Firmware downgrade

Question

Level 1

35 points

Firmware downgrade

Hi!

I want do do a firmware downgrade, for reasons I'm not sure anybody here is interested in 🙂.

Now, I did it once like this:
1. Removed all firmware files newer than the one I'm interested into.
2. Blocked iTunes from getting online.
3. Did a Restore.

Everything went smooth, but the catch is ... you guessed it 🙂 ... my iPod gets cleaned out. Not a really big deal for me (I have only unprotected MP3 files, so I can freely move my music in and out of the iPod - no tricks, just plain windows explorer and a mp3 re-tagger utility to rename the files), but still, I am looking for a method to downgrade the firmware WITHOUT having to clean the iPod.

The only catch is that I want to do this as clean as possible (iTunes & explorer). The reason is that currently I have a very good iPod - no noise, no hardware glitch whatsoever, and I'm planning to keep it that way 🙂

Has anyone found a way to do it?

Thanks!
Chris.

Dell Latitude D510, Windows XP, iPod nano 2G, Green 4Gb

Posted on Nov 2, 2006 11:14 PM

Reply

Answer 1

JoeyR

Level 6

8,305 points

Nov 3, 2006 6:01 AM in response to iedutu

"I want do do a firmware downgrade, for reasons I'm not sure anybody here is interested in 🙂."

Actually... I would be interested. There may be another way to address the problem you're having.

Reply

Answer 2

iedutu Author

Level 1

35 points

Nov 3, 2006 6:33 AM in response to iedutu

It's not a big thing, but still annoys me 🙂

Please see this thread and this one , as I don't want to duplicate issues.

My issue was fixed by doing the downgrade, but due
to the EXTREME laziness of the maintenance team, I cannot
see if the newer firmware upgrades are doing something useful for me. They seem to have the "god" mentality ... Take it, install it, don't ask questions. It's good for you.

BTW, if by any chance the Apple people are reading this,
"Bug fixes" has no meaning. I'm in the maintenance thing also and I know what a proper release note actually is.

All the best!
Chris

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 12, 2006 8:11 AM in response to iedutu

since apple inclided the apple updater with iTunes 7.0.2 you can no longer downgrade firmware. instead of the firmware being downloaded and stored on your pc it now just downloads and installs straight away, not allowing you to downgrade firmware

hope this answers your question

jid

Reply

Answer 4

iedutu Author

Level 1

35 points

Nov 13, 2006 4:08 AM in response to Jamie I Davies

Hi!

Actually it is possible to downgrade the firmware:
1. Remove the new firmware files from the iTunes folder.
2. Do a restore
3. It will pick up the latest from your PC (the one you left there) and restore the iPod.

Good luck!
Chris.

Reply

Answer 5

KaeBFly

Level 6

8,647 points

Nov 13, 2006 5:06 AM in response to iedutu

Considering the fact that any firmware updates you have on your computer had to be for an older iPod model (considering the fact that again, the iPod firmware updates for the 2nd gen nano is no longer downloaded and saved to the computer but obtained through iTunes...correct me if I am wrong) I wonder if the method you gave really works for people using the 2nd gen iPods. Assuming that I am correct, you would be putting firmware that was not meant for the 2nd gen on it.

Reply

Answer 6

Jeff Bryan

Level 9

61,797 points

Nov 13, 2006 5:33 AM in response to KaeBFly

KaeBFly,

I have no idea what he's talking about either!

Reply

Answer 7

iedutu Author

Level 1

35 points

Nov 13, 2006 5:36 AM in response to KaeBFly

Hi!

I have a 2G iPod nano (green 🙂 and this is my first Apple product. So, I am using the iTunes as a sole tool for my iPod.

If you are using Windows, please see the "C:\Documents and Settings\<your username here>\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPod Software Updates" directory and you will find the files I am talking about. For instance, now I have 1.1.1. If I want to downgrade to 1.0.2, I will simply remove the (iPod_19.1.1.1.ipsw, iPod_19.1.1.1.ipsw.signature, iPod_19.1.1.ipsw, iPod_19.1.1.ipsw.signature) files.

Then, restart the iTunes application and make sure it cannot go online to check for new firmware. Do the restore, and you're done.

Good luck!
Chris.

Reply

Answer 8

KaeBFly

Level 6

8,647 points

Nov 13, 2006 9:03 AM in response to iedutu

Have you actually done this? At any rate, I wouldn't advise others to try something like this out without verifying with Apple that this is ok (ie, would not cause any issues that may later void the warranty). To each his own!

Reply

Answer 9

Nov 13, 2006 9:12 AM in response to iedutu

i checked this and my iPods latest update file is infact there. i thought they removed this when 1.0.2 came out???

Jamie

Reply

Answer 10

iedutu Author

Level 1

35 points

Nov 13, 2006 11:05 PM in response to KaeBFly

Yes, twice even 🙂

BTW ... Except for that lag, my iPod is 100% trouble free, and I really want to keep it that way. Therefore I do NOT install linux, put any kind of hacks, etc. on it.

Just to be as clear as possible, consider the downgrade as a restore done in the past. Imagine doing a restore now. You will have 1.1.1 installed, right? Now, move forward in time to a (let's say) 1.3 version. If your computer has no knowledge of the new firmware, it will assume the latest one to be the latest present on your system. So, even if you have (let's say the 'new' 1.3) and want to do a restore, iTunes will be forced to do it by using the 1.1.1 firmware. Therefore a downgrade is done in fact.

This procedure I found in these forums, so I cannot take credit for it 🙂, but it is a 100% iTunes method (no hacks/cracks/linux), so no harm can be (theoretically) done to you iPod.

Good luck!
Chris.

Reply