Hi all, I'm a new I9195GT owner (for a week already) and have been researching and having some satisfaction rooting and restoring all my apps with Titanium from my previous smartphone.
The phone works fine and I'm quite happy with it. I've already done a full backup with CWM recovery for any trouble I might come across in future but I don't know if a full backup from recovery contains all important and sensible data like EFS and NV data. Those two things are totally new for me as I'm coming from a HTC Desire which didn't require attention to those sensible points.
So I would be very grateful if anybody clears some doubts I have relating EFS and NV data:
- Does a full backup from recovery contain EFS and NV data, so in case that flashing a custom ROM results in corrupted EFS data, I would fix it just by restoring the full backup from recovery?
- What is the best and safest way for backup EFS and NV?
I've seen this post from arco68 which states a command I guess should be executed from Terminal directly in the smartphone, but I don't know how should that .img file restored to the phone in case it becomes corrupted.
I've also seen this post about the EFS Professional tool from lyriquidperfection but in the whole post I havent found anybody confirming it works in the S4 Mini i9195.... so it sounds good but I don't want to brick my new device being the first one to run the tool with the i9195
Thank you very much
As far as I know CWM does not back up EFS.
The good idea is to use TWRP recovery instead of CWM. TWRP does backup EFS.
You can get TWRP for 9195 here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2449107
Thanks for the idea. I'm ready to install TWRP recovery but, before installing it and replacing CWM,
Is it possible to launch TWRP recovery from CWM recovery, as temporary? And when rebooting CWM is back.
I remember doing something like this in my previous device: from 4EXT recovery launching a CWM recovery for some particular reason I don't remember
Sent from my GT-I9195 using xda app-developers app
batareikin51 said:
As far as I know CWM does not back up EFS.
The good idea is to use TWRP recovery instead of CWM. TWRP does backup EFS.
You can get TWRP for 9195 here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2449107
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP Recovery does not backup full EFS. IMEI is not included at least. Even though it lists a possibility of EFS backup, all it does is backups /efs partition. which does not contain IMEI in it. This concerns specifically I9195, which I own too and am researching this issue and also lost IMEI issue.
farewellartist said:
TWRP Recovery does not backup full EFS. IMEI is not included at least. Even though it lists a possibility of EFS backup, all it does is backups /efs partition. which does not contain IMEI in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already had installed TWRP and made backups and nandroids....
So how can we safely backup IMEI in a way we can restore it in case it gets corrupted?
sergiosch said:
I already had installed TWRP and made backups and nandroids....
So how can we safely backup IMEI in a way we can restore it in case it gets corrupted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question, I've been looking for answer for weeks.
sergiosch said:
I already had installed TWRP and made backups and nandroids....
So how can we safely backup IMEI in a way we can restore it in case it gets corrupted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Guys!
The most simple method to backup our IMEI (efs folder) is:
1.Install rootexplorer
2.open it with superuser permission
3. Copy efs folder from root main folder to your sd card.
4.Upload from sd card to clouds to be sure you have a backup a different places.
5. Push thx for me
radicspeter said:
Guys!
The most simple method to backup our IMEI (efs folder) is:
1.Install rootexplorer
2.open it with superuser permission
3. Copy efs folder from root main folder to your sd card.
4.Upload from sd card to clouds to be sure you have a backup a different places.
5. Push thx for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did already that too, not with rootexplorer but TotalCommander which also has root access to any partition, I guess it performs the same backup just copying everything.
But then I don't know why it is valid to do "raw" directory/file copy with root explorer but it is not valid an EFS partition backup with TWRP recovery. I'm a newbie with this but, it seems the same to me....
Can anyone tell exactly in which file is stored imei? Isn't the same structure/process valid for other Galaxy brand smartphones so we can follow them?
radicspeter said:
Guys!
The most simple method to backup our IMEI (efs folder) is:
1.Install rootexplorer
2.open it with superuser permission
3. Copy efs folder from root main folder to your sd card.
4.Upload from sd card to clouds to be sure you have a backup a different places.
5. Push thx for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I repeat, EFS FOLDER / PARTITION even on a raw byte level DOESN'T CONTAIN phones IMEI. This concerns specifically Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini LTE (I9195).
---------- Post added at 03:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:31 PM ----------
sergiosch said:
I did already that too, not with rootexplorer but TotalCommander which also has root access to any partition, I guess it performs the same backup just copying everything.
But then I don't know why it is valid to do "raw" directory/file copy with root explorer but it is not valid an EFS partition backup with TWRP recovery. I'm a newbie with this but, it seems the same to me....
Can anyone tell exactly in which file is stored imei? Isn't the same structure/process valid for other Galaxy brand smartphones so we can follow them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Normally, phones IMEI in previous galaxy devices (don't know about current S4, I own S4 Mini LTE), was stored in nv_data.bin file which was located in /efs folder on root. (which is a mount point for mmcblk0p10 partition in S4 Mini LTE). But, in this device, there is no nv_data bin file and IMEI is not stored nowhere close to efs partition. Not too many people own S4 Mini's and almost everybody whom I asked an information based their knowdledge on another devices and were feeding me false information I heard over and over again.
To clarify something, I know, that EFS partition doesn't contain IMEI, because:
No file in efs mount point contains IMEI.
No IMEI found checking EFS Professional backup (tar) on HEX level using various search methods. Even through-looked it, file is not that big.
No IMEI found through-looking .raw backup made using cygwin (which contains every single byte of partition, even though it is not a part of a file), which is 95+% warrant, that IMEI is not in EFS partition.
farewellartist said:
I repeat, EFS FOLDER / PARTITION even on a raw byte level DOESN'T CONTAIN phones IMEI. This concerns specifically Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini LTE (I9195).
---------- Post added at 03:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:31 PM ----------
Normally, phones IMEI in previous galaxy devices (don't know about current S4, I own S4 Mini LTE), was stored in nv_data.bin file which was located in /efs folder on root. (which is a mount point for mmcblk0p10 partition in S4 Mini LTE). But, in this device, there is no nv_data bin file and IMEI is not stored nowhere close to efs partition. Not too many people own S4 Mini's and almost everybody whom I asked an information based their knowdledge on another devices and were feeding me false information I heard over and over again.
To clarify something, I know, that EFS partition doesn't contain IMEI, because:
No file in efs mount point contains IMEI.
No IMEI found checking EFS Professional backup (tar) on HEX level using various search methods. Even through-looked it, file is not that big.
No IMEI found through-looking .raw backup made using cygwin (which contains every single byte of partition, even though it is not a part of a file), which is 95+% warrant, that IMEI is not in EFS partition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks mate. Pretty clear :good:
I was also not confident about some tutorials I read in other forums claiming that just doing a copy of file structure from /EFS folder would backup our IMEI. Your explanation is appreciated.
Hope to find some way to effectively backup sensitive data as IMEI is....
sergiosch said:
Thanks mate. Pretty clear :good:
I was also not confident about some tutorials I read in other forums claiming that just doing a copy of file structure from /EFS folder would backup our IMEI. Your explanation is appreciated.
Hope to find some way to effectively backup sensitive data as IMEI is....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Found it! Making guide right now. Basically IMEI is contained in both mmcblk0p11 and mmcblk0p12 partitions. Samsung apparently has developed a new error-safe phone nv data preservation system, I'll explain in details in tutorial.
farewellartist said:
Found it! Making guide right now. Basically IMEI is contained in both mmcblk0p11 and mmcblk0p12 partitions. Samsung apparently has developed a new error-safe phone nv data preservation system, I'll explain in details in tutorial.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great news! looking forward to read that guide :good::good:
sergiosch said:
Great news! looking forward to read that guide :good::good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you mount those partitions? I've tried with no success. All I get is "mount: No such device".
deliog said:
How do you mount those partitions? I've tried with no success. All I get is "mount: No such device".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't mount, just backup.
Through terminal emulator, enter commands
su
dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p11 of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p12
And how to restore later if IMEI gets corrupted/null?
Sent from my GT-I9195 using xda app-developers app
sergiosch said:
And how to restore later if IMEI gets corrupted/null?
Sent from my GT-I9195 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2569532
sergiosch said:
Great news! looking forward to read that guide :good::good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you (or someone) PLEASE post or send PM with backups of partition mmcblk0p11 and mmcblk0p12? While researching this issue, I trashed 2 OF MY PHONES and nulled my IMEIs because of delusion caused by memory of having a backup, which I didn't. It's a pity to give away such a fortune for spares. I need NV blocks to hex compare them with blocks I got from another healthy I9195. Since IMEI numbers of different phone blocks will be different, difference will show on hex level too, which will help me determine exact address of IMEI location, after which I could modify my trashed NV blocks at determined memory address with my original IMEI, which could save me from watching at useless brick. And also would help me at development of I9195 IMEI Restore tool.
Disclaimer: I am not modifying my IMEI nor doing any actions which end-target is modification of original IMEI and differing it from original one. I am modifying nulled (trashed, unoriginal) IMEI to its ORIGINAL state which ultimately couldn't be called nothing else but RESTORING. I won't use IMEI from gathered NV blocks. I just need a another healthy block to fix my issue and help develop tools so others could be able to sleep at nights without issue that causes me sleepless nights.
farewellartist said:
Could you (or someone) PLEASE post or send PM with backups of partition mmcblk0p11 and mmcblk0p12? While researching this issue, I trashed 2 OF MY PHONES and nulled my IMEIs because of delusion caused by memory of having a backup, which I didn't. It's a pity to give away such a fortune for spares. I need NV blocks to hex compare them with blocks I got from another healthy I9195. Since IMEI numbers of different phone blocks will be different, difference will show on hex level too, which will help me determine exact address of IMEI location, after which I could modify my trashed NV blocks at determined memory address with my original IMEI, which could save me from watching at useless brick. And also would help me at development of I9195 IMEI Restore tool.
Disclaimer: I am not modifying my IMEI nor doing any actions which end-target is modification of original IMEI and differing it from original one. I am modifying nulled (trashed, unoriginal) IMEI to its ORIGINAL state which ultimately couldn't be called nothing else but RESTORING. I won't use IMEI from gathered NV blocks. I just need a another healthy block to fix my issue and help develop tools so others could be able to sleep at nights without issue that causes me sleepless nights.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't done yet any of the backup processes you explain, so I don't even have the files you're asking for, but with all the gratitude and admiration I feel for the developers I wouldn't feel any confortable sending sensible data from part of a nandroid backup.... speaking just for myself of course, if I could choose how to help a developer I would preferr doing a donation to help him recover the hardware he has broken to help others. Some months ago I heard a friend telling that he had been scammed with a phone he bought in some cash converter and only worked for one day, then it became with null IMEI, and he suspected someone had "stolen" or "shutdown" his IMEI for unknown reasons...
sorry to say that, maybe I'm an ignorant but I just don't feel confortable with what you are asking directly to me
Hello XDA, I am on the process of moving from stock 4.2.2 on my DUOS to a Custom ROM, I haeve my device currently ROOTED, with CWM, SU app, ROM has been backed up using CWM/ROM Manager, Stuff synced with Google, Apps backed up with Titanium, need to be sure I have a recoverable EFS backup.
Now here is where I halted the process because I have been reading quite a lot and talking to people used to flash their phones but none of them have a GT-I9082 and we aren't sure that about what partitions are vital for an EFS restore.
I know I have backed up using EFS Professional my EFS partition but other than that no other partition was available (Used International Variants option as filter, since my device isn't listed by default). I added manually a filter named ftaer my device, the way I made it was reading the PIT file and selecting all the available partitions, but I'm still not sure whether that would suffice to recover a broken EFS.
I would really appreciate any input from people who already recovered their EFS successfully either using EFS Professional or any other method, please tell me which partitions have you backed up.
So I found myself wondering how can I make life difficult for myself... I did a software upgrade in Kies on my T805 and now I have a default IMEI...
I was on cm11 before doing the upgrade to 5.0.2
Has this happened to anyone or does anyone have any idea how to fix it?
Many thanks for any reply.
That shouldnt have happened but youre not the first person to state that cm has messed with the partitions. Id stick with stock based roms in future.
Download EFS professional then under the samsung tools tab select other tools then 'Repair NV data from internal file backup'
If youre lucky it will be restored.
Now some friendly advice, ALWAYS make a full backup via recovery before messing with anything custom on your device, especially make sure the EFS partition is backed up.
ashyx said:
That shouldnt have happened but youre not the first person to state that cm has messed with the partitions. Id stick with stock based roms in future.
Download EFS professional then under the samsung tools tab select other tools then 'Repair NV data from internal file backup'
If youre lucky it will be restored.
Now some friendly advice, ALWAYS make a full backup via recovery before messing with anything custom on your device, especially make sure the EFS partition is backed up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, sadly it restore a different default IMEI ending in /01 instead of /17.
I was 100% sure I had backed-up my efs, turns out I did but on my phone x(.
Any other suggestions?
Try this. Make a backup in recovery of the efs partition.
Boot into android then using a root file explorer open the efs folder then delete nv_data.bin and nv_data.bin.md5 then reboot.
See if this replaces the deleted files with the backup.
ashyx said:
Try this. Make a backup in recovery of the efs partition.
Boot into android then using a root file explorer open the efs folder then delete nv_data.bin and nv_data.bin.md5 then reboot.
See if this replaces the deleted files with the backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does but not with the correct imei. Thanks for the reply!
What IMEI does it give?
ashyx said:
What IMEI does it give?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A default imei ending in / 17 instead of / 01
DieZz said:
A default imei ending in / 17 instead of / 01
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may as well post it as its not a valid imei, it's a generic imei.
Is it 004999010640000?
Hi, I just flashed AICP and found that the VoLTE is missing. I've an EFS partition backup taken with TWRP earlier. But that file is an IMG file. When I try to restore that IMG file using TWRP it asks for the correct partition to restore. All I can see are:
Boot
Recovery
System image
Vendor image
Firmware (image)
Splash
Could someone please say to which partition should I restore it?
niyonsv said:
Hi, I just flashed AICP and found that the VoLTE is missing. I've an EFS partition backup taken with TWRP earlier. But that file is an IMG file. When I try to restore that IMG file using TWRP it asks for the correct partition to restore. All I can see are:
Boot
Recovery
System image
Vendor image
Firmware (image)
Splash
Could someone please say to which partition should I restore it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your efs backup should be named something like efs.emmc.win
Samirmathakiya said:
Your efs backup should be named something like efs.emmc.win
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, the file name is efs_backup.img . How to restore it?
Could someone please help? I found tutorials only to backup EFS partition using TWRP. Didn't find any for restoration. At least someone please post the link to it? Googling didn't give any results.
I've already asked this on XDA before, but no one replied me. Here's the link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/le...te-problems-custom-roms-t3744291/post77703907
If the EFS in IMG file format can't be restored then what's the point of backing up the EFS using TWRP? I always QPST the ZUI ROM whenever I switch to a different ROM. This time I don't have my PC with me, that's why I'm asking this. If we can't restore this using TWRP then at least please confirm it. Then I will wait until I get my PC.
niyonsv said:
I've already asked this on XDA before, but no one replied me. Here's the link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/le...te-problems-custom-roms-t3744291/post77703907
If the EFS in IMG file format can't be restored then what's the point of backing up the EFS using TWRP? I always QPST the ZUI ROM whenever I switch to a different ROM. This time I don't have my PC with me, that's why I'm asking this. If we can't restore this using TWRP then at least please confirm it. Then I will wait until I get my PC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Efs Backup created through twrp contains .win format and you can recover only if it's in that format. Or if you are damn sure that you have created backup through twrp then find that version of twrp and then try to restore.
You dont have to flash the file, you have to restore it using twrp
Make a backup of your current efs through twrp
You will find it in the internal memory in twrp folder
Go into the folder, keep going in till you find the img file of your current backup, replace it with the previous backup.
Then boot into twrp md go into restore, you will find the option to restore the efs partition
Hey guys,
is it possible to backup my rom witg twrp to another but similar device? From z1c to z1c.
best, dj
Yes, this is possible and it works OK. I have done this many times.
Just make ABSOLUTELY SURE NOT TO restore the "TA partition" from one device to another! This partition contains device specific code. If you clone the TA to another device, it will not boot. The only way to recover would be if you have a TA backup of the messed device (and you will have to access its internals).
So to summarize: You can share ROM backups through multiple devices. Always do a full backup BEFORE you restore another one. Never restore TA partition from another device.
Thanks. Btw, if you share a micro sd card wirh multiple devices twrp generates device speccific folders. You can access only files from your "own" folder.