Updating 1st gen iPhone to 2.0 software

July 19th, 2008 Arash Posted in Tutorials, iPhone |

The new PwnageTool is out, and I’m gonna document my steps to install the 2.0 software on my 1st gen iPhone. Note that this is not an upgrade. The process will wipe your phone, so backup any pictures or notes that you may have on there.

1. First thing’s first. Downoad the latest PwnageTool.
2. Unzip the file and drop it in your /Applications folder
3. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes (Apple->Software Update). Start up iTunes after updating to make sure it starts.
4. Plug in your iPhone, and iTunes will ask if you want to update your phone. Click ‘Download Only’. After it finishes downloading, close iTunes.
5. Download the version 3.9 and 4.6 boot loaders. I used this link, but that link might not work after awhile. Extract the file (and extract the .zip file inside of it again) until you see the bl39.bin and bl46.bin files.
6. After the download is finished, close iTunes.
7. Open the ‘Activity Monitor’ application. (/Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor). Find the ‘iTunes Helper’ process and force quit the program.
8. Plug in your iPhone and turn off the auto lock. (Settings->General->Auto-Lock->Never)
9. Launch PwnageTool, then click on the iPhone on the left.
10. Select the 2.0 firmware that it finds (iPhone1,1_2.0_5A347)
11. Pwnage tool should be able to find your boot loaders (mine were in my Documents directory). If not, make sure you’ve extracted the boot loader file you downloaded. Worst case, just browse for it manually.
12. Pwnage will ask you if you’re legit. I use T-Mobile in America, so I clicked ‘No.’
13. Pwnage may ask you for your admin password.
14. Now it will ask if your phone has been ‘Pwned’ before. I presume this is your first time (seeing as how the application just came out), so click ‘No’.
15. This part is tricky. Watch the PwnageTool screen carefully as it will prompt you to press combinations of your Home and Power buttons in order to put the phone into DFU mode. It took me several times to do it, but just keep trying by following the on screen instructions. (When Pwnage says you have successfully entered DFU mode, your screen might be off. That’s ok)
16. Once Pwnage tells you that you’re in DFU mode, open up iTunes. iTunes will say that the phone needs to be restored. Hold down the ‘option’ key and click on the ‘Restore’ button. iTunes will prompt you for the location of a firmware file. Select the one on the Desktop that PwnageTool created (iPhone1,1_2.0_5A347_Custom_Restore.ipsw).
17. Go make yourself a cup of tea. :-) After the restore, the phone will reboot and Boot Neuter will flash the boot loader and base band. Your phone will reboot again, and you’re done!

If iTunes doesn’t immediately recognize your phone, try restarting iTunes. It seems the iTunes Helper is necessary for syncing the iPhone.