Jailbreaking the 3G iPhone (with 2.2 firmware) using PwnageTool in Simple mode

intel Mac & PPC

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Updated: January 23, 2009





Who is this guide for?

• 3G iPhone owners
• Official contract, or not (factory unlocked)
• Pwned or not
• Any firmware version
• I used iTunes 8.0.2
• Make sure to Sync your iPhone prior to using this tutorial. This way your personal information, and any App Store applications will be preserved.
• The "late 2008" MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines of computers have an issue with DFU mode. While it's possible to go from Pwned 2.1 firmware to Pwned 2.2 firmware (using PwnageTool), you can't yet go from stock firmware to Pwned firmware. If in any doubt use a different machine.

Warning! If you are using OS X 10.5.6 (or later) then you may have problems getting into DFU mode. If you must enter DFU mode, use PwnageTool (answer no at the question about your iPhone being previously Pwned before) to walk you through the process of getting into DFU mode.

Thanks again go out to the iPhone Dev Team for providing this amazing, and FREE program for jailbreaking, activating, unlocking, and customizing the 1st generation iPhones. You can visit their website here.

Note: you can put other AT&T SIMs (GoPhone - prepaid) into the 3G iPhone and they will work.

Apple has an excellent support document regarding update and restore error messages on the iPhone. Should you have any troubles, consult this article.

Step 1.

Download PwnageTool 2.2.1 from me here, or via the iPhone Dev Team's download link list here.

If you haven't already downloaded 2.2 firmware from Apple, then you can download it here.

You should now have these two icons on your desktop:

Step 2.

Install PwnageTool. Make sure to drag the program icon from the disk image into your Applications folder! &nbs; Do not attempt to run the program from the disk image window, it will cause problems.

Step 3.

Launch PwnageTool. Make sure the Simple mode button in the top left corner is selected. Click the iPhone on the right.




You should get a green check mark on the iPhone you selected. Click the blue arrow button in the lower right corner.




PwnageTool will search for the 2.2 firmware on your computer first, then from the Internet. When it displays the firmware file, click on it. Multiple firmwares may be displayed, so make sure you select the correct one. Then click the blue arrow in the lower right corner.




Click Yes.




If you have a contract on your iPhone, then you must select Yes. If you don't then you must select No.





You will now see this screen while your custom .ipsw is assembled. This stage is about four minutes long.




You will be prompted to enter your system password. There is nothing nefarious in this request, the reason it is asking is because it is creating your firmware and running commands as the root account (or superuser) on your computer. There are various processes where unmounting and mounting of a file systems is necessary. This is performed while using a system UID of 0 which causes the prompt for a system password. The root access is only for the creation of the ipsw file. So it's completely harmless.




You are then asked if your iPhone is CURRENTLY Pwned. If you select Yes, then finish this step, and then continue on to Step 5. If you select No, then skip ahead to Step 4.

Step 4.

Follow the prompts to enter DFU mode. It will walk you through it step by step and even give you countdowns when you must do certain things. First turn off your iPhone.




Get ready to press and hold both the Sleep/Wake (power) button and the Home button.




Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake (power) button and the Home button for 10 seconds.




Release just the power button.




Continue to hold the Home button for another 10 seconds.




You are successful. Click OK.




You can close the PwnageTool program now.







Skip ahead to Step 6.