Step-by-step Tutorial: How to (Un)Tether Jailbreak and Unlock iPhone 3GS Using Sn0wBreeze 2.8b10 (Windows) [iOS 5]

UPDATE: With the release of iOS 5.0.1, you might get troubles restoring to iOS 5.0. Don't worry, new sn0wbreeze is already available. Our tutorial for iOS 5.0.1 is available here.

Using this tutorial you will be able to create a custom firmware, jailbreak and unlock iOS 5 running on iPhone 3GS. This tutorial uses Sn0wBreeze 2.8b10 for Windows.

If you have iPhone 3GS with an old bootrom version 359.3, the jailbreak is untethered. If your device has bootrom version 359.3.2 and higher, jailbreak will be tethered. You can detect your bootrom version using this tutorial.

Sn0wBreeze will also preserve baseband version if you need carrier unlock. It can also update your modem version to 06.15 if you need unlock and stuck with 05.14 or higher baseband.

We are not developers of jailbreak utilities, so we cannot assure that everything will work just fine. However we tried this tutorial on several devices and succeeded.

UPDATE: Please, consider reading our Jailbreak & Unlock FAQ, especially if you have questions or troubles.

Step One

Make a folder called "Pwnage". Download a couple of things:

• Download Sn0wBreeze 2.8b10 or higher here.
• Download iOS 5 for iPhone 3GS: iPhone2,1_5.0_9A334_Restore.ipsw.

Extract the Sn0wBreeze executable from zip archive.

Connect your iPhone 3GS to the computer and launch iTunes.

Select your iPhone from the list of devices on the left. Create a backup by right-clicking on iPhone name in Devices (iTunes left pane) and choosing Back Up.

Step Two

Double click on Sn0wbreeze exe icon to launch the application.

The application will launch. Click Ok button.

You will see the credits. Click Close Credits button.

You will see the main window. Press blue-arrow button.

You will see IPSW selection menu. Click Browse button.

Navigate to folder with downloaded firmware, select it and click Open button.

Sn0wBreeze will start identifying the firmware.

Once the firmware is verified Sn0wBreeze will ask if you have a new bootrom version or an old bootrom version.

Choose Old of your iPhone 3GS device is an old one with old bootrom. Choose New if the bootrom version is new. You can also ask Sn0wBreeze to detect the bootrom version.

Sn0wbreeze will report the device information and firmware version. Check that this corresponds to your device. The screenshot below shows how this looks like for iPhone 3GS.

Press blue-arrow next button.

Step Three

You will see the choice of 3 options.

Click on Expert Mode and then Blue Arrow.

You will see the menu with General, Custom boot logos, Custom packages, Build IPSW. Some options might be disabled, if not supported with you device or firmware.

Click on General and then next blue arrow.

Step Four

Here you can enable or disable several options.

Important: Choose Activate only if you need hactivation, if you do not plan to use your device with official carrier.

Click next blue arrow button.

You will see the windows where you can choose to update your baseband to 06.15 for unlock.

You can update your baseband to the 06.15 version for carrier unlock. If you are on 05.14 or 05.15 or higher you will need to do this to unlock. You do not need to do this for jailbreak only. Please read the following very carefully before deciding whether to do this.

Important:

1. If you need unlock and have 05.13 baseband or lower - do not select to update baseband, you will be able to unlock without updating to 06.15!
2. There is no way to come back down from baseband 06.15, and there’s no hiding the baseband version from Apple. You’ll be voiding your warranty in a very obvious way.
3. If some future baseband comes out with a critical fix, you won’t be able to update to it if it remains down in the 05.xx sequence (then again, you wouldn’t update to it if you wanted to keep your unlock anyway).
4. If you have 06.15 on your iPhone you won’t ever be able to restore to stock firmware (it will fail). You’ll need to only restore to custom IPSWs (then again, if you’re unlocker you should already be doing that).
5. You might get problems with GPS, if you install 06.15 baseband.

Don’t update to 06.15 if you don’t need to, you can just jailbreak without unlocking using this tutorial! Only update baseband if you need the unlock and you’re stuck on baseband version 05.14 or 05.15, and you’re willing to assume the above risks. You can find out your baseband version in Settings -> General -> About -> Modem Firmware.

If you have read all above and want to update your modem to 06.15 select Install iPad 06.15 Baseband.

If you have chosen to update baseband you will see the warning. Just click OK.

Click next blue arrow button.

If you have old bootrom, you will be able to choose boot logos.

Step Five

You will see a windows where you can install custom packages, that will be embedded to your custom firmware.

Click next. You are ready to create custom IPSW. Click Build IPSW and next button.

Wait while IPSW is being built.You can play PamMan game while you're waiting.

Once the custom firmware is ready SnowBreeze will show Done screen:

Press Ok button.

Step Six

Now you have to follow instructions to put your device into DFU mode.

Please plug your iPhone into the computer and make sure its OFF then click the Start button.

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

2. Release the Power button and continue holding the Home button until Sn0wbreeze detects the device.

If you fail to put the device into DFU mode you can start again.

Step Seven

If you have followed the steps correctly, you will get the following message from Snw0breeze:

Close all opened windows of Sn0wbreeze and launch iTunes.

Select your device from the list of devices on the left. Now hold down Shift and click the Restore button.

Navigate to the Desktop folder and select the newly created custom firmware ipsw. The name will be sn0wbreeze_iPhone 3GS-5.0. Click the Open button to continue.

iTunes will now restore the firmware on your iPhone. This can also take up to 10 minutes. Once done you will be rebooted into jailbroken iOS 5.0!

After the restore you're done! Your device is jailbroken.

iTunes will ask if you want to setup your iPhone as a new device or restore from the backup. Choose Restore from Backup if you want to preserve your contacts and other information.

Step Eight

BOOT TETHERED

This step is needed if you have iPhone 3GS with new bootrom. If you have old one - go to step 9.

Now you will need to boot tethered your iPhone 3GS. You will need to do it everytime you restart.

Sn0wBreeze created folder iBooty-for-5.0 on your desktop. Open it.

Run iBooty.

Choose your device in Select your iDevice option.

Push Start button.

Now you will need to put your device into DFU. Follow the instructions:

1. Prepare to press Home + Power

2. Press Home + Power buttons and hold them for 10 seconds.

3. Release Power, but keep holding Home button for 30 seconds.

You're done. Your iPhone successfully booted tethered.

Step Nine
When your iPhone has restarted you can run Cydia. Let it do all the necessary updates.

To have access to the root file system of your iPhone (via file managers like iFunBox or iPhone Explorer) install application called afc2add in Cydia.

Step Ten
If you need carrier unlock – install ultrasn0w via Cydia (if you do not need carrier unlock skip this step). Ultrasn0w supports iPhone 4 baseband 01.59.00 and iPhone 3G/3GS basebands 04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01, 05.13.04, 06.15.00.

1. Open Cydia.
2. Go to Manage than click Sources.
3. If you see repository http://repo666.ultrasn0w.com, go to step 8.
4. Click Edit button in the top right corner.
5. Then click Add button in the top left corner.
6. Type http://repo666.ultrasn0w.com and click Add Source.
7. Then click Done.
8. Click on on newly created repository http://repo666.ultrasn0w.com.
9. Click on ultrasn0w and hit Install button in the top right.
10. One installed, restart your iPhone.
11. Disable 3G on T-Mobile USA.
12. You're done! You should see the network.

Step Eleven

Do not forget to change your default password if you've installed openssh.

Step Twelve

You can convert tethered jailbreak to a semi-tethered jailbreak using our tutorial from here.