The iPhone 2.2.1 OS has been jailbroken via PwnageTool 2.2.5 and QuickPWN 2.2! But, you have to update your iPhone 3G using Pwnage Tool if you plan to someday unlock your iPhone 3G.
And, with the release of the iPhone 3G unlocking software, dubbed yellowsn0w, the iPhone 3G can now be unlocked to work with any GSM network in the world.
The iPhone 2.21 OS had gone live mere days before the venerable and always reliable iPhone Dev Team released their iPhone 2.2.1 OS jailbreak solution. The Pwnage Tool jailbreak utility, which has been at the forefront of the iPhone jailbreak scene since its release, is now compatible with the iPhone 2.2.1 OS.
That means Joe iPhoneUser can now update their iPhone or iPhone 3G with a jailbroken version of the new iPhone OS. This is important because the PwnageTool-based iPhone 2.2 OS jailbreak is the only way to preserve your iPhone’s older baseband firmware.
The iPhone’s baseband firmware lies at the heart of the battle for a viable iPhone 3G software unlock solution. The iPhone Dev Team is working hard to discover an iPhone 3G soft-unlock solution, but be warned – you must update to iPhone 2.2.1 OS using PwnageTool if you ever plan to unlock your iPhone 3G. Of course, if you have and original iPhone, don’t care about unlocking your iPhone 3G, or have a Windows machine and don’t care about unlocking your iPhone 3G, you can easily jailbreak iPhone 2.2 OS using QuickPWN.
[Update 3]
iPhone 2.2.1 OS has been released and the iPhone Dev Team has countered with a new PwnageTool release. PwnageTool 2.2.5 is now officially available to jailbreak any iPhone or iPhone 3G. Even better, PwnageTool 2.2.5 preserves the 02.28.00 baseband firmware that is required for “yellowsn0w” to work. You MUST update to iPhone 2.2.1 OS using PwnageTool 2.2.5 if you ever hope to unlock your iPhone 3G.
This guide has been edited to reflect the release of the iPhone 2.2.1 OS and PwnageTool 2.2.5.
[Update 2]
With the release of the yellowsn0w utility from the iPhone Dev Team, iPhone 3G users no longer have to preserve their older baseband in order to unlock their handset for use on any GSM network. In fact, the iPhone 3G software unlock will only work with the newer baseband that comes bundled with the iPhone 2.2 OS.
This guide has been edited to reflect the release of the yellowsn0w iPhone 3G unlocking utility.
[Update 1]
Please note that PwnageTool is a Mac-only utility. PwnageTool 2.2 will jailbreak your iPhone and iPhone 3G to whatever iPhone OS version you choose.
New MacBook and MacBook Pros are reportedly blocking first-time jailbreak attempts, but should work fine with already-jailbroken iPhones.
Follow this iPhone 2.2 OS jailbreak guide to ensure that your iPhone 3G’s baseband firmware is preserved for any future iPhone 3G software unlock solutions (First-generation iPhones can be unlocked regardless of iPhone OS version, this guide can be applied to iPhone 2Gs): to jailreak your iPhone or iPhone 3G.
If you’re looking to unlock your iPhone 3G for use on any GSM network, find our iPhone 3G unlock tutorial at the end of this jailbreak-guide:
- Download the iPhone 2.2 OS firmware through iTunes
- Connect your iPhone to your computer
- Check for updates to your iPhone
- Download the latest iPhone firmware ONLY – DO NOT INSTALL it!
- Download PwnageTool 2.2
- PwnageTool 2.2.5 – Mac OS X torrent file
- PwnageTool 2.2.5 – Mac OS X direct download
- Fire up Pwnage Tool 2.2.5
- Select “Expert Mode”
- Select your iPhone version (iPhone 3G or iPhone)
- Click “Next”
- Allow Pwnage Tool 2.2.5 to find the iPhone 2.2 OS firmware that you downloaded via iTunes
- Select the iPhone 2.2.1 OS firmware
- iPhone firmware filename – iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Restore
- iPhone 3G firmware filename – iPhone1,2_2.2.1_5H11_Restore
- Click “Next”
- Select the “General” category
- Click “Next”
- General Settings:
- If you have a legitimate iPhone contract with your carrier (for instance, and iPhone contract with AT&T), you will need to uncheck the box next to “Activate”
- If you don’t have a legitimate iPhone contract with your carrier, you will need to ensure that the box next to “Activate” is checked – this will “Hacktivate” your iPhone or iPhone 3G for use on an official iPhone-carrier’s network (note, this is not the same as unlocking the handset for use with un-sanctioned GSM networks)
- Change Root Partition size to 1000MB
- Click “Next” (Keep clicking “Next” until you get back to the “Build” screen)
- Select “Build”
- Click “Next”
- Save the custom restore file to your desktop
- The iPhone file should be named – iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Restore.ipsw
- The iPhone 3G should be named – iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Custom_Restore.ipsw
- Wait for PwnageTool 2.2.5 to build your custom iPhone 2.2 OS firmware file
- When asked if the iPhone has been Pwned before, choose the appropriate option
- iPhone 3G:
- “NO”
- iPhone (never Pwned – No pineapple logo):
- “NO”
- iPhone (previously Pwned – Has pineapple logo):
- “YES”
- iPhone 3G:
- Connect your iPhone
- Follow directions to enter “Restore Mode” – (If you’re already running a “Pwned” iPhone, just skip ahead to the iTunes restore sequence)
- Hint: Press the “Power” button slightly before pressing the “Home” button. Remember, press “Power” just a tick before pressing “Home”
- Hint: Press the “Power” button slightly before pressing the “Home” button. Remember, press “Power” just a tick before pressing “Home”
- If you followed the directions correctly, you will be rewarded with a blue window exclaiming your success – this is a good thing
- Click “OK”
- You will see “I Can Haz Success”
- Quit Pwnage Tool 2.2.5
- Fire up iTunes
- You will be told your iPhone needs to be restored
- Click “OK”
- Option+Click Restore (VERY IMPORTANT) – iTunes restore sequence
- Make sure you hold down the “Option” key on the keyboard while clicking on “Restore”
- Choose the “iPhone1,1_2.2.1_5H11_Custom_Restore.ipsw” from your desktop
- Click “Open”
- Wait
- Wait some more
- After some more waiting, you will be told that your iPhone that your iPhone has been restored
- Click “OK”
- Disconnect iPhone AFTER iTunes recognizes it
- Restore backup of iPhone data
- Start enjoying your jailbroken iPhone or iPhone 3G running iPhone 2.2 OS!
- (Hit the below link to unlock your newly jailbroken iPhone 3G)