yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] tu3218:
Apparently this way doesn't work anymore or just doesn't work. I'm reading through synergy and I used this method to backup my imei. Are they correct in I should use the QPST method or what?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] SlimSnoopOS:
Yep.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] WildZontar:
This method is outdated; don't use it.

This method will not only backup the exact same partition this one does, but also multiple others which are essential to restoring service. Also, in addition, you should create a QPST NVRAM backup to compliment it. I recommend you do both and keep both on file just in case one restore or the other does not work.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] sunilj75:
Thanks for directing to correct thread
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Gucci.Nexus:
i have a note II - SGH-i317m

I know I am in the wrong forum but can't find any other good forum on this dd command stuff. i think the commands are pretty much the same on my phone anyways.

i was able backup my efs using this method.

does anyone know any other commands to backup other partitions, like csc?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] kssxs:
I agree with you there, but what you had said was that this test didn't move over your IMEI from your working device to the borked one. The OP states you have to have a backup from the same phone from before it had the problem. So if it didn't work for you, there are obviously other interactions that would prevent just anyone from copying an EFS partition from one phone to another one.

At least, that's what I've read and think, etc... :)
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] zonly1:
I did reboot and I did throw my SIM card in there. I was kind of expecting the serial # and IMEI # to be the same as my new phone, but no.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Jiggity Janx:
EFS Pro v1.8.11: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1308546
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] zonly1:
Okay, I gottcha...perhaps there is some hidden thing there and that makes a lot of sense seeing that the IMEI is and should be highly protected. So, we need to find some brave person to back up...bork their phone and hope that this works. damn! :crying:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] David Dee:
Dude, we can't thank you enough for all of your help over the past few days with this issue. Let's hope we get a positive restore somewhere.

To all others in this thread, I am referring to two other threads where this has been intensely beaten around, here http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1777915 and here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1753833

We are all going to have to work together to find and successfully test a solution to this problem.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] seth.i.simmons:
Been running CM10 since around 5pm yesterday, perfect data the whole time, up till now. But I know for a fact what/when it happened. I went to toggle mobile data and accidentally held down the toggle (which opens mobile network settings) and RIGHT when I did, I lost all data. Im messing with phone info and trying to get data back, but just a heads up, DONT enter the mobile network settings!

Going to first try reinstalling CM10 and see if that will fix it, if not, I'll restore the efs backup I had made using this OP. Thanks for the guide!

Edit: Got 4G back after reinstalling CM10 and changing phone info to LTE/CDMA Auto PRL. Works for me.

Edit 2: Just lost 4G again :/
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] jdubau55:
I lost it this morning. I put my phone in airplane mode. Waited. Turned off airplane mode. Made sure I was good using Phone Info. 4G returned.

You might also try going into CM settings and changing it there. Then go back into Phone Info. You will see that it's not correct. Use Phone Info to set correctly.

I think too many people are doing drastic things before they go through the simpler motions.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] zonly1:
Man, I wish it was that easy! Glad you're working okay.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] naturefreak85:
I suspect there are 2 separate issues to the problem....possibly different issues leading to it depending on the carrier. I don't know if combining the issues will lead to any sort of resolution. Yes, most of the hardware is the same, but not all of it. The only 2 that have the same "hardware" (core hardware, modems are different) are the Sprint/VZW variants, though with the Bootloader being locked in VZW it could introduce a different variable.

Outside of the Modems, the hardware is identical, and the Modem is what stops working when the IMEI is lost.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] suzook:
Here we go AGAIN...going off topic! Please people, only efs info!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] turbosrrgood:
Having 4G issues does not necessarily mean you are having the specific IMEI issue the OP and zonely are referring to. There have been plenty of reports of CM10 having inconsistent data behavior (at least on VZ). The IMEI issue is something different and more difficult to recover from (impossible without efs backup?), I think people are mistakenly linking the two together.

I think the main focus of this thread is helping with the IMEI problem which can potentially brick your device, not more general 4G issues.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Jacquestrapp:
Does the problem of losing your IMEI only apply to phones that are running a kexec-capable recovery and/or ROM like CM or AOKP? I've rooted using invisiblek's stripped-down stock ROM with ClockworkMod recovery version 5.8.4.9. So far the only reports I've read of this happening have come from people using recoveries that allow kexec.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] seth.i.simmons:
Just lost data (but still had IMEI) so I tried a EFS restore after messing around with phone info and mobile network settings for a while, but neither seem to have worked. Gonna try a clean install of CM10.

---------- Post added at 04:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:08 PM ----------

Ah, thanks for the heads up, I thought that the EFS partition could also help with lost data, not JUST lost IMEI. Good to know.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] mrmako777:
i love the idea of this, but i thought it was a mystery as to where the imei is actually located? how do we know for sure /efs is where it is at?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] tprouty:
If i manually change it to LTE I will get 4g and browse web but can not make calls. and it shows bars. When i switch back to default it never auto switches to 4g.

I forgot to add a part to what happened. After I rebooted from battery pull during activation the sim unlock box came up. I thought this was part of cm9 unlocking sim for all carriers so i hit cancel and proceeded to activate and it worked.

Not sure if that has to do with it or not. If i need to make a new thread because this not related someone let me know....
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Kipland007:
The OP restored their IMEI after it was changed by flashing an AOSP rom. What remains to be seen is whether this will fix the IMEI = 0 issue that a lot of people have been running into.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] wavrunrx:
zonly1;

was the WORKING phone on or off at this time ?

after you restore the BAD phone, from the good phones images, before you reboot the bad phone, completely power off the good one (IE pull the battery) wait 10 minutes and THEN reboot the bad one while still keeping the new one completley off.

im thinking you need the good one to de-register from the network before an additional phone with the SAME info is actually able to talk to the network
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] JoeyBert:
The 2nd step is only performed when restoring, correct? To back up I would only run the first command?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] droidstyle:
:good:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] neyenlives:
Has anyone successfully recovered a true stomped on IMEI using this method?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] newuser134:
I'm on Verizon, I have a simple question that kind of relates to the imei, but in a different way. I rooted my phone using invisiblek's original root method, to a "stock" rooted device, not root66, but using the stock rooted rom from this link

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1756885

I never took note of the phone information under "about device > status in settings, other than initially looking at imei, meid and signal strength in dBm before rooting. After rooting, everything seems fine, like imei and meid (meid seems to be the same as imei, but with one digit less), but if you scroll down a little, there's a serial number, and it seems to be ALL zero's "00000...", is that normal? I've never had AOSP, AOKP, CM9, CM10 or anything with kexec or modified kernel. All I have is rooted stock rom from invisiblek's original root thread, and CWM recovery. Can someone on a Verizon SGS3 with a fully stock (unrooted) rom and someone else with a rooted stock Verizon rom look at their serial# and confirm if it's supposed to all zero's? Or did mine change somehow? Does the serial number mean anything or count for anything anyway?

Thanks
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] s197:
I don't see a serial number in my settings, but there's nothing with all zeroes. Are you talking about ICCID?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] mangler1055:
from what I have been told, the non-root66 images came from a sprint image. I have the same issue with the 000.. Serial number, although it doesn't seem to effect anything.

The folks on irc told me too flash root 66, although I'm not sure that will restore whatever my original serial number was.

I backed up the efs using the instructions in this thread. Just waiting to see if it well fix a zeroed or imei.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] zonly1:
The phone was off...I only have 1 battery, so that is what happened. Good thought though!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] JoeyBert:
And only restore if it gets corrupt in the first place, yes?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] newuser134:
If you see ICCID, you're very close, it's 4 entries below ICCID, right above up-time, it shows all zero's. I'm not sure what it was before rooting, but I have a memory of it not being all zero's. I did not lose my imei, and everything works fine, so the serial number must not really be important at all, but just trying to get it back ti what it was, if I restore to unrooted by flashing a stock Samsung .tar file, will it restore the serial#? Supposedly invisiblek's root method only flashed a rooted /system image, if the phone info is stored in /efs, how did the serial number change in the first place anyway? I'm also having some issues with the stock "swype" keyboard not working and voice-to-text microphone button missing on the keyboard, I'm guessing it's because a Sprint rom was used to root initially, as it was mentioned above my post.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] s197:
Odd, I don't even have that entry. Below ICCID I have: IP Address, Wi-Fi Mac Address, Bluetooth Address, Up time, and Device Status.

Edit: For more info, this is on root66. This was the only system image I used to root, did not use the previous one in Invis' original thread.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] tekhna:
Anyone know why Superuser is denying shell superuser access? It shows in the log as denied, but never prompts me to allow it. I also don't recall it ever prompting me to allow it when using adb shell.

Nevermind, used Terminal Emulator. Still curious, but doesn't matter.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] newuser134:
That's strange. Are you on a Verizon SGS3? What root method did you use EXACTLY? can you post a link to it or describe it?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] neyenlives:
Mine originally had the serial entry blank, no zeros, just nothing. After Odin'ing back to stock rom, it changed to all zeros. Doesn't seem to matter at all. I rooted using invisibleks /system only image as mentioned above, never used root66 because it overwrites unnecessary things if all you want is root.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] droidstyle:
yes

On a side note I wiped data/factory restored, then flashed root66.image and all my numbers are there...been this way from stock ->root66->cm10->>paranoidandroid->back to stock-> root66 w/ nandroid restore.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] s197:
Yeah I'm on Verizon. I just flashed root66 via Odin to get root. I asked on IRC and it seems like those on stock image have no serial number, while others on CM10 etc have all zeroes for a serial number.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] fabzbear:
Hey I'm new to the whole adb comment shell thing.

I'm thinking about doing some tests for the Sprint variant to try and help solve the problem of the missing mei/imei. So before I start I just have a few questions.

In the op the the author mentioned dd being a Linux program and so on, do I need to have dd to do those commands he listed in adb?

Also if so, is there a dd for Windows?

Oh, also what is root66?

And lastly the number to dial after restoring the imei, is it universal....being that it will work with all variants including the Sprint version or I need another number to dial for that?

Edit 1

Ok so I know what root66 is. It's the image that you use to flash to get root.

Ok, can I use the root image from here

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=28807761
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] bamaredwingsfan:
I managed to to backup my efs file with terminal emulator. The file was 13 MB's but when I zipped the file up it was less than 100kb's. Is that about right?

Sent from my rOot3d Samsung Galaxy S3
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] s197:
dd isn't a linux program, it's a linux command. I'm not sure if the number is universal but it doesn't restore your IMEI anyway, all it does is reset the sim state. There's currently another method being tested, stay tuned, you should hear something shortly if it works.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] stiltzkin:
Settings -> Developer Options -> Root access -> "Apps and ADB"
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Jugger naut:
Tried this on abd rom toolbox term em and term em pro get same thing every time. See if you guys can pick out what I'm doing wrong.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] mybook4:
Are you rooted? Did you run the "su" command before trying?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Jugger naut:
Yep

Not sure why the su isn't on that snapshot but I did put it in and was granted Super User here is another snapshot.

Is it just me or are thumbnails on XDA acting funky, as soon as I touch the screen to center them up they disappear ?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] seth.i.simmons:
Type su, hit enter, then try the command.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Hypnosis4U2NV:
You need to press enter after the "su" command to bring up the # prompt.. You won't be able to run it from the $ prompt..

Sent from my Commodore 64..

READY.

load"*", 8,1
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] enomele:
Not sure why it didn't work the first time,the second time it it appears you you typed it in wrong. You put in devblock/, not /dev/block/
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Jugger naut:
That's what I've been doing after typing su hit enter small tag pops up ""blah blah su granted blah blah" type in command....... and nobodies home? I've never flashed a non stock ROM only Beans R1 and NoSymapathy is my IMEI/MEID/EFS Data virginity in jeopardy? I have 3/4g..... no problems just wanted to wrap my whopper just in case. :D

click!........ thanks for the help guys this has got me confused :confused:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] xsteven77x:
I'm really glad you made this information available for us! Thank you so much!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Jugger naut:
I feel like patient 0......:victory:

I'm a big guy with sausage fingers and poor spelling so bare with me please.

Here are some more thumbnails.

edit

Not sure how but finally got it to work...blah blah........records in records out.....blah blah (13.6mb)

Whopper is wrapped........all files present and accounted for

Thank you guys looks like the 33rd time was the charm :good:
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] aaronkt:
I feel like such a noob. I dont do linux very well nor do i understand it. I have ADB and root. I tried ADB version and just the terminal. I followed the directions and i get the following

from ADB:

C:\adb>adb shell

shell@android:/ $ su

su

Permission denied

1|shell@android:/ $ exit

exit

And from Terminal on the device itself:

unknown operand id

however when i do su from the terminal it says i have root #

any suggestions?

I'm running CM10.

Thanks for the help.

There would be no reason i would need to reinstall ADB after changing phones correct? As in coming from the HTC sensation to the SG3?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] zonly1:
Under system settings/developer options/root options..make sure that adb and apps are allowed.

Also, no guarantee this will help you if you lose your IMEI.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] aaronkt:
Thanks! That did it!

C:\adb>adb shell

shell@android:/ $ su

su

shell@android:/ # dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p11 of=/sdcard/efs.sbn

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p11 of=/sdcard/efs.sbn

27904+0 records in

27904+0 records out

14286848 bytes transferred in 3.821 secs (3739033 bytes/sec)

shell@android:/ #
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] swehes:
I don't know if anyone has touched the different between MEID and IMEI. My understanding is that MEID is for the CDMA network and the IMEI is for the GSM. So you people who lost both but managed to get MEID back but not the GSM, won't be able to use your phone as a world phone, so when you are traveling and trying to use the Verizon SIM card to get connection in the rest of the world, you won't be able to use it. You will be fine on the CDMA but not the GSM. Not sure how LTE is effected by that. It would make sense that LTE may utilizing the IMEI as well as it is the next step after GSM.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] neyenlives:
Mine are the same. For instance if my MEID is 9900012345678 my IMEI is 99000123456782. So there is one extra digit added to my IMEI but aside from that they match perfectly and I have full data capabilities. Obviously I can't test world capability.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] bravomail:
Thank you MFers

You are supposed to warn people that *2767*3855# will wipe your phone clean!

More - my home button stopped functioning and only flashing back stock helped!

Idiots!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Topher227:
This. Being the adventurous person that I am... i tried it without knowing a thing and saw the lovely words "FACTORY RESET". Tried exiting out but it still did its thing. Totally my fault obviously, but luckily i had a nandroid from last night....
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Kipland007:
I think people are confusing losing IMEI with just losing data. I won't explain it all here, but IMEI loss basically takes your phone off Verizons network (though there has been some variation).

The implication being in this thread that one will do whatever they can to return their phone to a working state. A factory reset should not be that big of a deal if your phone won't make calls, but if your data drops then try some other things before re provisioning sim.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] sooner2k1:
I posted this earlier, but didn't get any responses. Has anybody else experienced their "Own phone number" missing from the about phone information? I have my IMEI, and everything else seems to work. I'm wanting to return to stock or possibly go to AOKP, but i'm affraid to do anything with it since my *phone number* is missing.

I also get a message after rebooting asking me for a SIM unlock. It goes away though.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Kipland007:
I had this on AOKP but didn't make any difference. I don't think this individual problem should cause problems.

That said, every time you flash something it seems you run the risk of losing your IMEI. You can try the backup method on this thread but it's not guaranteed to work. Of course, we all would love someone to test it ;)
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Markdental:
subscribed
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] ExodusC:
So unless I missed something, no one has confirmed that this can recover your phone from IMEI = 0, correct?

While I have flashed a few times, I've been holding off in fear of losing my IMEI.

I did backup my /efs partition with a root access file manager (which I think would do the same thing?) but I guess I could repeat it with this method.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Hypnosis4U2NV:
That is correct.. I'm still going to flash, but I rather have the backup just in case than not have it..

Sent from my Commodore 64..

READY.

load"*", 8,1
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] fabzbear:
So if I'm understanding right what you're saying:

The method in the op of copying and restoring the imei/mei (though it hasn't been tested working or not when restored to a device that has lost imei/mei) won't work?

Do you have the link to the other method mentioned?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] pinhead875:
Don't forget to finish the commands! This way it pulls the file to your computer.

(exit adb like this)

exit

exit

(first exit is to get out of su, second exit it to get out of adb shell; that should get you back to your C:\adb>)

adb pull /sdcard/efs.sbn

(then the .SBN file should be in your C:\adb folder)

Cheers!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] s197:
No, all I said was *2767*3855# will only reset the sim state, if you lost your IMEI, to my knowledge that code will not restore it. The code IS useful for those who have lost data but from all of those I've talked to that have lost their IMEI, that code at best will give you voice/3G back but not 4G.

Basically losing data and losing your IMEI are not the same thing. The first can be a temporary thing that can be fixed (sometimes with the code, sometimes with phone info app, wiping going back to stock, etc), the latter seems to be a permanent problem (up to this point).

As for the OP, I have no idea if it works, I backed up my /efs partition for the heck of it but I don't think there's any solid evidence that it will bring your IMEI back. As for the other method (NV dump, modify, restore), unfortunately it did not work. Hope that clears things up.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] incubus26jc:
How do we still not have someone who lost IMEI Try this yet?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Kipland007:
Apparently yes...

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=29307881
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] suzook:
I'm wondering the same thing. Hopefully I won't be the Guinea pig..lol
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Narcistic:
Seems someone there has successfully restored...
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] kssxs:
He needs to confirm his IMEI is still intact after the restore process (and that depends on what backup process he used).
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Slic|<:
Wow... word went fast... what should the imei numbers be both broken and working?
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] kssxs:
Broken: it would be all 0's

Working: it should be a unique number that is 15 digits long (I believe) and it would match the IMEI number on the sticker on the outside of the original box you got it in (assuming Samsung puts a sticker there, a lot of manufacturers usually do)

I also posted in this thread, so if you don't mind answering there as well, that would be appreciated:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1791126

Thanks!
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Slic|<:
Yeah I know, I got your pm which I responded. I'm getting around to it.. I'm currently at work so had to wait till lunchbreak to do it or else i'd get in trouble with the feds ;). Anyways I can't for sure say I had 0 for IMEI but I DO KNOW I had no network (voice, or data) and my phone kept saying I wasn't connected to any network previously before I had reflashed my EFS.

Posted where I answered the question: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=29312702&posted=1#post29312702
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] incubus26jc:
This method is proven to work, it needs to be sticky mods. Thanks
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] kssxs:
I would hesitate to say 'it's proven' until we get more concrete confirmation. Nothing against Slic|< ;), as his confirmation is a good starting point, just want to see more people confirm the backup and restore works as it should.
[Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III] Slic|<:
sorry I couldn't do a screenie.. I was freaking out when this happened... I didn't realize it till I actually using my phone.. cuz my phone still worked with WIFI. :eek: