EFS Backup from device (without PC) [Update 11Feb14]

[dr.ketan]

EFS Backup from device (without PC)

Why we need EFS backup ?

EFS folder contains some important and some basic info related to our device identity like Wi-Fi address, Bluetooth MAC address and the very main IMEI address (nv_data.bin).
Now if this EFS partition accidently corrupted then your phone’s IMEI number will get erased and you can not make voice call further. This kind of damage is often not accepted by the service center of your respected handset’s company.
Here your backup can only be savior for you

You needs device rooted, Here is guide how to root N7100.
NEW METHOD (Updated 11Feb14)

Install this app and select backup/Restore that's it. (keep USB debugging ON). Also read play store description.

Dr.Ketan EFS Tool N7100

Video guide

OLD METHOD

Backup EFS

1.Install Terminal emulator

2.Open it, you will get ***@android:/$

3.Now typebelow said command and enter

su

it will ask superSU permission, grant it (it will ask only if your superSU setting - default permission is set to 'prompt', if you have set to 'grant' it will not ask)

4.you will have now this
root@android:/ # (this # symbol suggest it got root access)

5.Now type below mentioned command (case sensitive) and enter (to make this step easy from device, i have attached 5.txt (5i for backup to Int sd card) file at end, just open and select text. later you can paste to emulator to avoid spell mistake)

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 of=/storage/extSdCard/efs.img bs=4096

In case you don't have ExtSdCard and want to make backup to Int Sdcard then command should be like this

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 of=/storage/sdcard/efs.img bs=4096

6.After successfull backup you will find msg as seen below in image, as well you can see 20MB file efs.img on Ext SD card

Now copy efs.img from Ext Sd card to safer place on pC/Laptop/media/online so you can find whenever you need it.

Restore

Make sure you have efs.img which you have got with backup, placed on Ext Sd card
Repeat step 1-4 as said above, and in step 5 you have to give below said command to restore it.(you can copy below command by opening R.txt file (Ri.txt for restoring from int SD )attached at end to avoid spell mistake)

dd if=/storage/extSdCard/efs.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 bs=4096

In case you restoring from IntSd card then command should be like this

dd if=/storage/sdcard/efs.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 bs=4096

- Reboot device

FOR SOME ROMs like AOSP mounting point is different, so in case above command doesn't work then you need to know mount point. for this do following

Follow first 4 step said above to make backup (upto grant SU permission)
then Type

ls /storage

This will show mounting point of storage on your device like below shown image.

Here storage mounting point is
extSdCard for Ext SD card
sdcard0 for Int Sd card
So make changes in command accroeding your storage mount point.


Edit 28June13 : Just to report, today i have lost IMEI and got chance to restore with above said method and it work like charm.

 

[mrlove6]

With all respect for ur great work and effort, but I learned from u last time u helped me...I found the easiest way for the efs story...every phone I use, directly after rooting I install root explorer copy the efs folder to my pc and ext-sdcard...no matter what happened to the phone I just paste the folder back to its place and restart the phonw...and thats it, or u have objection about it? Please let me know

Sent from my GT-N7100 using XDA Premium HD app

 

[dr.ketan]

That's not good idea, when you copy folder with explorer it will messup permission.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

 

[rashid.fairus]

That's not good idea, when you copy folder with explorer it will messup permission.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

agree

via《t4p4t41k》

 

[tweeny80]

in trouble !

That's not good idea, when you copy folder with explorer it will messup permission.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Hi there

I am in New Zealand, recently rooted with your help and installed PhilzCWM. Also on your advice, I backed up my EFS.

My problem: just today I realised I cannot send text, or make phone call. I am on X-Note ROM from 3-4 days ago. I am very sure that after installation, I had normal Mobile connectivity and was surprised to I didn't. Not sure if my EFS became corrupted, or other ROM setting is wrong.

My SERVICE STATE says Out of Service
My Mobile NETWORK STATE says disconnected.
My phone number says UNKNOWN

What's weird is
My IMEI lists a long number, assumed correct

So if my EFS partition is corrupted I assume I wouldn't see any IMEI at all.
Far as I know my SIM is activated (I am on a company plan & coworker's phones are normal)

Just now I restored my stock nandroid and .... same thing! No service. So I doubt it's even a modem problem.

Guys I'm screwed, any tips what settings to check etc??

 

[tweeny80]

OK update:

I sucked it up and decided to try restoring the EFS image I had earlier created. Mate, it worked! I have network service now.

Thanks to DrKetan. It was only because I read his advice to backup my EFS...and his advice how to restore. Very helpful bloke.

Thanks.

 

[KevandLynds]

I flashed a ROM yesterday and my imei changed luckily I'd copied the full efs folder to my ext_SD so I just copy and pasted it back and that worked for me once I restarted.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

 

[joshphilips]

Dr.Ketan thank you for the lovely Guide . I did a backup as per your instructions. I would like to know about the aroma installer which offers a backup option when installing a Rom.I have a backup of the Same . I note that there are two files which is only 268 kb & 40 kb respectively.My question- Does this backup help & if it helps how do we restore it (backup done during aroma installer)

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[dr.ketan]

Here said method backup complete partition that's why size is big.
There may be option available in aroma, i have never tried aroma.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

 

[petercuv]

I too had the same problem, I then remembered that I had backed up my efs using this method. Thank You Dr.Ketan

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

 

[universil]

I lost a lovely Galaxy Note 2 to a corrupt EFS before I even knew that such a thing could happen to a flasher of roms.

I probably have the most backed up EFS of all time, since that horrific incident.I never knew about this way , I was just using EFS proffesional, but you best be sure so I have used this method too, and uploaded the backup to Dropbox.

Many thanks dr.ketan, so many peoples saviour.

And any one who is thinking, EFS thing won't happen to me....BEWARE!!!
AND JUST DO IT!!!

 

[dr.ketan]

You guys put back life to this thread, probably I forget even about this thread.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

 

[tweeny80]

You guys put back life to this thread, probably I forget even about this thread.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

I came from a Nexus S phone, and flashed a lot of stuff over the years. But never once did the topic of EFS/IMEI come up. It was simply not an issue discussed in that device's XDA forums. So when I upgraded to the Note and joined these forums, I assumed I knew most of the important stuff.

I read your EFS thread and thought....hmm imagine if I ended up with a bricked phone or unusable in some way....I would be mad at myself and out of $$...so I did the backup. Far out, I am fortunate to have done so. People like you do exist in other forums - very helpful and unselfish with their time and expertise; XDA is based on the spirit of such people. Major props to you!

 

[tongueinamow]

cannot open for read: No such file or directory

EFS Backup from device (without PC)

Why we need EFS backup ?

EFS folder contains some important and some basic info related to our device identity like Wi-Fi address, Bluetooth MAC address and the very main IMEI address (nv_data.bin).
Now if this EFS partition accidently corrupted then your phone’s IMEI number will get erased and you can not make voice call further. This kind of damage is often not accepted by the service center of your respected handset’s company.
Here your backup can only be savior for you

You needs device rooted, Here is guide how to root N7100.

Backup EFS

1.Install Terminal emulator

2.Open it, you will get ***@android:/$

3.Now typebelow said command and enter

su

it will ask superSU permission, grant it (it will ask only if your superSU setting - default permission is set to 'prompt', if you have set to 'grant' it will not ask)

4.you will have now this
root@android:/ # (this # symbol suggest it got root access)

5.Now type below mentioned command (case sensitive) and enter

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 of=/storage/extSdCard/efs.img bs=4096

6.After successfull backup you will find msg as seen below in image, as well you can see 20MB file efs.img on Ext SD card

Now copy efs.img from Ext Sd card to safer place on pC/Laptop/media/online so you can find whenever you need it.

Restore

Make sure you have efs.img which you have got with backup, placed on Ext Sd card
Repeat step 1-4 as said above, and in step 5 you have to give below said command to restore it.

dd if=/storage/extSdCard/efs.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 bs=4096

- Reboot device

Hi @dr.ketan!

i cant remember if i had backed up my efs.
but just in case, i tried this steps.

i got this message after following the backing up procedure in terminal emulator:

cannot open for read: No such file or directory

what should i do?
im using note 2 n7100.
thank you.

 

[gnikolakis]

Hi @dr.ketan!

i cant remember if i had backed up my efs.
but just in case, i tried this steps.

i got this message after following the backing up procedure in terminal emulator:

cannot open for read: No such file or directory

what should i do?
im using note 2 n7100.
thank you.

Got the same message.. im presuming you must have wrote it wrong. make sure its exactly the way dr ketan has posted. after 2 tries i was succesfull.

 

[rq005]

Is this method better than doing a nandrod back up using the recovery? Thanks!

 

[dr.ketan]

Hi @dr.ketan!

i cant remember if i had backed up my efs.
but just in case, i tried this steps.

i got this message after following the backing up procedure in terminal emulator:

cannot open for read: No such file or directory

what should i do?
im using note 2 n7100.
thank you.

Got the same message.. im presuming you must have wrote it wrong. make sure its exactly the way dr ketan has posted. after 2 tries i was succesfull.

Correct there should be something wrong

Is this method better than doing a nandrod back up using the recovery? Thanks!

Both are different things

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

 

[universil]

Got the same message.. im presuming you must have wrote it wrong. make sure its exactly the way dr ketan has posted. after 2 tries i was succesfull.

What you are most likely getting wrong, when no file found or whatever, is,

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 of=/storage/extSdCard/efs.img bs=4096

THE BIT AFTER mmcb is NOT a ONE its an L ...so l:cyclops:

 

[rq005]

Correct there should be something wrong






Both are different things

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Can you be more specific? I recovered once my EFS using TWRP and worked fine... Maybe you can explain what's so different about. Thanks!

 

[Cruzfire]

make sure its exactly the way dr ketan has posted.

I was putting the S and C from sdcard in small letters and i was getting the same message,now i'm set.