The Ultimate iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad Jailbreak & Unlock Thread

In this thread I will show everyone the basics of jailbreaking an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. I will also keep it updated with the latest major news.

Update 1: PSFreedom guide added along with all hacking files needed. Goto PSFreedom section to read.

Update 2: Added Best Cydia Apps section and Best Cydia Repos section. Centered all main titles.

Update 3: *SaM707*'s iPad jailbreaking guide for iOS 4.2.1 has been added. (credit to You must login or register to view this content.)

Please use the links to get to the page you want.

[multipage=What Is Jailbreaking]

What Is Jailbreaking?

Jailbreaking is a process that is run on computers that alters the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad firmware to allow unsigned code to run on the device. All apps on the App Store have signed code to allow it to be run. Instead of the hackers making apps/hacks that do have coding, they simply remove the check for the signed code from the device, aka. jailbreaking. Jailbreaking has recently been ruled legal in the US and UK, but with every new firmware release Apple can patch a jailbreak and/or exploit in firmware. Also, when Apple revises the hardware on their iDevices, they can fix exploits known as "bootram exploits", which are only patchable by newer hardware, and cannot be fixed by firmware updates.

[multipage=Types Of Jailbreaks]

Types Of Jailbreaks

There are a few different types of jailbreaks.

You have:

• Userland Exploits
  
• iBoot Exploits
  
• Bootrom Exploits
  

Userland Exploits

A userland jailbreak allows user level access but doesn't allow iBoot level access. This exploit can be patched in newer firmware updates. This type of jailbreak doesn't allow some unsigned hacks or apps to work due to the low-level access.

iBoot Exploits

An iBoot jailbreak allows user level access and iBoot level access. This exploit can be patched in newer firmware updates. This is the type of exploit that redsn0w usually uses.

Bootrom Exploits

A bootrom jailbreak allows user level access and iBoot level access. This exploit can't be patched in newer firmware updates. This exploit requires Apple to update the bootrom on the iDevice (which requires hardware modification) to patch the exploit.

[multipage=User / iBoot Level Access Explainations]

User / iBoot Level Access Explainations

There are two types of access that an exploit can give a user when the iDevice is jailbroken.

User Level Access

You have root access of the iDevice and you can do whatever to the software, but you cannot edit the boot process. (ie. change boot logos, OpeniBoot etc.). All exploits give user level access to the device.

iBoot Level Access

You have full control of the iDevice. You can change the boot process to your liking (eg. add OpeniBoot to choose to boot into iOS or console mode, or iPhodroid if installed) and with this you also get user level access. Redsn0w jailbreaks always give iBoot level access. Currently, all newer jailbreaks give iBoot level jailbreaks too.

[multipage=Tethered, Untethered And Semi-Tethered Jailbreaks]

Tethered, Untethered And Semi-Tethered Jailbreaks

On top of the access level, you also have three more types of jailbreak: tethered, untethered and semi-tethered.

Tethered Jailbreaks

This type of jailbreak allows you to use the jailbroken iDevice to your liking. But if the iDevice turns off due to low battery, or it restarts for some reason, you cannot turn it back on without a computer. No matter what you do. This type of jailbreak should be avoided if you have an iPhone.

Untethered Jailbreaks

This type of jailbreak allows the iDevice to be turned off, restarted, rebooted, resprung, and it will allow the iDevice to restart with the jailbreak. This jailbreak is the one you want.

Semi-Tethered Jailbreaks

Although extremely rare, and nearly unheard-of by many jailbreakers, this type of jailbreak allows the iDevice to be restarted, but it will lose the jailbreak until connected to a computer. Think of it like this: you have a car. You're driving along until suddenly the car runs out of petrol. You can still use other features like the radio or headlights etc. But you cannot use it until it's refuelled. Get the picture?

[multipage=Some Well-Known Jailbreaks]

Some Well-Known Jailbreaks

Here are a few most-used jailbreaks.

redsn0w

Possibly the most-used jailbreak. Normally relies on an bootrom exploit and is usually untethered. Currently uses the limera1n exploit found by geohot. It doesn't create a custom IPSW file, or delete any data on the iDevice. Created by the iPhone-Dev-Team.

limera1n

geohot's entry into the iOS 4.x jailbreaking scene. It uses the exploit he found in the bootrom to jailbreak the iDevice. Currently not updated to work with the newer iOS 4.2 update, although geohot does say he has found yet another bootrom exploit that he's hanging on to for the 5th generation iPhone & iPod Touch and the 2nd generation iPad.

greenpois0n

Created by Chronic-Dev-Team. Uses the same limera1n exploit as all newer jailbreaks. Used to use SHAtter exploit, but it was removed before release to preserve the exploit for 5th generation iPhone & iPod Touch and the 2nd generation iPad. Currently being updated to work with iOS 4.2.

JailbreakMe.com

JailbreakMe.com was a website that a user could visit on a jailed (non-jailbroken) iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad on iOS 4.0 (iPhone/iPod Touch) or 3.2.2 (iPad). It would use an exploit in the way Safari handled PDF files to jailbreak the iDevice. It has not been updated to support iOS 4.1 and beyond due to the PDF exploit being patched. It was a userland jailbreak.

[multipage=Unlocking]

Unlocking

This is the main reason that many iPhone users jailbreak their device: unlocking.

This is the process by which the iPhone baseband is modified to accept the SIM card of any GSM carrier. This is entirely different than a jailbreak though a jailbreak is required for the current unlocks to take effect.

iPhones can be unlocked using certain unlocking hacks. Below is a list of all unlock hacks available.

ultrasn0w

iPhone-Dev-Team's unlock, and the most widely used unlock. Currently unlocks iPhone 3G/3Gs basebands 04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01, 05.13.04 and 6.15.00. It also unlocks iPhone 4 baseband 01.59.00. Mainly worked on by hackers sherif_hashim, Oranav and MuscleNerd.

blacksn0w

geohot even had a crack at unlocking. Although old, this still works on iPhone 1G.

[multipage=*SaM707*'s iPad iOS 4.2.1 Jailbreak Guide]

SaM707*'s iPad iOS 4.2.1 Jailbreak Guide

This guide was originally created by *SaM707* not myself, so all credit to him!! :y:

--

This is just for the iPad but I think you can use this for an iPhone/iPod Touch.
I have an iPad and this is what I did to jailbreak it.
THESE ARE MY OWN INSTRUCTIONS

1st: You should update your firmware to 4.2.1 firmware if you don't have it already...Find this file: You must login or register to view this content. (link from Apple's Servers <3 ) and put in on your desktop

2nd: Get redsn0w 0.96b4...Here i'll help you with that You must login or register to view this content.

3rd: Make sure your iPad is plugged in and Itunes is running.

4th: Once you get them both, open up Redsn0w
click browse in the bottom left, find your 4.2.1 firmware on your desktop

5th: Click Next now make sure that only install cydia is checked...Click Next and do what the instructions tell you after that...

6th: Now after that load up redsn0w again and load up the 4.2.1 firmware again. now click Just boot tethered now and unclick install cydia...Now follow the on-screen instructions

7th:REMEMBER, this is a tethered jailbreak which means if your iPad runs out of battery you will have to do step 6 again...Untethered jailbreak will come out soon,ok.

[multipage=PSFreedom]

PSFreedom

Download these files and follow the included guides to jailbreak and/or downgrade your PS3.
You must login or register to view this content. file uploaded! happy hacking!

[multipage=Best Cydia Apps, Tweaks And Hacks]

Best Cydia Apps, Tweaks And Hacks

Here are a few of the best Cydia apps, tweaks and hacks I've found.

Winterboard

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Icon used for Winterboard

One of the greatest apps on Cydia. It allows for theming to be used on the iDevice. It opens up a whole new gateway to new icons, wallpapers, lockscreens, sounds, keyboards etc. Usually the first app I download from Cydia. It is found on the Telesphoreo Tangelo repo (You must login or register to view this content.) which comes as standerd with Cydia.

SBSettings

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iPhone with SBSettings open

SBSettings is one of the best apps I have ever come across. It is one of the first apps I download on Cydia. It allows for control of the iDevice through simple toggle switches, for example turning wi-fi on or off. It also houses a feature to respring or restart the iDevice. It is available on the BigBoss repo, which is standard with Cydia.

Five Icon Dock

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Five Icon Dock installed on an iPhone

A great tweak, again available from the Telesphoreo Tangelo repo. It allows five icons to be docked instead of the standard four. A recommended app.

And for the pirates...

Installous

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Installous starting on an iPhone

Not to be confused with the discontinued Install0us, this app allows you to download and install cracked apps direct to the iDevice. Available on the Hackulo.us repo (You must login or register to view this content.).

AppSync

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All the current AppSync versions available

AppSync is a hack released to allow iTunes to sync cracked apps from a PC or Mac. Normally, iTunes would give an error if this was attempted, but AppSync fixes the issues. Available once again from the Hackulo.us repo.

AppCrackr

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AppCrackr running on an iPhone

This app is for all the pirates out there who share their work. It allows the user to crack an application they purchased from the App Store and distribute it freely. The app works by removing the coding placed on the app by Apple. It is downloadable from the xSellize repo (You must login or register to view this content.) or the podulo.com repo (You must login or register to view this content.)

[multipage=Best Cydia Repos]

Best Cydia Repos

Here are a few repos that I add after jailbreaking:

xSellize Repo

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Hackulo.us Repo

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Podulo Repo

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[multipage=Thanks / Credits]

Thanks / Credits

I'd like to thank a few people.

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for reading this tutorial / essay. You did well soldier
Next, I'd like to thank the jailbreaking and unlocking teams out there for using their time, sweat and money to bring us these fantastic tools to jailbreak and unlock our iDevices. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Third, I'd like to thank Apple, who without, we wouldn't even have iPhones, or iPods, or iPads.
Lastly, I'd like to thank NextGenUpdate for having one of the best and largest forums on the internet. 380,000 members and growing!

Also, extra credit should go to ipodtouchfans.com for helping explain the different types of exploits, and also to theiphonewiki.com for helping describe some jailbreaking tools and the unlocking explaination.

NGU Members who I credit for helping me create and contribute to this guide:

You must login or register to view this content. for his iPad Jailbreaking Guide for iOS 4.2.1 :y: