I've searched for 2 days, tried most threads that I can find. I've been flashing roms for a couple of years now, put pulled a rookie mistake and flashed a 7000 rom for my tmo t889 Note 2 and wiped the IMEI in the process. Not cool. Everything else seems to have comeback from the NANROID back up that I created through recovery and I was fortunate enough to run a back up prior to the flash in AROMA so I have the efs.tar.gz back up folder on the internal memory of my phone. Unfortunatly, I cant seem to find a clear cut prcess for restoring the back up. I'm willing to read and learn, but need to be pointed in the right direction for a current fix for this. Please help if you can, I'd love to have my new toy back for our road trip this weekend 
Thanks in advance!!
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Look into NV items and IMEI repair for related Qualcomm devices.
Sent from my SGH-T889V using xda app-developers app
IMEI restored
I had a similar problem with my SGS3 i9300. I backuped the efs in aroma installer and then flashed omega rom, lost my IMEI (it changed to 004999...), could not connect to my network etc. I restored the IMEI by unraring the efs_29Sep2013-2102.tar.gz to my external sdcard (I got te efs folder). Then I pressed delete on efs folder located in root using root explorer (te efs folder stayed but everything inside it was deleted). Next I copyed the contents of my unrared efs folder from external sdcard to the efs folder in root. I didn't change any permissions, just restarted my phone and IMEI came back and everything worked for me.
cujopasubojica said:
I had a similar problem with my SGS3 i9300. I backuped the efs in aroma installer and then flashed omega rom, lost my IMEI (it changed to 004999...), could not connect to my network etc. I restored the IMEI by unraring the efs_29Sep2013-2102.tar.gz to my external sdcard (I got te efs folder). Then I pressed delete on efs folder located in root using root explorer (te efs folder stayed but everything inside it was deleted). Next I copyed the contents of my unrared efs folder from external sdcard to the efs folder in root. I didn't change any permissions, just restarted my phone and IMEI came back and everything worked for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very nice explanation.
Thank you for that.
Hit my "THANKS" button! Come on, you can do it!
Hello I have a classical corrupted EFS/ Bad IMEI after flashing rom problem. So I cannot making a calls...
I made a backup of EFS floder but no using software but just copy of whole floder. Now I dont know if it is possible to restore it because backup programs are using iso formats ot tar formats. When i am trying to replace it in Rootexplorer it does not help...
I tried format EFS floder and it does not help either.
Is there any way to save the phone ?
Or another question... is it posible to make "efs.img" from the floder in my computer ?
dumir said:
Hello I have a classical corrupted EFS/ Bad IMEI after flashing rom problem. So I cannot making a calls...
I made a backup of EFS floder but no using software but just copy of whole floder. Now I dont know if it is possible to restore it because backup programs are using iso formats ot tar formats. When i am trying to replace it in Rootexplorer it does not help...
I tried format EFS floder and it does not help either.
Is there any way to save the phone ?
Or another question... is it posible to make "efs.img" from the floder in my computer ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No i dont think its possible to manually restore it , Rrather you should have followed steps of Backup restore take it service center pay it and get it replaced
or out 100% there is 1% chance to save by flashing proper Stock Firmware .
how to restore .tar.gz EFS backup?
By the way same thing happened to me and I have .tar.gz file type as backup. This backup was taken using Aroma while installing rom. How can I restore this backup please?
Thanks in advance,
Solution
Ok I done it with help of "wenousch" from czech forum.
Solution that helped:
1. a) flash Stock rom via Odin. ( Auto Rebot F. Reset Time a Nand Erase All )
b) flash Stock rom via Odin again but !!!without!!! NAND ERASE ALL.
1.5 IMEI check ( false 00sillyness)
2. Root
3. deleting all files in efs floder with root read/write premissions ( using root explorer )
4. adding files from backed up floder to (now empty efs floder in root directory )
5. restart of phone
done - I have good IMEI and I am able to make a calls.
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
Hi
My efs folder was deleted and i dont have backup of that folder . I am not able to use my network for calls and text messages.
Android has assigned me a dummy imei 004999010640000/01. Is there any way to make my network work again .Currently its showing "Not registered on network " error.
Please help ...
I think u should reset ur fon it will automatically recover all the efs file.
jadav124 said:
I think u should reset ur fon it will automatically recover all the efs file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it won't
If you don't have the backup of EFS partition, you are out of luck. Sorry...
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?