Database Users

[Q] Help with generic EFS/IMEI S4-i9500

Hello, I was about to take my phone to a service center for check an weird noise, but since I was using CM11 with chinese modem, I decided to flash stock rom.
I'm on the old bootloader, I flashed I9500ZTOBMG1 but when I try to make a call it shows "not registered in network". I checked my imei with *#06# and it shows a generic IMEI starting with 0049...
I have already tried to reflash stock rom via odin, reflash stock modem via odin, restore to last CM backup, but problem still.
I DO have a EFS backup, it's a .tar and a .tar2.gz inside a folder called EFSProBackup, but I don't know how to use it or even how to restore my IMEI. I had already this problem before, but I don't know what I did to resolve. Can someone help me?
Problem solved: I flashed again the chinese modem via cwm after flashing a custom rom, I don't know why, but my imei is back again and working, But I still don't know how to have stock rom working....

[Q] IMEI null and Baseband Unknown, No SIM detected on Samsung Galaxy Note 3 sm n900

Hello developers,
I found the exact same problem posted on xda developers fourm but none of the posts were answered completely or solved.
I rooted my Sm n900 without any problems, installed CWM recovery, installed SuperSu and installed VN Rom for galaxy note 3 (referred this from some Chinese guy on web (since i cant post third party links) its galaxynote3root dot com.
At first i didnt check efs backup option and installed VN rom without any problems (no imei loss or baseband unknown) on my own phone.
But when rooted one of my friends SM n900 with exact same method as i did earlier (but i checked create efs backup this time), i got screwed.
I tried EFS professional, but when i try to put his phone in RMNET + DM + MODEM by pressing *#0808#, and run efs software, and click either qualcommn or efs professional button, it doesnt recognise the device and says not connected.
I tried various other options as well such as rerooting, reinstalling the rom, reinstalling OEM rom, and other roms as well. Every thing is fin except IMEI and baseband null/unknown.

I had a problem like that. On my note 2 .i flashed patition file in odin and it was fixed.

bonebeatz1234 said:
I had a problem like that. On my note 2 .i flashed patition file in odin and it was fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which partition? EFS? Problem is, now i dont have any backups of EFS partition or folder. I am trying to flash modem via odin from phone mode. After that i will have tried everything and will be stuck with a bricked cell forever

rabinpro said:
Which partition? EFS? Problem is, now i dont have any backups of EFS partition or folder. I am trying to flash modem via odin from phone mode. After that i will have tried everything and will be stuck with a bricked cell forever
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you should bring to the service center to record the IMEI number.

root your device and flash xxuene1 modem from recovery.
Modem is available on xda..search
I did the same and it worked for me

Not worked

HUGE problem with imei. please help

i didn't have an imei on my i9500 for some reason so i flashed a leaked 5.0.1 rom on my i9500 which fixed my imei issue. everything was working (calls etc). since you can't flash gapps on this rom for some reason i switched back to a stock rom and saw that my imei and baseband version were gone again. after some digging i found out that this was an efs file issue, so after (literally) 16 hours i finally fixed it by flashing the 5.0.1 leak with philz touch, backing up my efs file, and flashing a custom rom (hassan rom v7) and my imei appeared again. i wanted to go back to stock 4.4.2 touchwiz so i tried to flash it again but it gave me a fail. and when i tried again it succeeded but my imei was gone again after some more digging a found out that the 5.0.1 was a chinese rom and changed my model name to i9500chn, and they imei worked only when that was my model name.
so now i'm kinda stuck on hassan rom and my phones model is i9500chn. even though i backup my efs folder successfully, if i flash another rom that changes my phone to i9500 it removes my imei and the efs backups won't help (restore is successful but doesn't work).
what can i do in this situation??
PLEASE XDA PEOPLE HELP ME.

anyone???????
please?!

Wasn't there a tool to backup IMEI number? I remember there was something similar for the Galaxy Ace.

GDReaper said:
Wasn't there a tool to backup IMEI number? I remember there was something similar for the Galaxy Ace.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i do backup my imei but restore doesn't work.

maximusprimus said:
i didn't have an imei on my i9500 for some reason so i flashed a leaked 5.0.1 rom on my i9500 which fixed my imei issue. everything was working (calls etc). since you can't flash gapps on this rom for some reason i switched back to a stock rom and saw that my imei and baseband version were gone again. after some digging i found out that this was an efs file issue, so after (literally) 16 hours i finally fixed it by flashing the 5.0.1 leak with philz touch, backing up my efs file, and flashing a custom rom (hassan rom v7) and my imei appeared again. i wanted to go back to stock 4.4.2 touchwiz so i tried to flash it again but it gave me a fail. and when i tried again it succeeded but my imei was gone again after some more digging a found out that the 5.0.1 was a chinese rom and changed my model name to i9500chn, and they imei worked only when that was my model name.
so now i'm kinda stuck on hassan rom and my phones model is i9500chn. even though i backup my efs folder successfully, if i flash another rom that changes my phone to i9500 it removes my imei and the efs backups won't help (restore is successful but doesn't work).
what can i do in this situation??
PLEASE XDA PEOPLE HELP ME.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi mate
Is hard to tell what went wrong ... what i would first of all is trying to go back a a normal stock (not leaked) but not sure if there will be any problem from going back to 4.4.2 from 5.0.1
Check here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2265477
First thing i would do is trying to get rid of the chinese PIT from the leaked rom , what is the size of your internal SDm non chinese are around 8-9 gb , try to flash a stock rom (4.4.2) with a PIT file shown in thread , the second one
File Type: zip I9500_pit file.zip - [Click for QR Code] (1.0 KB, 22777 views)
READ FIRST, BACKUP and then proceed
Once you are back in stock ...you can start over

[Q] HELP NOTE 3 N900 UNKNOWN BASEBAND, NULL IMEI completely out of Nowhere!

Hello Fellas, am posting here as I haven't found help elsewhere. Kindly Respond to my woes. I have a rooted Galaxy Note 3 N900 running official Lollipop with IMEI Null/Null and No Baseband version. The IMEI just disappeared totally out of the blue as no custom ROM has been flashed on the device!! This has happened 2 months after updating from 4.3 Jelly bean. With no prior EFS Backup here's what I have tried:
1. EFS Professional (backup&restore complete but no luck)
2. EFS Restore express ( backup.bat>Odin restore)
3. GSII Repair tool
After hitting no luck with the above tools and without any "/EFS mount errors" in recovery either and WIFI working fine, I came to a conclusion that most probably the EFS folder partition on my Note 3 is still intact and most probably this could be a case of a bad modem which would explain the loss of Baseband Version and thus the Null IMEI. So I tried flashing back to KitKat with N900XXUENG1 firmware and separately flashed a few modems compatible with Samsung's new EFS System: N900XXUENG1_MODEM, N900_XXUENF2_MODEM_CWM and also gave a shot at recommended N900_XXUENE1_MODEM_CWM.ZIP which seems to restore baseband for many users with this issue but this failed as well. After much searching I found a 4file_N900XXUGBNL8 Lollipop Firmware with PIT from Dev-Host, flashed all files in Odin&even repartitioned the device but still no baseband!!! WIFI&everything else runs smooth except the damn baseband/Null IMEI! Almost Exhausted my options...
Now I trust we have some informed members and developers here, NEED YOUR VALUABLE IDEAS HERE mates! Someone, anyone.....Thanks!

Have got any guarantee of the device?If so,send it to service ıf your guarantee continiues.
If you bought the device from another country,This may occur ıf you didn't register it.(In my country this is how it works.Turkey)
Or someone cloned your imei,check your imei ıf it is valid.
This is not because you upgraded your device to android 5.
If ıt was the case,you would have already faced the problem after just the flash.
I would say flash another modem
But,You say you tried flashing other modems.So no luck with that.
I had seen s3 with the same problem.I had flashed a modded modem.
It worked.I dont know if there is one for your device.
Briefly this is an imei/modem problem.
I don't know ıf the suggestions above help you.
I hope so.
Good luck.

try flashing stock rom from sammobile via odin. you need to backup efs folder everytime you flash a new rom, that's my opinion. may be wrong.

I think I used to had this problem with my Note 2 as well. If you come from 4.3 you should flash stock ROM Jelly bean 4.3 from Sammobile or Samsung-updates website. Then flash lollipop 5.0 over 4.3 when you can see your IMIE. Maybe it will work.

So. If u in L bootloader. U must! Flash the L modem that sometimes didnt get flashed by the odin while flashing stock rom. So just extract the modem.img and things for modem. Then just flash it using dd command or make flashable zip. Then it works fine. I have it on s4 exynos. That if i in L bootloader then even i install kitkat rom with L bootloader. U must still flash the L modem. K. Hope it works

1. İf you couldnt recover with efs professional , probably you've been lost your original imei files like nv_data.bin etc. and there is no backup...
2. So try to remake this kind of files with-again- with efs professional. But there is not so much info about this "creation" process.
3. I had the same situation. . . . And i'm still sorry. . . ( . . . The other solution is JTAG, more easy, cheaper in total and psychologicaly healty !!!)
GOOD LUCK....

m6112 said:
1. İf you couldnt recover with efs professional , probably you've been lost your original imei files like nv_data.bin etc. and there is no backup...
2. So try to remake this kind of files with-again- with efs professional. But there is not so much info about this "creation" process.
3. I had the same situation. . . . And i'm still sorry. . . ( . . . The other solution is JTAG, more easy, cheaper in total and psychologicaly healty !!!)
GOOD LUCK....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All EFS folder files are present including nv_data.bak&.bin Am a bit reserved to go the JTAG way just yet.

white7561 said:
So. If u in L bootloader. U must! Flash the L modem that sometimes didnt get flashed by the odin while flashing stock rom. So just extract the modem.img and things for modem. Then just flash it using dd command or make flashable zip. Then it works fine. I have it on s4 exynos. That if i in L bootloader then even i install kitkat rom with L bootloader. U must still flash the L modem. K. Hope it works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that but as I already said I was lucky to find a 4file partitioned Lollipop ROM with separate modem. Flashed that through Odin and even repartitioned the device but that hit a rock as well!

longcoming said:
Have got any guarantee of the device?If so,send it to service ıf your guarantee continiues.
If you bought the device from another country,This may occur ıf you didn't register it.(In my country this is how it works.Turkey)
Or someone cloned your imei,check your imei ıf it is valid.
This is not because you upgraded your device to android 5.
If ıt was the case,you would have already faced the problem after just the flash.
I would say flash another modem
But,You say you tried flashing other modems.So no luck with that.
I had seen s3 with the same problem.I had flashed a modded modem.
It worked.I dont know if there is one for your device.
Briefly this is an imei/modem problem.
I don't know ıf the suggestions above help you.
I hope so.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an old device, no warrants. Am indeed looking at the possibility of someone else allocating the IMEI to their device, though i doubt. But if that was the case shouldn't the Baseband at least be present?

Did you try downgrading to 4.3 with official stock files?
If not,give it a shot.

Droidsan said:
It's an old device, no warrants. Am indeed looking at the possibility of someone else allocating the IMEI to their device, though i doubt. But if that was the case shouldn't the Baseband at least be present?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have explained it earlier, Actually it is kernel. Newer kernel makes some changes on EFS partition and that changes can not be read by old kernel but in this case once you flash newer modem it will be solved. If your issue doesn't solved by flashing latest stock ROM then only possibility is messed up EFS partition and for that you must have a backup which was created when your device was normal. If your EFS partition is corrupted and you don't have backup then i think only option you have is to go to service station they can repair it easily. Though your device is not under warranty but you have official bill then still they can do it with paid service. Now a days samsung have changed policy and restoring IMEI they needs to do it online with samsung server (this information I got from service center owner in my city who is my friend and he did same for one of my friend)

UPDATE:
dr.ketan said:
I have explained it earlier, Actually it is kernel. Newer kernel makes some changes on EFS partition and that changes can not be read by old kernel but in this case once you flash newer modem it will be solved. If your issue doesn't solved by flashing latest stock ROM then only possibility is messed up EFS partition and for that you must have a backup which was created when your device was normal. If your EFS partition is corrupted and you don't have backup then i think only option you have is to go to service station they can repair it easily. Though your device is not under warranty but you have official bill then still they can do it with paid service. Now a days samsung have changed policy and restoring IMEI they needs to do it online with samsung server (this information I got from service center owner in my city who is my friend and he did same for one of my friend)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you Dr.Ketan for that information. You have been a great help to many. I have followed your posts about this issue and I feel there is still hope.
UPDATE:
I WAS ABLE TO RESTORE THE BASEBAND AND NOW THE IMEI IS GENERIC, READS 004999010640000. [/B] I was able to restore nv_data backup from /Efs folder and deleting bad nv_data. Here's what I did:
Using root Explorer in /EFS:
Deleted corrupt files;
nv_data.bin ( 18 April 2015)
nv_data.bin.md5 (18 April 2015)
Renamed backup files (dated 31 Jan 2015) to apply;
.nv_data.bak > nv_data.bin
.nv_data.bak.md5 > nv_data.bin.md5
Using ADB shell:
Code:
adb shell
su
umount /efs
mke2fs /dev/block/mmcblk0p3
mount -w -t ext4 /dev/block/mmcblk0p3 /efs
Reboot
However, the baseband and generic IMEI come&go across reboots and seems not to stick permanently. Any possible steps from here???

NOTE: Previously I have been able to restore Unknown Baseband and Null IMEI in Galaxy S2 i9100 using the above adb method (Code Only) http://www.selftechgenius.com/?p=284

NOTE: Previously I have been able to restore Unknown Baseband and Null IMEI in Galaxy S2 i9100 using the above adb method (Code Only) http://www.selftechgenius.com/?p=284

Try this out
I always have that problem when I downgrade to jellybean but solving it is easy. Just flash THIS modem file under the AP option Odin. Tell me if it works.

Muthumbi said:
I always have that problem when I downgrade to jellybean but solving it is easy. Just flash THIS modem file under the AP option in odin mode. Tell me if it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If flashing modem via Odin you MUST turn off the phone then start it in DL mode. Simply doing a 'reboot' into DL mode will not let the modem be flashed.

Note 3 SM-N900 IMEI null Baseband unknown

Note 3 SM-N900 IMEI null Baseband unknown
Android 5.0
Firmware N900XXUEBOE3_N900ODDEBOB2_N900DDUEBOB1 (India)
How did the problem start? – my kid was playing some game in the phone and when I got it back I noticed the problem. It wasn’t because of flashing custom ROM or rooting. It could be due to firmware upgrade as upgrading was set on automatic but not sure.
What all have I done to solve the problem?
1. Rooted the phone and checked EFS folder. The EFS folder did not have .nv_data.bak file. And I don’t have backup of pre-problem EFS folder.
2. Downloaded stock firmware, extracted the modem file (bin) and flashed it, both with odin and cwm. Didn’t help.
3. Downloaded and flashed with odin stock firmware Android 4.4.2 N900XXUENI1_N900ODDENF1_N900DDUENG1_HOME.tar.md5 AND also N900XXUENG1_N900ODDENF1_INU. Didn’t help.
4. With each of the above stock firmware I flashed the following modem files:-
(1) N900_XXUDNA1_MODEM_CWM
(2) N900_XXUENE1_MODEM_CWM
(3) N900_XXUENF2_MODEM_CWM
(4) N900_XXUENG1_MODEM
(5) N900_XXUBMI2_MODEM_CWM
Didn’t work.
5. Used EFS Tool Samsung N7100 900 to back up EFS folder of a working Note 3 SM-N900 and restored the backedup folder to my phone – didn’t work.
6. Tried GSII_Repair app (both with my own EFS folder and my friends EFS folder. – didn’t work.
7. Tried to install xposed to use imei changer app. But xposed did not install as it is not yet compatible with Android SDK version 21 or processor architecture armeabi-v7a.
8. Tried Kies firmware upgrade and initialization, SM-N900 does not support initialization.
9. Tried secret code and got to Service Mode. But service mode is like a blank page of a lined book – no options shown.
10. And I tried factory reset with each of the above firmwares. Did Factory reset and wipe cache partition before flashing new firmware – didn’t work. Then tried it after flashing – didn’t work.
11. Also tried *#197328640# or *#*#197328640#*#* both didn’t work.
12. Tried fix mentioned in - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2507403
13. used advice in http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=52408318&postcount=87. now my phone is running Android 4.3 but imei null and baseband version unknown persists.
Can’t afford a new phone. Could somebody please help? And I hate 13 of anything,

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=46436273
As posted by nowy57, need to delete the efs folder in recovery. That's for N9005. For N900 change it to dev/block/mmcblk0p3. You phone has ruined anyway so no harm in trying.
Sent from my SM-N920C

reply to rosli
Rosli59564 said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=46436273
As posted by nowy57, need to delete the efs folder in recovery. That's for N9005. For N900 change it to dev/block/mmcblk0p3. You phone has ruined anyway so no harm in trying.
Sent from my SM-N920C
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll do as you suggest but I have a question. Once I delete dev/block/mmcblk0p3 won't I need to replace it with an uncorrupted file? Doesn't the phone need dev/block/mmcblk0p3 for it to work?

It should be regenerated after reboot, assuming the block has corrupted and unable to write the efs/imei. I'm not sure if it should be the same for N900.
The guide is for old firmware and for N9005. If efs block isn't the issue, it won't work then. It worked for a very few people though. If you have nothing else to try ....
There is also a thread by mirek on solving softbrick/imei issue just a few topics away.
Sent from my SM-N920C

How to safely Repair IMEI Note 3 N900
Method:
1- Download and Install Samsung Drivers and Z3x pro-Samsung tool
2- Flash your phone with full firmware using Odin or Z3x Samsung tool
3- Root your phone with CF-autoroot or twrp+Supersu
4- Open Z3x Samsung tool, select N900, go to section repair then reset EFS
5- Your IMEI will be 004999010640000 then you have to repair by the original IMEI written on the back of your phone.
6- Select model n7000, go to section repair, write the original IMEI then click on repair.
Visit "learn & share gsm blog" to download the needed files
Full firmware:
Root files
Modem file
EFS file
Cert file
Visit for more info: https://www.learnandsharegsm.tk/2019/09/how-to-safely-repair-imei-note-3-n900.html
Watch Video on youtube: https://youtu.be/TRQeBQMaWpE

tarkusy said:
Method:
1- Download and Install Samsung Drivers and Z3x pro-Samsung tool
2- Flash your phone with full firmware using Odin or Z3x Samsung tool
3- Root your phone with CF-autoroot or twrp+Supersu
4- Open Z3x Samsung tool, select N900, go to section repair then reset EFS
5- Your IMEI will be 004999010640000 then you have to repair by the original IMEI written on the back of your phone.
6- Select model n7000, go to section repair, write the original IMEI then click on repair.
Visit "learn & share gsm blog" to download the needed files
Full firmware:
Root files
Modem file
EFS file
Cert file
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That will change original IMEI, which is illegal and it is not allowed to provide such instructions here.
Rule No. 9

Mohamedkam000 said:
That will change original IMEI, which is illegal and it is not allowed to provide such instructions here.
Rule No. 9
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not asking anybody to change IMEI but the easy way to repair the original lost IMEI. READ THIS 5- Your IMEI will be 004999010640000 then you have to repair by the original IMEI written on the back of your phone..
I'm talking about your phone and how to repair it. stop saying what's not said. We help poeple solve their problems here. this method is not illegal. It's only a way yo rewrite the imei written on the back of your phone.