yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Galaxy S III General] gauravinvouge:
Regarding spoon feeding i must say that since you seems to be an expert in this situation you have the privilege of thinking it as spoon feeding but for others it's a matter of saving their phones bought off hard earned money.I also have restored and got my phone working but am asking out questions loud so that every other user can restore their phones back to work.

btw wasn't it a new thing for you also to get to know that efs.img also restores the imei!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So i request not to dissuade us......so called noobs.....

---------- Post added at 07:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:16 AM ----------

Dear

Please tell me what did you get when you extracted the tar.gz file?? because in my case i got an efs.img file although it worked but am confused as lot many here say that .img file is of no use.....so please let me know

thanks in advance
[Galaxy S III General] kangerX:
1) i am no expert since you quoted my post from not long ago where i was stuck.

2) i read threads A LOT

3) yes i didnt know and i am readind about it currently as we speak

4) i NEVER EVER consider anyone a noob per se.

5) Too many exclamation marks.

6) I am not OP but am sure OP will have the same answer for you.

7) i am not here to judge anyone i suggest you do the same.

8) i wasnt pointing at YOU or anyone when i said "spoon feeding" ..NOPE.
[Galaxy S III General] gauravinvouge:
so this settles it and let's not feel offended and try to find a solution to this ie what i earlier said i set of steps to be followed in case of a user having taken a backup of efs and then after flashing gets no network.
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Ok guys thanks for all your input but no need to continue.

All answers are already in post 1. If i find something is missing, i will add it but at the moment, I consider it complete.

efs.img's can be restored using the EFS tool that took the img. However, if you are expecting to use the .img manually then you will run into a few brick walls on the way.

When i said the ,img was useless, I only meant from in teh context where I was expecting to extract the .tar file and putting the contents back in the /efs directory manually. Most .tar files are /efs, compressed and when you extract, all the individual files mirror the contents of /efs
[Galaxy S III General] G1032:
Has anyone tried this? I have been doing a bit of experimenting............

I'm on MG4 ROM with MG4 Baseband. I have an efs backup from January this year and others from April, May and July

None of these backups allow me to use my old baseband, NELK2. I just use MG4 modem. It's not a major problem but NELK2 was a little better for me.

Is there anything else that needs to be done besides restoring efs in order to get older basebands to work?
[Galaxy S III General] agenor2013:
samsung galaxy s3

good day galaxy s3 but I'm having trouble my serial number is all zero, because the IMEI number is correct can you help me please thanks!:good:

---------- Post added at 10:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:56 AM ----------

good day galaxy s3 but I'm having trouble my serial number is all zero, because the IMEI number is correct can you help me please thanks I hope you can help me:good:
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Yes it should work. Maybe you need to manually delete all your /efs contents before restoring
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Serial number is different issue. This is ariza patch issue.

If you USE ARIZA PATCH, you CANNOT upgrade to MG4. If you have already used Ariza or already upgraded to MG4, send for repair.
[Galaxy S III General] G1032:
I'll try it one more tonight. I've deleted the contents of the efs folder and copied over the backup contents, all to no avail. Not overly worried though. MG4 will do.
[Galaxy S III General] dzjoepy:
Dear RootSU, could you please help me. I don't know how to solve my problem. When I flash my (dutch) stockrom, I lose my IMEI... Now my phone is running on the Omega Rom. I read it's possible to solve (here http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=45319742&postcount=4), but I don't know how any more. I would be very grateful if you could help me please. Thank you already!
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Omega what version?

What app did you use to backup efs?
[Galaxy S III General] dzjoepy:
Well thats a bit of a problem, because the back-up is gone. I've rooted my phone with this "CF-Root-SGS3-v6.3" root (from: http://www.telefoonrooten.nl/samsung-galaxy-s3-root/ (It's in Dutch, because I am Dutch!)). After a while I decided to try out some custom roms. First I triend Pardus HD (bassed on XXEMG4 (4.1.2) from: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2142430) and then Omega v43.9 Jelly Bean 4.1.2 (from: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1663656). Then I unrooted my phone (by this tutorial: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1710613), but when I was done, I had no network any more... Now I'm back on Omega v43.9 Jelly Bean 4.1.2. That was why I was asking if the solution could be to make a backup now, then flash stock rom and then restore that backup?
[Galaxy S III General] shiva111:
need urgent help regarding s3 imei change

Hi, i need urgent help, i am scared, i was using rooted jb 4.1.2 on my s3 i9300, today i install leaked version of jb 4.2.2 and after the update i factory reset the device and cleared the dev cache, now i am not getting any network, after searching on net i checked and found my IMEI is changed ending 0000, but the serial no. is ok, I do not have any kind of backup like efs folder. What should i do, please suggest me the steps. thnx
[Galaxy S III General] JJEgan:
Service centre paid for repair.

jje
[Galaxy S III General] shiva111:
No other option for it??? if i get to service center than how much will it cost roughly?

Please someone, there got to be some solution for it here. Please someone help me restoring my Original IMEI. My warranty is also expired one month back.
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
As per post 1, all you can do is stick with mg* baseband or get it repaired
[Galaxy S III General] dzjoepy:
Oke, thank you! Do you know which original stock rom has mg* baseband (please give me a link)? If there is any, all I need to do is flash that one right? But what are the differents between my previous original stock rom and these mg* baseband roms? Oh, and what should the repair costs be? Thank you very much!
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Mg4 uk or mg5 india

Links =stock roms thread in general by faaryab or sammobile.com
[Galaxy S III General] Slazur:
I backed up /efs using tar -Zcvf from adb: would this be enough in case I ever have to restore it? (assuming I keep using a pre-MG4/2 baseband)

Thanks for thread, also.
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Should be but it never hurts to have multiple backups.
[Galaxy S III General] shiva111:
do you have any suggestion for me about the my problem posted above
[Galaxy S III General] eleze14:
Hello RootSU

can you help me with this ??

i have a S3 I9300. my imei is ok, bandbase MG4, SN 0000000000 and just emergency call. (if i use other non mg4 bandbase, my imei turns 0049......, and i have not efs backup). (stock rom)

i used the zuluman patch flashing it from CRWM and it didnt work (IMEI, bandbase, turns unknown and no service on the line phone)

then i flashed custom rom android revolution HD v29, bandbase is MG4

FLashed the zulumans and it didnt work (all turns unknown and no service on the line phone again)

am i doing something wrong ???
[Galaxy S III General] kangerX:
Sorry bad post
[Galaxy S III General] eleze14:
mine??
[Galaxy S III General] kangerX:
No no.

BTW as far as your problem is concerned I think you must visit service center since no combination of baseband is working out for you and you don't have efs back up as well

sent from marijuanated muffin
[Galaxy S III General] eleze14:
14.2 ndseie

It just worked. but I flashed custom rom blackbox 1.3.1 and then I flashed on CFRW the zuluman´s patch. so now I can call again.

it didn't work under custom rom android revolution v.29.
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
You haven't given me enough details. What build of 4.1.2?
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
You'd have to ask Zuluman
[Galaxy S III General] dzjoepy:
Alright, I'll try to flash the UK stock rom but will I be able to have a network connection then? Because I'm not from the UK. And what is the difference between the UK MG4 version and The Netherlands stock rom? Do I need to backup when I flash the UK stock rom (and how)? Thanks again!
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Basebands / modems don't suddenly stop working in other countries. If they did, how could anyone ever go abroad with their phones?

No idea....

If you can backup using keys, do so. It shouldnt wipe your phone though. Or try this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup
[Galaxy S III General] jinosong:
Could someone please post a screenshot of the permissions set inside the EFS. I restored a backup which was in tar format. Unfortunately, the permissions are lost when copying the efs folder to the system root. Everything sort of works, except WiFi on TW. On AOSP, everything works. What a weird setup this is. They must be able to come up with a better file structure than this.

For anyone looking to backup/restore, Philz Recovery has one built in and utilizes the img format which seems to be better of the two backup formats.
[Galaxy S III General] kangerX:
You mean this ?

sent from marijuanated muffin
[Galaxy S III General] jinosong:
Thanks so much man. Could you post just one more for me? Just a screenshot of the contents of the folder. I want to see the permissions of each file from the folder view.

Thanks man. If I could give a hundred THANKS, I would. :o
[Galaxy S III General] kangerX:
Happy to be of service :D

sent from marijuanated muffin
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
need help regarding EFS...

hi there,

i have sgs3 i9300,

i was on xperian z rom - i installed omega 47 "Based on XXEMG6 Android 4.1.2 (Date: 26/07/2013), Kernel Stock XXEMG6

Modem CEEMG2"

i was not happy with battery life so i decided to go back to xperian z, i flashed the rom, all went ok but i lost my IMEI, then i used the ktool to restore the imei, but it creates a .img file and i had .tar.gz file in my ext card.

the dumbest thing i did was to rename the .tar file to .img file. the phone rebooted but in the boot loop now.

it can go to recovery (right now i have twrp) and download mode.

i tried follwoing

- flash pit + tar.md5 (stock downloaded from sammobile) BTU and INS

- flashed cm 10 nightly latest build

- can i try to restore my efs.tar file through phills recovery?

- or can i try to restore with some other sgs3's efs backup through odin or recovery... i just need to get my phone booted up.....

-note : the service center people are my frineds and they tried to do repair for free but they failed.. once i get the phone booted up then i'll re do the restore with root explorer coz i have the folder dump also ... in my ext sd .....

:confused:
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Can't you boot into recovery and use adb to:

1) delete current efs files

2) push the "dump"

I can't walk you through it but there's loads of adb guides on xda

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[Galaxy S III General] jinosong:
That's why I had to use Philz. I had the boot loop also. Restoring the tar file won't work if you didn't back it up with Philz in the first place. I think it's because it looks for the name format Philz uses to backup. The easiest way is to use the img. First, do a dummy backup to create the path. Then look under your clockworkmod folder and look for backup/.efs_backup. Delete everything and copy your working img there. When doing a custom restore, select img as the format for the efs restore. Then you'll see it there.

Then refer to this post to correct the permissions. It won't work without the correct permissions.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=45442485

The reason why people are having all this trouble with the efs is that every backup/restore app uses different folder structures and isn't standardized. Plus, even if we have all kinds of backups, we don't know which backup corresponds to which app to restore with. For example, Philz looks for the tar.gz at the root of the file while my backup is under a efs folder. I don't have Linux so I can't fix the gz compression file. In addition, none of the restore apps fix your permissions automatically either.

If you don't have a good img, connect your sd to your computer (think of a way). Get to the folder dump, and create an img image with IMGBurn. Make sure the contents of the folder are at the root of the image. Don't create it under an efs folder. Then place that in the recovery's efs backup folder. Then restore.
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
Thanks a lot buddy.... But the problem is i am having two things 1).tar and 2). whole folder dump.

#Can the efs.tar converted in to efs.img.

# and i read on some other thread that flashing 4.0.4 stock can help me restore my efs partition.?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

Sorry posted while the previous post was not read fully
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Don't flash 4.0.4

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[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
K then what is the another workaround

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
[Galaxy S III General] StephenC82:
Twrp says it has backed up my efs but when I try to restore it I still get the no network. Is there anyway to restore this manually it's a .win file ?
[Galaxy S III General] dreadlord52:
hi

Is CWM nandroid backup also backups EFS folder?
[Galaxy S III General] marduj5:
I dont know for win file but I have tar file that I extracted and restore efs manualy with root explorer
[Galaxy S III General] StephenC82:
Should have looked this up myself.

From the Twrp thread in case anyone else needs it.
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
I already told you but you chose to ignore me.

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[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
why ... would i do that?

hey bro ,,,, why would i do that i am in need right now and needy don't do that and i am sorry if you felt so ....

as you've said delete my old efs folder ???

how am i suppose to do that ???

the idea given by "jinosong" sounds much simpler

-create an img from the "efs " dump.... with imgburn.

- restore that with recovery....

- and i also have efs.tar.gz so as per his saying it can be restored with phill's recovery...

correct me if i'm wrong.....

:angel:
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
adb, as i said.

Try it. You asked for another workaround. I'd already given you it. Just saying...
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
Bro if i were so expert in adb i wouldn't be in such a condition.

Another thing, if you could guide me to adb (step by step) I'll be obliged....

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
If you look in post 1, at the very bottom of the how to backup and restore efs, I have created (and tested) a step-by-step for adb restore of a folder dump
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
K let me check

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Let me know how you get on..

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[Galaxy S III General] jinosong:
Tar can be extracted from your computer. You can then make an img.

---------- Post added at 02:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:21 PM ----------

Bring the file over to your computer and analyze the contents. It will either be an efs folder or an img image file when you extract it. An efs folder will require adb and an img file will require Philz.
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Now covered in post 1 :)

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[Galaxy S III General] jinosong:
Looks great. Hopefully, that will clear up things for people. Thanks for helping people here.
[Galaxy S III General] blackdios:
hello you have a nice post help me a lot. but i still with one problem after i install the MG2 and i solve my problem but if i install another rom the imei change again. you guy´s know some solution for that? because i what install another rom but i can´t because change my imei again.
[Galaxy S III General] xenixas:
after 2 days finaly got my imei... no one tread did't helped me... just combined all post all situations.. now happy getting back IMEI
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
If you flash a rom with a different baseband to mg2 or mg4, you must reflash the mg2 or mg4 baseband

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[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
So you fixed it how? If you have additional steps taken not mentioned here, please share

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[Galaxy S III General] blackdios:
but rootsu if i install the cm 12 can i install the mg2 on that rom?
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
error mounting /efs

hey RootSU,

i tried to follow your guide to adb to delete the old efs and push new one,

but in recovery -> mounts and storage > mount efs > error mouning /efs ??????

now what ?

:confused:

whoppiiii.... i flashed the 4.0.4 and my phone booted up...... thats all i needed to ... do .....

thanks a lot RootSU for your help but fleshing 4.0.4 helped .... i used odin 3.07...

search his file on google "I9300XXALF2_I9300ODDALF1_INU" flash it with odin.... and bingo.... that worked for me
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Ok. Now flash over it IMMEDIATELY because its unsafe

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[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
With exception to cm12 not existing, you can flash a baseband from any rom. Would be pretty rubbish if you couldn't.

However, aosp roms don't come with a baseband.

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[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
what shuld i flash over ?????

what am i suppose to flash over now ....... ????
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Anything Newer than XELLA if you dont want SDS
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
hahah,,,,

first of all my imei is "null/null" baseband version is "unknown"

i tried follwoing

-flashed "recovery-cwmtouch-6.0.2.8-GTI9300.tar " from odin.

-then philz touch 5.11.2-i9300.

- it asked me to wather i want root or not --- i said yes.

the phone went in to boot loop

then -

I9300XXEMC2_I9300ODDEMC1_INS (odin)----result boot loop

and still on 4.0.4 con't mount /efs....
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
After re-reading your posts, It seems you're going to have to stay with the MG* ROMs. If you want to remain rooted, I would suggest flashing back to latest Omega first. You're probably going to have to full factory reset
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
omega 47 .....

i flashed omega 47 but no luck still boot loop and efs not mountable

:crying:
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Return to stock, send for repair.
[Galaxy S III General] Razerbwfc:
I'd just like to say a big thank you to OP as this thread has saved my sons phone :)

He upgraded to an S3 at the weekend, on Orange (UK) and wanted me to root it/flash Ultimarom, same as my phone. Unfortunately we ended up with Not Registered On Network and an IMEI starting 0049 (I knew nothing about this EFS stuff at the time as its been a few months since I did my phone - yeah yeah, I know, silly mistake not reading up first).

Tried reflashing the ROM, as it did hang at the end so may have been a bad flash, tried using various modems/kernels but nothing worked. Flashed back to stock ROM that I had backed up after rooting but still same problem. So did lots of reading up and tried a few things from OP but still had no network and IMEI was now showing as unknown. I had what I think is an EFS backup from when I flashed UltimRom but I'll be honest, couldnt work out how to restore it using any of the tools so I resorted to extracting it to my efs folder and rebooting, but still nothing.

Finally tried flashing the baseband file linked in OP and bingo! Phone working again. Relieved to say the least. SO yeah, huge thanks to OP.

Now to read up some more so I understand all this a bit more, as I dont know a great deal about basebands and all this mg2/mg4 stuff, before I flash anything else!
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Thanks for the feedback.... and you're welcome! :)
[Galaxy S III General] yoda35:
your topic contain very important informations, every i9300 owner has to know (EFSv2).

can you confirm that all tools working with EFS contain cannot work without an update as soon as we have upgraded to EFSv2.

Tools, means Galaxsim Unlock, triangle Away...
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
I believe EFS v2 cannot be SIM unlocked as far as I know. I'm not aware of any issues with root or triangle away, although I do not pay much attention to be honest
[Galaxy S III General] blackdios:
Rootsu thanks for asking me.

But I have some more questions.

If you restore your imei with the mg4 you can backup your efs and reinstall the room without put the baseband again?
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
1) your imei is not broken so technically you are not restoring it. You are either restoring efs to EFS v1 so baseband can read imei or you are flashing EFS v2 baseband to read imei.

Imei always there, just you might not be reading it correctly

2) if you flashed EFS v2 baseband so you can read imei,.means EFS v2 exists. You must always use EFS v2 baseband to read EFS v2 imei. If rom flashes EFS v1 baseband, you must flash EFS v2 baseband
[Galaxy S III General] popoyaya:
I have an EFS backup in the form of a tar.gz file, which was backed up by the Aroma installer when I flashed Omega 43.9.

The question is, how do I restore the EFS if I want to go back to stock factory firmware?

Do any of the EFS restore programs work with a tar.gz backup? Or do I have to manually restore the contents of the EFS folder?
[Galaxy S III General] danarama:
Some do but the problem is there is no standard. You can read the other apps and try but its safest to unzip and do manually.

Adb is the preferred method.

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[Galaxy S III General] jinosong:
That tar.gz is the worst. I haven't found an app that will restore in that format natively. Just extract and you'll see the efs folder contents. Then work with that folder.
[Galaxy S III General] mikks:
hi RootSu

as per your suggestion i've sent the phone to center, and i have explained him everything ..... but i have one question (i know it will be such a dumb thing to ask and i know the possible answer to that question but what is the risk??? )

- i have screwed my whole efs partition, coz i can't mount it and from stock recovery it says "error mounting /efs (invalid argument)"

- for adb method it needs to be mounted and to mount it i have to repair it.... for that

- my friend has s3 toooo, i can take his efs.img.... and flash it on mine (so what will happen the "ok" efs.img will correct my damaged efs partition) i'll not insert sim,,, right after that i'll go to esfile and replace my original efs dump to that newly created efs folder .....

what do you say......????

"""""""" kill me if you want to but i am a human and i'll not die without fighting ......"""""