Can I get back to 4.2.1?

[riscbroker]

I've checked pretty thoroughly and can't find a definitive answer....

I have an iPhone 3GS, jailbroken on iOS 4.2.1 . It serves me well but I'm tempted to try iOS 5. I've read quite a few horror stories about speed hits and battery life when upgrading so I want to be sure I can get back to what I currently have if it doesn't work out.

I have blobs saved on Cydia for iOS 4.1, 5.0 and 5.1

My understanding of the downgrade process is that I will be able to get back to 4.1 seeing as I have the blobs saved. What is unclear to me is whether 4.1 is inferior to 4.2.1 on this device, and if so, is there a way to re-install 4.2.1 without having the blobs?

 

[mercurial]

Speak to the guys in this thread - http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/420508-iPad-won-t-sync-(iOS-5-1-iTunes-10-6), namely sand_man and fxit_man.

 

[Synaesthesia]

Sorry but no, you need the blobs! But really iOS 5 is great on a 3GS, in my experience. Battery life is the same.

 

[fxit_man]

What is unclear to me is whether 4.1 is inferior to 4.2.1 on this device

There have been a number of bug and security patches/updates since 4.1, and even since your current 4.2.1 so I would personally not recommend running an unsecure firmware on the phone. However, if you really wished to go back to 4.1 after trying out 5.1, you can do so yes.

To see the full revision list, go here and expand the "Table of versions: iOS 4.x – portable iOS devices"

is there a way to re-install 4.2.1 without having the blobs?

Now because you don't have 4.2.1 SHSH blobs, you'll have to use another method such as iFaith to extract the blobs from your current firmware/embed the blob into a new ipsw firmware file which should allow you to restore back to it - more info here http://www.idownloadblog.com/ifaith/

 

[riscbroker]

Sorry but no, you need the blobs! But really iOS 5 is great on a 3GS, in my experience. Battery life is the same.

Is there any point in trying 5.0 or should I just go straight to 5.1?

 

[riscbroker]

Thanks fxit_man, you've addressed my questions very clearly

There have been a number of bug and security patches/updates since 4.1, and even since your current 4.2.1 so I would personally not recommend running an unsecure firmware on the phone. However, if you really wished to go back to 4.1 after trying out 5.1, you can do so yes.

To see the full revision list, go here and expand the "Table of versions: iOS 4.x – portable iOS devices"




Now because you don't have 4.2.1 SHSH blobs, you'll have to use another method such as iFaith to extract the blobs from your current firmware/embed the blob into a new ipsw firmware file which should allow you to restore back to it - more info here http://www.idownloadblog.com/ifaith/

 

[fxit_man]

Thanks fxit_man, you've addressed my questions very clearly

Glad to help.