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November 4, 2009 4:33 PM PST

Blackra1n RC3 unlocks iPhone 3GS

by David Martin
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Blacksn0w

(Credit: GeoHot)

iPhone OS hacker GeoHot released Blackra1n RC3 Tuesday, an updated jailbreak and unlock utility for the Apple iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch.

This version provides true carrier unlocking for iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07 by taking advantage of at+xemm crash exploit discovered by ih8sn0w.

The Blackra1n jailbreak process installs a new app--called Sn0w--onto an iPhone. It unlocks your iPhone, making it usable on any GSM carrier network. More information about the jailbreak can be found on GeoHot's blog.

Please note that by jailbreaking an iPhone, you may be violating your terms of service and voiding your warranty. CNET does not recommend jailbreaking; proceed at your own risk.

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by street721 November 4, 2009 5:30 PM PST
it's legit. only sucks when your trying to test it with a T-mobile sim chip, while there system is crashing.
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by eekitsericc November 4, 2009 5:54 PM PST
thats whats up!
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by ceilo007 November 4, 2009 9:31 PM PST
aleady updated and unlocked my 3gs. i used it to update my 2g to 3.1.2 and jailbreak it. then used bootneuter to unlock. i agree with street721.
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by filipiak November 5, 2009 6:38 AM PST
Interesting that one of the "Report offensive content" options is: "Illegal activities: Promote cracked software, or other illegal content", but it's ok to report about and link to cracking software.

Double standard?
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by richardmasella November 5, 2009 6:57 AM PST
Need help with this please:
New non-Jailbroekn 3GS with 3.1.2 and most updated itunes...I tried on MAC using RC3 and was able to download Cydia. Only want to jailbreak, so I only installed Cydia. At step 8 (restart), the phone will not exit recovery mode (screen with itunes and usb plug logos).

I retried several times, and now I have a jailbroken phone that cannot be restarted or turned off/on without getting stuck in recover mode. My phone is jailBROKEN and it is driving me nuts- have not received any reply email from blackra1n support or from any of the other sites- help please.
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by technogal2009 November 5, 2009 10:17 AM PST
As with any jailbreak process, if there is an error, you need to start over. Restore your phone in ITunes to either a backup (you have made one recently, right?) or a new phone. Your choice. Then run blackrai1n and/or blacksn0w if needed. Don't expect a reply from geohot. Jailbreaking is YOUR responsibility, not the people who make the tools.
by bckwheat November 5, 2009 12:39 PM PST
You might try this it is what saved mine.
Reset the iPhone by holding the sleep/wake button at the top right of the device and the home button at the bottom center of the face at the same time. Hold them both until you see the screen go black and the white Apple logo appear. Then release the top button and keep holding the bottom button until the link to itunes icon shows (could be up to 30 seconds. plug cable in, follow the restore commands
by jason3w November 11, 2009 6:33 PM PST
mate, you just need to run blackra1n again and your phone will start up in the normal way.
This is what is refered to as tethered jailbreak. It's the only way at the moment.
So just reboot, and at "plug into itunes screen" just run blackra1n and your device will start like normal, just as it was before reboot. Apps and setting setc intact.
by AimenK November 14, 2009 8:46 AM PST
I have the same problem, all what you need to do to pass the recovery mode after any reboot, you have to run blackra1n again and your iphone will start normally, but this is not a solution, its just to pass the recovery mode, this is normal for all the iphone 3gs after week 41, check your serial number (4th and 5th digits) its the week.

if any one know how to fix this issue, please let us know, and we will be thankful.

cheers.
by bweston1a November 5, 2009 11:13 AM PST
richardmasella, you have one of the newer 3Gs phones. You can tell because your serial number will end in 40 or above (41, 42, etc). iPhones produced in week 40 or after are iphones that need to be tethered when booting.

In other words, if you have a jailbroken phone, you'll need to be hooked up to your computer to boot the phone properly, if it is jailbroken. This is a known issue and both geohot and the devteam have posted extensively about it. There may or may not be a "fix" for that issue in the future.

But for now, you can either keep your jailbreak and make sure that you don't reboot or lose power on your phone when you don't have access to your computer. Or you can restore to the default Apple firmware.

I'm not affiliated with either the dev team or geohot. But I have read their sites and this is a pretty well known issue.
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by theanimaster November 8, 2009 6:28 AM PST
I can assure you that week 40++ iPhone 3Gs's are jailbreakable with this RC3. I've had this same problem (as described by richardmasella) with Blackra1n RC1 on a carrier-unlocked week 40 iPhone 3Gs. With RC2 I was able to jailbreak with tethering. R3 just made everything wonderfully awesome -- complete jailbreak WITHOUT tethering.

So for richard's problem, the solution would be to start over -- restore your iPhone to the original Apple 3.1.2 software. Then do the following BEFORE jailbreaking:

1.) Make sure your USB cable is not damaged. This can interrupt the process.
2.) Make sure you kill iTunes and iTunes Helper. Google's your friend.

Enjoy.
by bweston1a November 5, 2009 11:22 AM PST
my mistake. That should be check digit 4 and 5 of your serial number. If those two numbers are 40 or higher, then you have a newer phone and your stuck with a tethered jailbreak (or revert to the apple firmware)
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by gary21320204 November 13, 2009 6:28 PM PST
Do you think they can jailbreak those iphone which 40 or higher?
by GervTini November 5, 2009 1:15 PM PST
Newbie to this ....
But would like to ask if I can use this to jailbreak my old original iPhone.
Upgraded to 3GS.
Would this be the best one to use to unlock my spare iPhone?
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by technogal2009 November 5, 2009 2:14 PM PST
Jailbreaking is always done "at your own risk". That being said, I found this to be the best, easiest, and most efficient jailbreak I've ever done. I have a 3G, with 3.12 fw and 5.11.07 baseband. I am in no way affiliated with the dev team, geohot, etc, but have used both their products successfully. Read as much as you can before you do the jailbreak. This will tell you what type of issues you may run into. Make sure you've downloaded the latest versions (blackra1n is now at v3). Good Luck--and don't pay for any type of jailbreaking or program. It's all free!
by ceilo007 November 5, 2009 5:16 PM PST
you can do it. update your old iphone to the latest firmware. if you have the original iphone, the 2G, run blackra1n and install cydia. restart if necessary. once your up and running, run cydia and run whatever updates are needed. restart if prompted to. search for an app called bootneuter and install it. run the app. there is a written walk through for this on various websites. come on man, if the world of technology we live in, you couldn't google it? i did.
by appleiphonecracker November 6, 2009 12:19 AM PST
Hi i am afraid that it might not work has anyone tried this please let me know thanks
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by machackpc November 7, 2009 5:46 AM PST
Users are facing problem after Jailbreaking unlocking iphone using blackra1n or blacksn0w. Like Wifi, youtube, maps, push notification. Here is the tutorial on how fix these issues - http://www.machackpc.com/iphone/3g/fix-wifi-youtube-maps-and-with-push-fix-notification-blacksn0w/
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by sbcook007 November 7, 2009 12:08 PM PST
Works great!! I did it in less that 5 mins. <---- iphone rookie
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by bondml November 8, 2009 11:24 AM PST
I've got still (0xE8008001) pls help
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