How to update to iOS 5 while preserving your baseband (Mac and Windows)

With the advent of iOS 5 the iPhone has became even more feature-rich and easy to use than before. With the added functionality of more than 200 apps like iMessage, Reminders, Newstand and new features like wireless syncing, real time stock quotes it is safe to say that a lot of people want to upgrade to the new version of iOS. And because of the huge iPhone Jailbreak community you can update to iOS 5 without losing our ability to jailbreak thanks to software such as RedSn0w and Sn0wbBreeze.

However, this is not straight through process and please carefully read the following paragraph. If your phone is already unlocked on a previous iOS , you cannot just simply upgrade through iTunes to iOS 5 since this will upgrade your baseband too and thus make it impossible to unlock. In order to avoid this you must create a custom IPSW and update your phone using a special Jailbreaking tool.

There are a number of tools specialized in creating and updating you’re your iPhone with a custom IPSW firmware, programs like PwnageTool and Sn0wBreeze do the job nicely but for this guide we will be using RedSn0w as it is the simplest to use and it is also cross compatible on both MAC and Windows So be prepared to learn how to update to iOS 5 while preserving your baseband

Note. If you are upgrading to iOS 5.0.1 firmware and want to keep your baseband simply select iOS 5.0.1 firmware instead of the iOS 5.0 firmware.

If you are a windows user please download RedSn0w 0.9.9b6 and if you are a MAC user please download RedSn0w 0.9.9b5 from our Download Page. After doing this proceed to Step 1.

Caution: If you are updating your iPhone 3GS on the Special iPad baseband 06.15.00 you need to take notice of the following warning released by Dev-Team:

Note: there’s a special “trick” that iPhone3GS owners with baseband 06.15 need for iOS5.  During the new setup screens you see when you start iOS5 for the first time, you’ll be asked about Location Services.  Be sure to select “Disable Location Services” when asked!  Later on in the setup, you’ll have the chance to turn on Location Services again when asked if you want to use “Find my iPhone”.  It’s fine to turn it back on at that point, if that’s your desire (or you can always go in and enable it in Settings.app).

Also, some iPhone3GS users with the 06.15 baseband may have tried to install iOS5 using a stockIPSW (even though you should never ever try to use a stock IPSW if you’re an ultrasn0w unlocker).  If you did try this, your baseband is probably in an inconsistent state, and you’ll need to reflash the 06.15 baseband again (using redsn0w).  Be very careful if you use redsn0w to reflash the iPad baseband — don’t interrupt the process! And please avoid using stock IPSWs in the future.  Unlockers should never go near stock IPSWs

 

Step 1.  You must start off with download the official iOS 5 firmware for the iPhone model you want to update.

Step 2. Download RedSn0w , either version 0.9.9b6(Win) or 0.9.9b5(mac) depending on your operating system

Step 3. After doing the above written steps, proceed to start the RedSn0w tool.

Step 4.  After RedSn0w is up and running you have to click the Extras button.

Step 5.  Now you have to click the Create Custom IPSW button. After you’ve done this a go and select the official iOS 5 firmware you have downloaded and wait until RedSn0w is finished creating your custom IPSW.  Once done, you should find it in the save folder as your official iOS 5 firmware but it’s name should have a NO_BB_ in front of it.

Step 6.  Once your custom IPSW has been created you have to put your phone in Pwned DFU mode. Please not that you cannot just put your phone in normal DFU mode if you want to use a custom IPSW. To put your phone in Pwned DFU mode you have to click the button that says Pwed DFu mode in the Extras menu of RedSn0w. Remember that your iPhone must be connected to the computer at this point.

Step 7. Redsn0w will now provide you with detailed instruction on how to put your phone in PWNED DFU mode.

• Hold down Power (corner) button for 5 seconds.
• Without releasing the Power button, also hold down the Home (bottom center) button along with the Power button for 10 seconds.
• Without releasing the home button, stop holding down the power button for up to 15 seconds.

 

Step 8.  If you have successfully entered into Pwned DFU mode iTunes should now launch and tell you that your iPhone is in Recovery Mode.  Now you have to hold down the Option key if you are a Mac user or the Shift key if you are a Windows user and click on Restore.

Step 9.  A new window will appear asking you to select the firmware you wish to install on your device.  Now you have to go the location of your newly created custom IPSW. Remember that this custom IPSW has a no_BB_ prefix! Ensure you have the correct IPSW and select it or else your iPhone will be updated with the official firmware and it will update your baseband too, so be very careful.

Step 10. iTunes will now update your iPhone to the custom iOS 5 firmware you created. Be patient, as this can take up to 10 minutes . Once It’s done your phone will reboot and be ready to use.

IF you did all of these steps correctly you should have updated to iOS 5 while preserving your baseband.

Important: This is not a jailbreak, this is a forerunner step to jailbreaking it because in order to jailbreak your iOS 5 iPhone you need to have the old baseband.