[Q][HELP] I lost my IMEI! can everybody help?

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IvanKurnia

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2012
759
255
*D821 (E) - hammerhead
*KTU84M
*HW version: rev_11
*bootloader version: HHZ11k
*baseband version: M8974A-2.0.50.1.13
*carrier info: NONE (is this wrong?)
*signing: production
*secure boot: enabled
*lock state: locked
#I didn't touch this phone's system, still original.

my story:

so it's been 3 weeks since I bought my phone. I was happy with it, nothing was wrong.
a week later, the 4.4.3 came out, I updated it, and nothing was wrong too.

until last night, I turned off my phone, curious to see how the Nexus 5's recovery look like,
I pressed (volume down + power), and I noticed that it enters FASTBOOT mode. and I just learned, navigate with the volume buttons and select with power button.

NOTICE: I'm already familiar with things like this, I was in the Galaxy W forum and Galaxy SIII mini forum. *yes lol I came from Samsuck

so I selected recovery mode and enter it.. I saw the android logo there, the healthy one, not the murdered robot with a red triangle on it.
I saw nothing but that logo, I pressed volume up button and the text showed up. I navigate down with volume down button, until it was down at the "wipe cache partition", I wanted to go up to reboot my phone, but I realized, the up button just a switch to hide or show the recovery text, so there's only one choice, press the power button, *if I press the power button, I wipe the cache because it selects "wipe cache partition"*.

and then it writes "wiping the cache", I was confused why it was so long, until I decided to reboot with holding the power button.

NOTICE: it is strange to wait sooooo long for cache wiping. I know this.

the system turned on. I'm not sure if the cache wiped cleanly, I'm afraid it will make the system error. so I decided to change my runtime from ART to Dalvik, so the cache wiped out and built again, strange process that took only 64 apps to optimize, that before it was around 110 apps. and then after reboot, I decided to go ART again to saw how many apps that optimized, LOL it was again, 64.

I reboot my phone again, and wait the reception, LOL strange I got no signal in my home *usually full*.

NOTICE: the signal has already gone after first cache wipe.

somehow I go to About Phone, Status on the Settings, and I found out the IMEI is UNKNOWN. I tried to check it with *#06# and it shows nothing.

I repeat the process how I get to the recovery and try to wipe cache, and it said, "error: can't mount /cache".

so I think the cache was gone?? I look to the "Explorer" app *the one who makes the root version too (Root Explorer)*, well the cache partition still there.. LOL

MY QUESTION:
1. am I having a defective Nexus 5? or there is a bug?
2. my IMEI lost, I have 2 expectations: my EFS/IMEI is truly lost, or the system just can't detect it? how can I know?
3. I saw a thread that tells me Nexus 5 doesn't have EFS partition backup, so where does the EFS located?
4. if I follow you guys, unlocking bootloader, rooting and etc. can I make my phone's state default again? *I don't mean fix this thing, just go default*
5. most important thing, HOW CAN I GET MY PHONE BACK TO NORMAL?? *peace bro

please help, right now I'm trying to reset my phone as soon as my backup finishes.
thx :)
 

BirchBarlow

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2013
428
155
Philadelphia
I think people have remedied this problem by flashing the factory image. If that doesn't work then it is probably a hardware defect and will have to be replaced.
 

vin4yak

Senior Member
Mar 10, 2013
4,351
2,423
31
Mumbai
vinu.info
There's an option in the stock recovery which reads "Reboot System Now". You could have selected that if you didn't want to do anything.

1. No, the cache partition got messed up and hence the unknown IMEI and signal loss.
2. The system just can't detect it because of the reason mentioned above.
3. EFS is located on the /efs partition but you need root to back it up or restore it.
4. No need to root the phone to fix this. Go back to the stock recovery and wipe cache partition again and this time around WAIT PATIENTLY for it to complete. This should fix it.
5. ^^^^^^

:)
 

IvanKurnia

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2012
759
255
There's an option in the stock recovery which reads "Reboot System Now". You could have selected that if you didn't want to do anything.

1. No, the cache partition got messed up and hence the unknown IMEI and signal loss.
2. The system just can't detect it because of the reason mentioned above.
3. EFS is located on the /efs partition but you need root to back it up or restore it.
4. No need to root the phone to fix this. Go back to the stock recovery and wipe cache partition again and this time around WAIT PATIENTLY for it to complete. This should fix it.
5. ^^^^^^

:)

as I told you before, I can't select "reboot system now" because the volume up button strangely working as show/hide text. wipe cache partition, the /cache can't be mounted.
 

IvanKurnia

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2012
759
255
I think people have remedied this problem by flashing the factory image. If that doesn't work then it is probably a hardware defect and will have to be replaced.

well, my phone still original untouched.. what if you were me, having an untouched phone and it has already been like this? I don't think I would touch it ._.
 

vin4yak

Senior Member
Mar 10, 2013
4,351
2,423
31
Mumbai
vinu.info
as I told you before, I can't select "reboot system now" because the volume up button strangely working as show/hide text. wipe cache partition, the /cache can't be mounted.

Strange indeed. Yeah, those errors are common. Just try wiping cache multiple times. If not, factory reset the device.

well, my phone still original untouched.. what if you were me, having an untouched phone and it has already been like this? I don't think I would touch it ._.

Since you're responsible for this mishap, I would certainly try to fix it myself if I were you. Wiping cache/factory reset is the only thing you can do with a locked bootloader. If that doesn't fix it, the phone's hosed!

anyway, @BirchBarlow @vin4yak , I can go adb and fastboot without root or unlock bootloader right? thx anyway

ADB is used whilst you're in Android OS/custom recovery. You first need to unlock the bootloader, flash/boot a custom recovery and then flash the supersu.zip to gain root. I'm not sure what purpose it will serve in your situation though??
 
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geemaan

Senior Member
Apr 4, 2010
201
56
this happened to me too. and I waited for the the wipe cache operation for 15 minutes. After a forced reboot the phone was not connecting to the cell network, had a 1970 date and gave various google errors. I went back to recovery, noticed the comatose android and the missing cache partition messages but again I selected wipe cache and this fixed it. It took just a minute or so to create and format it. After the reboot the phone was fine. phew...
 

bitdomo

Senior Member
Nov 3, 2011
1,542
1,244
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Göd
This problem happens when the cache partion is not formated properly. You can't take screenshots either, right? You should try to format the cache partition again, and again until your phone becomes normal, or unlock bootloader and flash the cache.img from the stock images. You can find all the instructions about unlocking bl and flashing cache image in the sticky posts of the general forum.

Tapatalk-kal küldve az én Nexus 5-el
 
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    as I told you before, I can't select "reboot system now" because the volume up button strangely working as show/hide text. wipe cache partition, the /cache can't be mounted.

    Strange indeed. Yeah, those errors are common. Just try wiping cache multiple times. If not, factory reset the device.

    well, my phone still original untouched.. what if you were me, having an untouched phone and it has already been like this? I don't think I would touch it ._.

    Since you're responsible for this mishap, I would certainly try to fix it myself if I were you. Wiping cache/factory reset is the only thing you can do with a locked bootloader. If that doesn't fix it, the phone's hosed!

    anyway, @BirchBarlow @vin4yak , I can go adb and fastboot without root or unlock bootloader right? thx anyway

    ADB is used whilst you're in Android OS/custom recovery. You first need to unlock the bootloader, flash/boot a custom recovery and then flash the supersu.zip to gain root. I'm not sure what purpose it will serve in your situation though??
    1
    This problem happens when the cache partion is not formated properly. You can't take screenshots either, right? You should try to format the cache partition again, and again until your phone becomes normal, or unlock bootloader and flash the cache.img from the stock images. You can find all the instructions about unlocking bl and flashing cache image in the sticky posts of the general forum.

    Tapatalk-kal küldve az én Nexus 5-el