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Issue #1467

closed

i9300 lost IMEI

Added by Eric Cire over 8 years ago. Updated over 4 years ago.

Status:
Closed
Priority:
High
Category:
Telephony and mobile data
Target version:
Start date:
12/09/2015
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Estimated time:
Resolution:
wontfix
Device:
Galaxy S 3 (I9300)
Grant:
Type of work:

Description

well all is in the title. Of course I do not have a EFS backup. I did not even know that this exists :)
Anyhow. I suggest putting a strong advice in the "install Wiki" to do so!

the file shell@android:/efs/FactoryApp/serial_no was 0000000
so I replaced it with the right one (14 or 15 digits ??)
from the battery. Reboot, nothing changes. Is there a checksum of this file hidden somwhere?

I saw some chown discussion:
[code]
shell@android:/efs/FactoryApp # ll
rwxr--r- system system 5 2012-10-23 10:58 baro_delta
rw-r--r- system system 4 2015-09-23 22:01 batt_cable_count
rw-rw-rw system system 2 2014-09-27 18:07 earjack_count
rwxr--r- system system 2 2012-01-01 01:03 factorymode
rwxr--r- system system 10 2012-01-01 01:01 hw_ver
rwxr--r- system system 2 2012-01-01 01:03 keystr
rwxr--r- system system 15 2015-12-09 11:26 serial_no
[/code]
and
[code]
shell@android:/efs # ll
rw-rw-r- radio radio 152 2012-10-23 11:24 00000000.authtokcont
drwxr-xr-x system system 2014-05-22 15:22 FactoryApp
drwxrwxr-x radio system 2012-01-01 01:03 bluetooth
drwxr-xr-x system system 2014-05-22 15:23 carrier
drwxrwxr-x drm system 2014-07-07 18:38 drm
rw------ system system 6 2012-01-01 01:56 gyro_cal_data
rw-r--r- radio radio 1100 2012-01-01 01:02 h2k.dat
drwxrwxr-x radio system 2012-01-01 01:02 imei
rw------ radio radio 5648 2014-05-22 15:20 nv.log
rw------ radio radio 2097152 2015-12-06 23:54 nv_data.bin
rw------ radio radio 32 2015-12-06 23:54 nv_data.bin.md5
rw-rw--- system system 108 2014-05-22 15:20 ss_data
drwxrwxr-x radio system 2012-01-01 01:00 wifi
rw-r--r- radio radio 220 2012-01-01 01:03 wv.keys
[/code]

Thank you for any help!


Related issues

Related to Replicant - Issue #1778: The installation pages lack advice to backup the EFS partitionResolved05/08/2019

Actions
Actions #1

Updated by Eric Cire over 8 years ago

Hello again, still my phone can no longer make phone calls. Frustrating. I've been to all sites on the subject, no help available.

the
[code]
/efs/FactoryApp/serial_no
[/code]
contains the correct 11-digit IMEI now, but this seems to be ignored

Some people suggest using #*#197328640##* to enter service mode & activate "Field test mode" FTM, but this one seems to be removed in replicant. All I get is "enter" option, but don't know what I could / should enter there. I found no help on FTM via adb either.

Since I am no longer on Samsung ROM, I am afraid of going to a shop who will run some more or less hazardous software they do not understand either.

I really need some help with this. Thank you, Eric

Actions #2

Updated by Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli over 8 years ago

  • Category changed from 117 to Framework
  • Device Galaxy S 3 (I9300) added
Actions #3

Updated by Eric Cire over 8 years ago

As additional information I may add that the problem seems to be a result of a deep battery discharge.
After recharging, the IMEI was gone.

Actions #4

Updated by Paul Kocialkowski about 8 years ago

  • Category changed from Framework to Telephony and mobile data
Actions #5

Updated by doak complex about 7 years ago

Hi Eric, hi Paul,

I had also lost my IMEI, had no backup of the EFS partition and was just able to recover it.

First to the bug:
In Apr 2016 I suddenly couldn't connect to the network anymore after the battery was discharged completely and I swapped to another battery hours later. WLAN/BT (with firmware blobs) still worked. In the past it happened that the (correct) SIM-PIN was not accepted, which I always had fixed by removing and inserting the SIM.
Now, it seems removing the battery was the important part of this procedure.

Anyway, let me know, Paul, if I can help hunting this issue down. I am using 'Replicant v4.2 0004' which I have built myself.

Second to the fix of NV/IMEI:
As far as I understood, the EFS partition is mirrored to another partition containing an ext4 (or other standard) file system during installation of Replicant since CM10 (Android v4.x). So I tried to reinstall the stock ROM (from Samsung using Kies in Win7 inside a Qemu instance) to get the orginal EFS partition (with the not corrupted NV containing the IMEI) back.
And yes... it worked, after I reinstall Replicant I am able to connect to the mobile network again ;)

Regards,
doak

Actions #6

Updated by doak complex about 7 years ago

I am using 'Replicant v4.2 0004' which I have built myself.

I am not sure if this was correct. My Replicant says about itself '4.2.2 eng.replicant20150409.114718'.

Actions #7

Updated by doak complex about 7 years ago

Anyway, let me know, Paul, if I can help hunting this issue down. I am using 'Replicant v4.2 0004' which I have built myself.

I stored the failing EFS partition. If it would help in any way, I could restore that and get logs. But I guess it would be important to get logs at the time when the corruption of 'nv_data.bin' had happened.

Are there any hints how to store as most information as possible if that happen again? Just run 'logcat'?

Regards,
doak

Actions #8

Updated by Wolfgang Wiedmeyer about 7 years ago

I opened #1778 so that at least hints are added in the wiki that recommend to backup the EFS partition.

Actions #9

Updated by Wolfgang Wiedmeyer almost 7 years ago

  • Related to Issue #1778: The installation pages lack advice to backup the EFS partition added
Actions #10

Updated by Kurtis Hanna over 4 years ago

  • Status changed from New to Closed
  • Resolution set to wontfix

This issue has been closed because Replicant 4.2 is no longer supported or maintained.

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