[Vibrant Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] darktranquility18:
Original post by bames. Just posting it again to make everything clear.

***IMPORTANT PRECURSOR - we will be working with an important system folder (/EFS) and its contents (nv_data files). It is important to back this folder up (we will be doing this in step 2 below). I first backed it up to my external sd card but i did also copy the backup folder to my PC just in case.***

This method assumes you are starting with a rooted phone w/ superuser rights

You will need the following APPS that can all be downloaded from market and, with the exception of Root Explorer, are all free:

A. Root Explorer (i know its paid but its the most $ worthy app i have encountered. You can use the free Android Mate as an alternative but not as robust or convenient IMO)

B. Busbybox (once installed from market open the app to install it)

C. Android Terminal Emulator (make sure to download the one with higher star rating)

D. Hex Editor

E. SGS Toolbox

__________________________________________________ _______________

Once all tools/apps listed above have been downloaded proceed as follows:

THERE ARE 3 Total Lines you will need to edit:

00188008

00188010

00188020

1. Install Busybox if you haven't done so already.

2. Use Root Explorer to create EFS Backup folder on an External SD (if you don't have one you can use the internal sd and give it a generic name that you will be able to identify). When ROOT EXPLORER opens you will be in the system file directory to get to your internal sd card open the SDCARD folder (from there you will see your external sd card as well if you have one installed)

3. Use root explorer to view the open the EFS folder from your system directory. The EFS folder contains the file you will will need to edit and replace. Open the efs folder and use the multi-select copy to copy the following files: nv_data.bin and nv_data.bin.md5 (you can also copy their respective backup files nv_data.bak and nv_data.bin.md5.bak).

4. Staying in root explorer go back to parent directory (option at top of file/folder list) and navigate to the backup folder you created and paste the files there. While still in this directory make a copy of just the nv_data.bin and the paste is either in the root directory or external sd or internal sd if you do not have ext.

5. Open Hex Editor Application and open the copy of nv_data.bin from your external or internal SD (click the capacitive menu button on phone and select OPEN FILE)

6. Once the file opens click the capacitive button to bring up the menu again and select jump to address:

7. Enter 0188008

This will take you to line 00188008

8. To the left you will see line #’s followed by 8 blocks of hex code data that will be 2#’s, 2 letters, or a combination of #’s letters (examples | ff | 54| 00| 4b|). Well will need to edit code in 3-4 lines of the code. Once you have used the jump to option you will see all the lines that need edited on the screen starting with 00188008 (the others will be 00188010, 00188018, 00188020)

9. Compare that data in each of your corresponding lines you see below. Where your numbers are different correct them with the corresponding #’s below. (click corresponding box and it brings up the contained # simply replace it with correct # from chart below). I put the parts you will be comparing and correcting in bold to make viewing easier.

00188008 | 2e | 33 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | ff | 54 |

00188010 |4d | 42 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 53 |47 |

00188018 |48 | 2d | 54 | 39 | 35 | 39 | 5a | 4b |

00188020 |42 | 54 | 4d | 42 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |

10. Save the file and move it back to efs using root explorer copying over the original.

11. delete the nv_data.bak and the nv_data.bin.md5 files (leave the nv_data_bin.md5.bak in the folder..don't delete it).

12. Open Terminal Emulator and run the following commands:

su

busybox chown 1001:1001 efs/nv_data.bin

reboot

(If you have an issue in Android Terminal Emulator where the keyboard doesn’t come back up after entering su command simply hit the capacitive menu button and you will have the open to re-open the keyboar)

13. Once your phone has rebooted use SGS Toolbox APP to check your IMEI and Product Code to make sure the fix worked.

Using hex editor, check these again:

00188000 - ff ff ff ff 52 45 56 30 - . . . . R E V 0

00188008 - 2e 33 00 00 00 00 ff 54 - . 3 . . . . . T

00188010 - 4d 42 00 00 00 00 53 47 - M B . . . . S G

00188018 - 48 2d 54 39 35 39 5a 4b H - T 9 5 9 Z K

00188020 - 42 54 4d 42 00 00 00 00 - B T M B . . . .

00188028 - 00 00 01 50 02 4e 03 4e - . . . P . N . N

Also, the imei cant be fixed without the original nv_data files(ur efs folder). So its very unlikely that itll be fixed. Also with certain carriers in certain countries, Airtel in india for example, have banned phones from connecting to their network cuz of the wrong imei numbers. On the other hand, a phone with a wrong imei still works on a carrier like at&t.