Welcome to the iPadForums.net tutorial on using TinyCFW to restore your iPad2 3G to 4.3.3 with saved SHSH Blobs.
Note: iPad2 WiFi Only and iPad1 owners do NOT need to use this tutorial. You can simply use TinyUmbrella on its own. See the guide here - TUTORIAL - Use TinyCFW to restore 4.3.3 on iPad2 3G with saved SHSH Blobs

This tutorial is only to help iPad2 3G owners who up to this point cannot restore a 4.x firmware using saved blobs.

WARNING: CDMA (Verizon) iPad2 3G owners should NOT use this tool. Due to the way carriers activate those devices, they will fail to activate if you downgrade to 4.3.3. This tutorial is for 3G GSM owners only (iPad2 devices which accept a Micro SIM)

Preparation
Download the latest version of TinyCFW from here - The Firmware Umbrella - TinyUmbrella
You will also need a copy of the iPad2 3G 4.3.3 firmware. Download it from our thread here - Official Apple IOS Firmware Download Links for iPad

Windows users must have an up to date Java installation. If you are running 64bit Windows you should probably also use a 64Bit JVM. The tutorial has been proven to work on Windows7 64 using 64Bit JVM Version 7 Update 2.
You will also need to add an environment variable to the system as follows:

Open the Advance tab on System Properties from the control panel and choose the "Environment Variables" button...


Create a new System Variable called "_JAVA_OPTIONS" and give it a value of "-Xmx1g"...


OSX users must rename the JAR file they download to "tinycfw.jar", otherwise it will not work.

Now we are ready to use the tool!

1. Launch the exe file on Windows or the JAR file on OSX. You will be presented with as screen like this, and the first action is to press "Choose Current IPSW" where you will be presented with a file selection dialogue box...


2. Navigate to the 4.3.3 firmware file you have downloaded, and select it...


3. TinyCFW will now analyse the IPSW file and inform you about the custom firmware file it will build...


The custom firmware file will contain firmware 4.3.3 and the latest baseband which Apple is currently signing (04.11.08 at the time of writing this guide).

4. Now press "Save Target IPSW" and the tool will create you the custom firmware file required for your iPad2 3G.

Once completed you should have a file named "iPad2,2_4.3.3_8J2_Restore.bbupdate.ipsw" in the same location as your original firmware.

5. To restore the firmware on your iPad2, you must use TinyUmbrella to serve up your 4.3.3 blobs. Remember, without these it will not work, and if you don't have them already, you are out of luck. Sorry

Open TU and press "Start TSS Server"


If your blobs are saved on Cydia and you need to download them again, use our tutorial here - HOW TO - Save your SHSH Blobs with TinyUmbrella

6. Put your iPad2 into DFU mode
In order to put your device into DFU mode, with the iPad connected to your computer and turned on, you must press the "home" and "power" buttons together for EXACTLY 10 seconds at which point you must release "power" but continue to hold "home". After about 15 seconds, the device will enter DFU mode.

Once your device is in DFU mode the screen should be blank. If anything else is showing on the screen, such as the "connect to iTunes" or "Apple" logo, you got it wrong. You must get the device into DFU mode successfully. Try again

If you need more help with DFU mode, see our guide here - DFU Mode for Dummies

7. Restore in iTunes
Finally, you are ready to restore your device using the custom firmware you created earlier.

Open iTunes and it should report that it has discovered a device in recovery mode and must restore it. Good! That's exactly what we want. Click the OK button to dismiss the dialogue box.

Now you must Shift-Restore (Windows) or Option-Restore (OSX) to select the custom firmware you created. This means you must hold down the shift key (on Windows) or the option key (on OSX) on your keyboard whilst clicking the "Restore" button in iTunes with your mouse. If you do this correctly, an Explorer or Finder window will pop up and allow you to navigate to the firmware file. Find the file and choose it for the restore.

Done! iTunes should now restore your firmware file on your iPad2 without any errors.

Note: The custom firmware you create with this tutorial will work only whilst Apple is signing the baseband version which TinyCFW slipstreamed into the custom firmware. So, whenever Apple release a new baseband for iPad2 you will need to build a new custom 4.3.3 firmware, otherwise it will not install on your iPad2 3G

Happy iPad2 3G downgrading people!

Wow.. Thanks!!!

CDMA iPad2 owners should take heed of the warning I have updated the tutorial with. The tool is not for you either!

GSM iPad2 3G owners only need apply!

hi op, thanks for this tool,did all the stages up to #4 but now im stuck on "4. Now press "Save Target IPSW" and the tool will create you the custom firmware file required for your iPad2 3G." for 5 minuets now, tried to reboot the computer, and again, got stuck on the same stage. any help please

Do you have plenty of RAM on your PC? Also, which OS are you using?

Also, make sure you leave it long enough. It probably took 5-10 mins on mine I think...

I can confirm it works. I've updated my iPad2 3G to 5.0.1 and back down to 4.3.3 twice today without issue.

yes, i got windows 7 and planty of ram. will update java and try again

edit: the above didnt help

Thanks for this informative tutorial, will try it when I get home.

edit: that's why it's always good to save blobs, the hackers will always find a way.

Very nice...hope to see CDMA working with this as well if i ever need to restore. Hope to see an update.

Originally Posted by ercsliberty

hi op, thanks for this tool,did all the stages up to #4 but now im stuck on "4. Now press "Save Target IPSW" and the tool will create you the custom firmware file required for your iPad2 3G." for 5 minuets now, tried to reboot the computer, and again, got stuck on the same stage. any help please

Same problem,got stuck making custom firmware.any suggestions.

Hi before i use TinyUmbrella cxan you tell me what should be ticked or unticked in the advanced thanks