Problem installing older firmware iPhone 3G

dddddano

2009-10-16 06:19:02

Hi, Im wondering if anyone could help with this problem. Im trying to go back to 2.1 or so on my iPhone 3G (I think it came with 2.0, but Im at 3.1 now).
The reason is because I have a cable product that stopped working since 3.0, but I want to use it again and am willing to sacrifice cutting and pasting, etc.
The problem, however, is that every time I download what claims to be older firmware, it doesnt appear on my desktop the way Id expect it to--as a white cube with notes around it. Instead it comes up as a folder with DMG files inside that dont open. This has happened several times with firmware Ive tried to download from several sites. And when I hit restore in iTunes with the option key held down, it wont let me select these ipsw files appearing as folders.
Any ideas? Thanks very much.
Mac Book Pro, others Mac OS X (10.5.1) have had macs since 1991

RE:Problem installing older firmware iPhone 3G

hexonxonx

2009-10-16 06:19:02

Simply rename the folder so that it has an ipsw extension. This will turn it back into the file that it is supposed to be. Your computer is decompressing it and turning it into a folder which displays the contents. This is how you do it on a Mac.
On windows, right click compress this folder. When you see the zip file, rename it so it ends in .ipsw instead of zip. I think this is how I did it before.
Message was edited by: hexonxonx
2009 MacBook Pro - 20" Intel iMac - white 32GB iPhone Mac OS X (10.6)

RE:Problem installing older firmware iPhone 3G

dddddano

2009-10-16 06:19:02

Thanks, hexonxonx. Youre absolutely right. I figured out that part of the puzzle last night and meant to come back and answer my own question here, but because I still didnt get to the firmware downgrading (kept getting an error message--Apple doesnt support downgrades on iPhones), I just crashed out depressed and exhausted.
To further explain how to get past the question of making iTunes recognize old iPhone firmware, when you download in Safari it turns the firmware into zip files for some reason and then proceeds to unzip them. A solution is to find the zip file itself (NOT THE FOLDER THAT HAS BEEN CREATED) and simply remove the zip extension. Another solution if you havent yet downloaded the firmware is to use Firefox instead of Safari (didnt try this myself, but read online that it works).
PowerBook 12 inch Mac OS X (10.4.4) have had macs since 1991

RE:Problem installing older firmware iPhone 3G

hexonxonx

2009-10-16 06:19:02

Glad you got it. Go into Safari prefernces and on the general tab, uncheck open safe files after downloading so that you dont have to go through this again.
2009 MacBook Pro - 20" Intel iMac - white 32GB iPhone Mac OS X (10.6)

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