October 31, 2024

How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Posted November 28, 2010 at 7:11pm by iClarified
These are instructions on how to jailbreak your iPhone 3GS on iOS 4.1 using PwnageTool for Mac. This tutorial will help you upgrade your baseband if needed for unlock.

**Important: iPhone3GS users with old bootroms who want to go to 4.2.1 and unlock should not use this PwnageTool! Update to stock 4.2.1 first, then use the upcoming redsn0w to update your baseband.**

Step One
Make a folder called "Pwnage" on the desktop. In it you will need a couple of things. PwnageTool 4.1.3, found here


You will also need the 4.1 iPhone firmware.
4.1.0 (3GS): iPhone2,1_4.1_8B117_Restore.ipsw

If you are on the 05.14 or 05.15 baseband you will also need the iPad 3.2.2 firmware. You can find out how to determine your baseband version here.
3.2.2: iPad1,1_3.2.2_7B500_Restore.ipsw

When downloading the IPSW file, it is best to download it with Firefox since Safari often auto extracts it!
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Two
Double click to mount PwnageTool then drag the PwnageTool icon into the Pwnage folder.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Then from the Pwnage folder double click to launch the PwnageTool application.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Click Ok if presented with a warning.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Three
Click to select Expert Mode from the top menu bar
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Four
Click to select your device. A check-mark will appear over the image of the device. Click the blue arrow button to continue.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Five
You will be brought to the "Browse for IPSW" page. Click the Browse for IPSW... button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

From the popup window select your firmware from the Pwnage folder then click the Open button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Six
You will now be asked if you want to update your baseband to the 06.15 version. If you are on 05.14 or 05.15 or higher you will need to do this to unlock. You do not need to do this for jailbreak only.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]


Please read the following very carefully before deciding whether to do this.

1. There is no way to come back down from 06.15, and there’s no hiding the baseband version from Apple. You’ll be voiding your warranty in a very obvious way.
2. If some future baseband comes out with a critical fix, you won’t be able to update to it if it remains down in the 05.xx sequence (then again, you wouldn’t update to it if you wanted to keep your unlock anyway).
3. Starting with FW 4.2.1 if you have 06.15 on your iPhone you won’t ever be able to restore to stock firmware (it will fail). You’ll need to only restore to custom IPSWs (then again, if you’re unlocker you should already be doing that).
4. There are reports that 06.15 may disable your GPS. The iPhone Dev-Team is currently working on a fix.

Don’t update to 06.15 if you don’t need to! Only do this if you need the unlock and you’re stuck on 05.14 or 05.15, and you’re willing to assume the above risks.

If you pressed YES then click the Browse for IPSW... button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

From the popup window select the iPad 3.2.2 firmware from the Pwnage folder then click the Open button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Seven
You will then be brought to a menu with several choices. Click to select General then click the blue arrow button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

The General settings allows you to decide the partition size. Check Activate the phone if you are not with an official carrier then click the blue arrow button.

NOTE*: Deselect Activate if you have an iPhone legitimately activated on an official carrier.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

The Cydia settings menu allows you to create custom packages so you do not have to manually install the necessary them later.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Click to select the Download packages tab. Then click the Refresh button to display all the available packages. Double clicking the package you want will download it and make it available in the Select Packages tab.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Checkmark the ones you want then click the blue arrow button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

The Custom Packages Settings menu displays listed package settings for your custom IPSW. For know leave these settings as is. Click the blue arrow button to continue.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Eight
You are now ready to begin the pwnage process! Click the Build button to select it then click the Blue arrow button to begin.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Nine
You will be asked to save your custom .ipsw file. Save it to your Pwnage folder you created on your Desktop.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Your IPSW is now being built. Please allow up to 10 minutes.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

You will be asked to enter your administrator password. Do this then click the OK button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Ten
Once your ipsw has been built you will be asked to connect your iPhone to the computer. Once it detects your device PwnageTool will guide your through the steps to putting your iPhone into DFU mode.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Press and hold the power and home buttons for 10 seconds.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Then release the power button and continue holding the home button for 10 seconds.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Once your iPhone is successfully in DFU mode, PwnageTool will prompt you to launch iTunes.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Eleven
Once In iTunes, hold the Alt/Option key and click Restore.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]

Step Twelve
Navigate to the Pwnage folder on your desktop using the dialog window that appears. Select the custom IPSW that was created and click the Choose button.
How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using PwnageTool (Mac) [4.1]


UNLOCK: You can now follow this tutorial to unlock your device.

***THANKS: Thank you to Geohot and the Dev-Teams for their hard work in making this jailbreak and tutorial possible!
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Comments (39)
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Dooferdog
Dooferdog - February 10, 2012 at 9:52am
Superb solution. Thanks a million !!! I had previously nearly bricked my phone by purchasing software I had no idea was a scam. Wish I'd found you guys before! Still I'm happy now with a jailbroken, unlocked 3GS
valerie
valerie - June 30, 2011 at 1:06am
I used pwnage for 4.21 for an iphone 3 and everything working until I went to itunes. I saw the little pinapple but all of my contact, apps and everything is missing. what do I do? How do I get my information back?
chris
chris - May 18, 2011 at 12:49pm
when I try to select the firmware through pwnage it says incorrect firmware bundle am I downloading the wrong firm ware or is it my computer my iphone 3gs has 4.3.3 and firmware 05.16.02 im tring to jailbreak and unlock it for tmobile
elg
elg - April 7, 2011 at 10:19pm
Why does iTunes have to be connected to the internet for this jb to work? before restoring in iTunes, I turned off my wifi to check, and sure enough, got the error "the iphone 'iphone' cannot be restored at this time because the iphone software update server could not be contacted or is temporarily unavailable". What does Apple 'see' when the restore process requests conformation from the servers? Should I be concerned? Thx in advance for your comments :)
David
David - January 18, 2011 at 2:10pm
After following the tutorial, when restoring, I get the message "the iPhone couldn't be restored. The device is not eligible for the requested build". What do I do next?
German
German - December 14, 2010 at 5:30pm
Just a simply questions, can i follow this tutorial if my BB is 5.12?? Will I have the same BB after it?? Will it be able to unlock?? It never says anything about iPhones with 5.12.... :S Some help here please.
dburden
dburden - December 11, 2010 at 8:52pm
Been on the unlock train with my 3G and had no probs at all - currently at 4.2.1, bb 4.26.08. A friend asked me to help upgrade his 3GS from 3.1.3 bb 5.11.xx which was tethered via blackra1n. Tried to use pwnage tools to make custom ipsw's which all worked fine, however, the 4.2.1 JB seemed to work ok - (dfu restore to the custom 4.2.1 ipsw in iTunes) but at the end of the process the phone does not activate - stays in 'jail'. I then tried rolling back to custom 4.0 FW ipsw(assuming the bb hasn't been upgraded) which again, all goes fine until the end when the phone won't boot out of DFU mode. Any help?!
Hifa
Hifa - December 1, 2010 at 12:35am
HI.. i did all step and success.. but the last step (restore custom firmware with itunes) i tried and it gives me error "The iPhone "iPhone" could not be restored. This device isn't eligible for the requested build" Please help me.. apple stop sign 4.1?? but i use custom restore
James
James - December 1, 2010 at 3:59am
I get this same error
NG
NG - December 1, 2010 at 7:18am
I get this same error too! But only in the past day (I restored 29 November and it was fine, but I couldn't restore starting 30 November).
Doh
Doh - December 1, 2010 at 7:32am
Same error message here. I tried to jailbreak using the same procedure on Nov 29/30. Did Apple stop signing 4.1 firmware? Someone in the know, please help
Geny
Geny - December 1, 2010 at 8:05am
I also could not unlock on last step over iTues at 30.11.2010. Seems to be an apple cutoff???
blonsky105
blonsky105 - December 2, 2010 at 1:09am
Hey! this is for the 3g s new bootrom, tried and tested for me; First, save ur shsh blobs using tiny umbrella. Second, upgrade your version to 4.2.1. Third, using redsnow, jailbreak your device and upgrade the baseband too. Lastly, coz these steps make your 3g s tethered, restore your iphone using 4.1 version. After that, you'll notice that the baseband is upgraded and now you can use limera1n to re-jailbreak!
blonsky105
blonsky105 - December 2, 2010 at 3:34am
when downgrading your firmware to 4.1, you will get an error 1015. but don't worry, you can use tiny umbrella to exit recovery mode! cheers!
Genius
Genius - December 2, 2010 at 6:20am
Wait a second. My 3GS is on jailbroken 4.1 with baseband 5.14.02 (I did save SHSH blobs, but I've only had the phone for a week, so I only saved at 4.1 / 5.14.02). You're saying that I can upgrade to the official version of 4.21, then use the crazy risky new Redsn0w procedure to jailbreak and upgrade to the iPad baseband 6.15.00? Then you say I'll be able to use TinyUmbrella to go back to 4.1? Will I still be on the 6.15.00 baseband? I don't think I want to get stuck there… I like the idea that I can always restore to official firmware if necessary.
blonsky105
blonsky105 - December 4, 2010 at 1:04am
Sad to say, but that's method is not working anymore. It works before Nov 30.
tytusek
tytusek - December 7, 2010 at 1:18am
Same error. I've tried number of things including iREB for for windows (Mac version is not ready yet) but had no luck. On top of it all my 3GS will not reboot (stuck on apple). My only option is to restore at this point. Please let me know whenever someone comes up with a fix for this. I certainly don't want up go up to 4.2 with the new baseband.
gecko
gecko - November 30, 2010 at 1:26am
I have a jailbroken and unlocked iPhone 3Gs on 4.0.1 right now. Which firmware can I upgrade to with an untethered jailbreak and without losing my unlock? And how? Any suggestions/directions appreciated. Thanks!
willwang
willwang - November 29, 2010 at 9:29pm
i did all the above steps and when i try to restore it on itunes it gives the red stop icon saying "the iphone 'iphone' cannot be restored at this time because the iphone software update server could not be contacted or is temporarily unavailable" what to doo
brian
brian - November 30, 2010 at 2:36pm
yup, similar issue here... stuck in DFU. All was going well until iTunes started "restore" mode (mac). Box read "verifying iphone restore with apple"... cycled for a minute or 2... then box read that it couldn't be restored because the phone doesn't qualify for that rebuild (paraphrase). any way to bypass Apple verification? cutting off internet still ends the process. help!
ao1985
ao1985 - December 1, 2010 at 9:52am
Same message: the iphone 'iphone' cannot be restored at this time because the iphone software update server could not be contacted or is temporarily unavailable Did you guys save your 4.1 blobs prior to this? I have, but apparently this is not helping...
Simon
Simon - November 29, 2010 at 1:21pm
Hi, I have unlocked my 3GS iOS 4.1 (45 week 2009) with this tutorial (PwnageTool and iPad iOS 3.2.2). Everything went well but I noticed a big bug or something. My phone is now unlocked, can put any sim card I want BUT when somebody calls me I'm always unavailable......like I have 'No service'. And I can call any number I want. I think Ultrasn0w 1.2 is causing problems. Please reply.......help me Thanks in advance, Simon
aelly
aelly - November 28, 2010 at 9:48pm
hi there, sorry ahead if i m asking a dump question but hope tat some1 can help me on this: i m currently in 3Gs vers4.1(8B117), fw 05.14.02, jailbroken - looking for unlock. downloaded Pwnage Tool (replaced the correct bundle already) & iPad1,1_3.2.2_7B500_Restore.ipsw i tried to follow the steps above but stuck at step 6 (browse for IPSW) where it shows tat [wrong firmware bundle selected] m i missing any step? will b much appreciated with your help. Thanks.
ryan
ryan - November 29, 2010 at 6:07am
Hi , i had same problem , and all others on here as well, i used the red snow for mac, instead it does everything for you. found the link on geo hot's website . good luck
Hifa
Hifa - December 2, 2010 at 5:04am
check the name of ur iPad baseband it should be like this iPad1,1_3.2.2_7B500_Restore.ipsw not iPad1_1_3.2.2_7B500_Restore.ipsw
faris
faris - November 28, 2010 at 9:48pm
I have iphone 4 running on iOS 4.1 will this work ? Thanks
Ecua4ever
Ecua4ever - November 28, 2010 at 10:31pm
Nope this tutorial is just for iPhone 3G and 3GS
Neo Andersson
Neo Andersson - November 28, 2010 at 7:23pm
I have iPhone 3GS on 4.1 and 5.14.02. I did all this steps. After the custom restore mny BB is still at 5.14.02. Its not upgrading as it should be. I had a success on an iPhone 3G on 4.1 and 5.14.02 but NOT with 3GS. Already tried 3 times with the 3GS with the same result. Please help.
Ran
Ran - November 28, 2010 at 10:19pm
Read the update #1 of the blog of the dev team, you need to replace de bundle for de 3gs 4.1
Damian
Damian - November 29, 2010 at 6:55am
Same here... The upgrade does not work....
Kumar
Kumar - November 28, 2010 at 7:20pm
After completing all the above steps successfully the baseband still remains unchanged i.e. 05.14.02. HELP!!!!!
AlanLEI
AlanLEI - November 28, 2010 at 7:33pm
They have fixed this issue. go to blog.iphone-dev.org to download the fixed iOS 4.1 iPhone 3G S bundle. The iOS 4.2.1 bundle for us iPhone 3G S users is coming soon as well!
Kumar
Kumar - November 28, 2010 at 8:07pm
It worked....thanx a lot...
vdesai
vdesai - November 28, 2010 at 8:36pm
can u give me the link to that bundle plssss. i looked at the website and didn't find anything and than i try to go back but the site was already down due to server overload
AngkorIphone
AngkorIphone - November 28, 2010 at 9:09pm
Hi, could you let me know how to launch the 'bundle' on Mac? I tried to open it but Mac gave me message saying it cannot be opened as there is no suitable application.
deteto
deteto - November 28, 2010 at 9:24pm
It worked for me too, however Cydia will not open :(...it just comes up and goes way...any ideas?
Pat
Pat - November 29, 2010 at 7:41pm
I need serious help. I've had it up to here with this unlock not working. I've waited for months for this unlock and now its not even working. I followed the steps updated to 4.2.1 as they said IPhone 3GS 4.1 had a problem with allowing the ipad firmware 3.2.2 to be used. So now I'm running IPhone 3gs 4.2.1 followed all the steps and Im stuck in Pwnage Tool because its telling me I have the wrong firmware bundle selected which is ridiculous because I've downloaded THE SAME FIRMWARE OVER 5 times. Getting so frustrated with this please help!
Hifa
Hifa - December 2, 2010 at 5:07am
check ur firmware iPad like this iPad1,1_3.2.2_7B500_Restore.ipsw not iPad1_1_3.2.2_7B500_Restore.ipsw
Jenny
Jenny - February 25, 2011 at 1:04am
I'm having the same issues. I downloaded everything as stated above but my 3GS firmware stayed on 05.14.02 after 3 tries. Any advice would be appreciated.
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