[SOLVED] Restore IMEI with absolute NO backup?

[moikop]

Edit: Solved by going back to Stock GB. Thanks everyone!

I've got a friend who got a new Captivate from the US. And he flashed CM10 right after getting it, without making a backup of the efs folder. Now, the efs partition is completely empty, and of course it says "Unknown baseband, unknown imei", etc".

I've looked around, but all the imei restore methods seem to require at least one efs file. However in this case we have none. So, is there any way to restore the efs/imei? Maybe mounting it to the pc and running a file restoration software (might sound desperate, but we are).

Also, I have another captivate (this one is mine) with the efs. Would it be possible to modify my backup to use his original imei and then restore it in his phone?

Any ideas are welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[RootTheMachine]

Installing CM should automatically backup /efs to the sdcard. Look for a folder called "backup." Also, flashing to stock can sometimes resolve these issues without tampering with /efs

 

[treygrizzard26]

I can't give you a 100% guarantee, but the two phones that I've had to recover IMEI's for both regained the efs folder contents when I flashed to stock GB from an ICS or JB rom.

 

[evilgenx]

Waiting 5mins inbetween postings sux.

The easiest way I could find to restore my IMEI was to re-flash back to a stock (in my case it was a rogers rom) then go forth from there. Like it was mentioned above, CM9/10 save the efs and restore it after flash. I lost my IMEI while flashing Helly and was frustrated at reading the "fixes". It was just easier to format, reflash stock then go back to CM10 (Which I'm running now and it's great).

 

[moikop]

Thanks for the replies.

Apparently, he tried to flash CM9, and in the process he thinks the internal memory (/sdcard/) was somehow wiped and now he can't find that folder. I told him to use recuva or something like that to try and get them back, let's see how that goes.

But in case he can't recover that folder, is there any other way? Maybe mounting efs partition on the memory and using recuva then?
He really has bad luck...

 

[moikop]

Well, there really is NO backup. I can't find the efs backup on the sdcard. Even tried with Recuva and there's nothing there.
What's funny about it is that there's no files in the efs partition, yet the df command says it's full. Any ideas?

As a last resource thing, I was thinking about using the efs from MY captivate and see what happens. Thoughts?
I really apreciate any comment!! Thanks in advance.

 

[m1batt1]

Well, there really is NO backup. I can't find the efs backup on the sdcard. Even tried with Recuva and there's nothing there.
What's funny about it is that there's no files in the efs partition, yet the df command says it's full. Any ideas?

As a last resource thing, I was thinking about using the efs from MY captivate and see what happens. Thoughts?
I really apreciate any comment!! Thanks in advance.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1300843 Go there and get one of the One-Clicks that will take you to stock GB. As several other people have said that is your best bet for getting the efs folder back.

 

[moikop]

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1300843 Go there and get one of the One-Clicks that will take you to stock GB. As several other people have said that is your best bet for getting the efs folder back.

I can't believe my eyes, it worked! Thank you very much!! :laugh:

 

[m1batt1]

I can't believe my eyes, it worked! Thank you very much!! :laugh:

Now before you go anywhere else back up your efs folder!

Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda app-developers app

 

[SPEED_RACER_5.0]

could anyone help with this, i bade a backup of the efs, and imei folder,I can find it no prob. just dont know how to restore it. cant get into diag mode to try a qpst restore either

 

[can80an]

could anyone help with this, i bade a backup of the efs, and imei folder,I can find it no prob. just dont know how to restore it. cant get into diag mode to try a qpst restore either

Just do a search on xda, there are losts of threads than can help you work through this.

 

[stevegrin]

I was able to restore my IMEI using this method:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1264021

I did it via the terminal emulator on the phone.

I didn't have a good backup of my original /efs folder, either.

 

[shanok33]

it just happened, that my solution for restoring imei on sgs3 i9300 came by installing Android Revolution HD rom. Maybe it happened because it's based on stock. You should try, maybe it will help. :good:

 

[1BadWolf]

I was able to restore my IMEI using this method:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1264021

I did it via the terminal emulator on the phone.

I didn't have a good backup of my original /efs folder, either.

I just used the method you linked and it worked like a charm. Thanks!

 

[Devils7766]

Cant restore imei

I updated me galaxy s5 g990f and lost network etc due to no imei even *#06# shows null imei.. I had phone direct from o2 brand new..ive tried nv read write..qpst tools..qdxm tools and when reboots still no imei flashed firmware before recent update and same thing..any one know how to solve this as o2 ridicukus tell me not covered by insurance or warranty..i looked at rooting but the apps for imei just fool websites not a network..i know can have fixed online but id rather attempt myself to get imei bk or edit system so I can put the imei on..its a galaxt s5 g900f on marshmellow 6.0.1 with snapdragon processor/qualcom..thanks