[Q] S3 I9300 - IMEI wiped - can't repair without 11# serial, can only see 16#

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kasi.goksne

New member
Mar 31, 2014
3
0
Hello and thank you for reading,

Short(!) background

As the title suggests, I managed to wipe my IMEI number after fooling around with Roms a few months ago - no backup etc. To add salt to the wounds, I also managed to break the screen prior to this and chose a third party repair service which effectively replaced some parts whilst also removing the little sticker with the IMEI / Serial number which seems to be oh-so-ever important.

Before judging me, I acknowledge that I'm an idiot, and this was my first smartphone and I tend to skip the fine-prints.

Issue
Basically, I know that I'm screwed, and therefore I'm trying the phone off for repair. However, I've noticed, through rejeciton, that it seems to be illegal under UK law to do an IMEI-restore if I cannot prove that the IMEI correlates with my serial number. I've checked my receipts as well as the box in which the phone came, and on these I can only find an 11 digit serial number, whereas the only one I can find on my phone through settings-> about device-> status is 16 digits.

Is there any way I actually prove that this serial number is connected to my own IMEI, or at least the 11 digit serial number?

Thanks in advance :),

Kasi
 

nateboi81

Senior Member
Jul 25, 2010
601
97
Melbourne
In that situation it doesn't matter what number you have on the box they will just replace the motherboard

Sent from my GT-I9305 using xda app-developers app
 

kasi.goksne

New member
Mar 31, 2014
3
0
In that situation it doesn't matter what number you have on the box they will just replace the motherboard

Sent from my GT-I9305 using xda app-developers app

Thanks for your reply,

Unfortunately, due to the previous third party repair coupled with the unknown IMEI I've been told that no repair services will touch the phone. So unless I can prove that it is indeed mine, it's pretty much an expensive, and rather crappy mp3 player at the moment :/
 

nateboi81

Senior Member
Jul 25, 2010
601
97
Melbourne
I'm sure you'll be able to find a shop somewhere that will do it. Just tell them what happened. Not sure what a motherboard replacement costs

Sent from my GT-I9305 using xda app-developers app
 

spiderman07

Senior Member
Dec 13, 2012
299
67
if you have read the WARNING+GUIDE POST you would restore it without any problem...

try to find on websites on your country peoples that sell your type of phone which have other problems and sell them cheaper, and have a working motherboard....