Develop Bugs

HELP NEEDED with CWM "error while restoring /data!"

Hey guys,
I have kind of a serious issue right now. I used Touch Recovery 5.8.0.2 and made a full backup today of my whole ROM (2.5GB) before trying out some mods which eventually didn't work. So I decided to wipe and restore the backup I made. No matter what I do I cannot get it to restore my data partition properly. I keep getting "Error while restoring /data!" message, however it does the boot image and system fine but doesn't continue to cache and sd-ext because of the failed data. Whenever I boot it up, some of my apps are missing from the home screen and practically all of them are not working when I launch them (force close). I also get boot up error of Google+ force close, among a bunch of other issues. This is happening even when I try to restore an older backup as well. My device is not working state right now and although I can just restore the stock images to get it working again, it is urgent that I restore my data ASAP! I tried wiping several times and even using the non-touch 5.5.0.4 recovery to restore and same thing keeps happening.
Any help would be highly appreciated!
Please don't tell me my backup is corrupt
Update 1: Eventually I gave up and started from scratch but I have confirmed already this happened on a fresh backup as well, at this time we are trying to figure out what is causing this so I can go back to safely backing up and restoring backups.
Update 2: We have test builds of TWRP Recovery that may have resolved this issue! We need testers!
Please see this post: Link Here
Update 3: We have test builds of ClockworkMod Recovery 6 that may have resolved this issue as well! We need testers!
Please see this post: Link Here
***Always see last few posts on the thread for updates on what we discovered just in case I don't update the OP***

Unfortunately I also have the same error today!
Please help us out.

JayantSparda said:
Unfortunately I also have the same error today!
Please help us out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is your phone encrypted?
are you running stock recovery?
are you running a stock Rom?
have you done a factory reset yet?

Hi Spectre85,
My phone did fine yesterday, I was running AOPK Milestone 3 with FAUX123 kernel.
But when I woke up, my phone looked like it's battery was emtpy.
- When I plugged the phone with the charger, I started the phone again.
- Unfortunately my phone keep looping at the Google screen over and over.
So I pulled the battery and put the battery back again in the phone.
- I went to the bootloader and went to CWM recovery.
Deleted Data, Cache and Dalvike cache.
- Tried to retrieve my backup rom, but keep getting this "Error while restoring /data!" message.
I've tried to install other roms as well, but I still keep getting the bootloop at the Google screen.
Have you guys have any advice for me?

spectre85 said:
is your phone encrypted?
are you running stock recovery?
are you running a stock Rom?
have you done a factory reset yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me, no, no (CWM Touch 5.8.0.2), yes (stock rooted 4.0.4), no but my goal is to restore my data not erase it.

I had this happen to me before, what I did was flash a factory image through fast boot and it was fine after.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

Thanks guys..I flashed the factory image through Fastboot mode and the phone works perfectly again! Too bad I lost all my data, but I'm happier that I have my phone fully functional again

You can't access your backup right? There's no way you can copy the file to your desktop?

mohitrocks said:
You can't access your backup right? There's no way you can copy the file to your desktop?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did copy it. I have full access to the file. Also, just fyi my goal here is not just to get to working state (I'm aware of the stock images) but to actually recover my data. My phone is currently on stock images completely blank and working now.

Fast boot flash the nand images just like u did the stock ones.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

bwcorvus said:
Fast boot flash the nand images just like u did the stock ones.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nanadroid files can be flashed in fastboot? Are you sure? First time I'm hearing this. Doesn't fastboot need .img files? These are .tar files.

Open it up and see if its image...sorry all my recoveries use images.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

bwcorvus said:
Open it up and see if its image...sorry all my recoveries use images.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess it depends on the recovery version you use. I remember older versions actually had .img files. However 5.5.0.4 and Touch 5.8.0.2 both have ext4.tar files.
Which version of recovery do you use?

If you have root, you can restore your data partition using Titanium Backup. Use "Export from Nandroid Backup" within TB, select the nandroid backup and then select all apps that you want to restore

Immix said:
If you have root, you can restore your data partition using Titanium Backup. Use "Export from Nandroid Backup" within TB, select the nandroid backup and then select all apps that you want to restore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting...will this include settings as well like my home screen icon/widget layout, wallpaper, etc?

open1your1eyes0 said:
Interesting...will this include settings as well like my home screen icon/widget layout, wallpaper, etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Titanium Backup can restore all your system apps as well as downloaded apps from a nandroid backup. Not as clean as a nandroid restore from CWM but essentially the same thing. But try to see if Titanium Backup can extract your nandroid backup. It all depends on what exactly went wrong with your nandroid backup to begin with. I don't think it restores cache. So not sure about wallpaper.

Immix said:
Yes. Titanium Backup can restore all your system apps as well as downloaded apps from a nandroid backup. Not as clean as a nandroid restore from CWM but essentially the same thing. But try to see if Titanium Backup can extract your nandroid backup. It all depends on what exactly went wrong with your nandroid backup to begin with. I don't think it restores cache. So not sure about wallpaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right. This works great for restore data to select apps (got my notes and game saves back). I think the icon layout is held in the launcher settings, I'm about to try and restore the data to the launcher app and see what happens. I'm making a CWM backup of first of my current state (that's assuming this backup will actually work).
EDIT: Yes! That did it! Widgets position weren't saved but it's ok I only had a few so I manually put them back. Thank you! I never knew TB had the ability to work with nandroid backups.

I guess this now just leaves me figuring out what went wrong with the CWM backup. It happened twice (I have two backups from the same day that won't restore). Does anyone else use CWM Touch 5.8.0.2 and have successful backups? I would experiment to see if it works now but I don't want to end up with a corrupt backup and redo everything again.

Yes with me its the same thing my data its corrupt is even worse every time I do a nanobackup and restarted my phone the phone freezes on the boot logo and I have to go back to recovery trying to use my backups but I can't so I have to flash a new from again and start from the beginning again!!!! Anybody here has the same experience with that ???

So AGAIN, I'm having the same issue. This time on a recovery 5.5.0.4 that used to work for me when I originally got my phone. I think either my data partition might be too big or something but this really needs to fixed pronto. Anyone know how to contact Koush directly in regards to this matter?

Bad EFS &/or Bricked?

Hi, I have a SGH-317M Samsung Galaxy Note 2. I attempted to flash a custom kernel ontop of the factory ROM now only the phone boots up to Samsung logo screen. In factory recovery mode it says:
E:failed to mount /efs (invalid argument)
The phone has been reinstalled the factory rom for this phone, thats the state the phone is in now. It is unlocked and rooted. The
problem its stuck at the samsung logo wont boot into the OS.
Do you know how i can restore the EFS without any previous backups made?
here is a link to a picture of what it looks like when i wipe data/factory reset and reboot still sticks to the samsung logo, wont boot in.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/248p2ehe7m...105_184844.jpg
Tony

Try a factory reset in your recovery
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

I have thats what youre seeing in the pic link.
any other ideas?

I would say grab a fresh copy of the odin stock image for your device. Also wipe data/factory reset doesnt do anything?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

cdshepherd said:
I would say grab a fresh copy of the odin stock image for your device. Also wipe data/factory reset doesnt do anything?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesnt change a thing, problem persists. Its very frustrating, sorry.

Id say try reflashing the stock kernel ..
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

Yea that's where I would start flash kernel try to reboot after then go for a factory reset
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

Tried everything, everyone suggested up til now. I've exhausted all my ideas on where to take this next.

All I can say is try again
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

Odin again then power off reboot into recovery then do a factory reset again then try to boot up
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app

if pulling the battery and reattempting a fresh flash with odin yields no results, try a different usb port (mabe even one in the back) or a whole different computer to be safe

Correct. Trouble shoot with odin first. Eliminate that odin is the problem(probably not though) if nor results yeld form that then its a problem with the download or the way u are doing it. Keep trying all, I can say is if u can go into dl mode ur still ok
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

Thanks for all the attempts in sharing ideas but i've made many attempts with Odin. So many different types of ways, with no positive results. Being totally frustrated and exhausted without any optimism, i gave up. Didnt want to send it away but my feelings are it has to be jtagged to restore the EFS memory. Thats the problem android wont boot in cause it cant see my internal memory cantaining the EFS info. Jose @ the www.mobiletechvideos.com says he can restore and do the service. At this point i just need my phone back operating as soon as possible. I just cant believe how just dependent i am on the android smartphone. :crying:

spinrite said:
Hi, I have a SGH-317M Samsung Galaxy Note 2. I attempted to flash a custom kernel ontop of the factory ROM now only the phone boots up to Samsung logo screen. In factory recovery mode it says:
E:failed to mount /efs (invalid argument)
The phone has been reinstalled the factory rom for this phone, thats the state the phone is in now. It is unlocked and rooted. The
problem its stuck at the samsung logo wont boot into the OS.
Do you know how i can restore the EFS without any previous backups made?
here is a link to a picture of what it looks like when i wipe data/factory reset and reboot still sticks to the samsung logo, wont boot in.
Tony
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not responsible for your Actions But it has worked for me
O.K. don,t know if you found a salutation but I had the same problem Factory recovery won't fix it.
Here is what I did this corrects IMEI Number and Serial Number.
You need a backup copy of the EFS I was lucky have 2 SGH-I317.
1. If you can get into Recovery (Recommend latest TWR) which you can install.
2. Boot recovery make a backup of your present rom including efs we know efs is bad Please Note and make sure you save to external SDCARD remove SDCARD place in good phone Backup that includes efs from another SGH-I317. save to SDCARD IMPORTANT.
3. You will need to mount on your PC and find TWR folder inside you will find backup of bad phone and good phone when you create backup you might want to consider naming your backups to make it easy. in twr folder you will see backup folder in that folder you will find your numbered folders open them find your bad and replace with good backup see why its important to choose proper names when you backup.here you will delete the bad backup and replace with good backup put the SDCARD from the working copy into your damaged phone.
5. Go to Recovery hit restore now we have a working phone problem its a Clone? Don't worry about IMEI OR SERIAL.
6. Now you need root explorer (get it on Play Store) Your phone should be rooted for this step.
start root explorer go to root directory click on efs folder then click factory app folder then click serial_no menu pops up click TEXT EDITOR
Now You see serial number enter correct number and save you will get message saved a backup of original file now open the backup and correct the number now save again same message delete the last backup of a backup you can tell you will see wrong Serial number.
7. Restart wait go to settings if everything went well hit about phone then status check EMEI Number and Serial Should be correct.
8. NOW MAKE A BACKUP USE TWR AND INCLUDE EFS IN YOU BACKUP THEN TRANSFER IT TO A SAFE PLACE.
Let Me Know How It Goes.

note 2 (n7105 ) efs and custom rom install help

Hey guys. I installed cyanogenmod 11 yesterday on my note 2. i ran into some problems. There was no service, imei and baseband fields were blank. i couldn't dial the *#After countless afters searching xda i managed to fix it by reverting back to the stock Samsung firmware (4.3).
My question is how do i install cyanogenmod 11 and also get network service now that i have my imei and base-band back. I'm not familiar with efs backing up or what to do with it to get network service working on a customer rom.
Any help is appreciated. thanks

dangitnghia said:
Hey guys. I installed cyanogenmod 11 yesterday on my note 2. i ran into some problems. There was no service, imei and baseband fields were blank. i couldn't dial the *#After countless afters searching xda i managed to fix it by reverting back to the stock Samsung firmware (4.3).
My question is how do i install cyanogenmod 11 and also get network service now that i have my imei and base-band back. I'm not familiar with efs backing up or what to do with it to get network service working on a customer rom.
Any help is appreciated. thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To do that you must be rooted and have a custom recovery.
Download and Install PHILZ recovery latest version.
Make Nandroid backup using recovery. Keep it somewhere safe.
Download doctor Ketan's Multitool zip file and install it via recovery.
Now you will see Aroma window with various options. Chose EFS BACKUP.
Exit Multitool and restart the phone.
Copy EFS backup from internal memory card to Phone (approximately 20mb size)
Now Flash any rom u like.
Press thumps up if you found this suggestion helpful.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

ceomaverick said:
To do that you must be rooted and have a custom recovery.
Download and Install PHILZ recovery latest version.
Make Nandroid backup using recovery. Keep it somewhere safe.
Download doctor Ketan's Multitool zip file and install it via recovery.
Now you will see Aroma window with various options. Chose EFS BACKUP.
Exit Multitool and restart the phone.
Copy EFS backup from internal memory card to Phone (approximately 20mb size)
Now Flash any rom u like.
Press thumps up if you found this suggestion helpful.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello other solution is to use TWRP recovery , when you do a bakup whis this recovery you can choose what you want to keep : EFS, data, system etc... and where int SdCard or extSdCard.
I hope this can help you.

Note II Stuck on samsung logo possibly /efs issue?

Hi there,
I have spent hours trying to fix my issue that i am trying to fix and i was wondering if you guys could help me out?
A few weeks ago i went to go and plug my phone in as it was completely flat but for some reason it began some kind of boot loop where it would reach the lock screen for a few seconds and then power off again because it did not have enough power.
I left this on over night in the hope that it would charge my phone but when i tried to power it on in the morning it just got stuck at the Samsung logo. I did a quick web search and they suggested leaving your phone at the Samsung logo, clearing you cache/dalvic cache and finally resetting it. After all of the above failed i thought that maybe a a full restore in odin would work, the same thing happened when i tried to power it on.
I then went back into the stock recovery after the reset to find the error "E: failed to mount /efs (invalid argument)".
After quite some research into this i found a possible zip that may fix the issue from people having a similar issue but of coarse it diddn't work.
It seems as if the /efs folder/partition may be corrupted in some way.
I am really stuck on this now and i am reluctant to pay lots of money to someone to fix it
Do you have any ideas?
Many thanks,
Shenstone
EDIT: The phone has CWM recovery installed and i have attemped to flash the stock firmware with both Kies and Odin

Bro, maybe flash stock firmware will solve the prolem

exorcistz said:
Bro, maybe flash stock firmware will solve the prolem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry forgot to mention that, i have flashed stock firmware with both odin and kies but both do not work, same process still occurs
Any other ideas? :/

Do you have the original EFS folder backed up? If so, then try restoring it and flashing a stock ROM... If you don't have your EFS backed from earlier you might have some problems, I don't know if it's possible to fix it then...

librapt said:
Do you have the original EFS folder backed up? If so, then try restoring it and flashing a stock ROM... If you don't have your EFS backed from earlier you might have some problems, I don't know if it's possible to fix it then...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't specifically backup the EFS folder, however I performed a full backup in CWM recovery. Do you know if there is a backup of the EFS folder there?
Just a quick question, is it possible to re-create a EFS folder or not?
Many thanks!

shenstone said:
I didn't specifically backup the EFS folder, however I performed a full backup in CWM recovery. Do you know if there is a backup of the EFS folder there?
Just a quick question, is it possible to re-create a EFS folder or not?
Many thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See this, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2420881

shenstone said:
I didn't specifically backup the EFS folder, however I performed a full backup in CWM recovery. Do you know if there is a backup of the EFS folder there?
Just a quick question, is it possible to re-create a EFS folder or not?
Many thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use this,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2269318

Revert From 5.1.1 to 4.4.2

[SOLVED]
Hello guys, hope that someone could help me.
I had a 4.4.2 rom (note4neo 2.0) and i wanted to try 5.1.1 so first of all i mad a full Nandroid Backup through TWRP and also a titanium bkp. Later on i installed lollipop original rom through ODIN and everything was ok. I then followed a guide from Noble Rom for rooting and installing TWRP. Everything went ok, but i had problems with some rooting app (like titanium) and so i decided to revert back to 4.4.2.
At first I rebooted into recovery, made a full wipe (even system) then restored previously backup. Seemed to be ok, but then when rebooted it stucks on boot logo (i left booting for 28 minutes, so....).
Then i tried to wipe cache, dalvik and data and reboot again: no changes.
I then decided to reflash previously twrp (the one that i used for bkp). Flashes went ok, but i have "recovery is not seandroid enforcing" message on the top (even with the lollipop twrp: maybe is this the key of my problem?!?).
Restoring backup from older twrp didn't work as well...
Of course i can enter both Download and Recovery mode.
Now i flashed back the original 5.1.1 through ODIN in order to go back to original lollipop and see what u guys can tell me to do to restore backup i made..
Thank you very much for your help

I was thinking that maybe i should flash a stock 4.4.2 before restore the backup...
Now i'm downloading it and see what happens...tell me if i may be right

Yes you should first restore a 4.4.2 firmware before flashing TWRP and then you'll be able to restore your backup

lennon123 said:
Yes you should first restore a 4.4.2 firmware before flashing TWRP and then you'll be able to restore your backup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update: Flashed 4.4.2, all ok. Then rooted, twrp and all ok again
After i restored Backup and stuck on boot.
Then i made again all the steps: STOCK, ROOT, TWRP, then Base version of the Rom and all ok.
At this point i was thinking it was done and restoring would have been just fine...unfortunatley it doesn't. Stuck on boot again.
So i reflashed the Base version of the mod rom and: it started with my restored app Btw i'm encountering problems like no home button, no volume icon, no settings shortcut. Now i made a cache and dalvik wipe but problems still remain..
Any idea?

After some attempts to solve those problems i stucked again on boot..
So now my plan is to: Flash STOCK rom, Root, Twrp, Base mod rom (everything always ok so far) and then restore JUST DATA from backup... Not touching system and boot should let the rom works just fine...at least i hope so :'D

Ok, as i was expecting the problem is solved. I did not restored System and Boot and all apps works just fine. Even though i miss some settings i made now i'm happy to be 90% back to origin ^^

Well alright, your solution will probably help other people in your situation. I presume your porblem is solved, if so you can add [SOLVED] in your first post in the title.

lennon123 said:
Well alright, your solution will probably help other people in your situation. I presume your porblem is solved, if so you can add [SOLVED] in your first post in the title.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it's solved I'll mod the title