How to Jailbreak Your AppleTV Using ATV USB Creator

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Posted October 1, 2008 at 11:58pm by iClarified

These are instructions on how to create an SSH install patchstick using ATV USB Creator and use it to jailbreak your Apple TV.

Before getting started you need a USB Stick that has been formatted to a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) partition that uses a GUID Partition Table. You can find instructions on doing this here.

Step One
Download ATV USB Creator from https://atvusb-creator.googlecode.com/files/atvusb-creator-1.0.b10.zip and place it on your desktop.

Step Two
Double click to extract the atvusb-creator-1.0.b10.zip archive on your Desktop. A folder called atvusb-creator1.0.b10 will created.

NOTE***: Make sure there are no spaces in the folder name!

How to Jailbreak Your AppleTV Using ATV USB Creator

Step Three
Connect a USB Stick to your computer.

Step Four
From the atvusb-creator 1.0.b10 folder, double click the atvusb-creator icon

Step Five
You will be informed that the application was downloaded from the Internet. Click the Open button.

Step Six
From the Choose an Installation dropdown select ATV-Patchstick.

Step Seven
From the Installation Options dropdown select ssh tools

Step Eight
Make sure the correct USB stick is selected for use.

Step Nine
Press the Create Using --> button.

Step Ten
ATV USB Creator will now download the AppleTV Update DMG. If you prefer to select this file yourself you could click the Choose a DMG button.

Step Eleven
The program will inform you when your patchstick has been completed successfully.

Step Twelve
Notice that your USB Stick has been renamed and now contains files...

Step Thirteen
Eject the USB Stick and connect it to your AppleTV.

Step Fourteen
Hold down the Menu and - buttons on the AppleTV remote until it reboots.

Step Fifteen
Notice the Patchstick will now do its job and install SSH on the AppleTV.

Step Sixteen
When complete, remove the USB Stick from the AppleTV and unplug the device. Plug it back in to reboot.

Step Eighteen
You can now access your AppleTV via SSH to perform a host of functions and hacks. You can find many interesting tutorials for your AppleTV here

THANKS***: A big thanks to sdavilla for creating this great app!

NOTES***: Some users have reported issues with certain USB Sticks. If you have any problems try a different one... We will post more info as we get it!

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KKFW - October 8, 2015 at 5:11pm

Found a solution to Error 13 here: https://github.com/davilla/atv-bootloader/issues/41

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NickGP - June 20, 2015 at 1:44pm

I have tried this at least 10 times will not work

JRF - February 9, 2015 at 5:26am

Hi...I'm getting the following error: Creating USB Flash Disk... umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds) partition the target disk umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds) install recovery onto target disk Unable to mount recovery: GetMasterBlock: Error 13 opening /dev/rdisk2s2 GetMasterBlock: Error 13 opening /dev/rdisk2s2 mount_hfs: Permission denied install_recovery failed Failed! (0:01:25) And I've tried this on four different sticks...thoughts?

Paulo Matsui - December 17, 2012 at 11:12pm

Great stuff. Thanks. Worked fined as a charm. Such a shame Boxee is not supported anymore. But as a workaround I DL the XeeBo skin for the XBMC and it is as good as the original. Thank you again!

Alexzuno - January 13, 2012 at 6:53pm

It´s frozen on the apple symbol and the led is blinking orange, no error or anything, help!!!!

Gerardo - July 10, 2010 at 9:22pm

Does the Apple TV jailbreak do something to make it work with a standard tv, in colod?

igirl - January 7, 2010 at 12:23pm

ATV USB Creator failed for me on the "Create Using" step - Downloading 2Z694-5573-24.dmg... Download failed: HTTP Error 404: Not Found I have a brand new Apple TV (probably v3.0.1) coming today - I suspect this patchstick may not work with it anyway... :-/

pakinto - May 29, 2013 at 5:24am

Same here, is there an updated link anywhere?

Gody - November 2, 2009 at 4:25am

how to jailbraik FW 3.0 ?

Same question here, I have 3.0.2

christian - October 30, 2009 at 8:07pm

Anyone have updated to 3.0 with ATV USB creator?

Wayne - October 31, 2009 at 3:07am

I have just updated to V3.0. ATV USB Creator seems to patch the system fine, but you don't get an XBMC link or anything and none of the software installed during patching seems to either appear in the menus or work when you select it. I would think that Apple have closed off some of the loopholes that allows the software to be patched.

igirl - January 7, 2010 at 5:31pm

how about 3.0.1?????

Ray - October 11, 2009 at 7:14pm

I keep on getting the same error code - and I have tried 4 different USB flashdrives. Anyone know what the problem is? Here is what appears in the ATV USB Creator window: 2Z694-5660-029.dmg selected Creating USB Flash Disk... umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds) partition the target disk umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds) install recovery onto target disk Unable to mount image: hdiutil: attach failed - Resource busy install_recovery failed Failed! (0:00:49)

Nicolas - July 10, 2009 at 2:35pm

Im trying to do it but when I click create using, it give me back this message Downloading 2Z694-5573-24.dmg... Download failed: HTTP Error 404: Not Found You can try again to resume your download Please help me

Thierry - May 9, 2009 at 3:43pm

Hi, I've tried the full process without any success. I have an ATV with version 2.3.1 and using Leopard 10.5.6. My usb disk has been formated (renamed patchstick) and configured usb creator v.10 When I reboot my atv (menu + '-'), i have the screen where I need to choose the language and then screen resolution and finally atv asking for restart. Any idea how i can fix this ??

jeremy - May 4, 2009 at 1:33am

Go to http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/ to get the newest version of atvusb-creator.

Eva - February 15, 2009 at 12:17pm

I finally did it and everything works fine (playback from USB stick, Boxee etc.). The only problem I have now: Video playback in YouTube and Podcasts does not work any more! I only get the sound of the video, but no image ..! What can I do? Is there a problem with the codecs maybe? Thanks for your help!

Mansari - February 12, 2009 at 9:23am

Do the instructions miss Step 17 or i am missing something?

Dale - February 13, 2009 at 6:56pm

I have downloaded the atvusb-creator to my desktop on my ibook, but when I double click on the icon to open the file it just flashes quickly, but does not open. I have downloaded this program several times thinking that it might not have downloaded and unzipped right, but each time it does the same thing...any ideas?

mansari - February 14, 2009 at 2:29am

Try this code. it worked flawlessly for me- http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/

Andy - January 2, 2009 at 11:31pm

Is this compatible with Leopard?

Jim Angus - November 13, 2008 at 3:46pm

How do you tell if the "jailbreak" was successful? A follow up. If successful, the stream of text will end with a line that indicates success. I was NOT successful until I checked the ATV USB Creator Website and downloaded a newer version. The newer version worked. I can now SSH into my AppleTV. Unfortuantely, I can't use the features installed in FrontRow. Why? I am the victim of Hughesnet broad band service. I live in a rural area where satellite DSL is the only option. Satellites have "latency", the time it takes the signal to go into space and back. That messes up most downloads and touching applications. So the ATV can't download the software that I need. I'll have to do it manually which will be a challenge for an SSH novice...

Jim Angus - November 12, 2008 at 5:40pm

How do you tell if the "jailbreak" was successful? This would be a nice addition to the tutorial. I followed the steps using 2.1. I rebooted with the patchstick and the appleTV displayed a lot of code, then stalled. After about 10 minutes the screen went black. It has been about an hour... was I successful or did something go wrong? I hate to take out the stick and reboot without knowing whether it just needs more time...

J Teddy - October 28, 2008 at 8:34pm

spincast - Did you try installing boxee first, then everything else you wanted? If not, I would give that a try and let us know your results.

spincast - October 28, 2008 at 4:11pm

At first I had trouble with my 2GB SanDisk Cruzer, then I reformatted in "Mac OS X Extended (journaled)" format and it worked fine. I'm on 10.5.5 with an atv on 2.2. The problem I am now stuck with is this: I started with a factory restore, then I found that the patchstick/Boxee process put me at 2.0.2. Everything worked fine. I installed Couch Surfer 0.4, and it worked fine. I then went to upgrade through the normal aTV process and that brought me to 2.2, but all of the added features (Boxee, sshd, and Couch Surfer) were gone. Back to where I started. Is there a way to have everything? Boxee, sshd, and 2.2?

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