So I've got this iPhone 3GS on 5.1 here, and I want to jailbreak and unlock it...

[DroogBC]

My roomate was given a Telus iPhone 3GS, but he wants to use it on Fido. The phone is currently on ios 5.1, and according to idetector it is on the new bootloader.

The phone is currently tethered jailbroken with Redsn0w 0.9.11.b4, has the ipad baseband, and has ultrasnow fixer 5.1 and ultrasnow installed on it.

I see that Absinthe 2.0.2 claims to be able to untethered JB ios 5.1.1, but it does not appear to be compatible with the current 5.1 that's on the phone.

So, before I go upgrading the handset with itunes to 5.1.1 in an attempt to use Absinthe I figured I'd ask those who know more about apple than I ever will if this is the best course of action, or if I'm missing something important. (FWIW we have no old backups, no blobs, nor anything else that I'm not particularly familiar with, lol)

[overdrive31]

To use Absinthe with your phone, you would have to update to 5.1.1 using a custom IPSW that prevents installing a baseband(anyone on iPad baseband must always use a custom NO_BB IPSW), which you can create using Redsn0w or Sn0wbreeze and then you would have to sim activate the phone prior to using Absinthe.

Just update the phone to 5.1.1 untethered jailbreak using a custom IPSW made by Sn0wbreeze 2.9.5, or update to 5.1.1 using Redsn0w custom IPSW and jailbreak tethered then install Rocky Raccoon 5.1.1 untether.

Next you can install ultrasn0w fixer and ultrasnow. If you will not be restoring from backup, you will want to install SAM to get fresh push certs.

[overdrive31]

iTunes or http://www.idownloadblog.com/iphone-downloads/

[DroogBC]

Thanks.

I assume I want to download the 5.1.1 version, and modify that... correct?

[DroogBC]

Also, any way to get around the sim activation? Not sure how easy it's going to be to get my hands on a telus sim. (Also, does it need to be an active sim?)

Edit: Ok, easier than I thought. Found a sim, buddy is gonna drop it by later. Not activated anymore though, so I hope it doesn't matter otherwise I guess I'm forced to call 112 while simless.

[overdrive31]

Yes, but you should probably flash the iPad baseband using Redsn0w again once on 5.1.1, I think you will need the 5.1 IPSW as well to flash iPad BB after you have installed the 5.1.1 NO_BB using iTunes.

You can use Sn0wbreeze 2.9.5 instead to do the untethered jailbreak and update at same time. You should choose to install the iPad baseband again as well. Less steps to do using Sn0wbreeze and it has it's own download manager for IPSW's.

Both Redsn0w and Sn0wbreeze are hacktivated, you will need SAM to fake out activation to get your certs. For a tut. on SAM look at Step 5a here. If you're gonna sim activate, you might as well just jailbreak using Absinthe, but not until you have updated to 5.1.1 using the NO_BB custom IPSW and flashed the iPad baseband again once 5.1.1 is loaded. Personally, I would just hacktivate using Sn0wbreeze and install SAM for certs, 'cause if you need to do this again, at least you know you won't need to barrow a sim again.

[Adyhooper]

Need help i have iphone 4s and i want to unlock it. i am new to apple gadgets i don't know much about this unlocking stuffs my brother recommend me to jailbreak it and i don't know exactly what to do for jailbreaking my phone. Can any one here help me?

[DroogBC]

Yes, but you should probably flash the iPad baseband using Redsn0w again once on 5.1.1, I think you will need the 5.1 IPSW as well to flash iPad BB after you have installed the 5.1.1 NO_BB using iTunes.

You can use Sn0wbreeze 2.9.5 instead to do the untethered jailbreak and update at same time. You should choose to install the iPad baseband again as well. Less steps to do using Sn0wbreeze and it has it's own download manager for IPSW's.

Both Redsn0w and Sn0wbreeze are hacktivated, you will need SAM to fake out activation to get your certs. For a tut. on SAM look at Step 5a here. If you're gonna sim activate, you might as well just jailbreak using Absinthe, but not until you have updated to 5.1.1 using the NO_BB custom IPSW and flashed the iPad baseband again once 5.1.1 is loaded. Personally, I would just hacktivate using Sn0wbreeze and install SAM for certs, 'cause if you need to do this again, at least you know you won't need to barrow a sim again.

Thanks for all of your assistance. Since I've never been familiar with Apple products, this has been a learning experience for me. I'm still a bit on the confused side though.

I've got sn0wbreeze here, and I downloaded the 5.1.1 IPSW, but I'm not sure which of the Sn0wbreeze options I should use to get this process rolling. I'd play around with it and try to figure it out on my own, but I'm a little concerned about messing up and making the phone harder or impossible to UTJB and unlock.

Think you might be able to walk me through it, or point me to a guide that can explain it to me step by step? (I've searched, but frankly I'm a little over my head on the iPhone stuff, and I don't wanna bork my roomates phone)

FWIW, I do have a Telus sim here now, so activation should not be a problem. Once this thing is untethered jailbroken and unlocked I doubt it'll ever be upgraded or modded again, so I'm down with whichever activation method is easiest. (As far as SAM is concerned, didn't I read that Apple killed that method not long ago? Again, I really don't know what I'm talking about, but I read something about it the other day... or so I thought anyway)

Anyway, back to this specific phone, I already have the iPad BB on it (and tethered JB'd it with Redsn0w, unlocked it with ultrasn0w and the ultrasn0w fixer). Since that's the case, can we somehow get Sn0wbreeze to just apply the 5.1.1 update without messing with the current BB on the phone, then just JB again with Absinthe, and unlock it with ultrasn0w? If so, that would be cool... I'd just need a little help with the Sn0wbreeze part.

Again, I really appreciate the help... and so does my roomate.

[overdrive31]

The SAM individual sim unlock was stopped by Apple.. not push cert creation using SAM(virtual sim activation). You want to reflash the iPad BB each time you update to another firmware.

If you have a sim to activate with, just use Redsn0w to create a 5.1.1 NO_BB custom IPSW and install it with iTunes once in pwnDFU mode. Next get the 5.1 IPSW(will probably work with 5.1.1 IPSW, but the tutorials I have seen all list using 5.1 and I'm sure the reason is just for the tethered jailbreak after the BB flash) and select it with Redsn0w under extras, then reflash the iPad BB by choosing jailbreak and checking iPad BB and uncheck install cydia. Activate with sim. Be sure to disable location services during IOS 5 initial setup(I think Redsn0w and Sn0wbreeze have fixed this, but only if you use them to hacktivate). Next use Absinthe to jailbreak. Next install Ultrasn0w fixer 5.1.1 and then Ultrasn0w. Change out sim. Install Commcenter patch if needed. Done.

You can use Sn0wbreeze if you want, but then would need to use Redsn0w to deactivate the hacktivation and then activate with sim. You can choose to not hacktivate using Sn0wbreeze, leaving it to be activated with a sim, but you may still need to disable the location services at initial setup(not positive this is needed, just know that Redsn0w jailbreak claims to have fixed it without ever modifying an IPSW, the fix is only in the hacktivation would be my guess).

If you want to use Sn0wbreeze, first choose or download the 5.1.1 IPSW for the 3GS. Next choose expert mode, now select unlocks(if you choose general, you can decide to hacktivate, otherwise it does not activate), put a check in the box to install iPad BB, then hit build IPSW. Use iReb to put phone into pwnDFU mode and open iTunes to restore by pressing shift and restore then select the IPSW you just built. Activate with sim. Disable location services at initial setup(just a precaution, not sure if it is fixed without hacktivation). Install Ultrasn0w fixer 5.1.1 and then Ultrasn0w...

[DroogBC]

Thank you very very much! I'll give it a try when I get a few minutes to dedicate to playing with his phone.