How do I backup my IMEI?

[Florensie]

I was told to backup my IMEI before fashing CM14.1. I looked at this guide and because I don't want to go through the hassle rooting my phone I decided to go with the twrp backup way because I was going to backup with twrp anyway. But when I go to backup it doesn't show the EFS partitition like in the guide. I have Boot, System, Data and Cache. Will I need to root my phone or is there an easy fix to this? Also my phone is a moto G4 and not a G4 plus but I thought I'd ask here because the non-plus forum is kinda dead.

 

[velosa]

I was told to backup my IMEI before fashing CM14.1. I looked at this guide and because I don't want to go through the hassle rooting my phone I decided to go with the twrp backup way because I was going to backup with twrp anyway. But when I go to backup it doesn't show the EFS partitition like in the guide. I have Boot, System, Data and Cache. Will I need to root my phone or is there an easy fix to this? Also my phone is a moto G4 and not a G4 plus but I thought I'd ask here because the non-plus forum is kinda dead.

In my lg g3 i have this option in twrp, it was nice if we had also in our moto g4.But for now we do not have.

Sent from my Moto G4 using XDA Labs

 

[gabriwinter]

1. Backup all available in twrp
2. Follow this for root -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g4-plus/how-to/root-systemless-rooting-supersu-2-74-2-t3405772
3. Download Flashfire -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.flash&hl=en_GB
4. Set selinux to permissive temporary:

su
setenforce permissive

5. Open Flashfire and select RAW partition backup.
(I would backup all, but for IMEI you only need modem partitions)

 

[Florensie]

In my lg g3 i have this option in twrp, it was nice if we had also in our moto g4.But for now we do not have.

Sent from my Moto G4 using XDA Labs

So do I need to root my phone or is the IMEI stored in any of the other partitions TWRP backs up? Also, can't I just write down my number from the about tab in Android?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using XDA-Developers mobile app

 

[Florensie]

1. Backup all available in twrp
2. Follow this for root -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g4-plus/how-to/root-systemless-rooting-supersu-2-74-2-t3405772
3. Download Flashfire -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.flash&hl=en_GB
4. Set selinux to permissive temporary:

su
setenforce permissive

5. Open Flashfire and select RAW partition backup.
(I would backup all, but for IMEI you only need modem partitions)

Thanks I'll take a look at that.

 

[Florensie]

1. Backup all available in twrp
2. Follow this for root -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g4-plus/how-to/root-systemless-rooting-supersu-2-74-2-t3405772
3. Download Flashfire -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.flash&hl=en_GB
4. Set selinux to permissive temporary:

su
setenforce permissive

5. Open Flashfire and select RAW partition backup.
(I would backup all, but for IMEI you only need modem partitions)

EDIT: I restored my backup and it's fine now. But I sure did almost have a heart attack. I am on nougat soak test which was causing issues.

I did the second step but now my IMEI doesn't show up anymore, my SIM isn't found, I can't find any networks, my IP address is gone, my mac address is reset. Do I restore the backup?

tl;dr: topic in the second step barely points out the fact it only works on marshmellow (small, non bold, normal size letters at the top of the topic), flashed it anyway, almost lost my IMEI while trying to backup... my IMEI

EDIT 2: sorry for being such a noob, but wouldn't it be better to go straight to CM, root it with CM's built-in rooting functionality and then do the backup? Would there be a higher chance of losing an IMEI number in the process of that than in the process of your instructions because for your instructions I need to go back to marshmellow, root, backup IMEI, flash nougat (people say CM has less issues if you flash nougat first), flash CM? How do you even 'lose' your IMEI?

 

[gabriwinter]

I'm sorry I didn't realise you where using nougat.
Yes flashing CM and then using flashfire will work just fine.
You will be taking a backup of the soak version of your modem partitions.
You won't loose your IMEI flashing CM because it doesn't change the modem partitions.
The only way you can loose your IMEI is by using fastboot (or flashfire) and flashing the wrong version.
So you don't need to worry about losing your IMEI at this stage.

 

[Florensie]

I'm sorry I didn't realise you where using nougat.
Yes flashing CM and then using flashfire will work just fine.
You will be taking a backup of the soak version of your modem partitions.
You won't loose your IMEI flashing CM because it doesn't change the modem partitions.
The only way you can loose your IMEI is by using fastboot (or flashfire) and flashing the wrong version.
So you don't need to worry about losing your IMEI at this stage.

No problem, you couldn't have possibly known that. I should have mentioned it. Thanks for the help yet again.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using XDA-Developers mobile app

 

[daverobinson88]

I may be asking a stupid question but how do you "lose" your imei? Isn't that the serial number to the device. I mean it's stamped on the back of the battery. I wouldn't think that is possible, isn't that how your phone gets blacklisted?

 

[zeomal]

I may be asking a stupid question but how do you "lose" your imei? Isn't that the serial number to the device. I mean it's stamped on the back of the battery. I wouldn't think that is possible, isn't that how your phone gets blacklisted?

The phone cannot read what's stamped on the back of the battery. It needs something to tell it that the IMEI number is so-and-so. The IMEI number thus is stored in a particular partition of your phone, one that is usually never touched by the average user.