Does jailbreaking affect the GPS function

[Craigmill]

Hi, I an thinking about jailbreaking my 3GS (currently on 5.1) to take advantage of some applications, but my current non-jailbroken use requires the GPS functionality.

a) I have read that jailbreaking can stop or limit the GPS functionality! Any truth in this - any information would be appreciated?

b) All the threads I have looked at described jailbreaking 5.1.1. Can I use the same procedure for 5.1 or is there a different procedure?

Thanks!

 

[Bula]

GPS issues with the 3GS, is usually caused when unlocking iPhone via an iPad baseband fix..

 

[willerz2]

No, but an unlock can potentially affect it if you're using UltraSn0w.

I would recommend iOS 5.0.1 or 5.1.1 if you want to upgrade to an iOS 5.X. Reason is that iOS 5.1 is a tethered jailbreak, not an untethered. The procedure of jailbreaking iOS 5.1 is similar to every other jailbreaking procedure.

Download RedSn0w and the iOS IPSW that you want to jailbreak on (must match the one that's already on your iPhone). Plug your iPhone in, and open up RedSn0w, go to Extras > Select IPSW and point it to the iOS IPSW that you downloaded. Select back, and select jailbreak. Put your iPhone into DFU mode, and you should then be led to a screen with a few options with check boxes. Tick Install Cydia if you're only jailbreaking and tick next. The rest is up to your iPhone. Then at the end, it should be on the screen with the cable and iTunes logo. Open up RedSn0w again, go to Extras > Just Boot and follow the on-screen instructions to access your phone.

That last step is what you have to do every time you turn off or reboot your iPhone, which is why iOS 5.1 is not one of the desirable iOS' to jailbreak on

 

[Craigmill]

Bula & Willerz2, many thanks for your promt replies!

a) My iphone is factory unlocked so can I assume that jailbreaking will not affect the GPS functionality?

b) I have read about tethered and untethered jailbreaks and as you suggest it would be better to have an untethered jailbreak.
On my phone in Settings/General/About it shows Version = 5.1 (9B176) and Modem Firmware = 05.16.05.
Can I upgrade to 5.1.1? What other options do I have for a tethered jailbreak?

Thanks again!

 

[Thomasjtsi]

a) My iphone is factory unlocked so can I assume that jailbreaking will not affect the GPS functionality?

b) I have read about tethered and untethered jailbreaks and as you suggest it would be better to have an untethered jailbreak.
On my phone in Settings/General/About it shows Version = 5.1 (9B176) and Modem Firmware = 05.16.05.
Can I upgrade to 5.1.1? What other options do I have for a tethered jailbreak?

A. Jailbreaking will not affect your GPS.

B. Yes, an Untethered Jailbreak is better than being on a Tethered JB. Not that the JB itself operates any different... just the fact that you need to connect your iDevice to a computer w/ redsn0w & iTunes to reboot your device if it powers off for any reason.

"Can I upgrade to 5.1.1?" If you've never been Jailbroken before... chances are you won't have any SHSH's for iOS 5.1.1 specific to your iDevice. Here's how to check... download TinyUmbrella from here... The Firmware Umbrella - TinyUmbrella and "Run as Administrator" w/ your iDevice connected to the computer. Let us know what SHSH's it comes up with and we'll go from there.

 

[Craigmill]

Thomasjtsi - just running the TinyUmbrella and selecting the "connected device" then the "General tab" shows "Saved SHSH's for my iphone" box is empty.
All the other boxed are filled with my iphone details.

If I select "Save SHSH", in the log tab I get a long list of "CYDIA DOES NOT HAVE YOUR SHSH FOR YOUR iPhone3GS" followed by a list of various firmware levels.

Is this what you are looking for? I have never even attempted a JB before.

Thanks!

 

[willerz2]

If that's the case then you can't upgrade your iOS to anything other than iOS 6.0.1 now. The only time you can manually restore to an iOS of your choice is if you have the blobs for them. If they're not saved on Cydia's server, which requires you to run Cydia at least once during the period when the iOS was still being signed, then you can't retrieve them anymore. Also, take note on whether or not your 3GS is a new or old bootrom 3GS.

 

[Craigmill]

It sounds like I have two options:

a) run a tethered JB with my ios 5.1
or
b) upgrade to the latest ios via itunes and wait for the untethered JB to be released?

If I take the a) option can I then use the b) option later?

Again many thanks for your reply!

 

[Beast from the East]

Download gps status from appstore, and check your gps signal

 

[willerz2]

It sounds like I have two options:

a) run a tethered JB with my ios 5.1
or
b) upgrade to the latest ios via itunes and wait for the untethered JB to be released?

If I take the a) option can I then use the b) option later?

Again many thanks for your reply!

Is your 3GS an old or new bootrom 3GS. If it's an old bootrom, then you can get an untethered. If it's a new bootrom, there's no difference between you staying on iOS 5.1 or upgrading to iOS 6.0.1.

 

[Craigmill]

My model number starts with an MC and I have read that this means it has a new bootrom?

Based on this can I use this procedure http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/h...jailbreak-ios5-using-redsn0w-beginners-25943/

to do a tethered JB on my phone with 5.1?

Is there a similar procedure if I upgrade to 6.0.1?

 

[willerz2]

The procedures are all the same. I would recommend doing step 7 after opening up RedSn0w.

 

[Craigmill]

Willerz2, thanks again for your guidnce.

Before I attempt to JB my phone with the 5.1 ios, apart from carrying out an iTunes backup, are there any other steps that I should take to enable me to recover should anything go wrong?

If anything goes wrong what recovery steps should I take?

Sorry if this sounds pedantic, I just want to cover all the bases!

 

[willerz2]

I would recommend getting iExplorer or iFunBox and manually backing up your important items onto your computer. Once you root your iPhone using iExplorer, there are a couple of buttons that will point you to the directory of the items like Contacts, Notes, Music, Videos on the the main screen after connecting your iPhone. Click on whichever, and basically just select all, and drag them into a folder on your desktop labeled accordingly so you're organized with your backup. To put all the data back in, simply drag them one category at a time (select all music and drag them over onto your iPhone through iTunes simply by dragging and dropping it over your iPhone on the left tab and it'll sync) so do that for all your stuff and it'll be on your iPhone again

 

[Craigmill]

I completed the RedSn0w procedure (with the step 7 at the start) without any problems or errors, but I do not have the Cydia icon on my phone.

I have tried switching the phone off and following the boot RedSn0w procedure several times with the same result, no Cydia icon. The boot procedure runs normally without any errors ending with the pineapple with a bite out of it.

My phone will resync with iTunes withou any problems.

Any pointers would be appreciated! Can I just re-apply the JB procedure