How to downgrade your Silver Apple Tv to OS1
(First gen)
(First gen)
Items required:
-Mac OS Mountain Lion* and a modern Mac OS for the initial flashing
-Cyberduck* or a SSH tool
-Usb at least 8gbs
-Patience
-ATV installed
-Etcher
Links:
Etcher: https://etcher.balena.io
Apple TV firmware 2.3.1: https://www.tweaking4all.com/home-theatre/appletv/restore-appletv-os-offline-1stgen/
Downgrade tools:
https://mega.nz/file/bgsBGD5a#9M_P3NPa8LfwmQfdzdt9DyOGDF3kaKgStuHEIOaigl4
Curated for MacOS Mountain Lion*
Etcher will need a newer version of MacOS could not find a older version
If you are a person who is better at watching tutorials than reading them here is a link to a video I did on this topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CneWCcf4IRs
Note if you do accidentally restore the apple tv to factory settings it will revert back to some version of 2.3.1 as I cannot figure out the root password for the apple tv to change the recovery disk. (You can go lower on the mac os version you’ll just need to find a older version of cyber duck).
Step One: Preparing the Apple Tv
Download Etcher and 2.3.1 and have Etcher
Flash the file on to your USB
Unplug your apple tv
Put the USB into the apple tv and plug it in.
It should do everything by itself
Once it boots up, Factory Restore the Apple TV
Step Two: Jailbreaking
Download ATVusb creator on MacOS Mountain Lion along with the 2.3.1 Firmware file.
You’ll need to go into the root of ATVusb and find atvusb-creator
It will be under ATVUsb/Contents/Macos
With “atvusb-creator” found open terminal
With terminal open
Type Sudo then drag the atvusb-creator on the same line as sudo\
Enter your password if you have one set
ATV usb should start up.
Note if you do not sudo it and just start the program up as normal you will get errors flashing to USB
Make sure Patch Stick is selected with SSH
Select the 2.3.1 DMG and your usb
Then press the Create using button and sit back and let it do its thing.
Unplug your Apple Tv and plug the usb in to the back port (They really should've added a power button)
It should boot up to the Usb loaded it will show the linux penguin next to the Apple tv.
When it is done it will show you the SSH passcode to get into the files that we will use to “Upgrade the tv”
Usr:Frontrow Password:Frontrow (Very secure)
Unplug your apple tv and its usb
Plug in your apple tv for the last time
Step 3: Downgrading Via SSH
With the Apple Tv turning if you haven’t already connect it to wifi
Open Cyber duck and select SFTP
Type in Appletv.local
And for username and password It is Usr:Frontrow Password:Frontrow (Very secure)
Then you should see files show up
Make sure you are at
/mnt/Scratch/Users/frontrow
Now on the Apple tv go to the updates tab (Please do not skip over anything past thios part or you will have to rejailbreak your apple tv if it is done wrong).
Make sure the OS1.0.DMG is renamed to the update file (It will be if you downloaded the mega link items) (It will be the updates folder)
Press Update software
Wait for the Prompt to Update
It should pop up on screen and say update now or later (DO NOT CLICK ANYTHING)
Back at cyber duck move the new update folder into /mnt/Scratch/Users/frontrow that was downloaded what I’ve provided.
(The mega upload in the Uploads folder it is all set up all you need to do is drag and drop it in place of the old updates folder)
When that file transfer is done go back to the Apple Tv and press update now
It might take some time
With it done it should keep your wifi settings and boot right into 1.0
If you have made it this far this was typed on a Powerbook G4 with Microsoft word and based of of my video on how to downgrade an Apple Tv 1st gen with SSH
-JariGuru
Note: If you are a content creator and do make a video on this credit would be appreciated or a link to the original video.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CneWCcf4IRs)
