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I was with 3 and I legitimately unlocked my phone to move over to vodaphone.
The it wouldn't work. Wouldn't recognise the sim.
I sent it back to Vodaphone and they wouldn't touch it because there was a crack in the screen.
I got it home and did a bit of a google search and figured out it had something to do with the EFS file.
I rooted the phone and figured out that its completely empty.
I've tried a 1000's things. Looked at 1000's threads and I'm at a loss.
Is there ANY way to fix this at all?
I'm completely at a loss now.
Can I create a new nv_data.bin file and anything else that needs to be in the efs folder?
Happened to me before.
Well of course the way out will be send to service centre.
However, try a full flash to stock rom.
If it doesn't, try factory reset the phone, flash stock rom.
Since you have no backup, pretty tough here.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S II using XDA App
Maybe try GS_II Repair from the Market. No idea if/how it works (It's touted on here/on Market as your last best chance before sending it back to Samsung) as I've never used it & always backup my EFS.
If worst comes to worse, pm Odia, and apparently will repair it (edit: remotely) with a "donation". Instal app "team viewer" first;
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teamviewer.teamviewer.market.mobile
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1103357
Apparently been quite successful, nearly but not 100%
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
nicregi said:
Happened to me before.
Well of course the way out will be send to service centre.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that how yours was fixed? I've already done that. They won't fix it.
MistahBungle said:
Maybe try from the Market. No idea if/how it works (It's touted on here/on Market as your last best chance before sending it back to Samsung) as I've never used it & always backup my EFS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep tried that. Didn't work.
So follow Up In The Air's suggestion & get in touch with Odia & see if he can help, or send it back to Samsung. I'm betting Odia will be cheaper if he can indeed fix it.
Please Help!
Did your issue got resolved?
I am facing the same problem now. Although i didn't root my s2. Been using it stock since i bought it. Only today i got this no network error (baseband and imei unknown) when i was changing between some sim cards.. Anyone any ideas?? My warranty is still applicable since its just been 5 months. So will samsung cover it under their warranty?
I read in a thread that a user got their imei back by switching off, removing sim, switching back on.
Then they were able to backup efs with correct imei.
Then they switched off, put sim back in, switched on. Can't remember if it was a sim issue but you could try that.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
aceofclubs said:
I read in a thread that a user got their imei back by switching off, removing sim, switching back on.
Then they were able to backup efs with correct imei.
Then they switched off, put sim back in, switched on. Can't remember if it was a sim issue but you could try that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried that like a dozen times already.. Heres some more details regarding my problem:
1. My S2 wont detect any sim card (tried like 3-4 sims)
2. When i checked under settings>about i found imei and baseband version are missing and has been changed to "unknown" (*#06# returns a blank number)
3. Its just 5 months old and is in stock condition. (Not rooted and still running 2.3.3)
4. Cant turn off the flight mode (constantly shows in the upper right corner)
5. Cant connect my phone to kies (version 2.0.2.11071_128) on pc either
What do i do now guys? I dont have a proper service centre in my town. I was wondering if i can fix it on my own without making my warranty void..
Try GS_II Repair from Market, and failing that, contact Odia on here who might be able to recover your IMEI for a small 'donation'. Or you could send the phone in for warranty repair given you haven't been messing around with it like most of us here
You'd probably want to use the third option (send it in for warranty service). If you try and fix it yourself & stuff it up, you'll void your warranty & then you'll end up paying to have it fixed.
kreygor said:
Tried that like a dozen times already.. Heres some more details regarding my problem:
1. My S2 wont detect any sim card (tried like 3-4 sims)
2. When i checked under settings>about i found imei and baseband version are missing and has been changed to "unknown" (*#06# returns a blank number)
3. Its just 5 months old and is in stock condition. (Not rooted and still running 2.3.3)
4. Cant turn off the flight mode (constantly shows in the upper right corner)
5. Cant connect my phone to kies (version 2.0.2.11071_128) on pc either
What do i do now guys? I dont have a proper service centre in my town. I was wondering if i can fix it on my own without making my warranty void..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any fix will probably void warranty .Try factory reset first.
jje
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
MistahBungle said:
Try GS_II Repair from Market, and failing that, contact Odia on here who might be able to recover your IMEI for a small 'donation'. Or you could send the phone in for warranty repair given you haven't been messing around with it like most of us here
You'd probably want to use the third option (send it in for warranty service). If you try and fix it yourself & stuff it up, you'll void your warranty & then you'll end up paying to have it fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks dude. Duly noted your point. Here are some more inputs from me:
1. So i tried GS_II repair from market but it requires for the phone to be rooted which mine isn't.
2. And first thing i tried after i faced this problem was doing a factory reset. Have done it over a dozen times by now and it does not solve it.
3. I faced this problem when i was changing between some sims cards within a couple of minutes. (Hope this doesn't void my warranty since i wasn't actually messing with it!)
4. As i mentioned in my earlier post, my town doesn't actually have a proper authorised service centre. So sending it for service would mean missing my baby S2 for over a month or two (which i find hard since i am so used to it by now)!
So my question is, can i flash an official stock firmware which matches with mine (i found one already here on xda, thanks you guys!) without having to root my phone or making my warranty void, and more importantly, will it solve my problem?
No reflashing a rom won't help, your best bet is to send it off to Samsung before you do anything that might void your warranty.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
^ Precisely. As long as you have warranty you should use that to your advantage and keep from doing rash decisions that void your warranty. Good luck!
Seriously dude, don't try and fix it yourself. Regardless of how long you'll be without it, at least you'll get it back working and it won't cost you anything other than postage (I presume ?).
If you stuff up whatever you try to do to fix it, you might brick it, which means you'll be without your phone while Samsung fixes it anyway, only you'll be paying for it to be fixed. And given you've already spent however much you paid for the phone, do you really want to spend another couple of hundred bucks to have it repaired when you can get it fixed for nothing ?
As the very wise two posters above me have said, just don't risk it.
Thanks guys.. i have decided to send it for warranty repair then. I will make the visit tomorrow. Will be missing it lots! One hell of a great phone, it was like my mini computer
If i ever knew changing sim cards would screw it up so bad, i would never have done it!
Hopefully will post here later with the good news..
Gave my cell to the service center guys, told me to return later today so that they can examine it. Last i saw it they were fiddeling with it by some IMEI writer on a pc. Hope i get it back up and running soon.
While i was briefing them about my missing IMEI no. they told me that the reason behind it could be me using screen-lock-pattern on my phone. Is it true? Any one experienced it before?
Cool. Hopefully they sort it for you soon
That's interesting. I use a pattern lock mostly & have never seen a relationship between it and the IMEI going missing. What I have noticed tho (and I've seen other people report on here) is the IMEI/baseband go missing occasionally if you reboot the phone whilst connected to a charger.
This rights itself if you do a reboot (occasionally two) with the phone off charger. The first time it happened it scared the crap out of me I had an EFS backup so it would have been recoverable, but it happened out of the blue & I had no idea what caused it. I re-flashed my modem as a first step as the baseband was missing, and that seemed to fix it tho I suspect simply rebooting did the job.
kreygor said:
Gave my cell to the service center guys, told me to return later today so that they can examine it. Last i saw it they were fiddeling with it by some IMEI writer on a pc. Hope i get it back up and running soon.
While i was briefing them about my missing IMEI no. they told me that the reason behind it could be me using screen-lock-pattern on my phone. Is it true? Any one experienced it before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen unlock codes are stored in the efs, both patern and pin so maybe that's correct, but efs and thus imei corruption seem to be random, I got it once updating my rom, I keep about 5 backups so I was ok, scary thought.
If you are going to root, first thing you should do after rooting is make an efs backup, hellcats ktool from the market is a good choice, easy and works well.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Hi all.
I have a huge problem with my S2. When I type on my keyboard *#06# i get IMEI null/null. Ive tried everything mentioned here and nothing works. I don't know if i made a backup or not. Some app made a backup and i tried to restore and it didnt work. I rooted the phone and tried several custom roms and it doesnt work.
What can I do?
Regards, Brix
brixie11 said:
Hi all.
I have a huge problem with my S2. When I type on my keyboard *#06# i get IMEI null/null. Ive tried everything mentioned here and nothing works. I don't know if i made a backup or not. Some app made a backup and i tried to restore and it didnt work. I rooted the phone and tried several custom roms and it doesnt work.
What can I do?
Regards, Brix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edit: I've tried to install original stock rom without success
Any good local mobile repair shop should be able to fix this (re-write the IMEI to the device) for you fairly cheaply (for example, I can get it done for around AUD$30). A Samsung service centre can also do it, but will charge you a lot more.
If you've tried to restore a backup & failed for whatever reason, and flashing stock roms didn't work (it can if it was a temporary thing, which it is sometimes), you really don't have any other option apart from buying the equipment repair shops/Samsung use to do the repair mentioned above. Which is obviously more expensive than paying someone who already has the equipment to do it, you need to learn how to use the equipment without turning your phone into a paperweight permanently (or at least unfixable without a motherboard change), and you'll probably never use it again.
Best option is the first one (local mobile repair shop/non Samsung service centre) if you want it fixed easily, quickly, and guaranteed (assuming there's nothing hardware-wise wrong with the phone).
Hi Mistah.
Thanks for the advice. I will take my phone to thr repair shop. I think that too that its not SW fixable.
Regards, Brix
I doubt it is fixable by you, I mean, you can try the stuff in some of the threads on here (various 'guides' around the place), but given what you've already tried/said, they're unlikely to work. And you could spend days trying stuff for no result, be without a working phone for that time, and still end up having to get it repaired. And given how cheap (relatively speaking) it is normally, my choice every time is to get it done sooner rather than later, for those reasons.
Hello, first off I would like to say I'm terribly sorry for posting in the wrong section, but there isn't a section for the US Cellular Galaxy S3 and I don't want to spend an hour trying to find the correct section. Anyway, I've had my S3 for 1.5 years now and I finally decided to ditch Touchwiz and install Cyanogemod. So I got TWRP recovery, installed the correct cyanogenmod 11 version and gapps. I was extremely happy with the smoothness that I decided to text a friend. Text wouldn't go through. Nor could I make phone calls. Anyway I went into settings and it claimed my phone number was something along the lines of '000-000-9356' (Not entirely sure on last 4 digits) So I tried restoring to the backup that I had made, which did not work. Data however did work after tinkering with settings. Fast forward 2 weeks and I decide to try and fix the sms and phone problem. I couldn't find any help and stumbled upon a list of modems for SCH-R530U. Flashed one of those and when the phone booted back up, I had no data connection at all. I tried flashing the rest of them in a panic to try and fix what I broke but none of them changed the broken connection. I went into settings, about phone, status, and the phone says unknown for my network type, phone number, MIN, PRL version, MEID, IMEI, and ICCID. I know realize that I most likely have broken this phone beyond repair and I can't seem to find any fix or any stock firmware for my phone. If anyone could provide some help, it would be greatly appreciated instead of comments telling me to go to iOS, stating that I ****ed it up, or anything similar that I have recently gotten on other forums I've tried to get help from.
SamsungMakesMeCry said:
Hello, first off I would like to say I'm terribly sorry for posting in the wrong section, but there isn't a section for the US Cellular Galaxy S3 and I don't want to spend an hour trying to find the correct section. Anyway, I've had my S3 for 1.5 years now and I finally decided to ditch Touchwiz and install Cyanogemod. So I got TWRP recovery, installed the correct cyanogenmod 11 version and gapps. I was extremely happy with the smoothness that I decided to text a friend. Text wouldn't go through. Nor could I make phone calls. Anyway I went into settings and it claimed my phone number was something along the lines of '000-000-9356' (Not entirely sure on last 4 digits) So I tried restoring to the backup that I had made, which did not work. Data however did work after tinkering with settings. Fast forward 2 weeks and I decide to try and fix the sms and phone problem. I couldn't find any help and stumbled upon a list of modems for SCH-R530U. Flashed one of those and when the phone booted back up, I had no data connection at all. I tried flashing the rest of them in a panic to try and fix what I broke but none of them changed the broken connection. I went into settings, about phone, status, and the phone says unknown for my network type, phone number, MIN, PRL version, MEID, IMEI, and ICCID. I know realize that I most likely have broken this phone beyond repair and I can't seem to find any fix or any stock firmware for my phone. If anyone could provide some help, it would be greatly appreciated instead of comments telling me to go to iOS, stating that I ****ed it up, or anything similar that I have recently gotten on other forums I've tried to get help from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done a quick search for you and it seems to the same as the one from verizon. Thats what google told me and this link leads to so don't quote me 100% and it also states "This device does not have dedicated subforums, you may be able to find assistance in the Verizon subforums. "
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wik.../SCH-R530#XDA-Developers_Forums_for_the_Phone
According to us cellular it is a SCH-R530U with baseband R530UVXUCNF3 and android 4.4.2.
Have done abit or search but I will not post links as Im not familiar with it and don't want to be the one to give you a link to brick it so im afraid that's as far as I can go and suggest you go to verizon section
SamsungMakesMeCry said:
Hello, first off I would like to say I'm terribly sorry for posting in the wrong section, but there isn't a section for the US Cellular Galaxy S3 and I don't want to spend an hour trying to find the correct section. Anyway, I've had my S3 for 1.5 years now and I finally decided to ditch Touchwiz and install Cyanogemod. So I got TWRP recovery, installed the correct cyanogenmod 11 version and gapps. I was extremely happy with the smoothness that I decided to text a friend. Text wouldn't go through. Nor could I make phone calls. Anyway I went into settings and it claimed my phone number was something along the lines of '000-000-9356' (Not entirely sure on last 4 digits) So I tried restoring to the backup that I had made, which did not work. Data however did work after tinkering with settings. Fast forward 2 weeks and I decide to try and fix the sms and phone problem. I couldn't find any help and stumbled upon a list of modems for SCH-R530U. Flashed one of those and when the phone booted back up, I had no data connection at all. I tried flashing the rest of them in a panic to try and fix what I broke but none of them changed the broken connection. I went into settings, about phone, status, and the phone says unknown for my network type, phone number, MIN, PRL version, MEID, IMEI, and ICCID. I know realize that I most likely have broken this phone beyond repair and I can't seem to find any fix or any stock firmware for my phone. If anyone could provide some help, it would be greatly appreciated instead of comments telling me to go to iOS, stating that I ****ed it up, or anything similar that I have recently gotten on other forums I've tried to get help from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have that problem on a Korean SKTELECOM phone, and I fixed it with a restore of my efs partition. if you dont have a backup of your previous efs partition, you must have to go to a samsung service center and fix it using some money.
I have the same phone and I flashed the same ROM. i had a horrible experience doing it. let me say that the ROM is awesome. but As we know it is a pain on the butt. I just can't do calls. I dial the number and it won't call. the camera app don't have a flash yet I think. and if you have a bad signal it gets worst. using your post I would like someone or maybe you if you know any other ROM to install on this phone. what is the best?
Sent from my SCH-R530U using XDA Free mobile app
Hello,
A couple of years ago, I dropped my samsung i9100 and instantly its imei disappeared. Since this was caused by a physical damage, none of the software based imei recovery tactics worked. I did not get it repaired because by the time this happened, a refurbished phone was already getting cheaper than a repair. Now, there is this useless piece of electronics that is only good for taking occasional pics at home and listening to music.
I know my way around with replacing components on several phones (iphones, especially i9100 after countless trials and such) and I can replace the logic board. There seems to be legitimate, cheap i9100 logic boards with components on aliexpress.com. But the thing is, once I replace the board, for all intents and purposes it'll be another device, using the old working components and the shell of my actual phone. with a different IMEI.
So, hypothetically speaking, if I buy a board, replace the broken one with it and somehow flash my old IMEI to it, would it be usable once again? I mean from the side of the carrier network. In addition to the technical feasibility, is this a legitimate solution?
I know phone repair by experience only, so I might be way off. Correct me if i'm wrong please.
Thanks in advance.
Recovering a lost IMEI isn't easy. There are guides to recover it but they may not necessarily work as expected or at all.
As about the hardware replacement - carriers can't know your hardware, they do know the model but there is no real way for them to get data about the hardware. I am not sure about the the recovered IMEI (if you manage to recover it), but I don't think so.
Hope that helped and I hope my information is correct, as that's what I know.
danielbe said:
Recovering a lost IMEI isn't easy. There are guides to recover it but they may not necessarily work as expected or at all.
As about the hardware replacement - carriers can't know your hardware, they do know the model but there is no real way for them to get data about the hardware. I am not sure about the the recovered IMEI (if you manage to recover it), but I don't think so.
Hope that helped and I hope my information is correct, as that's what I know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the reply, you are right, recovery methods did not work at all. that's why i'm considering a logic board replacement.
the pieces of information I have are:
- phones are registered as their imei and the carrier knows the phone as their imei. so imei = phone (for the carrier)
- imei change (not recovery) is possible, if not easy
- i know my imei (it's written under the battery housing anyway)
so from what you say, i understand that if i can manage to get my old imei on the new logic board successfully, all it's fine and the phone will resurrect; assuming the new logic board is working well.
sinabey said:
thanks for the reply, you are right, recovery methods did not work at all. that's why i'm considering a logic board replacement.
the pieces of information I have are:
- phones are registered as their imei and the carrier knows the phone as their imei. so imei = phone (for the carrier)
- imei change (not recovery) is possible, if not easy
- i know my imei (it's written under the battery housing anyway)
so from what you say, i understand that if i can manage to get my old imei on the new logic board successfully, all it's fine and the phone will resurrect; assuming the new logic board is working well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just searched about an imei change and found a guide, seems actually easy, not sure if it works. (http://www.technostall.com/how-to-change-imei-number-android/)
I guess it might work.
danielbe said:
Just searched about an imei change and found a guide, seems actually easy, not sure if it works. (http://www.technostall.com/how-to-change-imei-number-android/)
I guess it might work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll go ahead and order a mainboard then and we'll see what happens.
After the Feb update phone was working fine than suddenly it restart and stay on the G logo and nothing further happen after waiting for 2 hours I reboot to recovery and perform a factory reset there. Than the phone booted up with blank imei. Imei is not showing not in about phone not in dialer.
Help me to fix.
Have you attempted to install a factory image using the Android Flash Tool on Google's Pixel pages or else downloaded a factory image and used ADB to install it?
Try those and see if that resolves your issue.
Regarding the IMEI, if the factory images don't fix that issue, you'll have to send the device to Google.
Indeed you need to try flash the factory image that you were on to start with before it broke.
Yes now it did the factory image flashing unlock the bootloader and flash through online, everything is fine but the IMEI still not there.
Now I have a option for root and is there any thing that help me get fixing the IMEI edit it or update it or restore it
Gohar___Nadeem said:
Yes now it did the factory image flashing unlock the bootloader and flash through online, everything is fine but the IMEI still not there.
Now I have a option for root and is there any thing that help me get fixing the IMEI edit it or update it or restore it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Send it to Google. We cannot discuss methods of resolving IMEI issues here as the techniques for restoring the IMEI could also be used to change it, something illegal according to the laws of most countries. Especially the USA, where XDA servers are located.
How to backup imei for future ?
Bartx96 said:
How to backup imei for future ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Under normal circumstances there should be no need to back up the IMEI. The OP's issue is NOT common, which is why he needs to get a hold of Google.
Obviously I don't know what happened to your phone but I had the good ol axon 7 and one day after sitting in storage for months I turned it on and it would do everything except receive texts and I looked closer and saw it said imei null. I remember doing a reset before knowing it had a weak battery issue and I'm sure it didn't reset before the battery died and so I'm thinking at least in my case the issues are related. Do you think you had anything like that happen?
devingubler1 said:
Obviously I don't know what happened to your phone but I had the good ol axon 7 and one day after sitting in storage for months I turned it on and it would do everything except receive texts and I looked closer and saw it said imei null. I remember doing a reset before knowing it had a weak battery issue and I'm sure it didn't reset before the battery died and so I'm thinking at least in my case the issues are related. Do you think you had anything like that happen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No brother my battery was at good level above 60% but all of sudden it restarted and went into bootloop i was just scrolling the instagram.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
Send it to Google. We cannot discuss methods of resolving IMEI issues here as the techniques for restoring the IMEI could also be used to change it, something illegal according to the laws of most countries. Especially the USA, where XDA servers are located.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am asking for help to repair my devices everyone know the law and regulation internet is full of stuff that depend on you how you use it.
Maybe IMEI info is also stored on a partition on the currently inactive slot. Try taking the March update, it will switch slots and hopefully IMEI reappears.
Gohar___Nadeem said:
I am asking for help to repair my devices everyone know the law and regulation internet is full of stuff that depend on you how you use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The law makes no allowances for intent as that is for a judge to decide. Regardless, you got your answer: send it to Google! I'm sorry if that wasn't the answer you wanted, however that is the answer you are going to get from me. In fact, I will spell it out for you.
I will not help you as to do so could potentially get this site into trouble as well as cause possible legal issues for me. Not to mention the fact I cannot verify you actually own the device.
ALL problems of this sort should be directed to your product manufacturer. Contact them, provide them with the information they ask for, and see if they can help you. They are the only ones who will assist you in these matters. I cannot and will not give you any assistance with these problems.
Is that clear?
OK thanks for the long comments