Fix 1604, 1602, 1600, 29 Error During iPhone Custom Firmware Restore

Fix 16xx and 29 error During Custom Firmware Restore

Since the release of Sn0wbreeze and PwnageTool that let you create custom firmware 4.0, 3.1.3 and older to jailbreak iPhone and iPod Touch, many of you has been asking on how to fix 1600, 1601, 1602, 1603, 1604 or 29 error during iPhone custom firmware restore.

This is what error reads:

The iPhone “-” could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (16xx).

fix error 16xx 29 iphone custom firmware

To get rid of error 1600, 1601, 1602, 1603, 1604 or 29 during custom firmware restore follow the steps mentioned below.

Fix 16xx and 29 error During Custom Firmware Restore

We are listing all the possible fixes for 16.04, 16xx error when restoring a custom firmware below. Please read it first before trying.

Solution 1

I encountered 1604 error just once back in OS 3.1.2 days. Trying on another PC helped me in successfully restoring the CFW. So, if you have another PC or Mac, I suggest you to try on that computer first.

Solution 2

  • Make sure to show hidden files under your folder options.
  • Close the iTunes and disconnect your iDevice from your Computer.
  • Go to the following directory:
    Win 7 & Vista Users:

    C:Users\*UsersName*\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\Device Support
    Windows XP :

    C:\Documents and Settings\*UserName*\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\Device Support or iPhone Software Updates
  • Backup the files available in the folder and delete them from that folder.
  • Put your iPhone into Recover Mode. and Restore the Custom firmware.

Solution 3

iPhone 3G, 2G and iPod Touch 1G, iPod Touch 2G users running OS 3.1.2 can use a handy little utility named iREB (iTunes Restore Error Bypasser) to get rid of error 16xx or 29:

  1. Download iREB
  2. Start iTunes and put your iPhone into DFU mode:

    How to Put iPhone in DFU Mode

  3. Now close iTunes and Start iREB on your PC.
  4. Select your device and wait for a few seconds till you get white or a red screen on your iPhone.
  5. Open iTunes. Now press and hold left “alt” button (“Shift” button on Windows) on the keyboard and then click on “Restore”  button in the iTunes. Select a custom firmware .ipsw file and restore it. Your 16xx or 29 errors are gone.

Please note that iREB is NOT a jailbreaking utility but it aids in jailbreaking iPhone or iPod Touch.

Solution 4

You may also try:

  • Update your iTunes to latest version.
  • Try again..
  • Also try killing iTunes process in Task manager and iPod services after the error occurs. Reopen iTunes and try again..
  • Try changing the USB port the or on another system.
  • read out http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1275

Here you can find ready made custom firmwares using PwnageTool:

If you want to jailbreak iPhone or iPod Touch 3.1.3 you can use RedSn0w, PwnageTool, Sn0wBreeze.. Jailbreak Guides linked below:

Have fun with jailbreaking and unlocking iPhone.

UPDATES

Download iREB RC3

91 comments… add one
Vincent February 13, 2010, 3:55 pm

Thanks for all. Great Site, USEFUL 200%

Yenna February 15, 2010, 5:40 pm

I updated my 3gs firmware 3.1.2 to 3.1.3.I am not able to unlock them now.I followed all the steps.To Fix the error 160x i tried and then the iphone does not turn white or a red screen on your iPhone.
but at the end I have the file in the desktop.I tired to open itunes and install the custom ipsw file.Still i get the same error.
Please help

FreePass February 23, 2010, 9:15 am

I got the same problem.Why don’t you iPhoneheat guys help us out here?

lain March 10, 2010, 4:59 pm

hmm ive got the same here error 1600 with custom firmware restore it comes after itunes say “preparing iphone for restore” or so… IReb has no button for 3GS?
nothing happens in ireb i can click everywhere.. :/
maybe windows 7 isnt good for the tools..
ill try to revive my very old xp machine and try it again

K3nz0 July 14, 2010, 5:47 am

Try this way guys:
+ You don’t have to put the phone in DFU mode
+ Turn the phone on as usual
+ Connect it to Itunes
+ Restore the iOS 4 custom firmware (shift-window/alt(option)-MAC)

That’s what i did for my iphone 3gs oldbootrom and it passed the errors

I did try every solution the website suggests but i wasn’t successful.

Give it a shot for my solution guys!

Thank you! Good luck!

aashish99 January 2, 2013, 11:16 am

heyy use ireb rc 6 for dfu mode and then open itunes and restore the firmware from there…worked for me seriously i was so sad bfore bt now it worked..

… ] link is being shared on Twitter right now. @zenx, an influential author, said RT @1ndus: Xtreme … ]

master17 April 14, 2010, 12:03 am

is there something like this for the 3GS?

HU May 4, 2010, 2:13 pm

I waited for a few minutes for the white screen to appear

Bob Vu May 6, 2010, 5:52 pm

Not work for 3GS

KoOLs May 17, 2010, 8:52 am

i have an iphone 3gs this iReb wont work for me..theres no 3gs button…

ateeque May 20, 2010, 2:12 pm

any solution of 3gs

K3nz0 July 14, 2010, 5:49 am

Try this way guys:
+ You don’t have to put the phone in DFU mode
+ Turn the phone on as usual
+ Connect it to Itunes
+ Restore the iOS 4 custom firmware (shift-window/alt(option)-MAC)

That’s what i did for my iphone 3gs oldbootrom and it passed the errors

I did try every solution the website suggests but i wasn’t successful.

Give it a shot for my solution guys!

Thank you! Good luck!

acutex May 27, 2010, 7:18 am

Looks like the world has forgotten about 3gs and our problems

speed_manan June 1, 2010, 5:23 am

when is the expected date for 3gs user to get rid of this problem 🙁 my two iphones are giving me the same problem….i try to restore again to custom firmware and now its giving me error 16004 🙁 help out plzzz..or atleast tell us some date!

when 3.1.3 is going to be unlocked if someone has increased the baseband too???

iPhoneHeat June 1, 2010, 11:03 am

SOOOn! WWDC 10 is just 6 days away now 🙂

Mrpotato00 June 3, 2010, 12:22 pm

THIS WORKED FOR ME….Delete device support files (restore files) in iTunes folder in the following locations
— Windows 7 and Vista : C:/*UsersName*/AppData/Roaming/Apple Computer/iTunesDevice Support
— Windows XP : C:/Documents and Settings/*UserName*/Application Data/Apple Computer/iTunes/Device Support

Make sure to show hidden files under your folder options. folder appdata is hidden

hope this helps guys

speed_manan June 3, 2010, 3:29 pm

worked for which iphone? 3g or 3gs? i need to fix this error for my 3GS..help!

MrPotato00 June 3, 2010, 11:09 pm

I tried it on a 2g. Just try it, could work.

mr bear July 20, 2010, 3:02 am

I run Windows XP and searched/put in top browser C:/Documents and Settings/*UserName*/Application Data/Apple in my computer and it couldn’t find it. I found Mobile Device Support in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple and backed up the file and removed it, and tryed to just remove it another time and both failed with error 1604. am i removing the wrong file, or am i doing it wrong? can anyone help me?

mr bear July 20, 2010, 3:03 am

I tryed it on my Ipod Touch 2g IOS 4 software.

Rogue5 June 28, 2010, 3:15 am

As of 6/27/2010 the mediafile link that iREB has on their actual website is blocked by STOPzilla for being infected with Vundo.w

Anon Ymos June 29, 2010, 12:14 am

As for solution # 2: got an iphone 3 gs which was knocked out by an accidental upgrade to 3.1.3. Found the file to be deleted on win 7 in appdata/roaming/apple computer/itunes/iphone sofware updates. If I’m correct it’s the ipsw. Deleted it. Tried to transfer the ipsw made with snwobreeze and the ipsw made with pwnage downloaded here by recovery and dfu mode. Nothing worked. Error 1600 or 1604. Seems to be no way to jb that bitch!

Anon Ymos June 29, 2010, 12:23 am

to be added: got old bootrom.

Anon Ymos June 29, 2010, 2:59 pm

Tried solution # 1 w/o success in dfu and recovery with snowbreezed and pre-pwgned ispw. gets stuck during “preparing iphone for recovery” and comes up with either error 1600 or 1604 depending on whether jb was tried via dfu or recovery mode. Seems the only thing i can do is wait for redsnow to come up with a jb for the 3gs or simply buy a new iphone (do i really need one???).

Tmagma July 2, 2010, 10:30 am

Pls i need help tryna jailbreak my iphone 3Gs 16Gig but i end up breaching the iphone. now it wont power on. what can i do ? it wont even show d apple white logo ,its just dead but itunes do recognizes it in DFU mode but wont restore to 3.1.3. im so fucked…sighs!!!

iPhoneHeat July 2, 2010, 7:15 pm

Getting your iPhone Out of DFU Mode:
simply hold down the Home + power button for 10 sec then let go the home and keep holding the power button

sept July 28, 2010, 11:49 pm

Ya,tried this with my 3g old bootrom and as soon i pressed the 3g button my iphone turned off and never turned on again.
i left it 24 hours charging.
dunno what to doo

connect2ajith February 20, 2011, 8:57 pm

Bro…
I’m stuck with similar problem…My iphone is dead…
Please help me…
Have u found any solution?
Thanks

Aatif July 3, 2010, 6:55 pm

I’m back after a long time… stuck with an iPhone 3G running OS 3.0, and trying to update to 4.0 IPSW downloaded from your website. successfully manage to put it in recovery mode, but whenever I select Shift+Restore and provide the path to the IPSW, iTunes gets stuck on Preparing iPhone for Restoration (something) and after a loooong wait, gives error 1604. Tried everything suggested here but no use… any ideas?

iPhoneHeat July 4, 2010, 12:13 am

restore custom 3.1.3 or 3.1.2.. then go foe custom ios 4

Aatif July 4, 2010, 8:00 am

successfully restored 3.1.3, but then when I try ios 4, same error, same situation… any advice on what alternate approach could/should I try?

Freepass July 7, 2010, 1:59 am

Restored back to 3.1.2-thank you to the greatest iPhoneHeat!!!
Unfortunately , every time I try to upgrade my iPhone to Custom FW Restore included one that I built with Snowbreeze(Total of 3 Custom FW’s),I get these annoying 16XX errors.Posted troubleshootings did not help.
Any advice in this case please?

Yash July 9, 2010, 7:27 pm

hey!! . . i’ve got a 3GS with iOs 4 . . n is on emergency calls mode ! . . i cant activate the phone cauz i dont use at&t . . i tried to downgrade te firmware as well as restore a hacktivated version of iOs but while restoring 16xx error pops up . . what should i do??

iPhoneHeat July 10, 2010, 5:21 pm

you can downgrade only if you have SHSH blobs saved for an older version

arojas1480 October 3, 2010, 12:39 am

the only way you can fix it is by putting an AT&T sim card .. it doesnt have to be active tho.

mugenjyn August 17, 2010, 9:07 pm

After years of searching (or so it seemed), this worked for me (thanks DEV-TEAM!! bastards)
Error 1600 fix — Mac OSX, downgrading from OS4 to 3.1.3.

*—————-*
If you get Error 1600 from iTunes (or if you see in your log a failure to prepare x12220000_4_Recovery.ipsw), try: mkdir ~/Library/iTunes/”Device Support” ; if that directory already exists, remove any files in it. Then re-run PwnageTool.
*—————-*

Link: http://blog.iphone-dev.org/search/error+1600

sweet2oof November 29, 2010, 7:16 am

Ur a genius… u really came thru in the clutch with this solution… ALL HALE to YOU! USE THIS SOLUTION!!!

XL-DJK September 26, 2010, 9:52 pm

I have read somehwere that an error code 29 could be strongly related to either a on OEM battery or a defective battery

stupid939 September 27, 2010, 6:25 am

I was getting an error 29 and I couldn’t upgrade from 3.1.3 to 4.0 or 4.1. Then I couldn’t restore 3.1.3 either and I didn’t know why.

It turns out that there are hardware problems with my phone because I replaced the battery awhile back. I was able to almost fully restore 3.1.3 but it would fail at the end and throw my phone back into a recovery loop. I then used RecBoot (multi platform) to kick it out of the recovery mode and the iOS runs fine now.

Dr Doug October 12, 2010, 7:37 pm

My experience: some iTunes installs are missing iPhone drivers, leaves the iPhone in a Recovery Loop error 29. I Uninstalled iTunes (10.0), installed iTunes 10.1, reconnected the iPhone and it was able to communicate. I did have to use TinyUmbrella to kick it out of the Recovery Loop. (/|\) Peace

SITH November 9, 2010, 6:47 am

None of this worked. I tried it all.

profire November 16, 2010, 3:54 pm

yes it worked !! omg thank u so much !! used solution 3 …. have tried so many other things my iphone 2g was stuck on emergenct calls phew!!

yxandy November 24, 2010, 10:34 pm

Not work for 3GS still have 29 error

naga February 12, 2011, 11:16 am

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1275. You will get all the issues resolved while updating to OS4.2. It is all very clearly defined for the issues we encounter. So No worries. Enjoy!!!!

Rodrigo Galiano March 13, 2011, 8:45 pm

Nice post, man! Solution 3 worked for me!

canessa April 13, 2011, 5:08 pm

take the mainboard off the battery for at least 10 hours and you are all set. I have done mine, 3GS.

tutorialbs May 7, 2011, 6:47 am

Downloaded newest version of iREB. Ran it, went into DFU PWNED mode, no problems. Shift-restored my custom firmware, and bam, Error 1601 again.

I’ve tried everything. Doesn’t work. Thanks anyways.

D_Gorilla June 3, 2011, 7:50 pm

Thank you guys!! this helped me alot! thank you thank you! you were the only site that showed 3 actual solutions! thank you again.

MbeNL June 13, 2011, 10:11 pm

Great, thank you guys!
» Solution 2

lucy July 17, 2011, 9:55 am

What about for Mac users? I downloaded IREB but it doesn’t open… now I’m stuck!

Joseph K May 13, 2012, 3:31 am

I fixed Error 29 on my 3GS.
HISTORY: my iphone 3GS kept rebooting, so I tried a restore, bang error 29, even with proper Apple restore nothing helped.
would restore to 80% or even to the end and give me error 29 with Recovery USB Logo.
FIX:
I restored to IOS 3.1.3, gave me error 29, then I used Recboot to get me out of the Recovery Loop, fixed, phone works, However I am on IOS 3.1.3 not on IOS 4xx or IOS 5xx
FURTHER FIX:
1 – Save your SHSH blobs through Tiny Umbrella
2 – Use iFaith to build your own IPSW with signed SHSH blobs (it’s the first choice on top left)
3 – Once done, put your phone in DFU Mode through iFaith.
4 – Close everything, Open TinyUmbrella, run TTS Server.
5 – With Tiny Umbrella still running with the TTS Server, open iTunes.
6 – Now do a SHIFT-RESTORE to the *SIGNED* IPSW that you made with iFaith (IPSW can be any IPSW as long as it’s one of the ones you have a SHSH for).
7 – Presto, no more error 29, I personally restored to IOS 4.3.3 yesterday and it worked.
8 – you might get error 2, try again, it will work.

Cheers

andryrandy August 2, 2012, 8:41 pm

Hi! thank you very much u saved me from selling my iphone4 for about 100 bucks. i am so happy i thought it was a hardware problem. i took your steps and managed to make it back again running!:) thank you thank you! GOD bless you!

John October 7, 2012, 8:56 am

I’ve got error 3108 trying to restore from 6 to 5.1.1 on an 4s model and I couldn`t find any answers. Please help. Thanks

andryrandy October 9, 2012, 3:15 am

hi…i used ifaith and followed some instructions around here…read the comments really helped me! hope the best for ur phone 2 😉 cheers!

dErt February 14, 2013, 9:02 pm

hope i made it. thanks for this.

rafae August 3, 2015, 2:00 am

whoaaa this is just superbbb, got my 3gs working again, flying!!!!

vuthithuhoa March 15, 2010, 1:02 pm

[…] Fix 16xx and 29 error During Custom Firmware Restore

vuthithuhoa March 15, 2010, 1:04 pm

an unknowk error occurred 29

Zahid January 8, 2012, 11:46 pm

Thanks to iREB +1.
Keep up the good work.

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