Hello. I recently lost 4G data but do have Edge. My IMEI shows 0. I wasn't aware of backing up the /efs folder before flashing any ROMs for the first time on each device. I had Odin'ed back to stock before i found out about IMEI relation to /efs. I have uploaded a couple of screenshots of my /efs and imei folder in which someone might be able to tell me if there is data i may be missing in either folder to recover my IMEI? Thanks in advance.
Se7eN43 said:
Hello. I recently lost 4G data but do have Edge. My IMEI shows 0. I wasn't aware of backing up the /efs folder before flashing any ROMs for the first time on each device. I had Odin'ed back to stock before i found out about IMEI relation to /efs. I have uploaded a couple of screenshots of my /efs and imei folder in which someone might be able to tell me if there is data i may be missing in either folder to recover my IMEI? Thanks in advance.
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its a known problem right now with no apparent fix. [see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1753833 ] the lte galaxy s 3's are missing the needed nv_data.bin in the efs folder which is normally used to recover the imei. you're only solution would be to find a shop that can restore your imei or try and get a replacement device.
Where is nv_data.bin located? I still can't find it but my IMEI is not corrupted (I don't think. Got 3G, can make phone calls, send sms/mms etc)
But it's not in my /efs folder
There is no known location. Mine is corrupted as well. I have heard people just flashing cwm sometimes get corruption issues as well. When I get my new device on Monday I'm starting stock until this is solved.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
MacTheRipperr said:
There is no known location. Mine is corrupted as well. I have heard people just flashing cwm sometimes get corruption issues as well. When I get my new device on Monday I'm starting stock until this is solved.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
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Yea good call. I'm really paranoid now lol. Because I did loose 3G for an hour or so a few days ago but updating my Profile solved that (on Sprint Variant)
But I'm assuming one will know if their /efs folder and/or nv_data.bin is corrupted? An obvious sign being not being able to make calls or having 3G?
Oh, for the OP, here is a screenshot of my entire /efs folder. I'm sure these are not universal across all variants so maybe someone with a TMO can help more
Yeah me and op talked earlier. And the only way to fix it is with to it with what I think is an illegal method using octopus box. But you need to have special hardware to do. Like I said best bet is to stay stock.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
MacTheRipperr said:
Yeah me and op talked earlier. And the only way to fix it is with to it with what I think is an illegal method using octopus box. But you need to have special hardware to do. Like I said best bet is to stay stock.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
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Oh wow, I honestly am not familiar with any of the IMEI bricks or /efs corruption. Yea I'm real nervous to even flash anything anymore lol. But I guess this is expected on a new device. As time passes hopefully more info will be available to prevent this. I know when I had my NS4G you could add a few lines to an updater- script to auto backup your /efs folder to your sd card before the zip package extracts. Probably would just need the correct mount points for /efs and anyone making a flashable zip could just add that to their script
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
mine also
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
There is a known location it is in a partition not directly accessible.. take s look at efspro which runs on your PC and backs up this partition. It backs it up as an image.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
I'm just wondering if anybody may have any suggestions as to what I could do to get my phone working again.
I bought my GSIII, in a slightly used condition from a shop and everything was working fine, but I didn't have to bother rooting it as it was already done.
I tried to flash Omega v19 and like an idiot I never made a note of which modem it was using before flashing.
Now I can't seem to get any signal whatsoever, I just get a circle with a line through it instead, although using some modems I can get some sort of signal but can't register on any network.
I've tried quite a few different modems, but can't seem to get any joy, I didn't realize I would need to be so exact with what modem I use, I know some can have a better signal than others, but one of them should work.
I've even tried flashing Samsung Firmware, but still the same Circle with a line through it.
I had the phone for one day and already wrecked it...
I not sure if the phone maybe a polish phone, because some polish TMobile apps and a polish GPS program, after a factory reset, but I thought any international firmware would have been fine to use....
Thanks ...John...
If it is network locked them you might need a polish t mobile SIM, or unlock it....sounds a bit dodgy to me....have you been back to the shop with it?
First thing CHECK YOUR IMEI number... If it is anything starting 00 or 000 it means your EFS folder got messed up... If your IMEI number is ok than download the app from the following link which will help you unlock the SIM... I didnt made the App. I am just sharing it... Credit goes to the creator(whoever he/she may be)...
http://db.tt/9AGfHu5g
No, I've not tried to return it to the shop yet. Im guessing he'll just say that it's my own fault. As everything was working fine until I messed about with it.
It's not a locked handset, I bought it as sim unlocked.
I think the T-Mobile apps and startup screen must install when you first set up the phone. He put a sim into the phone for me and thats the same one that I'm trying to get working now.
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using xda premium
I'll try and check the IMEI when I get home, I'm In work at the moment.
I noticed a clear efs option in Odin, would this make my situation worse or better, i know some people have cleared a corrupted efs and then edited the nv_data.bin to fix it. Woukd this help.
Assuming the IMEI is corrupted, I did a nandroid backup and the first thing I did was try to restore that, but that didn't help. Should that of restored the efs folder.
Thanks. ....John....
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using xda premium
Party. Hard.
Try using ks tools restore efs
Capt. Chaitanya Patel
I've checked the IMEI, and as far as I can tell everything seems ok, but it could be a different number and I wouldn't know, but at least it's not all zero's.
I tried using the GalaxSimUnlock app, but it tells me that it is unlocked, and I've tried various Sims in it just in case, but no luck.
It's really starting to baffle me now, although that's not very hard.
It works fine when manually or automatically selecting the network, it even says 'registered on network', but then when I try to dial something it says 'not registered on any network'.
Thanks ...John...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app
Does the imei match the one under the battery?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Please check your IMEI number and confirm with the one on your box or under the battery...
Follow the instructions on this thread to get your original firmware back.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1838480
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
I forgot about that, I checked under the battery and the two IMEI's are different.
So it is just a question of how I can get it back. It's illegal here in the uk to change an IMEI, but would it be illegal to change it back to the original one.
Failing that could I register the new one somewhere.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2
j0hn0n1 said:
I forgot about that, I checked under the battery and the two IMEI's are different.
So it is just a question of how I can get it back. It's illegal here in the uk to change an IMEI, but would it be illegal to change it back to the original one.
Failing that could I register the new one somewhere.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
Download KC-kTool app from the play store. it is free and you will be able to restore the IMEI number IF THE BACKUP EXISTS, because if you installed the OMEGA ROM than there will be the backup of the EFS folder in your internal memory card. if you cant restore than give me a call. I will explain how to restore it from the backup manually...
The ktool program wanted a efs backup in either bin or tar format, which I don't have. I new I'd probably regret doing it, but when I first realised that I couldn't get any signal I tried messing about with the apn settings, but when that didn't work I restored my backup from clockworkmod. This didn't work so I did a superwipe then tried to install Samsung firmware. So I've lost the majority of what was on the internal sdcard.
I did however, have the sense to copy my nandroid backup to my computer first, and since this was a backup of the original stock rom I don't get why it didn't solve the problem.
What I do have in the efs folder is, a nv_data.bin with today's date for the last edited timestamp, and a nv_data.bak dated 27 August. So this must be a backup of the original file, so would it be safe for me to rename, replace & reboot.
Is my IMEI in the nv_data.bin or is there a bit more to it than that.
Thanks ...John...
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using xda premium
I ended taking the phone back to the shop I bought it from, and they fixed it overnight. I'm not really sure how they did it, because when I asked them they just said "we flashed it", but when I got it back it still had the same changed IMEI and somebody else's apps, Photo's, Messages, Google Play account, Email Accounts and even Barclay's Banking Apps.
It's like they took a CWM backup or something from someone else's phone and transferred it to my straight onto my phone.
Anyway, I factory reset it and now It's OK...
Thanks for the help... ...John...
j0hn0n1 said:
I ended taking the phone back to the shop I bought it from, and they fixed it overnight. I'm not really sure how they did it, because when I asked them they just said "we flashed it", but when I got it back it still had the same changed IMEI and somebody else's apps, Photo's, Messages, Google Play account, Email Accounts and even Barclay's Banking Apps.
It's like they took a CWM backup or something from someone else's phone and transferred it to my straight onto my phone.
Anyway, I factory reset it and now It's OK...
Thanks for the help... ...John...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a temporary solution for you. if you still have the backup of the the EFS folder in your internal or external sd card than follow the following steps,
1. copy ALL the files from the EFS BACKUP FOLDER.
2. go to the root of your your phone with root explorer of ES file explorer and find the folder EFS. it should be with all the system folders like acct, config,data,dev,efs,etc so on and on.
3. now paste all the copied files in to EFS folder. tap on REPLACE THE FILES if ASKED...
4. close the app. and go to the home screen and wait for few seconds.
if your simcard have pin than it will ask the pin after few seconds and if it doesnt have any pin than it will just get the network.
good things is you have your IMEI number restored and can use the phone like regularly. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.
bad thing is NEVER LET YOUR PHONE SWITCH OFF. If it will switch off than you will have to follow all the steps again... annoying but works... let me know the progress buddy... best of luck...
Sorry I didn't respond earlier, I've only just seen your post.
I'd had the Guy in the shop repair the phone once, and it seemed to work ok, although I still had the changed IMEI. Then I tried to flash an official Samsung Firmware from the SamMobile site and the same thing happened again. Althought I had backed up the efs data this time around, trying to restore from this didn't seem to work. I thought I would be able to restore the new IMEI, but I guess restoring corrupted data is only marginally better than not restoring at all.
I Brought it back and luckily they gave me my money back. So I bought a brand new one instead from O2.
Now I'm a bit nervous about trying to flash it again. Any ideas as to what might causes this problem (bad practice, etc)..
Is it safer to unlock my device with an unlock code or GalaxSimUnlock. (Seems obvious, but I guess a bad unlock code could be just as damaging).
Is it safer to flash through Odin or CWM.
Is there anything else I should take into account besides doing a nandroid backup and an efs backup.
Thanks ...John...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app
Make the back up of efs.and than do anything you want. This phone is extremely hard to be breaked.. the world is yours buddy.... :.)
Capt. Chaitanya Patel
---------- Post added at 04:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:17 PM ----------
I am fishing new roms almost every 3 to 4 days.keep trying new mods... Nothing happened yet.
Capt. Chaitanya Patel
---------- Post added at 04:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:18 PM ----------
I also sim unlocked with galaxysimunlock.
Capt. Chaitanya Patel
Sorry, I didn't respond earlier, I've been busy with work, and any spare time has been filled with trying to repair a Desire HD for someone (Broken Screen, Digitizer and Trying to root and Debrand it with a v2.00.029. HBoot).
Anyway, I've rooted the phone using Chainfire's CF-root kernel, made a nandroid backup, and I'm trying to make as many efs backups as I possibly can (taking no chances ).
I've made one using busybox to tar the efs directory (although I don't think this will work).
I've made one using EFSPro.
I've use the HC-KTool program that you recommended.
I've also used the GalaxSim Unlock app to unlock & backup the efs data.
Now I was just just wondering how can I verify these backups, because something has happened that has made me question the validity of all my backups.
I tried the built in 'reboot nvbackup' method and the phone rebooted, but I didn't see anything happen. As far as I was aware you're supposed to see some blue writing as it copies the data.
Anyway, no big deal and I got on with what I was doing.
I then tried to use the Synergy Rom backup, where it said 'Backing up EFS if unlocked' and 'Not Unlocked Skipping Backup'.
Any ideas what this means, and how do I get and unlocked efs folder/partition.
An if Synergy can't back it up, how can I be sure the others are ok, too.. I know I'm probably being a bit over cautious this time round, but I don't want to be at the point where I need to use them to find out they are no good.
Thanks ...John...
Chaitanyapatel8880 said:
Make the back up of efs.and than do anything you want. This phone is extremely hard to be breaked.. the world is yours buddy.... :.)
Capt. Chaitanya Patel
---------- Post added at 04:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:17 PM ----------
I am fishing new roms almost every 3 to 4 days.keep trying new mods... Nothing happened yet.
Capt. Chaitanya Patel
---------- Post added at 04:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:18 PM ----------
I also sim unlocked with galaxysimunlock.
Capt. Chaitanya Patel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your EFS backup should be in two formats depends on the application used.
some apps use TAR.GZ and some use .IMG.
There is one way to confirm the data of EFS backup.
Go to HC-KTools>backup EFS to /sdcard/efs.img
when complete it will ask to SWITCH TO EFS BACKUP CHECK. tap on YES and than on the next screen tap on RUN CHECK.
The result should be last line saying 100% (0 BYTES DIFFER)
Ok Guys. This is the story, i was playing with kTool, then i hit "Format EFS"
The phone restarted itself and then failed to boot...
After a long 4 hours of research, i discovered that i had a EFS.img on my SDCard
The i said to myself "WOW i'm lucky!"
restored this image to my efs partition, it mounts correctly now but i seems to have the "Fake IMEI 004999010640000" problem.
Anyone have a spare efs.img available to i try it on my phone? Of course... From a bricked or not working anymore phone
My Galaxy SIII is the International I9300
I would love to have a new efs on my phone, i don't have original one =/
Sorry if it's illegal or against rules of the forum or in wrong place ^^
I don't know if this helps.. But...
I have attached an image of how my phone looks like
no, that's illegal
Why would that be illegal?
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
because it would change the IMEI
Then i just lost my phone?
I'm asking a backup of a dead phone... Is that illegal? :S
you just lost your phone, yes.
but you said you had a backup, you might be doing something wrong. just don't ask for others people backups anymore
Take it too service centre, the imei is in the back of the phone, they should be able to reinstate if the phone isn't blocked
Hi, guys sorry for this maybe noob question. I've chged my firmware and all ( PDA, CSC etc) and after did that my IMEI chged to the test 1 for samsung. My phone is a galaxy s 2
I didnt backup my ESF, and now i cant use the gsm net of my sim, only wireless is working. I have my IMEI code ans S/N (dunno if needed), i'd like to know if there is a tool or sumthing to put in my old imei and let the phone work with my sim. ive tried to read this post, but im a noob and i didnt understand so much :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1801997
can some1 pls help me?
Are you rooted with cwm. Nandroid bk up would help you out easy. I had to mount efs folder manual as phone said wasn't there and ext sd. Noob ish myself but got it bk on my own all part of the fun with android
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
try sii repair from play store and ALWAYS back up EFS folder.
Sent from the little guy
Did you sort it?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
I also lost my IMEI no after a flashing a rom, as far as I was aware I had never made a backup of my efs folder, I attempted many different methods to resolve this, then I checked my external SD storage and saw an EFS_BACKUP folder with numerous compressed EFS files, I simply selected one of the early ones copied to my desktop and extracted contents and used them to replace my current efs folder on root of the phone, then reboot and you should have your original IMEI and phone working again, hope this helps goodluck
I sold my s2 to someone.. the next day he told me that he was not able to call or receive calls.. he was getting a msg *sim card not registered*.. I told him to bring the phone to me.. I checked the imei it was replaced with 0044xxx0000 (something like that).. I downloaded es file explorer and checked there were no files in the efs folder of the phone.. so there is no option to recover imei from that.. is there any other way to recover efs folder/ imei no. (No I don't have efs folder backup, if I had, I would have solved this problem already)
please reply asap
thanks
If I remember correctly...
No efs backup of any kind = service centre
TheImpossibleEnemy said:
If I remember correctly...
No efs backup of any kind = service centre
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Click to collapse
thanks for the quick reply. but its an unlocked imported phone with no bill and hence, no warranty. will they still re-write me a new imei no. if i will pay for it.?
I think they can do that.Some people over here restored it this way.At least try to ask them.
is the device rooted?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
killar_aka_arabu said:
is the device rooted?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
obviously it is..
Makes no difference if it is rooted or not. Take it to a local mobile repair shop (not Samsung service centre, they charge too much). Many have the equipment to re-write the IMEI to the device fairly cheaply.