iPhone Dev Team today released redsn0w v0.9.6b2 for Windows. It's good news for people using Windows and want to use custom IPSW on their iDevice. As you may know, iPhone Dev Team releases PwnageTool to create Custom Firmware (IPSW) and use it in your iDevice via iTunes. PwnageTool is released only for Mac till date (And it will be released for Windows soon) so Windows users does not get to use custom IPSW. Actually they can use them by downloading from somewhere which are created using PwnageTool, but in most cases, they don't work with Windows. The reason is, your iDevice must enter DFU mode by PwnageTool only. If you enter DFU mode manually and use iTunes to restore Custom IPSW, you will get error 160, 1604 or so. So what to do?
With the help of today's redsn0w for Windows release, Windows users can enter DFU mode, and use Custom IPSW. In this tutorial I will show how to use redsn0w 0.9.6b2 to enter DFU mode and use Custom IPSW.
What is Custom Firmware (IPSW)?
Custom Firmware are modified firmware. They are modified to Jailbreak your device, give you increased root partition and to have your device Activated in case if you don't have/use official carrier SIM. They also helps you to "Preserve" your baseband so you can use ultrasn0w to unlock your device. For example, if you are on iOS 4.0.1 and baseband 5.13.04 which is the last unlockable baseband at the moment, you can use Custom IPSW having option to preserve your baseband and you can upgrade to iOS 4.1 with the baseband of iOS 4.0.1 (5.13.04) and unlock your device using ultrasn0w.
CAUTION : You are advised to follow this tutorial on your own risk. It may get your device in DFU loop if something goes wrong. You can't blame us if ANYTHING goes wrong with your device. Go ahead only if you know what are you doing.
Note : You must be on Stock firmware. If you have brand new device, it is most probably on iOS 4.1 If you bought your device with other firmware, and upgraded to iOS 4.1, then it should not be jailbrocken.
Note : If you don't have official carrier SIM, you better stay out of this. Otherwise, you will need to wait for unlock.
Advice: There is no need to use Custom firmware if you are already on iOS 4.0.1 , 4.0.2, or 4.1 as there are Jailbreaks - limera1n and greenpois0n already available which can Jailbreak and Activate your device. If you want extra root partion, only then you should use custom IPSWs. I would advice you stay out of this and use jailbreaks if you need jailbreak and activation.
Note : DO NOT ask me where to get custom IPSWs.
Things you'll need.
- iDevice with iOS 4.1 (Stock)
- USB cable
- iTunes max on 10.0.1.22
- redsn0w for windows v0.9.6b2 (Download link at the end)
- Stock firmware for your device (same as your current firmware which is 4.1)
- Custom firmware for your device (4.1)
Things used in this tutorial
- iPhone 3GS on iOS 4.1
- iTunes 10.0.0.68
- Windows 7 x86
Using redsn0w and entering DFU mode
Step 1
- Download and run redsn0w.exe
- The home screen looks like this
- Click Browse and browse to the Stock firmware and select it.
- It will ask you if your iPhone 3GS is new model or old one (other device users can skip it as you won't see this message)
- Click yes if you have iPhone 3GS MC (new) model or No if you have non MC (old) model.
- To identify if you have MC or Non MC model, go to Settings - General - About and scroll down to Model. If it's MCXXXX then you have new (MC) model. If it's something like MBXXXX, then you have old (non MC) model.
Step 2
- Click Next
- Now redsn0w will apply kernel patches
Step 3
- redsn0w will now display 3 options.
- 1. Install Cydia
- 2 Just boot tethered right now
- 3. Just enter pwned DFU mode right now.
- Select the third option.
- Click next
- Read the message on the screen carefully.
- Connect iPhone to PC if not done already.
- Power Off iPhone and click next.
Step 5
- Now follow the on screen instructions.
- You must follow them correctly in order to enter DFU mode properly.
- If you didn't do it right, it will show you message that you probably misunderstood the instructions. If so, click OK and start again.
- When you'll get in DFU correctly, it will start process again. Once done, it will show message that your device is in pwned DFU mode.
- Click finish
Step 6
- Open iTunes,
- It will say that it has detected iPhone in recovery mode. Click OK.
- Now Hold SHIFT key on your key borad and click the Restore button in iTunes.
- Now release the SHIFT key and browse to the custom IPSW file and select it.
- iTunes will start process of restoring your device to that firmware.
- This process is same as other restore process and once done, you will get Jailbroken iPhone. If you downloaded Activated IPSW, then your iPhone will be activated as well.
Download redsn0w 0.9.6b2
