Revert to old software

Question

Level 1

0 points

Revert to old software

Is it possible to get rid of OS 4? It's absolutely horrible. My phone is so slow that it is almost unusable now. Not only that but my apps only work 25% of the time...the other 3/4 of the time they either fail or the phone itself fades to a white screen and needs to be restarted. I can't bother with this software anymore, it's simply too frustrating and wastes too much of my time. I thought this was supposed to be an upgrade, not turn something that I paid hundreds of dollars for into a useless piece of plastic. I've tried restarting my phone, re-installing the software...the whole nine yards. OS4 doesn't provide any advantages for me and I'm done messing around with it. How can I get the old OS on my 3G?

3G, iOS 4

Posted on Jun 25, 2010 7:46 PM

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Answer 1

BrianH

Level 4

1,836 points

Jun 25, 2010 8:01 PM in response to The Criendo

it was posted everywhere how slow 4.0 was on the 2yr old 3G. the old hardware can't keep up with the newest software.

google 'downgrade ios4 to 3.1.3'

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Answer 2

The Criendo Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 25, 2010 8:15 PM in response to BrianH

I think it's pretty ridiculous to have to go into the text of a program and hack my software just to get my phone to work properly. Quite the sales ploy to get people to buy the Iphone 4. Bravo!

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Answer 3

The Criendo Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 25, 2010 8:22 PM in response to BrianH

Are there any directions in layman's terms? I am not a computer hacker, nor do I have a cracked Iphone. I simply want to use the phone.

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Answer 4

Jun 25, 2010 8:35 PM in response to The Criendo

Ditto on your experience Criendo. For all, if you didn't find it yet, here's the downgrade process from 4.0 to 3.1.3.

Takes a few steps & is FREE (no visit to the Apple Store). Follow closely, you can do it, just give yourself a little time. It doesn't require any "hacking," it's all just steps to let the phone find the correct local OS file (not the latest Apple Update one online) and then restore the info back to your phone.

For both PC and MAC:
http://lifehacker.com/5572003/how-to-downgrade-your-iphone-3g%5Bs%5D-from-ios-4- to-ios-313

Earlier today, I downgraded my 3G from 4.0 to 3.1.3 and it works just as before. Familiar icons, speed is back. Sluggishness of iPhone OS4 is not. Just pay attention to all the steps (and video) as there are unique .ipsw (restore) files for 3G versus the 3GS model, each of which are listed at that link.

Yes, for the record iOS 4 = POS

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Answer 5

johnsepu

Level 1

0 points

Jun 25, 2010 8:50 PM in response to The Criendo

Here's a question. I use my laptop to manage my iphone, but I also have a desktop computer with iTunes on it with a mirror of my music and apps in it. Can't I just plug in my iPhone to that computer and restore it to factory settings from there? Won't that revert the phone back to it's original operating system? Or will it still have OS4 in it? If not, then can't I manually upgrade it to 3.1.3 which I have just downloaded? Anyone?

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Answer 6

The Criendo Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 25, 2010 8:50 PM in response to ContingencyPlan

Okay great, thank you! I can actually follow this one. I will give it a go in the morning!

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Answer 7

BrianH

Level 4

1,836 points

Jun 26, 2010 2:13 AM in response to ContingencyPlan

For the record iOS 4 does not equal POS on 3GS or 4, only on 3G

My iPhone 4 is blazing fast

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Answer 8

Jun 26, 2010 5:23 AM in response to BrianH

We've all seen the lure of a(nother) great Apple ad campaign. Now for the deliverables part, yeah.

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Answer 9

Jun 26, 2010 4:11 PM in response to ContingencyPlan

This worked! It really worked! I have my phone, and my life, back. Thank you so much for posting this here. I think we should have this topic changed to "answered."

//and I promise to never again try to be an "early adopter" as I learned my lesson this time.

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Answer 10

Gizmo555

Level 1

8 points

Jun 27, 2010 12:16 AM in response to The Criendo

Didn't work for me. Got an iTunes unknown error 3194 immediately after the stage where the firmware was being verified by Apple.

Is there any work around this ?

Note this is on a windows machine

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Answer 11

Gizmo555

Level 1

8 points

Jun 27, 2010 12:53 AM in response to Gizmo555

Ignore my previous. I've now managed to get the iPhone sorted.
The error message I get refers do downgrading iPod Touch 2G - anyone got any ideas on that ?

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Answer 12

Jul 1, 2010 9:21 PM in response to purseonality

Glad to hear of your success purse.

And for everyone else, the downgrade link/steps to get back to 3.1.3 I posted here prior is for both MAC and PC. Just take your time, it's all there.

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