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HOWTO : Upgrade to iPhone 3.0 on your Unlocked iPhone

on June 14, 2009 – 4:47 am38 Comments

The iPhone 3.0 Software is releasing on June 17th. Thats not too far but the firmware is already out on the interwebs. This guide is meant only for folks who are comfortable hacking their iphones.

We tested this guide on a iPhone 2G which was running version 2.1 firmware. Now its running version 3.0 and still remains unlocked. We had some issues with the upgrade and the phone got bricked a couple of times.

The Steps

  • Backup your iPhone using iTunes first . Would be useful just in case you wish to restore data.
  • This process will format your phone memory . Make sure to save all important stuff and make a not of apps installed.
  • You will need a Pwned version of the iPhone firmware before you restore to the 3.0 firmware.
  • Get iTunes 8.2 . Previous versions wont work !

  • Grab the Pwned version of the 2.2.1 software here as long as it lasts ! If you are already on 2.2.1 with a Pwned phone , you can skip this step.
  • Its a 250MB file approx.
  • Open itunes and connect your phone in DFU mode – just hold both home and power button when booting up
  • Inside itunes, after the phone is connected, lookout of the RESTORE button, dont click it
  • Use Shift + RESTORE and look out for the firmware file you downloaded before.
  • Restore should begin and should take some time
  • Your iphone will be restored to iPhone 2.2.1 and should still remain activated.
  • Now connect the phone again and now you should see UPDATE Button
  • Don’t click on UPDATE , click SHIFT +UPDATE
  • you will be prompted for a file  – Grab the iPhone 3.0 Firmware - ~250 MB
  • if all goes well , you should have iPhone 3.0 and your phone should remain unlocked !

We tried it and it worked. Good Luck and tell us if you made it all the way !

WARNING – If you dont follow the steps , you can brick your phone. So Beware ! don’t try it unless you know what your are doing

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Varun Krish is a Mobile Technology Enthusiast and has been blogging about mobile phones since 2005. His current phones include the Nokia Lumia 800 and Apple iPhone 4S. You can follow him on Twitter @varunkrish and on Google+ You can also mail Varun Krish

  • Vinod

    Thanks for the info!!! It worked fine..

  • Pradeep

    Thanks for the information

  • Pradeep

    Thanks for the useful information. I would like to update my phone

  • Shah

    Hi,

    Good to see that iPhone OS 3.0 works on Vodafone iIndia. I have iPhone 2g (pawned 2.2.1). After updating to 3.0 as shown in steps above, will I be still able to use third party apps that are not available on App Store. In short, after the update, is my iPhone still jailbroken?

    Thx.
    Shah

  • http://www.fonearena.com Varun

    You can’t use Cydia

    Also Youtube is not working for some users

  • moko

    iphone 2g here, upgraded from 1.1.4 to 2.2.1 to 3.0 all in half an hour. Youtube didn’t work, but everything else does (so far).

  • http://www.fonearena.com Varun

    moko,

    great to hear you found my guide useful

  • tony

    The “iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Custom_Restore.ipsw” download isn’t recognized by the Pwnage Tool 2.0.1 can anybody help me? It contains two .dmg , but neither of them is recognizable to the Pwnage Tool…

  • http://www.fonearena.com Varun

    @tony ,

    you dont have to pwn the 2.2.1 . its already pwned from what i saw.

    Just use SHIFT+RESTORE on the 2.2.1 and then SHIFT+UPDATE on the 3.0

  • Sandy

    I cannot find the 3.0 file to use.

    When I save to desktop and then do shift+update, it doesn’t recognize the file.

    Any ideas?

    Am I saving it wrong?

    It’s looking for a .ipsw file and this is coming as a .torrent?

    HELP!

  • jayjay

    Quesion, i have the iphone 3G not 2G. will all this work for the 3G iPhone???

  • http://www.fonearena.com Varun

    @Sandy

    did you download the torrent only ?

    u need to download it using a bitorrent client

    File size should be around 200 megs

    @jayjay

    Im sorry , this will work only on 2G . for 3G i think it will not work. I will post about it if i find something similar for 3g

  • mark

    i’ve put my iphone in dfu in order to upgrade o the custom 2.2.1 software so i can then go to 3.0 but when i click shift+restore and select the downloaded 2.2.1 it starts and gets as far as “prepairing iPhone for restore” but then im getting error code 1601

  • mark

    still having trouble updating to 2.2.1 so gonna try the normal 2.2.1 and then using qkpwn on it after i get a pwnd version of 2.2.1 on my iphone can i know just clcik the update button as 3.0 is released now or must i still use the torrent’d version mentioned above?

  • mark

    finally got it and its now updating to the custom 2.2.1 mentioned above, all i had to do was remove the word custom from the name of the file and its now accepting it fine, but as i mentioned before after this will i still need the torrent’d 3.0 or can i just click update as 3.0 is now released?

  • http://www.fonearena.com Varun

    mark ,

    why don’t you try to upgrade to 3.0 now :D it might brick your phone .. i dont know .. i tried only using the links above .

  • Mike

    Went to 2.2.1 and unlocked it again without problems.

    Bricked it going to 3.0 – and can’t go back to 2.2.1 :-(

  • http://www.fonearena.com Varun

    @mike ouch !

    wait for a couple of days till the jailbreak is out !

  • vinay

    i’ve put my iphone in dfu in order to upgrade to the custom 2.2.1 software so i can then go to 3.0 but when i click shift+restore and select the downloaded 2.2.1 it starts and gets as far as “prepairing iPhone for restore” but then im getting error code 1600 as apposed to the 1601 as mark posted above..
    any help??
    i’ve also removed the custom from the name of the ipsw but the error is still present

  • meme

    How did you unbrick your phone?

    After following these instructions I’m left with a 2G brick. You can’t use iTunes to downgrade as 8.2 won’t allow it and earlier versions of iTunes (right back to 7.3) report that you need 8.2 to talk to the phone.

  • jayjay

    Thanx for the quick reply Varun, please please please let me know if you find a way.

  • Tess

    Hi cant seem to be able to use the utube after i did all the aboth can any one share any light on this.

  • Tess

    Hi i have done all the aboth the iphone 2g 3.0 software working fine but can’t seem to get the the utube to work can anyone share any light on this.

  • Jogindar

    Hi I hv iphone 2g with 2.2.1 firmware updated & also pwned. Could u please advise how do I update to 3.0 firmware. Thanks

  • vasu

    i have used QUICKPWN 2.2.5-2 to upgrade my iphone 2g from 1.1.4 to 2.2.1

    i want to upgrade to 3.0.

    is this the pwned version. or do i download that and then progress

  • luke

    have unlocked 2G iPhone runing 2.0.

    Can’t SHIFT-click restore button without getting the regular dialogue. I am on a mac and thought you might have a reco on how to browse the 2.2.1 update if SHIFT-click won’t let me.

    Thanks.

  • surachai

    hi
    after install firmware 3.0 what program to use for unlock and jailbreak

  • http://nateandchrissy.com nate

    luke, on a mac, you option-click the restore or update button. This will allow you to browse other firmware options

  • Schwanns

    I used redsnow to jailbreak and unlock 3.0 on iPhone 2G yesterday and it works A-OK.

    Couple of points to add for the instructions posted by Vinay above
    1. Use Itunes to backup your data first
    2. For iphone 2G, you need to restore (basically format) to the 3.0 version. (shift + click on restore in Itunes). Choose the 3.0 software downloaded earlier. I suggest you use this option. Otherwise Itunes will try and download a 250MB file and I’m sure none of us have a superfast net connection.
    3. After restore, follow the steps using Redsnow.
    4. After its done, use Itunes to restore the backup.

    It did hang a bit after the unlocking when I tried to restore the backup from Itunes. But a hard boot solved the issue.

    Backup your songs separately as they will be wiped out after these steps.
    Any other apps installed earlier like OpenSSH, Bossprefs will have to be reinstalled again – which is not a big deal.

    Rest of the data (sms, contacts, notes, bookmarks etc) will be restored by Itunes in the last step.

    Its working great on Vodafone India. Needed to tweak the carrier.plist file to get the Edge option visible in the ‘Settings’ section. Other than that, love the new featues.

    Tip : The 3.0 OS will seem very very slow. You need to Disable Push for Mobile Me.
    On another Iphone forum someone also suggested to Install Mobile Substrate from Cydia (dunno how this will help)

    Anyways the 3.0 is back to its snappy, fast self just like the 1.1.4 and 2.0.

    Cheers.

  • girish

    Hi,
    I was on 2.2.1 version and updated my phone with itunes .
    but it has locked i can get call and make emergency call.

    I downloaded the redsnow thing but cant find the ipsw file .

    I am on vista.

    Please help.

    thanks and regadrs
    Girish

  • girish

    Please advice how can i unlock the phone …..

    I cant find ipsw file….

    Thanks

    Girish

  • http://www.fonearena.com Varun

    girish,

    do u have the official 3,0 firmware downloaded ?

    did u try on win xp ?

    im not sure if redsnow works on vista

  • sasan

    I can’t do step 9
    please help me

  • C S Rao

    Sir,

    I got I phone on road wchich have version 1.1.4 Its a jailberak hand set. I want to upgrade with version 3.0 for I phone I request you is there any problem If I upgrade phone with I tune is they record ip address of mine? I had not yet upgrade phone is anybody can answer it?

    Rao

  • Iris

    I bought an unlocked Iphone in France in April. I would like to upgrade to 3.0 without locking up my phone can this be done??

  • Mihir S

    Hello,

    I followed the steps provided by Varun and i was able to upgrade it to 3.0 without any single problem. The only problem i have now is that i do not have cydia any more and youtube does not work but other than that the above steps are perfect.

    Special Thanks to Varun.

  • Stu

    Hi, I’m using an unlocked, jailbroken iPhone 2g on 2.2 and would like to upgrade to 3.0, whilst keeping my phone as is, could you assist or offer any advice please?
    Thank you so much
    Stu

  • Horst

    Some month ago I updated my first generation and unlocked iPhone to firmware 2.2.1 using the steps described by Setu (http://woikr.com/apple/iphone/how-to-upgrade-and-unlock-your-iphone-2g-using-quickpwn/) on 01.27.2009 which worked fine and let me with the new firmware, unlocked and jailbroken.

    Can I use the procedure described above to update to 3.0 and still keep it unlocked and jailbrocken? If the answer is yes, will I keep Cydia and Installer?

    Thanks for your answer