Unlocking the 3G iPhone on 3.1 firmware using PwnageTool in Expert mode

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Step 5.

To place your iPhone in recovery mode, first turn it off. Plug your USB cable into your Mac. Hold down the Home button on the iPhone and plug the other end of the USB cable into your iPhone.

iTunes should automatically launch. If it does not, then launch it manually. Continue holding down the Home button. You should see the Apple logo appear, then the connect to iTunes graphic should appear.




A pop up from iTunes will appear. Click OK.




You should see this in iTunes.





Press the Option key on your keyboard, and click the Restore button in iTunes. In the pop up window that opens, navigate to the custom .ipsw file that was saved to your desktop by PwnageTool during Step 4.




You will see various status bars, while the restoring process proceeds. The iPhone's screen will turn white, and if you chose a custom boot logo, you will see it display on the iPhone at this point. Otherwise you will see the Apple logo.




You will also see this status bar graphic on the iPhone as the installation process continues.




Once the restore process has finished you will receive this message.

Step 6.

iTunes should prompt you to update your carrier settings. Click Download and Update.




iTunes will install the file in seconds.




Click OK.




iTunes should prompt you to set up the iPhone. You should NOT restore from a backup as it has been well documented that this causes issues with the battery draining at an accelerated rate for whatever reason. Make your selection and click Continue. The iPhone will reboot. Note: I erased my phone number for privacy reasons.




Continue setting up your iPhone. Click Done.




Then this screen will appear, confirming you are on 3.1 firmware. Note: I erased by my serial number and phone number for privacy reasons.




Cydia (and Icy, if you selected it) have been placed on the SpringBoard and you are almost ready to go. Note: I don't have a carrier name displayed, but I have full bars. I am able to make and receive calls with my AT&T SIM at this point.




If you launch Settings, and press, General, About, you can confirm your firmware versions here. I am on 3.1 firmware, and my modem (baseband) was left alone.

Note: I always erase my Serial Number, Wi-Fi Address, Bluetooth, IMEI and ICCID from my screen shots for privacy reasons. Remember, don't update to newer firmware than 3.1 until it can be unlocked or used with PwnageTool as you could render your iPhone useless as a phone.

Step 6.

Let's unlock the iPhone now. Launch Cydia, and perform any updates needed to Cydia. You will either receive a pop up message advising you to update Cydia, or you will have a red badge on your Changes button. Note: It says "This device has a 3.1 ECID SHSH on file."

Press the Search button. Enter ultrasn0w and press the entry at the bottom to select the program.




Press the Install button. When it is finished, don't press the Reboot Device button just yet. Press the Home button instead.




Launch Settings. Press General, then Network. Make sure that Enable 3G is set to OFF.




Shut off the iPhone. Switch out your SIM cards (if you need to).




Turn the iPhone back on. It may take a little while, but you should see your new carrier name appear. While my carrier bars were full strength after the reboot, the carrier name didn't display. I can make and receive calls no problem. You may want to check your Carrier menu. I hear it is better to select the carrier name you want to use versus leaving it in Automatic.

Step 7.

I hear there is a bug in that is causing carrier names not to display. If you have to have something there, then launch Cydia and install the program called Make it mine. You can enter whatever text you'd like for the carrier, or for where the time is displayed.