Hello all,
I would like to share a method that solved this tricky issue with my S4 GT-I9500. While flashing with some new ROMs, I ended up with a generic IMEI on my S4. I read everything I could find here in XDA foruns, and no method worked for me. This one below, from fellow colleage douglasgalves at brasildroid foruns saved my phone. Here the link to the original post (portuguese only, sorry)
http://brasildroid.com.br/discussoe...efs-resolver-esse-problema-11.html#post299796
The method is quite simple, and althogh it does not make complete sense (why Trinida Tobago for example) it worked for me! Here it is.
1. You have a I9500 with a generic IMEI.
2. Install a official stock ROM with ODIN. Not any Stock ROM, but specifically Trinida & Tobago April 2013 ROM. You can browse it on Sammobile, or also get it from this link on XDA -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2257645
The ROM I used is:
Build Date: 24.04.2013
Region: TTT (Trinidad and Tobago)
PDA: I9500UBUAMDK
Changelist: 534999 Android: 4.2
3. Once installation is finished, disconnect the cable;
4. Reboot to recovery and wipe data and cache;
5. Install KIES on your PC and let it update to its latest version.
6. Once KIES is updated, connect your S4 to the PC, no need for USB Debug, etc, just connect it.
7. KIES will detect it and say a new version of firmware is available. Perform the update. It takes a long time.
8. Once the update is finished, you get a dialog in KIES asking you to disconnect and connect the cable again, with a confirm button "Confirm". This is the moment it fixes your IMEI. One more reboot and voilà, your IMEI should be back.
I have no idea how/why this worked, if someone more experienced can explain, I would like to understand.
Also, no idea if this would work on other models, with a different ROM, or on a Mac instead of a PC, or with steps on different order. All I know is that, by doing exactly this, I gave life back to my beloved S4.
Now, off to make some 5 backups of the /efs folder before flashing ROMs again.
Good luck there with your generic-IMEIed S4s!
Did some more tweaking to try to understand what happened. Hope some guru can jump in and help me.
1. After I recovered my IMEI, I installed Philz Touch 5.11.2. It went well, I rebooted in CWM recovery, then chose Reboot->Root. It rebooted the phone. Then I went to make a backup of the /efs folder with Root Explorer, and discovered that despite it looking as rooting went well, the phone was not rooted.
Question 1: Why does Philz did not get to root the device? At that stage the firmware version was MG9 for region TTT (Trinidad & Tobago). Is that firmware somehow imcompatible for Philz to root?
Then ...
2. I flashed Firmware for Colombia with ODIN (my phone was bought in Colombia) from April, version UBUAMDE. Got Generic IMEI again. Then followed the same procedure from post 1, and got my IMEI back with KIES. The strange thing is that on KIES, my phone still shows as TTT (Trinidad) after that.
Question 2: It looks like more than the ROMs, it is the last step on KIES that recovers the IMEI. Is it so tha ODIN may be screwing up the IMEI?
Question 3: why I keep with my phone showing as TTT? Is that a problem?
3. Then I flashed the ChainFire recovery. Strangely, this went well and rooted my phone, so it may be something with Philz. I again flashed Philz and it installed well.
Question 4: may I get any problems by using Philz but having rooted with Chainfire?
Thanks a lot for any clarification you gurus out there can give me!
Thanks
You've given a considerable amount of hope to those that are stuck on the genereic imei. Thank you for providing this solution.
However, I am stuck:
After using ODIN 3.07; clicking nothing other than PDA for selecting the firmware you said to download: Hotfile:GT-I9500-TTT-I9500UBUAMDK-1366814146.zip The firmware was successfully installed.
Then before the boot completed, I went into recovery and wiped data and cache. The phone restarted and it booted up, Kies was already updated to the latest version. So once the phone booted up, I connected the phone to the computer and kies displayed this message:
Your device's current firmware version is not supported to update firmware via Kies.
Current firmware version: PDA:MDK / PHONE:MDK / CSC:MDK (XXX)
How can I go about resolving this issue?
As I said in the second post, I also got successful using the ROM for Colombia from April.
I would sugesst you to go to sammobile's firmware database. Download any older ROM which supports firmware via KIES (there is an icon showing that over there) and do the same procedure. It looks like what really solves it is the final step in KIES.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I think this is due to flashing Previous Version of Modem (Its Including in Stock Firmware). When You flash Previous Version of Modem, Somehow IMEI retains. Here are some facts:
1) When we try to Flash any MOD of any dev then its depend on which Modem (i.e country's Firmware) the dev is using.
2) After flashing the MOD, Our IMEI becomes Fake.
3) Flashing Previous Version of Modem take back the IMEI.
In your above method you did the same. You flashed the Whole stock firmware but too old by date. After flashing, it retains.
BTW, have you checked your IMEI after flashing the Firmware using ODIN.? It was there.? was it Generic.?
Notice that I never refer to mod ROMs. I got a fake IMEI by flashing stock ROMs with ODIN.
Even during the recovery process, when I flashed the old stock ROM, the IMEI is not back. It only gets back at the last step with KIES.
When checking the IMEI after flashing with ODIN I get always the generic 499 IMEI.
Looks to me like something not going well with ODIN and 9500.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
partimers said:
Notice that I never refer to mod ROMs. I got a fake IMEI by flashing stock ROMs with ODIN.
Even during the recovery process, when I flashed the old stock ROM, the IMEI is not back. It only gets back at the last step with KIES.
When checking the IMEI after flashing with ODIN I get always the generic 499 IMEI.
Looks to me like something not going well with ODIN and 9500.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing ROM from ODIN given you Fake IMEI.? This is something strange. We all flashed from ODIN & never got that. BTW, If its like that, I would recommend above ^ ^ your steps but wait...... Did you flashed any other country's firmware.?
Disturbed™ said:
Flashing ROM from ODIN given you Fake IMEI.? This is something strange. We all flashed from ODIN & never got that. BTW, If its like that, I would recommend above ^ ^ your steps but wait...... Did you flashed any other country's firmware.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is indeed strange Disturbed, but I can reproduce it. I flash for example, April ROMs (happened with all countries that I tested, Trinidad, Colombia and Brazil), the IMEI gets generic. It is not that the /efs folder is deleted. It is there, it is just that somehow, the IMEI does not get correctly read from the files that are there.
It only gets fixed after KIES updates the ROM for the latest one, and only at the very last stage where KIES ask to disconnect/reconnect the cable.
I first get into trouble when after flashing CWM Philz, I tried to restore stock ROM.
I live in Brazil, but travel very often on business to Colombia, and bought the phone on a good sale. That is why I am trying different countries, but the problem first happened when re-installing Stock ROM for the first time, and at that time I was just using the ROM for Colombia.
Only when things got bad (generic IMEI) I tried other countries ROMs, modems, etc, and finally got to this method that fixed it for me.
[/QUOTE]
Hi have you taken a backup of the EFS and saved?
U are a lucky guy u hv it all this working
As per what i know possibly there will be 1 more folder in the system root other then efs main which has imei details etc which must be corrupted and takes place while flashing so u have fake imei
Also check do u have any lockscreen issue???
I m telling this coz I was mad solving imei issue for 2 days with note 2 just a week ago
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
exclaimed said:
I connected the phone to the computer and kies displayed this message:
Your device's current firmware version is not supported to update firmware via Kies.
Current firmware version: PDA:MDK / PHONE:MDK / CSC:MDK (XXX)
How can I go about resolving this issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*FIX*
I had the same problem, so I did the following to fix the problem:
Root the device,
Install CSC Changer,
Select the CSC which matches the firmware you are trying to update,
Then start the guide above again from the beginning (including reinstalling the firmware through Odin, even if you are currently using it - to remove the root...)
and now Kies is updating my device!
*UPDATE*
IMEI is not fixed...
Thank you for your suggestion.
I've tired CSC Changer, but to no avail. After changing my CSC to TTT, the phone is restarted, and I put it in download mode; follow all the steps above, but I still see XXX on KIES.
I even tried changing my CSC by opening Preconfig via android terminal emulator, but I still see XXX on KIES.
exclaimed said:
Thank you for your suggestion.
I've tired CSC Changer, but to no avail. After changing my CSC to TTT, the phone is restarted, and I put it in download mode; follow all the steps above, but I still see XXX on KIES.
I even tried changing my CSC by opening Preconfig via android terminal emulator, but I still see XXX on KIES.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please note that KIES does not require Download mode, just connect the phone to the PC running KIES. Maybe it is that, I don`t know.
Hi have you taken a backup of the EFS and saved?
U are a lucky guy u hv it all this working
As per what i know possibly there will be 1 more folder in the system root other then efs main which has imei details etc which must be corrupted and takes place while flashing so u have fake imei
Also check do u have any lockscreen issue???
I m telling this coz I was mad solving imei issue for 2 days with note 2 just a week ago
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app[/QUOTE]
Hey 123hiten, I had no lockscreen issues, only Generic IMEI. Solve it with KIES.
So now I have tried this solution in many different ways,
even though kies does update the FW, it doesn't restore the IMEI,
So on several occasions after updating and not see'ing the IMEI being restored
I put the old Columbian FW back on and restarted the process following every last detail exactly as stated but to no avail....
So I can only conclude that this solution must not work for the I9500 (Exynos S4)....
SmilerOnline said:
So now I have tried this solution in many different ways,
even though kies does update the FW, it doesn't restore the IMEI,
So on several occasions after updating and not see'ing the IMEI being restored
I put the old Columbian FW back on and restarted the process following every last detail exactly as stated but to no avail....
So I can only conclude that this solution must not work for the I9500 (Exynos S4)....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is really frustrating when a solution works in some cases and not on others. Sorry to hear it did not fix it for you. But for my I-9500 it fixed it perfectly. I do not know why :/
One thing I may remark: the IMEI only came back on the very last stage, when after finishing the upgrade to latest firmware in KIES, I rebooted the phone, disconnect the cable, connected it again and pressed "Confirm" on KIES. At that exact point it fixed it. I did not have to do anything with CSC.
partimers said:
It is really frustrating when a solution works in some cases and not on others. Sorry to hear it did not fix it for you. But for my I-9500 it fixed it perfectly. I do not know why :/
One thing I may remark: the IMEI only came back on the very last stage, when after finishing the upgrade to latest firmware in KIES, I rebooted the phone, disconnect the cable, connected it again and pressed "Confirm" on KIES. At that exact point it fixed it. I did not have to do anything with CSC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did exactly as you said but the Kies button said "OK" not "Confirm"...
and the only reason the CSC change was required for me was to allow my device to be updated by kies (if your device was from Columbia & you updated it with that fw that may be why you didn't need to change the csc... as the csc was already the Columbia csc)
Device is from Colombia but somehow it let me update via KIES using the TTT rom
Sent from my GT-I9500 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
partimers said:
Device is from Colombia but somehow it let me update via KIES using the TTT rom
Sent from my GT-I9500 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@partimer, I am curious, what app or program did you use to backup your IMEI after restoring it to its original form or did you just copy the efs folder.
Thanks.
Copy the efs folder using root Explorer to the Sd card. From there I created a tarball and backed it up to my file server and cloud.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
From my time on the S2 I had efs problems too. It was established that the IMEI number is individual to each device and is not included on any firmware be it stock or custom. Several roms now automatically create backups when being flashed so it's worth exploring your system to find any backups.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I had my i9505 rooted via cf autoroot and instaled omega rom. After that I have unrooted and instaled stock rom from sammobile,the same one that i had when I bought my phone with the whole procedure - reset counter,changed csc,reset the phone and installed the stock rom (samsung status is official now). Now new ota rom has arrived as for september,I saw it on sammobile but when I check via phone for software update it always says that I have latest updates installed, how is that possible?? It wont let me update the phone to newer rom,why and what should I do? Thanks for help in advance.
Also when I connect my phone to kies on laptop it can recognise the phone for sync but when I want to check for software update it cannot see the software version of the phone??!!
milosmeda said:
Also when I connect my phone to kies on laptop it can recognise the phone for sync but when I want to check for software update it cannot see the software version of the phone??!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what is your product code (csc)?
*#1234# what it says?
do you have latest version of kies?
Csc: I9505OXXBMF3,and I have the newest version of kies
Csc is telekom (TSR)
milosmeda said:
Csc: I9505OXXBMF3,and I have the newest version of kies
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i meant by product code the region code, DBT, BTU, XEO.......
you can know it when connecting to kies, the last 3 letters XXXXX(???)
EDIT: OK
---------- Post added at 10:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 PM ----------
does the pda is MF8? and are you sure you are now on TSR
because pda and csc and product code must match
AP and CP last three letters are MF8 and csc is MF3 when I type *#1234#. Also baseband or pda is MF8
I have booted into stock recovery now and somehow it says that csc is set to btu,I dont know how that happend because I am sure that I changed it to tsr. Is it even possible to change csc when I am not rooted??
milosmeda said:
AP and CP last three letters are MF8 and csc is MF3 when I type *#1234#. Also baseband or pda is MF8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
very good, you have also to verify that you are on TSR product code
if you can not check it with kies try this code *2767*4387264636# if no,
boot into recovery and see it under the command line (in yellow)
EDIT: that is the reason....
no you must be rooted to change product code with app.
and sometimes wiping data and cache after flashing the stock firmware will do the trick
Booted to stock recovery and it says its btu,I dont know how I am 100% sure that I changed it to tsr. Is it possible now to change csc when I am not rooted or...?
There was a code something like #*272#imei or something like that or there is another way because I am not sure tjat from market samsung csc changer will work. Sorry my bad,I should double check the csc...
Ok,thanks for help,will try first to wipe data and cache. Should I wipe dalvik cache also or its not needed to?
milosmeda said:
Ok,thanks for help,will try first to wipe data and cache. Should I wipe dalvik cache also or its not needed to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*272*..... method does not work on Jellybean.
yes try the wipe options. (i guess there is no option for dalvik in stock recovery)
and take a look here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=44357384&postcount=730
Thanks for help,will do.
Hi i hope someone can help me ive been searching for a day now and no solution was working. I flashed my s5 with CSC BTU to firmware from Poland XEO. I was trying to flash back firmware for UK as it was original and it did but CSC is still XEO i was trying flashing again using different tutorials and using root and app it reverts back to XEO as soon as i reboot device. Tried restore in KIES too and same story. I get message in Recovery mode like Manual mode apllying multi csc apllied the csc code XEO successfuly applied multi csc. And that happens all the time. Any solutions to that please?
Easy to sort flash the latest BTU then keep wiping cache partition then reset keep doing this until it changes to BTU it may take a few goes before it does change.
Done it like 15 times already and no change? Maybe im doing something wrong? still getting that manual mode setting csc to xeo. why the hell this is happening?!
qucharski said:
Done it like 15 times already and no change? Maybe im doing something wrong? still getting that manual mode setting csc to xeo. why the hell this is happening?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...e-csc-mods-t2887554/post56479916#post56479916
qucharski said:
Hi i hope someone can help me ive been searching for a day now and no solution was working. I flashed my s5 with CSC BTU to firmware from Poland XEO. I was trying to flash back firmware for UK as it was original and it did but CSC is still XEO i was trying flashing again using different tutorials and using root and app it reverts back to XEO as soon as i reboot device. Tried restore in KIES too and same story. I get message in Recovery mode like Manual mode apllying multi csc apllied the csc code XEO successfuly applied multi csc. And that happens all the time. Any solutions to that please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you check for the CSC?
Can you use Phone INFO ★Samsung★ app and show all info in the CSC INFO section?
(original CSC, firmware's CSC and active CSC...)
I had this problem too. Heres how i solved it.
Flash the 4.4.2 firmware you are reverting back to and factory reset. Once your phone is set up download and install towelroot supersu and csc changer. Follow the rooting process to root your phone as shown in other guides here. Once rooted use the app to change csc to BTU. your phone will then factory reset. Once booted again flash the firmware again and once again factory reset. You should now have back BTU CSC like i did last night. Hope this helps.
Hi,
Tried to flash firmware to get rid of vodafone csc from my new s8 but csc keep staying VOD i want it BTU ideally.
Has anyone tried it yet and done it?
Need some advice
Need to flash then wipe for it to take.
Thanks for advice can you specify do you mean flash and then in recovery wipe cache and wipe data?
Anyone can help please?
Ok what he means is once flashed btu go into recovery not sure what 3 buttons to press but Google it.
Once in there wipe cache and reformat phone once more then it should change VOD to BTU that's what I did when I had my vodafone s7 and changed it to btu
It doesn't work stays VOD no matter what i do
Ok so you flashed BTU what files did you use?
Dial *#243203855#
mimo2008 said:
Ok so you flashed BTU what files did you use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Used firmware from sammobile AP BL CP CSC_OXM
peachpuff said:
Dial *#243203855#
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Says invalid ussd code
Hi my suggestion would be 're flash the latest firmware again once installed then boot phone into recovery mode then wipe cache then format and reboot phone again one last time.
hi
i have samsung j7008 model it any problem and have now my device are boot loop (powen on appear smart service and update) so i use kises and update but time is very longer i can't wait it's time and i use odin and flash same prob… but i have emergency recovery code.so please help me solve?please i really trouble and i think crom service lock because i see it ?
paingyatitun123 said:
hi
i have samsung j7008 model it any problem and have now my device are boot loop (powen on appear smart service and update) so i use kises and update but time is very longer i can't wait it's time and i use odin and flash same prob… but i have emergency recovery code.so please help me solve?please i really trouble and i think crom service lock because i see it ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry this is for s8 if you goto SamMobile forum post in there greenman may be able to help more but to me sounds like you need to 're flash original firmware.
mimo2008 said:
Hi my suggestion would be 're flash the latest firmware again once installed then boot phone into recovery mode then wipe cache then format and reboot phone again one last time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately still VOD
qucharski said:
Unfortunately still VOD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok if you go to SamMobile forum and put a post there greenman maybe able to help you.
Sorry i couldn't give anymore I'm kinda stuck as well.
mimo2008 said:
Ok if you go to SamMobile forum and put a post there greenman maybe able to help you.
Sorry i couldn't give anymore I'm kinda stuck as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok just did just need to wait
qucharski said:
Hi,
Tried to flash firmware to get rid of vodafone csc from my new s8 but csc keep staying VOD i want it BTU ideally.
Has anyone tried it yet and done it?
Need some advice
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This shouldn't be a problem so let me help. First some questions...
1. From which carrier/country is your phone?
2. Does it have a network lock?
3. Is it the Model number SM-G950F?
4. Which files did you flash via Odin (please type the actual filenames) and with which settings in Odin?
5. If you go into Settings - About phone - Software information - Service provider software. Please tell me the first and third line there under this point.
maik005 said:
This shouldn't be a problem so let me help. First some questions...
1. From which carrier/country is your phone?
2. Does it have a network lock?
3. Is it the Model number SM-G950F?
4. Which files did you flash via Odin (please type the actual filenames) and with which settings in Odin?
5. If you go into Settings - About phone - Software information - Service provider software. Please tell me the first and third line there under this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
1. Bought from Vodafone UK
2. Removed lock by code
3 G950F
4 Sorry don't have access to my laptop now but I've
Downloaded latest btu software from sammobile
unpacked it and used as per instructions. Tried using either home_csc or the other one but no luck either
Settings tried just standard and tried pit and reformat didn't work either
5. SAOMC_SM-G950F-OXM_XEU_077
XEU/XEU/VOD
when go into recovery it's still VOD tho
You have done all you could do.
You needed to flash with normal CSC NOT with HOME_CSC to change the CSC.
Your new CSC is XEU!
It still shows XEU/XEU/VOD because VOD is the original CSC of your phone. This is new for the S8 and could not be changed! But normally you will get OTA updates for your new XEU CSC just fine! And any Vodafone-Apps should also be removed.
So everything is like on Samsung devices debranded bevore - beside that the factory CSC is hard branded inside the phone. But thats just optical. Everything else works like it is an XEU CSC.
maik005 said:
You have done all you could do.
You needed to flash with normal CSC NOT with HOME_CSC to change the CSC.
Your new CSC is XEU!
It still shows XEU/XEU/VOD because VOD is the original CSC of your phone. This is new for the S8 and could not be changed! But normally you will get OTA updates for your new XEU CSC just fine! And any Vodafone-Apps should also be removed.
So everything is like on Samsung devices debranded bevore - beside that the factory CSC is hard branded inside the phone. But thats just optical. Everything else works like it is an XEU CSC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure about that? In the past if you didnt change properly the CSC after unbranding your phone you werent getting OTA updates anymore, i've read on SamMobile you gotta use Smart Switch using the serial number of a phone you know has that CSC, but i dont know how to find one, no one answered me on here. I'm thinking of going into a store and look at the exhibition one, but im afraid it's not legal to do that.