How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using RedSn0w (Windows) [4.2.1]

POST

MAIL

Posted November 28, 2010 at 11:44pm by iClarified

These are instructions on how to jailbreak your iPhone 4 on the 4.2.1 firmware using RedSn0w for Mac. You will only be able to perform a tethered jailbreak at this time. This means you will need Redsn0w's assistance to boot into your jailbroken device.

If you want to jailbreak a lower firmware version you can find the appropriate tutorial here.

Make sure not to update to iOS 4.2.1 if you need an unlock as one is not yet available!

Step One
Create a folder on your desktop called Pwnage

Download RedSn0w from here and place it in the Pwnage folder. Likewise, download the latest 4.2.1 firmware from below and place it in the same folder.

4.2.1 (4): iPhone3,1_4.2.1_8C148_Restore.ipsw

Extract the redsn0w app from the RedSn0w zip file by double clicking it.

How to Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone 3GS Using RedSn0w (Windows) [4.2.1]

Step Two
Connect your iPhone to the computer and launch iTunes.

Select your iPhone from the list of devices on the left. Now hold down Option and click the Restore button. Restore is preferred as it won't create any wasted space on your iPhone.

Navigate to the Pwnage folder on your desktop and select the 4.2.1 firmware ipsw. Click the Choose button to continue.

Step Three
Once iTunes has finished updating your iPhone to the desired firmware open the Pwnage folder on your desktop and launch the redsn0w application from the redsn0w folder we extracted earlier.

Step Four
Once RedSn0w opens click the Browse button

Step Five
Select the 4.2.1 firmware ipsw we placed in the Pwnage folder on our desktop then click Open.

Step Six
Once the firmware has been verified click the Next button to continue.

Step Seven
RedSn0w will now prepare the jailbreak data

Step Eight
From this window you can select the jailbreak options you would like.

Make sure Cydia is selected and click the Next button to continue

Step Nine
Please plug your iPhone into the computer and make sure its OFF then click the Next button

Step Ten
RedSn0w will now guide you through the steps to get into DFU mode. You can find more help with DFU mode here

Hold down both the Home button and the Power button for 10 seconds.

Release the Power button and continue holding the Home button until RedSn0w detects the device.

Step Eleven
Your iPhone will now reboot

Step Twelve
RedSn0w will then begin uploading the new RAM Disk and Kernel.

Step Thirteen
Once this is complete you will be notified that RedSn0w is done. Click the Finish button. When your iPhone finishes rebooting (5 minutes or so) it will be jailbroken with Cydia on the SpringBoard.

IMPORTANT:
To use Redsn0w to help you boot back into your jailbroken device simply select Just boot tethered right now from the options window and click Next.

*As usual a big thanks to the iPhone Dev-Team for their hard work and contribution to the iPhone community.

Follow iClarified

akirawi - February 26, 2011 at 5:46pm

The title of this tutorial is wrong! iClarified wake up! that's for Iphone 4 not 3GS and mac not windows!

Reply · Like

Gurvin - February 16, 2011 at 11:07am

iclarified standard is dropping... 1. The firmware file download link is for iphone 4 not 3gs 2. The tutorial says "for windows" yet the screenshots and instructions are for mac 3. In the screenshot too the iphone 4 firmware is shown instead of iphone 3gs. Waste of time

jorge - February 5, 2011 at 12:11pm

i cant download this link as an ipsw iPhone2,1_4.2.1_8C148a_Restore.ipsw it only does it as a zip file and wont show up when i try to restore my iphone. can anyone help

Thomas - February 4, 2011 at 8:34am

I got finally got this working. This is what I ended up doing. I ended up restoring in the official manner via itunes since I don't care what my baseband is, i don't need to unlock. The official restore will update BB to 05.15.04 on iphone 3gs so don't do it if you need to unlock. I then had to us the official IPSW I downloaded from apple for the choose your IPSW step of this tutorial. Don't us the IPSW from the link above if you did the official apple restore. This is found at %Userprofile%\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates it might be in different location for some people. Once i did that it was worked great. I for some reason could not downgrade must be a blob problem. Cydia says i have all blobs from 4.0 and greater stored and i uploaded before i restored. Not sure what's happening. i have seen at least 2 different addresses for saurik's server maybe one is incorrect.

Thomas - February 3, 2011 at 5:31pm

Hello. I have been at this for quite some time and have had zero luck. I get into DFU and when I hit waiting for reboot everything just stops. nothing get rebooted nothing happens at all. All i can do is reboot the thing normally. got redsn0w running in xp sp3 mode and as admin. Any suggestions would be great. thanks

Lime is so sour - February 1, 2011 at 7:10pm

I had limera1n installed back in 4.0.2 and when i upgraded my iphone 3Gs with redsn0w i keep getting stuck on exploiting limra1n part of install. The install would just stay there. I tried restoring my iphone but didnt help. Help plz :(

prmzin - January 29, 2011 at 4:30am

topic says jailbreak and unlock for iphone 3gs on windows but the tutuorial says for 4 on mac

jimmy - January 24, 2011 at 10:12pm

i jailbroke and then when trying to reboot after cydia is installed and installing roqy app all i have is the apple logo screen! please help! what do i do?? phone will not reboot normally!

Alex - January 18, 2011 at 11:43am

I did it, and the Jailbreak and Unlock worked out perfect. --- BUT! --- I'm having problems with Push notifications, I RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS THAT DON'T BELONG TO ME, on Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook, etc... Anyone is having the same problem?

Phil - January 18, 2011 at 9:31am

folks, it says above "If you are on 05.14 or 05.15 or higher you will need to do this to unlock." well, I am with a GS on software v4.0 with modem fw 4.26.08. would I need to upgrade to the v6.x modem firmware, too, to unlock? also, how to keep my baseband (if possible) at v4.26,08? I mean, when I restore to default firmware 4.2x using rightclick restore in itunes then it would upgrade the baseband also, wouldn't it?

Stephen - January 31, 2011 at 2:16pm

I would upgrade and leave your baseband the same look for the tutorial to upgrade with out screwing up baseband. My baseband is still 4.03 from back in the day

CASTLE - January 17, 2011 at 5:30am

when i restore my 3gs iphone firmware. in the end it shows error.(the iphone could not be restored an unknown error occured (1015), pls help me . i would be very greatful to you.

jj - January 10, 2011 at 3:13am

the download link for the redsn0w program doesn't seem to work...is there somewhere else i can download the program?

marvin - January 8, 2011 at 11:53am

I am stuck at "waiting for reboot" screen. Any work around ideas? thx

shom - January 8, 2011 at 4:51am

I got everything ok, But everytime my phone turns power off or goes dead (no battery) it will not get on again, unless I launch RedSn0w, plug the iPhone in and select just boot tethered to kick boot my iPhone 3gs. This is very annoying as it means I have to carry a computer with me.

iphone3gs old bootrom - January 6, 2011 at 11:47am

i'm using an iphone 3gs that has the old bootrom. after jailbreaking with redsnow, i found that it shows the white cydia icon. very strange.

capitanloria - January 8, 2011 at 12:18pm

Why nobody read the complete tutorial... man, there is one more step u need to go throw.... read the last 2 or 3 instruccions...u need to do the complete process one last time and you are set!!! the diference is that u use the window for unlock only.... and...done!!!!

julieb - January 5, 2011 at 7:09pm

Hi there. I have a 3Gs, 3.1.3., fw 05.12.01, it is jailbroken and unlocked. I would like to update to atleast 4.1 but not sure how. I did download the ispw file. Would I just need to go to iTunes and shift click the restore and go to the ispw file??? Thank you for your help in advance. :)

Nina - January 5, 2011 at 11:07pm

Yes Julieb, you can do that without upgraded your baseband so you can keep your baseband and do the unlock, don't use redsnow

julieb - January 6, 2011 at 12:54pm

Hi Nina, thanks for the response. I am a bit anal and a n00b at this. So I just want to make sure I got this right. I can go to iTunes click restore to 4.1 then after that I will have to take the steps to unlock again? Correct. Sorry if I sound dumb but I just want to make sure I do this correct. I had my iPhone for about 5 months just sitting there because I had the new bootrom and could not unlock it yet. Then Came across a chatroom that kept me updated but the chatroom is no longer there or their hiding.. :) So just want to double check.. thank you so much. Julie

julieb - January 6, 2011 at 1:13pm

Nina, I did the click restore to the 4.2 and itunes said that there was an error. Then when I boot my phone up it says to plug into itunes... I think I am messed up here. Any help would be much appreciated.. sigh..

julieb - January 6, 2011 at 1:15pm

iTunes says the phone is in recovery mode??

Nina - January 6, 2011 at 2:26pm

Hi julieb you have to hold shift key and hit restore and use tinyumbrella to kick the device out off recovery mode and use limer1an to jailkbroken, after all that u will have cydia and u can unlock with ultrasnow in cydia

julieb - January 6, 2011 at 3:15pm

Thank you Nina... I have got my phone back after using Tinyumbrella. Maybe it is not meant for me to update my phone. I am on 3.1.3 and fw 5.12.01 Jailbroken/Unlocked I was just wanted to update the OS to atleast 4 because some of the apps on Cydia or Apple are not compatible with 3.1.3... I really don't want to stay where I am at. thank you so much again.

julieb - January 6, 2011 at 3:35pm

I did the steps again and it said done but it didnt change anything. Same OS and fw... not sure what I am doing wrong..

Sonapan - January 4, 2011 at 12:00pm

Link for download RedSn0w is unviable.

Lucia - January 1, 2011 at 4:39am

HELP! The link to redsnow on this tutorial doesnt work. Can someone help me with where else I can download it from as I have tried it multiple times and it says google cant find it as i use google chrome internet browser and that there is an error

ret - December 30, 2010 at 11:23pm

i cant dl redsnow 0.9.6b5 from tat link anyone can send? a new link?

Imran Khan - December 31, 2010 at 5:10pm

im having the same problem and its driving me nuts!

harsha gujjar - December 17, 2010 at 4:19am

hi i am new to iphone and i did jailbreak 4.2.1 with all baseband and all but after unlocking when i rebot that it the phone just stand still with apple logo if i have to start it again i have boot from redsnow every time help to over come this prob

More Comments