iPhone 3GS Stuck in Recovery Mode

[Joe in UK]

Hey all.. I had accidentially dropped my iPhone 3GS with Firmware 05.16.02 Version 4.3.1 (8GU) in the sink.. and yes it was full. I pulled it out and wiped it off, quickly opened the phone, removed the LCD, the Digitizer, the SIM card and tray, and stuck it all in a bag full of rice over night.

I went to boot it up, nothing.. I plugged it into the wall jack and the Apple logo appeared, then a USB leading to an iTunes logo..

So I plugged it into my computer, iTunes started (version 10.2.2.14) and said "iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode. You must retore this iPhone before it can be used with iTunes."

It first was saying after install Error 1601, but since then I have had 1600, 3194, and various others, I have lost count.

I have tried everything from sn0wbreeze, Tiny Umbrella, redsn0w, winpwn, fixrecovery etc.. all to no avail.

I was thinking about jail breaking / unlocking the iPhone, but this kinda forced my hand. I can't get anything to work.. sn0wbreeze creates the file, I shift-Clicked Restore, found the file, and this time around I am getting a 3194 error.

My iPhone is blank, except when I plug it into the charger and the apple logo comes up and then goes to the Usb cord to the Itunes logo.. so I know the iPhone bath didn't fry the phone, I seem to be stuck in Recovery mode.

I have tried everything I can think of..

any ideas??

any idea to read what is on the phone now, like version and firmware?

Thanks in advance everyone..

Joe

[rroach59]

use red sn0w to put phone in pawn dfu mode and itunes to put custom firmware jailbrake and unlock with redsn0w and problem solved

[Joe in UK]

Ran redsn0w, browsed to the stock firmware iPhone2,1_4.3.1_8G4_Restore.ipsw and redsn0w loaded it up.. I tried to use the ones I created with sn0wbreeze, but it said it was "Unable to recognize specified IPSW" so I stuck with the stock version.

On the next screen I clicked "Just enter pwned DFU mode right now"

Then it asked to make sure the device is both OFF and PLUGGED IN <-- (caps by redsn0w not me) ... not sure I can tell if it's off or not.. the screen is black.. when I have it plugged in, and I try to turn it off, it restarts itself..

So I clicked Next and it ran thru some screen so fast I couldn't read it then it said it was in pwned DFU mode..

I tried it again (the above steps) this time I held in the power button then hit Next and I went thru the steps as they came up.. probably what I saw before that wizzed by.

I start iTunes, and it comes up that it has detected an iPhone in recovery mode.. yeah yeah.. I know.. I have seen this SO much in the last 3 days.. Click OK..

I shift Click the Restore button, and It extracts the software, but then give me the 3194 error again..

For S&G's I check out the host file.. and I have at sometime commented out the gs.apple.com...

74.208.10.249 gs.apple.com

If I put that back in, it goes back to my 1601 error..

Any ideas?

[lechicuong]

1.did u save shsh on ur phone? if not, u cant restore 4.3.1
2. u can use 4.3.3 custom to restore.
good luck

[cfrommyside]

Watch this you need this to solve error 3194
Jailbreak, Unlock, Install apps,etc... in Iphone..: Fix itunes 3194 error while restoring to custom firmware

[cfrommyside]

And anyway you also need to restore to ios 4.3.3 with this method
Jailbreak, Unlock, Install apps,etc... in Iphone..: Jailbreak Ios 4.3.3 on iphone 4/3gs(GSM) & Ios 4.2.8 on Verizon with Sn0wbreeze(Late but the best)
And unlock it through
Jailbreak, Unlock, Install apps,etc... in Iphone..: Unlock Ios 4.3.3 with ultrasn0w 1.2.3

[Joe in UK]

Lechicuong,

No I didn't save the .shsh file, I didn't expect to go down this road. I had *just* enquired about jail breaking / unlocking my phone a few days before, from a 'friend in the know', just beforethe accident. I luckily had jotted down the version and firmware version.. otherwise I wouldn't have any idea.

I talked to him today at work, and he told me it might be possible if I got a download of 4.3.1 not the restore file I have been using to get sn0wbreeze to create the 4.3.1 file. He said it might work, or I would have to goto 4.3.3.. which he said I am luckly I didn't upgrade or I will be waiting.

Again.. does anyone know of any product that will read what the phone has for sure? Version, Firmware, etc. I have tried alot of things, and I am not to sure of what is what anymore. My friend said that because it's in a pseudo recovery mode, it wouldn't have written anything to it.. I had used one of the products.. for the life of me I can't remember which, that wrote something 100%, then was "waiting for re-boot" which of course never happened.

So if anyone knows of a reader.. that can see what the phone has loaded, that would rock! This black screen can't see crap is for the birds

I will review the videos and see what they offer.. and I will report back.

Thank you EVERYONE for taking time out of your days to help.

Positively thinking... when I do get it restored *fingers crossed* how would I save the .shsh file? With Tiny Umbrella?

Thanks agian.. will report back soon.

Joe

[kham]

Normaly Put in dfu mode with redsnow thon restore with custom firmware
If it dont work do this
I have one with this problem always in recovery mode
M'y brother found the solution When you are in recovery mode simply put original simcard and cinnect to i tune.the phone will be active itself after jailbreak with redsnow

[Joe in UK]

Originally Posted by cfrommyside

And anyway you also need to restore to ios 4.3.3 with this method
Jailbreak, Unlock, Install apps,etc... in Iphone..: Jailbreak Ios 4.3.3 on iphone 4/3gs(GSM) & Ios 4.2.8 on Verizon with Sn0wbreeze(Late but the best)
And unlock it through
Jailbreak, Unlock, Install apps,etc... in Iphone..: Unlock Ios 4.3.3 with ultrasn0w 1.2.3

Ok sorry everyone for the couple day lack of reply.. I down to London for the last 3 days to watch Roger Waters play the whole Wall album, to include building and tearing down the wall! The the next night (last night) saw Eric Clapton at the Royal Albert Hall. All with out my phone

Ok.. right before I left Tuesday afternoon I tried this .. I down loaded the restore file and ran it through Snowbreeze, then DFU and then Shift - Restored it to iTunes.. it took a while, longer it seemed than other times, so I thought this is it!

Nope.. I ended up with a 1601 error...

I had done those steps from the beginning but not from that restore file, so I thought, a better restore.

I am going to review the other ones now..

Thanks for your continued help!

Still looking to find out if there is a program that will read what Firmware / baseband / version a blank phone has..

I know the screen is good, as when I plug it into the wall socket, it will come up with the apple logo, then revert back to the USB to iTunes logo.

Joe

[Cryspim]

I had same problem with 3Gs these days. The only way that i found that really works (at least for me) was using "fixrecovery". Put your iPhone on DFU mode and execute "fixrecovery43.exe" file. Hope that works for you too.

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

Regards.

Cryspim

[HM-electronics]

let me try but im tired with error 3491 always eeeeeeeeeeee!

[Joe in UK]

Originally Posted by Cryspim

I had same problem with 3Gs these days. The only way that i found that really works (at least for me) was using "fixrecovery". Put your iPhone on DFU mode and execute "fixrecovery43.exe" file. Hope that works for you too.

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

Regards.

Cryspim

Cryspim...

I have tried that a few times.. it get's to waiting for pop-up then closes the cmd Screen.. here is a copy of what if there...

Initializing libpois0n
ERROR: The process "iTunes.exe" not found.
ERROR: The process "iTunesHelper.exe" not found.
Waiting for device to enter DFU mode
Found device in DFU mode
Checking if device is compatible with this jailbreak
Checking the device type
Identified device as iPhone2,1
Preparing to upload limera1n exploit
Resetting device counters
Sending chunk headers
Sending exploit payload
Sending fake data
Exploit sent
Reconnecting to device
Waiting 2 seconds for the device to pop up...
Preparing to upload iBSS
Checking if iBSS.n88ap already exists
Preparing to fetch DFU image from Apple's servers
Fetching Firmware/dfu/iBSS.n88ap.RELEASE.dfu...
[==================================================] 100.0%
Uploading iBSS.n88ap to device
[==================================================] 100.0%
Reconnecting to device
Waiting 10 seconds for the device to pop up...
Preparing to upload iBSS payload
Loaded payload for iBSS on n88ap
Resetting device counters
Unable to find device
Unable to upload iBSS payload
Unable to upload iBSS payload
Exiting libpois0n

I have tried having iTunes running, and then it always says error for the iTuneshelper.

Thanks for that tip.. wish it worked.

[Joe in UK]

I found by digging, if I delete the software upgrade stored in the iTunes folder, that when I start iTunes, it will give me the User Agreement and takes 15+min to download and then unpack and install.. about 30min or so.. in the end, a 1601 error.

If I leave the file in the iTunes folder, then it (last time) gave me a 1600 error or if I have the host file modified for the gs.apple.com, it gives me a 3194 error...

I am going to solve this.. it's not a brick... yet.

Someone asked me, if during my early attempts to get this to work, did I upgrade to the iPad baseband. I have no idea.. 6.15.00 something.. I have no idea if I did or not.

Is there a way to tell, and if not, could that be causing any issues. (my friend is helping me do research on this)

I couldn't answer for sure..I remember seeing it in one of the programs, but I don't think I checked it.. then again, I was trying everything.. and then again... my other buddy in the know said if it's in recovery mode, nothing is getting written to the phone reguardless.

Whenever I have to goto DFU mode, it said make sure it's off, by holding the sleep/power button and sliding it to off.. yeah.. that's not happening.. the only time I see *anything* is when I plug it into the wall and I see the Apple Logo and then the USB to iTunes logo.

Thanks for your continued help....

I wish there was a program to say, for us stuck in recovery / DFU with no screen to see anything, WHAT the version, baseband, and firmware is.. sigh.

Joe

[robean]

just try to restore in 4.1 or 4.3.3 version firmware in dfu mode but i think ur iphone is already in dfu mode in black screen

[maxieboy]

if you save the shsh file use tiny umbrella and tick the tss server, then restore to itunes, dont close tiny umbrella.

after you restore and still recovery mode jailbreak your iphone using redsnow. it will be okay