How to Jailbreak Your iPad Using RedSn0w (Windows) [4.2.1]

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Posted November 23, 2010 at 11:46pm by iClarified

These are instructions on how to jailbreak your iPad on the 4.2.1 firmware using RedSn0w for Windows. The Mac version of this tutorial is here.

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.

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: iPad1,1_4.2.1_8C148_Restore.ipsw

Extract the redsn0w executable from the RedSn0w zip file into the same folder.

How to Jailbreak Your iPad Using RedSn0w (Windows) [4.2.1]

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

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

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 iPad 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 iPad 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 iPad 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 iPad 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.

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mark - February 4, 2013 at 10:34am

Throw Away your Ipad ! Thats It.

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luizcoelho - January 13, 2011 at 2:51pm

i've the 4.2.1 firmwire already instaled in my ipad. Do I have to do the restore process? Can I go directly and run REDSNOW???

Bio - January 10, 2011 at 4:39pm

every time i turn off my ipad i must tethered it? is there any way to keep it tethered always?

Bio - January 9, 2011 at 10:22am

hi, i restored my ipad but once im jailbreaking it using redsn0w i see a message "ctx error not found" then it keeps on saying please wait and it restart again and keep freezing on the apple logo. please help

the furb - January 1, 2011 at 11:40pm

i get through the jb process fine but when i try to reboot just tethered it looks like its working then just hangs at uploading kernal and the pineapple on the ipad and it just sits there then eventully reboots and cydia doesnt work so idk what im doing wrong must have tried it 15 to 20 times!!! any help is awesome thank you

Clarice - December 25, 2010 at 5:59am

Hi..what is the meaning of ..."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.

TheCoose - December 28, 2010 at 3:34pm

It means that anytime the device is powered off (hold the power button down and slide to shut off), you will need Red Snow to get it running again. If you're not comfortable with this, don't do it and wait for a non tethered version someday

Chris - December 13, 2010 at 10:29pm

I get stuck on the "Uploading ramdisk" portion of the JB. My iPad shows "Downloading Jailbreak Data..." but stays like that for a long time. I've tried multiple times running RedSn0w as an administrator and in XP SP3 compatibility mode to no avail. Not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I guess I'll soon try another computer. Any ideas?

Chris - December 13, 2010 at 11:02pm

Well, I just tried for the last time using XP SP3 compatibilty AND "run as administrator" from my Windows 7 PC. Looks like it worked PERFECTLY. I can't wait to unleash the power of this device!

Sherifftruman - January 11, 2011 at 3:24pm

I also had the same problem. I am on Win 7/64. I tried everything, including run as admin, doing it form the admin account, I even tried it on my WIndows XP 32 partition. IT never worked. I finally stumbled on a thread that said it had somethign to do with processor affinity settings on MP or Multi-Core systems. I started redsn0w, then opened Task Manager. FInd the redsn0w process and right click, go to Affinity and uncheck Processor 0. If you get access denied, make sure you are admin and that you have show processes from all users checked. Once the affinity setting is changed, then go back to redsn0w and keep going as instructed. Worked the first time after dozens if not scores of tries previously for me.

madmanC - January 19, 2011 at 8:55pm

I also encountered the same problem on my Windows 7, but I tried running it as administrator and it got through. But my cydia is unable to start.

Eddie - December 4, 2010 at 3:42am

I jail broke the iPad, installed few apps throughout installous and Cydia, was very happy, then Cydia had few updates, I did, next it went to reboot, and never came back to life, stayed on the apple logo for the whole day, a tried rebooting manually over 10 times and still same luck...hook it up to iTunes and it won't detect iPad, tried few times .. Battery dies, recharged it and took it to the apple store,, the guy there hooked it to a special software to restore the iPad, without iTunes detect. Glad to have back and but not jail broken yet, waiting maybe for a fix... Apple store guy didn't ask too much questions.. I told him after I installed the the version of the 4.2.1, this crash happened.. Service, free..

Nick - December 4, 2010 at 9:38am

I have the same problem, what I did was rejailbreak the Ipad and then when done do NOT download the cydia update choose ignore temperary and now it works great

Yll Shahini - January 8, 2011 at 7:42pm

yeah but HOW did you rejailbreak it every time i do the instructions (hold the power button for 10 seconds....) it shuts down and doesn't get detected by redsnow :S pls dear jailbreak user HELP ME D:

Titi - December 3, 2010 at 9:54pm

Thx for the tutorial and the replies! Helped me when i got stuck on limerain exploit! win 7 need to set compatibility to win xp and run as admin!

take too long to reboot - December 1, 2010 at 6:19pm

it takes too long to reboot. it seems forever after RedSnow process. please help if get into similar situation

gauri - January 15, 2011 at 2:15pm

Hi, its taking too long to reboot after redsn0w process and the apple logo has been there for more that 15minutes. Please help. does it take so long? is it normal or have i done something wrong?

Paul - December 1, 2010 at 10:07am

Hi I was able to JB Ipad on latest FW and run Cydia, and install all required packages for it, but my problem is that after I install SBsettings I'm asked to Reboot Device but when it reboot it gets stock on the Apple logo. Anyone else having the same problem or know how to resolve it? Thanks

Eddie - December 4, 2010 at 3:35am

After I jail broke the iPad , installed few apps, then sbsettings, and reboot. IPad wouldn't come back, had the apple logo all night, the batteries died out . Next they recharged it with still apple logo on.. Problem, it wouldn't even detect the iTunes so I would restore... Had to take it back to apple store,, the genius bar, hooked it up to his laptop and had to do something special because it wouldn't detect itunes at the store too.. Finally the iPad started to restore by itself throughout the laptop but with no iTunes on or detected... Thankfully, iPad is up but haven't jail broke again, still waiting for fixes....

Paul - December 4, 2010 at 8:19am

Hi In my case what I did after the new jailbreak is when Cydia asked to Reboot don't click on the Reboot but do Switch Off on the ipad, after hoocked it to laptop, open Resn0w, selected the "Jut Boot tethered right now" and was able to start the ipad. All working ok since them. What the probably did in the shop to manage to get the laptop to detect it was start the Ipad in DFU mode.

TheCoose - December 28, 2010 at 3:00pm

Um, this is a tethered JB. if you reboot the iPad, you need to have it hooked up to and resteart using the redsnow and the ispw. if you don't know what i'm talking about, you are best of to wait until a non-tethered JB is released.

barok - November 29, 2010 at 6:13pm

Stuck on 'Exploiting limer1ain' or something like that. Ramdisk never loaded

Nick - December 4, 2010 at 9:39am

I had the same problem, you should try from another computer, worked for me!!

bill - November 27, 2010 at 10:06am

redsnow crashes?

Jo - November 27, 2010 at 3:57pm

For me also... On vista it crashes down, on win7 it won't work. Damn

Nick - November 25, 2010 at 6:39am

It doesn`t work for me either, step 12 uploading ramdisk gets stuck for hours and ipad just reboots and there is no cydia, can someone please help?

Ellen Leung - November 24, 2010 at 12:26pm

It does not work. Don't do it.

Dinu - November 24, 2010 at 2:42pm

it doesn't work what exactly?

Micke - December 1, 2010 at 5:42pm

Update 1 : Windows 7 or Vista users often need to use XP or 98 compatibility modes when launching redsn0w (right-click)

AoS_HJ - December 1, 2010 at 7:23pm

Just wanted to thank you for the pointer. Quite obvious really but i never thought of it lol Thanks again :-D

Dinu - November 24, 2010 at 10:25am

Safari is crashing after jaibreak. I'm trying now to un-jaibreak this, anyone know how to undo this ?

RC - December 16, 2010 at 1:32am

do the last step under "Important Note:" run redsnow again and check the box "just boot tethered right now" and go from there

jipad - November 24, 2010 at 1:06am

Cydia does not work after jailbreaking.

Bryan - November 24, 2010 at 1:44am

Same for me, i tried booting back but redsn0w just stops working.

jipad - November 24, 2010 at 1:57am

i don't know the reason too, i have to try do it many time even restore the firmware and do the jailbreak from stretch but the cydia still does not work... may be because the cydia does not work that's why i don't need to jailbreak again after rebooting my ipad.

jipad - November 24, 2010 at 2:56am

i got it working now. you need to re-jailbreak again but select the "Just boot tethered right now"

ipad123123 - November 28, 2010 at 1:11am

re-jailbreaking works.. thanks

neu - December 18, 2010 at 7:25pm

after finished the redsnow and reboot (5mins or so), the cydia wont install on the springboard, only a white blank cydia, have tried 2 times

neu - December 18, 2010 at 7:31pm

sorry my mad, it works after, re JB and "Just boot tethered right now"...sorry for spam