Stuck in recovery 3GS

[BenTAxeL]

Im sure im one of many noobs to this forum with this issue and searching here and the net i have still ended up back at square 1.

Bought the phone second hand so I have no idea if it was jailbroken or any info besides the obvious 16gb White 3GS.

So far the best result netted me a error 1600 message.

Used greenpois0n to enter DFU mode.
Started TSS Server in Tiny Umbrella
Shift clicked Restore in iTunes and tried installing 4.2.1 Apple isw

Started sync with iPhone and got the Error 1600 message.

Tried to update the standard way. Plug into comp restore with iTunes but it hangs at Restoring Firmware and the bar under the apple logo on my iPhone is 99% full.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BenTAxeL]

Seems Im getting closer but still not quite there.

Removed gs.apple.servers from host file
Used iReb to enter DFU
Started TSS Server in Tiny Umbrella
Restored iOS 4.2.1 in iTunes.
Now hung in same spot (Restoring Firmware) with 1mm to fill on the iPhone bar.

Am i missing something here?
should I run redsnow and try to jailbreak from this point?

I cant work out why i cant get any operating system on it?

 

[BenTAxeL]

Ok so i ran redsnow and now it seems stalled on Installing activation bundles..... stayed that way until the screen turned off back to square 1 again.

 

[BenTAxeL]

Ok so I can boot tethered with red snow and access the phone after 5 10 mins message pops up saying i need to restore via itunes.

Guess thats why the call it a recovery loop.

Surely there is some way of beating this before tucking my tail between my legs and going via the apple techs