PwnageTool v3.1.4 Released To Jailbreak iPhone 3.1.2 (For Mac)

by Simon Ng on October 14, 2009

pwned pineapple A few hours ago, iPhone Dev team released an update for its popular jailbreak tool – PwnageTool v3.1.4. As usual, PwnageTool is for Mac only. The latest version adds the jailbreak support for iPhone OS 3.1.2. You can use it to jailbreak iPhone 2G/3G/3GS and iPod Touch 1G/2G.

The earlier version of PwnageTool failed to jailbreak out-of-the-box iPhone 3GS, this update also allows you to jailbreak iPhone 3GS, which has not been jailbroken before. As explained in iPhone Dev team’s blog, it makes use of an exploit discovered by several iPhone hackers:

this version of PwnageTool has a side feature to jailbreak your 3GS. It uses a simple implementation of the usb control msg hole found by chronicdev, geohot, and our very own gray. Now that the hole is public and in use, we expect Apple to close it by the next major firmware update. That’s why 3GS users need to get their ECID hashes for 3.1.x now, and need to stay onboard the “jailbreak train” in all future updates.

Before you download and jailbreak with PwnageTool, please read through the notes very carefully, especially you’re using iPhone 3G/3GS and rely on ultrasn0w for the unlock:

If you’re using iPhone 3G/3GS and rely on ultrasn0w for the unlock, please ensure you do not upgrade to iPhone OS 3.1.2 directly via iTunes. By doing so, the upgrade will also update the baseband of your iPhone and that will make your iPhone unlockable. So, always remember to upgrade your iPhone via a custom .ipsw file created by PwnageTool. The custom ipsw file can preserve the baseband and let you unlock it via ultrasn0w.
For those you have jailbroken your iPhone before (by whatever means), you do not need to mess with DFU mode. After you create the custom ipsw, simply restore it via iTunes by holding OPTION-key and click “Restore”.
To use PwnageTool for jailbreak, please use iTunes v9.0.1.
If you use internet tethering on a carrier that doesn’t officially support it, you’ll lose it by going to 3.1.2. So, if you need the internet tethering hack, please stay away from the upgrade.
PwnageTool can only jailbreak out-of-the-box iPhone 3GS running iPhone 3.1.x. It cannot unlock the baseband. If you do not know the difference between jailbreak and unlock, check out the iPhone terminology.

If you have no problem with the above, go ahead and download PwnageTool v3.1.4 from here or here.

The jailbreak procedures should be very similar to the step-by-step jailbreak guide for iPhone 3.1. But make sure you use the firmware 3.1.2 that you can download from here. Anyway, I’ll soon post up the complete jailbreak guide for iPhone OS 3.1.2 using PwnageTool. Stay tuned.

BTW, I know many iPhone jailbreakers are not using Mac OS X and awaiting the release of Windows version of PwnageTool. iPhone Dev team has posted a note on that and explicitly announced:

There is no Windows version of PwnageTool it is a Mac OS X tool only, we are not developing a Windows version of PwnageTool.

However, another team of iPhone hackers are porting PwnageTool to Windows called sn0wbreeze. I’ll keep you update about its release.

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Tagged as: iPhone, iPhone 3.1, iphone 3G, iPhone 3GS, jailbreak-iphone, PwnageTool

{ 1 trackback }

How to Update and Jailbreak your iPhone 3G Firmware 2.2.1 — The iPhone Blogging: November 14, 2009 at 12:45 am

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

1 irene October 14, 2009 at 9:31 am

hi simon, i have updated my firmware to 3.1.2 with a current baseband of 05.11.07. Does this mean that im not able to unlock the phone via the above steps given.

2 Simon Ng October 14, 2009 at 11:36 pm: @irene,

Yes. There is no way to unlock iPhone 3.1.2 for the time being.

Reply

3 Joget October 14, 2009 at 9:49 pm

hi simon… it has been a while since i last posted comment here in your site, though i am checking and visiting your site every now and then for updates and news. actually, i am one of those who are desperately hoping to have the Windows PC version of the Pwnage Tool to unlock and jailbreak 3GS… but so unfortunate to know that the iphone Dev team will not be releasing version for Windows. the last hope will be the snowbreeze, which i hope will be released soon.

anyhow, i have some queries and i hope to receive your answers (i have software unlocked and jailbroken 3GS and still at OS 3.0):

1) is PwnageTool v3.1.4 can unlock 3GS also aside from jailbreaking it, if ever i will update to 3.1.2?
2) if ever it can unlock also, i am thinking of using my friend’s Mac PC to do the procedure. but my other question is, if the procedure is done thru Mac PC, is it ok to connect my 3GS to my Windows PC and connect to my iTunes? will it recognize or ignore the changes or will it make any problem or conflict whatsoever?

honestly, am quite excited to update to 3.1.2 but at the same time cautious because once my iphone is updated and locked… i can no longer use it again as it is software unlock.

looking forward to your comments and suggestions.

thanks and more power.

4 Simon Ng October 14, 2009 at 11:30 pm: @Joget, thanks for your comment and support.

1. PwnageTool is not used for unlocking but for jailbreak only. However, one great thing of PwnageTool 3.1.4 is that it can create a custom firmware file (.ipsw) of iPhone 3.1.2 and with an unlockable baseband. This ensure you can unlock your iPhone even upgrading to iPhone 3.1.2.
2. Actually if you can borrow a Mac, you can use PwnageTool 3.1.4 to create the custom ipsw file of iPhone 3.1.2. Then copy that custom firmware file back to your Windows PC and restore your iPhone 3GS via iTunes for the upgrade.

Let me know if you have other questions. And, one thing you have to remember is: Never upgrade to iPhone OS 3.1.2 directly via iTunes!

Reply

5 Win October 16, 2009 at 8:56 pm

Simon Im really waiting for your Step by Step guide for this new release of pwnage tool for Mac.. Im using iphone 3GS on official carrier (Softbank Japan), jailbroken with redsn0w with OS 3.01 baseband 04.26.08 and i want to keep my phone unlockable in the future…. thanks in advance! more power to this blog nice work dude!

6 Simon Ng October 17, 2009 at 12:14 am: @Win, sorry for keep you waiting. I’ll post up the guide soon.

Reply

7 MT October 20, 2009 at 10:48 pm

Hi … I am on BB 2.28.00 and version 2.2.1 . Phone unlocked and jailbroken by PwnageTool. What I dont get is do I have to go through the whole thing again with the latest version of PwnageTool or can I just upgrade through Cydia?

Thanks

8 Simon Ng October 21, 2009 at 12:27 am: @MT, correct. To upgrade a jailbroken iPhone, you’ll need to go through the whole jailbreak procedures again. Cydia can’t do that for you.

Reply

9 snazzy October 22, 2009 at 4:56 am

Hey Simon. Turns out I’m not smart… I have a 2g iphone and updated it directly in itunes. I then tried to jailbreak it with blackra1n and everytime I tried to restore it itunes teld me my sim card is invalid. i then tried pwnagetool 3.1.4 and got the .ispw but i’m still getting the same problem. Is there anything I could try or am I hooped?

Thanks

10 Sonia October 28, 2009 at 11:51 am

Hi Simon, I have a 2g phone, can I upgrade to 3.1.2? Can I do it via iTunes? Will Pwnage tool (last update) unlock it, as it always has?

Thanks,

11 Simon Ng October 29, 2009 at 1:22 am

@Sonia, please DO NOT upgrade directly via iTunes. You should use PwnageTool 3.1.4 to create a custom firmware file and use that file to restore via iTunes.

12 Sonia October 29, 2009 at 5:34 am

Hi Simon, thank you for your prompt response.

Another question, will Pwnage tool unlock the iphone? or if I create a custom firmware file I will not need to unlock?

Thanks again,

13 Simon Ng October 30, 2009 at 12:18 am: @Sonia, PwnageTool can also unlock iPhone 2G. But for iPhone 3G, you’ll need to use ultrasn0w for unlock.

Reply