IMEI corrupted after flash

[emirer]

Has anyone got IMEI restored back ?

[qbanin]

Ok,

Here's a guide for ppl that have received fixed nv_data.bin from me:


1. Turn on the phone and let Android boot up (NOT RECOVERY MODE!)

2. Copy new nv_data.bin (received from me) to the root folder on SD Card (without subfolders).

3. Access phone through ADB with command

adb shell

4. Navigate to folder /efs

cd /efs

5. Type

ls

. nv_data.bin file should be listed in the output. IF YOUR EFS PARTITION IS CORRUPTED (NOT MOUNTED) THIS FIX WILL NOT WORK.

6. Remove existing nv_data.bin

rm nv_data.bin

7. Copy new file to /efs directory

cp /sdcard/nv_data.bin /efs

8. Change permissions of new file

chmod 644 /efs/nv_data.bin

9. Wait 5 sec.

10. Disconnect phone from your PC/Charger and pull out battery (DON'T SHUT DOWN SYSTEM BY PRESSING "END CALL" BUTTON).

11. Start phone again, let Android boot up, start Phone application, and check your IMEI with *#06# code.


UPDATE:

I'm using this version of software and changing IMEI works fine. If you followed all the steps above, try to flash this one.

I570EOXEJF1-CSC-MULTI-CL403683.tar
I570EXXJD1_Phone.tar
I570EXXJF1_CL324368_Bootloader.tar
I570EXXJF2_CL412391_PDA.tar

+ LK2.07 beta

If you don't want to flash whole ROM, use at least this Phone version.

[bingrenyg]

Hi,

I'm sorry but i can't publish my work, because in many coutries changing IMEI is illegal, and my work could be used to legalization of stolen phones. Only thing I can do is fixing your IMEI in base of proof of purchase and photo/screenshot of original IMEI from your phone's box.

Hello,Qbanin,
I hope you can help me solve the frustrating problem.
And I attached my file here.
I will send my IMEI in the mortherboard though privare message.
Thank you!

[Zod]

Hi qbanin, which version do you use ? 1.6 or 2.1? Because in 2.1 nv_data.bin is just a copy of a portion of bml0 (which is the whole flash area), and in turn it is in bml9. However bml9 is not mounted by default.

And I really doubt that changing a file in the root fs can change the data stored on an entirely different flash partion.

Do you have some proof, or any sucess stories already? I may have missed something and I work on the same problem (although and don't have much time currently).

Thanks,
Zod.

[qbanin]

I'm using 2.1. I'm not saing, that I'm changing Flash area. My fix just make phone functional. IMEI is recognized by radio correctly and broadcasted to the network as a correct one.

I don't know how 1.5/1.6 works, coz I've upgraded my phone just after purchase and everything was fine (including IMEI), till I the moment I wanted to do some tests I deleted nv_data.bin without making backup (I was pretty convinced, that this file is part of system and can by restored by flashing the phone) :P After this simple operation my IMEI changed to 00000000000000. If someone has a backup then no problem, restoring original nv_data.bin, restores IMEI as well.

As u can see in logcat (Android 2.1) the partition /efs is being mounted at system startup, nv file loaded into memory, and IMEI extracted from that data.

Conlusion:

In Android 2.1 IMEI is stored (and loaded) only in /efs/nv_data.bin file. It's even worse. /efs partition is a vfat filesystem, so can be easily corrupted at system crash or sudden power off.

[bingrenyg]

I'm using 2.1. I'm not saing, that I'm changing Flash area. My fix just make phone functional. IMEI is recognized by radio correctly and broadcasted to the network as a correct one.

I think it just like the activation of computer. The system read the information from SLIC area of Bios. If it is correct ,it activated.
This time ,the phone read the fixed IMEI information of the file , then,it works.
Am I right?

[Zod]

Something like this, but I think this workaround is connected to the LK kernel too, maybe it will not overwrite the nv_data.bin if it's already there, because the stock kernels will blindly overwrite the file if it's already there.

Qbanin, I know how to make the change permanent in the flash, are you interested? Or can you do it alone?

[qbanin]

Sorry, I don't have tools and spare phone for such experiments

P.S. I think the first step shoud be flashing A2.1.
second step, if /efs partition is still corrupted, check "Debug" and "Clear EFS" option in Odin.

I can't test this, coz I don't have Spica with such problem.

Besides, ones /efs/nv_data.bin is loaded successfully, then flashing different 2.1 ROM should leave it intact.

[Zod]

Ok, I'll try to make the change permanent anyway, my spica is not my main phone, so I can experiment with it

[qbanin]

I don't think its possible. AFAIK in all Galaxy family phones (I5700, I7500, I9000 and others) IMEI is stored in nv_data.bin. Deletion of this file result with broken IMEI. As i have heard also Android-based LG phones works this way.

My method is permanent. Rom flashing doesn't modify /efs partition.