[Galaxy S III General] kurenale:
Note 2 GT-N7100 - No service

Hello, friends.

I have a interesting problem and would like to ask you experts for help. I know this is a thread for GS3, but the problem is similar for my Note 2.

BACKGROUND:

I have Galaxy Note 2 N7100 which was working fine for a year and then suddenly died of SDS. I returned it to official service for repair where they said they replaced the chip (i am guessing they replaced the whole motherboard). When I got it back everything was working fine except when I inserted my SIM card phone had no service.

I went back to repair service and after few days they said they don't know what is the problem and how to solve it and I can get another N7100 in around two weeks. At that time I was developing Android App, so I managed to get the broken Note 2 back for developing. Eventually I got a new, working N7105 and they also let me keep the old, broken one.

I would like to get the broken Note 2 working again, as I believe it could be fixed, or at least I could try.

PROBLEM:

After motherboard replacement (because SDS), phone has No service. Phone appears (*#06#) to have a valid IMEI number (3536270500*****) BUT it is a bit different than on the sticker under battery (last 6 numbers are different, * chars). Serial number is also different.

I am guessing it changed with motherboard replacement? Could this be the problem?

Sometimes it shows that the phone has signal and has connected the right service provider, but it is just for a short while. When there is no SIM card, phone has No SIM icon, but shows signal bar, which appears to be working for Emergency calls only.

Phone was never rooted or flashed before SDS happened, so I don't have original EFS backup before motherboard replacement. First thing I did now, was Root, EFS backup and ROM(4.1.2) backup.

PHONE INFO:

Model: Samsung Galaxy Note 2, GT-N7100

Device Type: t03g

Product name: t03gxx

Phone is unlocked and unbranded (at least it was before SDS).

Currently it has [ROM][4.3]N7100XXUEMK9 DeOdexed & Zipaligned installed.

PDA version: N7100XXUEMK9

Baseband version: N7100XXUEMJ9

Bootloader version: N7100XXDME6

CSC version: N/A, but under CSC info it says Sales code: XTC - which I believe is Philippines. I am from Slovenia, Europe.

IMEI: 3536270500xxxxx (www.imei.info says it is valid)

IMEI on the sticker: 3536270501xxxxx has last 6 digits different

S/N: R31C80xxxxx

S/N on sticker: R31C90xxxxx

WHAT I ALREADY DID:

Phone had Stock 4.1.2 ROM installed.

I rooted the phone, did EFS Backup, entire ROM backup with cwm ROM Manager.

Excluded SIM card issue. My SIM card is working in other phones. I also tried other SIM cards in my N7100 and they all have no service.

Tried flashing different modems on 4.1.2 Stock ROM.

Tried Ariza Patch.

I flashed it to [ROM][4.3]N7100XXUEML6 PreRooted, DeOdexed, Zipaligned & KNOX Free

I flashed it to [ROM][4.3]N7100XXUEMK9 DeOdexed & Zipaligned - Current ROM. Because UEMK9 is installed on my working N7105

Tried flashing different modems on 4.3 ROM.

Tried deleting EFS folder to rebuild itself with generic IMEI (0049..). In that case it shows as connected to network every 10 seconds for about 5 seconds and then disconnects. Then copying old nv_data.bin to new EFS. It didn't work so I restored EFS.

I tried other stuff and did a lot of search but I am also quite new to all this rooting and flashing stuff. So if you guys have any suggestions that I could try (even if I already did it) please, do suggest and I will try. If you need any additional info, please ask and I will gladly post it.

I attached some pictures with SIM card inserted and without SIM card.