Lost WM User

[n99hockey]

Hey all, first off let me say that I am a WM guy (a mod over at everythingwm.com) and know NOTHING of the iPhone. So here we go...

My dad was given a 1st Generation iPhone, we have Verizon, but all he wants to use it for is wifi and itunes only.

We figured that you can just turn on the wifi with out a sim card in and it would work, or hook it up to itunes and rock out, but the phone is telling him to 'insert sim card and sim pin to unlock.'

Since he doesnt have ATT he doesnt plan on switching to just use it as a media player since it was just given to him by my cousin.

Any help or suggestions would be great!

Thanks alot.

[styfle]

It should still work. It sounds like it wasnt activated so it's not letting you use it without a SIM. You can unlock it and it will stop bugging you. You can follow instructions here (if you are on a mac) http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=4255
Basically, it creates a custom firmware that lets you do whatever you want, including "activate" the phone.

[n99hockey]

It should still work. It sounds like it wasnt activated so it's not letting you use it without a SIM. You can unlock it and it will stop bugging you. You can follow instructions here (if you are on a mac) http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=4255
Basically, it creates a custom firmware that lets you do whatever you want, including "activate" the phone.

Thanks for the response. I feel like it has been activated, since it was my cousins at one point, I highly doubt it was just sitting around his house.

In any event, should it NOT have be activated my dad doesnt have a mac or access to one, is there anything else he should look for? Any other way to activate it without an ATT account? I know a few ATT people, could they pop there sim in and activate it then remove the sim and have it be good to go without screwing up there account?

Thanks again!

[macgirl]

If your cousin upgraded directly to the iPhone 3G, this would have automatically de-activated the first-generation iPhone. AT&T was sneaky like that, hoping that you would sell the iPhone or pass it on to a family member who would become a new subscriber.

You don't need a SIM card at all to unlock it, but unlocking instructions could change slightly depending on the firmware it's running. You can check the firmware version using this tutorial (http://iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=2543). Tell us what firmware it's running and we can point you to a PC tutorial on how to unlock and activate it.

[n99hockey]

If your cousin upgraded directly to the iPhone 3G, this would have automatically de-activated the first-generation iPhone. AT&T was sneaky like that, hoping that you would sell the iPhone or pass it on to a family member who would become a new subscriber.

You don't need a SIM card at all to unlock it, but unlocking instructions could change slightly depending on the firmware it's running. You can check the firmware version using this tutorial (http://iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=2543). Tell us what firmware it's running and we can point you to a PC tutorial on how to unlock and activate it.

Thanks for the link, but I told him how to get the firmware number and he said that when he turns on the phone it will only allow him to make emergency calls. Thats it, cant do anything else. I dont know if this is true or not, but Apple told him to get a 'Blank' ATT sim card and put it in and it should then work. Is that even possible?

This is probably more difficult than it has to be since this is 3rd hand to you guys.

After work I am going to try and get the phone from him and mess with it, please keep the suggestions coming I appreciate it.

[n99hockey]

ok so i have the phone in hand...

when i turn it on it shows a itunes icon and a plug (basically telling me to connect to itunes) and at the bottom it says slide to make an emergency call

so i connect the phone to itunes and it brings up the iphone screen and tells me i need to activate with att

currently there is a blank att sim card...how can i get around this so my dad can just use it as an itouch

thanks!

[n99hockey]

bump......

[macgirl]

Okay, I just found a way you can find out what firmware is on the iPhone through this post (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=361784) at Macrumors.

Select the emergency call option and enter *3001#12345#* and then press Call. Tell us what you see after this.

[n99hockey]

Okay, I just found a way you can find out what firmware is on the iPhone through this post (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=361784) at Macrumors.

Select the emergency call option and enter *3001#12345#* and then press Call. Tell us what you see after this.

nothing happens....

[macgirl]

nothing happens....

I'm not trying to be insulting, but are you positive you entered the sequence correctly, including the * and # symbols?

If it definitely doesn't, then according to this HoFo wiki article (http://wiki.howardforums.com/index.php/IPhone_Firmware_Guide), it must be past the 1.x.x firmware, meaning it's on 2.x.x. If that's the case, there's a good Jailbreaking/unlocking/activating for PC users guide at iClarified here (http://iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=1880). You do NOT need a SIM card to do this. Before you try this, however, you might want to ask your cousin if he remembers the last time he updated the firmware on the iPhone as a last check. If he remembers firmware starting with a 2, this will work for you.

I've done all my jailbreaking and unlocking on Macs, so I'll let other PC users here help you out if you have problems...

[n99hockey]

I'm not trying to be insulting, but are you positive you entered the sequence correctly, including the * and # symbols?

If it definitely doesn't, then according to this HoFo wiki article (http://wiki.howardforums.com/index.php/IPhone_Firmware_Guide), it must be past the 1.x.x firmware, meaning it's on 2.x.x. If that's the case, there's a good Jailbreaking/unlocking/activating for PC users guide at iClarified here (http://iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=1880). You do NOT need a SIM card to do this. Before you try this, however, you might want to ask your cousin if he remembers the last time he updated the firmware on the iPhone as a last check. If he remembers firmware starting with a 2, this will work for you.

I've done all my jailbreaking and unlocking on Macs, so I'll let other PC users here help you out if you have problems...

yea i know what a # and * look like

ill try the iclarified link and check back

thanks!

[n99hockey]

i was following the iClarified link and i get to the step where it says:

Select your iPhone from the list of devices on the left. Now hold down shift and click the Restore button. Restore is preferred as it won't create any wasted space on your iPhone.


on itunes all i see is the activate on ATT screen...no option for restore or anything else

[macgirl]

i was following the iClarified link and i get to the step where it says:


on itunes all i see is the activate on ATT screen...no option for restore or anything else

Let's put your iPhone into DFU mode and see if this helps. There are instructions here (http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=1034) on how to do this. iTunes should then recognize your iPhone and give you the Restore option.

[n99hockey]

Let's put your iPhone into DFU mode and see if this helps. There are instructions here (http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=1034) on how to do this. iTunes should then recognize your iPhone and give you the Restore option.

that worked!!!
i will continue on with the restore and post back

[n99hockey]

ugh...what a PIA
i got it to extract the '2.2.1 firmware ipsw' file after that it said 'preparing to restore the iphone'
THEN it tells me 'error with the restore file (1601)

now what!?

[macgirl]

ugh...what a PIA
i got it to extract the '2.2.1 firmware ipsw' file after that it said 'preparing to restore the iphone'
THEN it tells me 'error with the restore file (1601)

now what!?

Would it be bad if I said this is much easier on a Mac? :wink:

Apple says to do this if you get this error (http://support.apple.com/kb/TA38633?viewlocale=en_US), but this guy (http://www.lamnk.com/blog/computer/how-to-fix-error-1601-1604-when-unlock-iphone-with-winpwn/) didn't need to do this to get around this error. One of the commenters there said the type of cable used made a difference, though I'm not quite sure why this would matter unless it's a very old iPod cable. The guy in the first post here (http://www.modmyi.com/forums/pwnage/282981-how-i-fixed-itunes-errors-1601-6-winpwn-2-0-0-4-a.html) also found a way around the error - I think you should try his method first before going as far as to re-install iTunes.

[n99hockey]

honestly it would probably be easier for me to just buy him an ipod :tounge:

ill give those things a try...

thanks for your continued help!

[aggieman]

well lookie who the cat drug in.

[n99hockey]

well lookie who the cat drug in.

ha yea here i am...:laugh2:
trying to stumble my way through this mess

[n99hockey]

still no dice here...i tried all the links you posted macgirl and still nothing...im getting very frustrated

one of the times i put it in to DFU mode and just hit 'restore' without hitting shift to pick my restore file it asked me to upgrade to OS3.0...if i just did that would it still want me to activate it or only keep it in emergency call mode?

[macgirl]

still no dice here...i tried all the links you posted macgirl and still nothing...im getting very frustrated

one of the times i put it in to DFU mode and just hit 'restore' without hitting shift to pick my restore file it asked me to upgrade to OS3.0...if i just did that would it still want me to activate it or only keep it in emergency call mode?

Ugh. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble. I'm out of suggestions, unfortunately.

If you upgrade to 3.0, it will still want you to activate and the unlock method for this firmware just came out and may not be as reliable. I'd recommend you stick to 2.2.1 for now and work on unlocking/activating that version...

[n99hockey]

Ugh. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble. I'm out of suggestions, unfortunately.

If you upgrade to 3.0, it will still want you to activate and the unlock method for this firmware just came out and may not be as reliable. I'd recommend you stick to 2.2.1 for now and work on unlocking/activating that version...

thanks for your help
so i have decided to try to just go and use QuickPwn rather than try to restore the firmware...
on the first screen it asks to find the firmware file...after selecting it it had a nice big green check mark so i am guessing thats the correct version on the phone?

i am going to keep going forward and see what comes out...
right now i am at the screen where it says 'preparing your device - please wait' it is trying to get the phone in to recovery mode...

[n99hockey]

ITS ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!

macgirl...thank you for being so patient with me!
another 'chris' forum to the rescue!

[macgirl]

ITS ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!

macgirl...thank you for being so patient with me!
another 'chris' forum to the rescue!

Yay! I'm glad to hear it worked! :D

Now, just ignore iTunes when it wants you to update to the 3.0 firmware, unless you want to go through this whole process again. ;)

[n99hockey]

Yay! I'm glad to hear it worked! :D

Now, just ignore iTunes when it wants you to update to the 3.0 firmware, unless you want to go through this whole process again. ;)

haha yea ill be sure to remind him to not 'break' it.... :laugh2:

[Redon]

this is what EiC is for, thanks to macgirl a clueless Windows mobile user just unlocked and jailbroke his iphone :) n99hockey, i and everyone else here hope you stay here at EiC and continue to post. if not, thats cool too. maybe send us a link to come and visit you sometime at the website your moderate!!!

Best of luck,

[n99hockey]

this is what EiC is for, thanks to macgirl a clueless Windows mobile user just unlocked and jailbroke his iphone :) n99hockey, i and everyone else here hope you stay here at EiC and continue to post. if not, thats cool too. maybe send us a link to come and visit you sometime at the website your moderate!!!

Best of luck,

thanks...
www.everythingwm.com (formally everythingq.com)