/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.SpringBoard.plist

This is a file located in /System/Library/LaunchDaemons that loads SpringBoard at boot and tells it to re-launch itself when killed (this is how re-springs are possible).

File Contents

The contents of this file on an iPod touch 2G running iOS 4.2.1 is as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
 <key>EmbeddedPrivilegeDispensation</key>
 <true/>
 <key>KeepAlive</key>
 <true/>
 <key>Label</key>
 <string>com.apple.SpringBoard</string>
 <key>MachServices</key>
 <dict>
   <key>PurpleSystemEventPort</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.CARenderServer</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.SBUserNotification</key>
   <true/>
   <key>com.apple.UIKit.statusbarserver</key>
   <true/>
   <key>com.apple.iohideventsystem</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.smsserver</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.UIKit.migserver</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.alerts</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.appstatechanged</key>
   <dict>
     <key>HideUntilCheckIn</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.backgroundappservices</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.processassertionservices</key>
   <dict>
     <key>HideUntilCheckIn</key>
     <true/>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.processinvalidation</key>
   <dict>
     <key>HideUntilCheckIn</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.remotenotifications</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.services</key>
   <dict>
     <key>ResetAtClose</key>
     <true/>
   </dict>
   <key>com.apple.springboard.watchdogserver</key>
   <true/>
 </dict>
 <key>ProgramArguments</key>
 <array>
   <string>/System/Library/CoreServices/SpringBoard.app/SpringBoard</string>
 </array>
 <key>ThrottleInterval</key>
 <integer>5</integer>
 <key>UserName</key>
 <string>mobile</string>
</dict>
</plist>

The contents in this file may vary slightly between iOS versions.

Important Notes

Whatever you do, stay away from this file. Messing with its contents will bring nothing but trouble. If you are feeling adventurous and tell SpringBoard to run as "root" instead of "mobile", your device will turn on, but you will be unable to open any apps. They will open their "loading.png" then immediately crash, probably because the sandbox doesn't want to run as root.

Parents

(root)/System/Library/LaunchDaemons