) yet...it does.

So then I checked to see if it could still be unlocked...it can.

And once again it seems I must reinvent the wheel to do an iOS upgrade etc...so here is the list of links I used.

One part is knowing which bootrom (iBoot) your phone uses...if it has an older bootrom, the JB is simple...mine does, but how do you know for sure? This link for one, later I will mention a possible other way.

A need to know item for iPhone JB is how to enter and exit DFU mode. Most JB tools will get you into DFU mode...but what if something happens and you need to get out? This link has all the info.

Next part of puzzle is Unlocking the iPhone. Unlocking is where you free up the carrier on the phone, so you can use whatever SIM card/cellphone carrier you want. I have a roaming international pay as you go SIM card I use. Cheaper than any regular carrier so far.

Evertime Apple does an iPhone update they change the 'radio' and only certain radios can be unlocked. What radio do you have? (it is also called Baseband, and Modem Firmware).

Mine is radio 05.13.04, an unlockable version...

...but I need to keep that version to keep the iPhone unlockable after the iOS update...this is a key point.

So lets get to the iOS update and we will use Redsn0w. I have used Redsn0w for about half of my JBs and I like it better than sn0wbreeze.

I followed these two links...the iOS5 seems to be a bit more difficult to JB than previous versions, so a few more steps are required.

redmondpie.com is a fantastic website for this kind of info. But these steps were from iphonehacks.com

Here is a quick summary of what we are doing, then I will post the links.

BEFORE DOING THIS, MAKE AN iTUNES BACKUP OF YOUR PHONE, AND TRANSFER PURCHASES FROM PHONE TO COMPUTER

-download redsn0w and the iOS5.0.1 update for the iPhone 3GS (each device has a different iOS...get the correct one)

-use resn0w to modify the iOS5 file to not change the current Baseband (BB, radio, modem firmware) in my iPhone.

-fool iTunes into installing this modified iOS5 update to my phone.

FIRST LINK

...then the second link does the following steps.

-apply untethered JB to now iOS5 phone (be advised, the software will want to look at the original iOS5 update file, but will not install it...don't worry.

-install Cydia etc.

SECOND LINK

Now that I have a JB iOS5 iPhone, I can run the Ultrasn0w software I download to my iPhone using the Cydia app that the JB installed.

Ultrasn0w unlock.

It was a straight forward install, but it asked some questions I was not ready for...first one (asked twice) was if i had an older iBoot.

The second one was when it asked for the original iOS5 file, I was mildly afraid it was the wrong choice...it wasn't.

Just follow the steps and it will work.

Obviously after I did the upgrade and unlock etc...I used my fresh backup to put all my stuff back on the iPhone, and also tranferred all my apps back.

Cydia will also keep track of what paid apps you have so you can reinstall those.

iPhone 3GS-Jailbreak-Unlock-Tether-etc

I mentioned before that I find the iPod a very handy device, and with the ability to tether it to my Sprint phone...it is just short of an iPhone in functionality.

But, no camera, no compass/gps, and mine had little memory.

So I got a 16GB 3GS from a friend who upgraded to an Android phone.

He is a trusting person...he sent me the phone will all of his info on it still.

I thought it was Jailbroken and unlocked...but wasn't sure. There is a ton of info out on the internets, and it gets confusing fast...I found three websites that seemed the most useful.

Redmond Pie .com has tons of guides etc on all the aspects of Jailbreaking and Unlocking...so much in fact that it is difficult to wade through.

Mod My i .com has a lot of data also...again so much it is hard to find what you want.

I h8 sn0w .com is a nice site with some helpful utilities. Including one that lets you see the status of your iPhone...and if it can be unlocked or jailbroken.

Here is where it gets confusing...and what buzz words to look for.

All the latest i devices can use iOS4 and most of the variations...some guides and tutorials are for the iPhone 4...not just any device running iOS4.

The 3GS had two versions of bootrom (old and new). Here is an explanation of how to find it...mine is the older and apparently more desireable version.

iOS4.0.1 is the last one that has an (easily) unlockable phone (the phone info calls it "Modem Firmware"-in Settings-General-About) the forums call it Baseband 05.13.04

iOS4.0.1 is also Jailbreakable by going to the website Jailbreakme.com with your iPhone's browser, and 'sliding to jailbreak'.

Once you have the phone Jailbroken, you can go to Cydia and install Ultrasn0w. Poof, phone is unlocked.


Now things get difficult moving up to the later releases of iOS. You want an untethered Jailbreak and keep Baseband 5.13.04.



The only thing additional I did was a restore to clear out the phone and put a fresh install of iOS4.0.1 on.
-First I had to download a version of iOS4.0.1 (Apple supplies it, Redmondpie has links for all versions for all devices.
-Second, I selected the device in iTunes and held the SHIFT key (windows version) while clicking on RESTORE in iTunes.
--that popped up a file browser window, and I selected the 4.0.1 I had downloaded earlier.
The program chugged a way for a bit, and rebooted the phone to a clean 4.0.1.

If you don't push the shift key, and select an iOS, the program will default to loading the newest version...and then you are in trouble.


I will have to update mine eventually...but for now it all works just fine.