I never thought of this, but it seems some iPhone users update / upgrade their iPhone’s firmware in airplane mode in order to avoid phone calls coming in and disrupting the update process. However it seems the latest iPhone firmware update version 2.2.1 doesn’t like this (it appears that the update requires cell phone signal?). What would or could happen is your iPhone will appear to be stuck or frozen for some time, subsequently a message reporting lost of connection would appear, causing the update to fail completely.
By the way, this applies to those updating directly via iTunes, so no matter whether or not you decide to jailbreak your firmware 2.2.1 after the firmware update, you need to update to 2.2.1 using iTunes anyway first. So it’s wise to be aware of your airplane mode and turn it off to avoid potentially wasting hours of sitting and waiting!
Incase you do run into the situation where you get a completely frozen or bricked iPhone because you left airplane mode on purposely for the update like you usually do, here’s the fix and how to get your iPhone unbricked and working again:
“To turn off Airplane Mode on your seemingly “bricked” iPhone, disconnect the USB cable (or undock), then slide the Emergency Call switch to reach the emergency call phone. You’ll be prompted to disable Airplane Mode. Tap “Disable”. Then press the Home button, reconnect the phone, and watch iTunes recognize/reactivate your iPhone.”
Thanks to Victor from TUAW for pointing this out over at Apple discussions board…
a wealth of information. Thanks. But in emergency mode there is no disable airplane mode option. suggestions?
I continue to come up with emergency phone window. any other ideas?
Beverly, thanks for your comment. I believe you’ve stumbled across a rather old post, can I ask what you are having problems with or what you are trying to achieve? We may have newer guides which can help you.
Your above explanation seems to be the issue. It requires a phone signl to activate or update however I do not have at&t but t-mobile…which I have yet to get it working on this. oy. and still no ‘disable airplane mode’ window anywhere in sight on the screen. I did not disable that mode prior to this.
I anxiously await your response.
Beverly
Got your e.mail. Explanation is this:
I just purchased an iphone 3 g 16, white. 2.2.1 baseband 2.30.03(or something like that).
I’ve been using pwanage to change and add cydia and such. It was okay for a while though I still haven’t unlocked it to accept my t-mobile card.
I’ve done complete restores which keeps locking it up. Downgrading has failed also so I’ve done complete restore with the 2.2.1_5H11 which is what it started out with. Now it’s bricked but it’s been bricked here and there and has come unbricked.
Perhaps I need to take it to the at&t store here(they’re pretty cool) and have them give me a signal to unlock it. Oy.
Or your suggestion?
I’d rather not use at&t but would rather have the info to get around this in the future.
Enough info to give you an idea of my dilemna?
Thanks in advance.
Beverly
went to at&t. no go. It then dawned on that my problem with the bricking was my itunes so I went to my store, the one I hadn’t used, and connected it and it unbricked it.
so, if you have a true unlocking and jailbreaking for 2.2.1 baseband 02.30.03 let me know asap. I need my phone…..ahhhh
Thanks in advance.
Beverly
Hi Beverly, your problem is not actually as difficult as one might think. Here’s what you need to do. I gather what you want to have done is unlock and jailbreak. Based on what you said, you have the updated baseband 02.30, in order to achieve what you want you need to downgrade that back to 02.28 which we have a guide for here: http://blog.gadgetlite.com/2009/05/10/roundup-methods-downgrade-iphone/
The method at the link above works brilliantly. My only concern is it sounds like your iPhone 3G is relatively new? New iPhone 3Gs have a problem with what’s called the “bootloader”, again the higher the version number of the bootloader, the less chance that you will be able to downgrade your baseband and as a result unlock your iPhone 3G.
Having said that, if that is the worst case scenario for you, you’ll be unable to unlock but you’ll still be able to jailbreak your iPhone 3G. So do check out that link and tell us how you get on, all the best!
Thanks for the info. I had come up with exactly as you posted prior to a trip out of town but hadn’t had time to work this with this phone again. back at it today. I had discovered that it’s boatloadder birthday was the xx832xxxxxx number so I will attempt again as you post. Will let you know.
Beverly
thanks for your help so far….:-)