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Rooting Galaxy S2 - Dummies Guide

ironass said:
Did you try wiping the cache partition or Factory Data Resetting?



It would seem that your connection problem goes beyond a mere firmware flash and as per your original post, #733, it may go far deeper, perhaps to your /efs/ folder, as it would seem that you have not been able to get a working APN at all. Maybe, you should use the /efs/ repair feature of GSII Repair.

Other than that, I am at a loss to suggest anything else.
Click to expand...

One last time...
I tried both things and still nothing. After repairing the efs , I tried again to use APN backup and restore and it doesn`t save.
Before I flashed the custom neatrom, when I still had gingerbread version, I had signal and the network connection was working fine. I have the efs folder from back then. Can I restore that if I now have jelly bean ?

If not, do you have any recommendations for where to take my phone for repairs? Thank you...
 
nev_bkd said:
One last time...
I tried both things and still nothing. After repairing the efs , I tried again to use APN backup and restore and it doesn`t save.
Before I flashed the custom neatrom, when I still had gingerbread version, I had signal and the network connection was working fine. I have the efs folder from back then. Can I restore that if I now have jelly bean ?
Click to expand...

I don't suppose you made, and still have, any nandroid backups from your working gingerbread version, that you could restore? Failing that, you can try flashing a gingerbread firmware and /efs/ .

If not, do you have any recommendations for where to take my phone for repairs? Thank you...
Click to expand...

I would have to say that your nearest Samsung Service Point is your best bet.
 
ironass said:
I don't suppose you made, and still have, any nandroid backups from your working gingerbread version, that you could restore? Failing that, you can try flashing a gingerbread firmware and /efs/ .



I would have to say that your nearest Samsung Service Point is your best bet.
Click to expand...

I did. They are from the gingerbread version. I hope it is the right type of backup.

I have the efs folder backed up with GSII repair and copied on my computer. I have an efs_save.tar file

Also I have followed this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/general/guide-data-moving-to-rom-t1502526 and hopefully did a good nandroid backup. Your link to the guide here is broken.
I now have on my computer a clockworkmod folder containing the following:
Backup folder with a "rominstalat" folder with : boot, cache.ext4 , data.ext4, nandroid.md5, system.ext4
and
.nomedia
.recoverycheckpoint
.salted_hash
.settings

What can I do with these?
 
ironass said:
Are you still using the same custom recovery that you made those gingerbread nandroid backups with?

If so, you simply boot into recovery and select the restore option in your custom recovery and then select the nandroid backup to restore.

How to do a Nandroid Backup and Restore in CWM Recovery
Click to expand...

I...think so ? Since I rooted the phone I have CWM again and I reinstalled the ROM Manager. Also the clockworkmod folder I previously mentioned is still showing up on my internal storage.
What about the efs ? I think the one that is in the phone is an efs from the current JB version. I have the gingerbread saved one on my computer. Do I need to do anything about this or just do the custom recovery ?
 
Hopefully, if you did a full nandroid backup originally, your nandroid will contain your /efs/ file and will be restored automatically. If you originally made the nandroid using CWM and ROM Manager, then use them for the restore.
 
ironass said:
Hopefully, if you did a full nandroid backup originally, your nandroid will contain your /efs/ file and will be restored automatically. If you originally made the nandroid using CWM and ROM Manager, then use them for the restore.
Click to expand...

ROM manager restore failed. I used the app , went to restore and selected the backup that I mentioned and it took me to recovery mode where this showed:
cwm based recovery v6012siyah
waiting for sd card to mount 20s
sd card mounted
veryfing sd card maker
rom manager version 5537
26sept 2015
checking md5sums
md5 mismatch
/tmp/recovery.log was copied to /sdcard/clockworkmod/recovery.log
please open rom manager to report the issue

I rebooted and went to the ROM manager app but nothing special was showing.
I tried then like in the youtube video but when pressing restore it didn`t show me any list with backups. This notification appeared instead:

CWM based recovery v6012 siyah
couldnt open directory
no files found

... Is it time to give up ? :(
 
ironass said:
It's not over until the fat lady sings.

Try flashing this...

Model GT-I9100
Model name GALAXY S II
Country United Kingdom (T-Mobile)
Version Android 4.0.3
Changelist 0
Build date N/A
Product code TMU
PDA I9100BVLPB
CSC I9100TMULPC
Click to expand...

This is the version that made my phone bootloop the first time. Should I try a different custom ROM? Maybe it would let me save the APN with one of those? It seems like the Tmobile ones dont work well on my phone. However, I had no working network when I had the neatrom either...

I really appreciate you bearing with me .
 
Go ahead and flash the stock firmware I linked to, anyway. Make sure that you wipe the cache partition after flashing.
 
ironass said:
Go ahead and flash the stock firmware I linked to, anyway. Make sure that you wipe the cache partition after flashing.
Click to expand...

I did, it passed Odin but it went into bootloop again. Wiped the cache partition and it still goes into bootlooping.
 
nev_bkd said:
I did, it passed Odin but it went into bootloop again. Wiped the cache partition and it still goes into bootlooping.
Click to expand...

Have you tried a Factory Data Reset in Recovery Mode on this firmware?

Have you ever, during your flashings, altered the .PIT files?

You are certain that you have the i9100 and not the, "P", "T", "G" or "M", variants?

Last go at flashing. After this, even I am stumped as to why you cannot get your phone up and running. This is the latest, generic stock Samsung firmware that was released for the i9100. It is for Poland but is unbranded and has the English (UK) language pack.

Model GT-I9100
Model name GALAXY S II
Country Poland
Version Android 4.1.2
Changelist 1155032
Build date Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:33:56 +0000
Product code XEO
PDA I9100XXMS7
CSC I9100OXAMS7
 
ironass said:
Have you tried a Factory Data Reset in Recovery Mode on this firmware?

Have you ever, during your flashings, altered the .PIT files?

You are certain that you have the i9100 and not the, "P", "T", "G" or "M", variants?

Last go at flashing. After this, even I am stumped as to why you cannot get your phone up and running. This is the latest, generic stock Samsung firmware that was released for the i9100. It is for Poland but is unbranded and has the English (UK) language pack.

Model GT-I9100
Model name GALAXY S II
Country Poland
Version Android 4.1.2
Changelist 1155032
Build date Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:33:56 +0000
Product code XEO
PDA I9100XXMS7
CSC I9100OXAMS7
Click to expand...

Factory reset had no effect.
No, I don`t know of such files but how could I have altered them? Maybe I did it without knowing...
Now that you mentioned the models, I did look them up.... I never saw a P or any other letter written anywhere but my phone was bought from Orange Romania initially.

Added the Poland firmware and it is working. The network problem still persists though. No APN`s are showing or can be saved from settings
 
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Hi, I'm currently using NEATROM AOSP. I want to switch over to the latest cyanogen mod, mainly because NEATROM is giving me some problems with media scanner and some other minor issues. However cyanogen mod installation guide assumes that the device is running stock Android 4.x, which obviously is not true for my device. So is there any other installation guide to use.
 
nev_bkd said:
Factory reset had no effect.
No, I don`t know of such files but how could I have altered them? Maybe I did it without knowing...
Now that you mentioned the models, I did look them up.... I never saw a P or any other letter written anywhere but my phone was bought from Orange Romania initially.

Added the Poland firmware and it is working. The network problem still persists though. No APN`s are showing or can be saved from settings
Click to expand...

OK. So you now have a booting firmware. As for the APN settings, this could be down to a corrupt /efs/ file. May be time to visit your nearest Samsung Service point and get their opinion.

Dris said:
Hi, I'm currently using NEATROM AOSP. I want to switch over to the latest cyanogen mod, mainly because NEATROM is giving me some problems with media scanner and some other minor issues. However cyanogen mod installation guide assumes that the device is running stock Android 4.x, which obviously is not true for my device. So is there any other installation guide to use.
Click to expand...

Best practice when switching from one custom ROM to another, (especially if it is to the CM nightly ROMs), is to unroot using SuperSU settings and flash a stock Samsung firmware and doing a Factory Data Reset before moving on to your new ROM. This ensures that you have a correctly working phone with no detritus left over from the previous firmware.
 
ironass said:
OK. So you now have a booting firmware. As for the APN settings, this could be down to a corrupt /efs/ file. May be time to visit your nearest Samsung Service point and get their opinion.



Best practice when switching from one custom ROM to another, (especially if it is to the CM nightly ROMs), is to unroot using SuperSU settings and flash a stock Samsung firmware and doing a Factory Data Reset before moving on to your new ROM. This ensures that you have a correctly working phone with no detritus left over from the previous firmware.
Click to expand...

Just got back from the samsung service. They did not want to look at the phone as they heard it was previously rooted and such. They say if the sim card cannot be read then it`s unfixable. I mentioned the backup but ..nothing :(
So...I need a new phone :(

Again, thank you very much for all your help, patience and for not giving up easily! Really appreciate that!
 
nev_bkd said:
Just got back from the samsung service. They did not want to look at the phone as they heard it was previously rooted and such. They say if the sim card cannot be read then it`s unfixable. I mentioned the backup but ..nothing :(
So...I need a new phone :(

Again, thank you very much for all your help, patience and for not giving up easily! Really appreciate that!
Click to expand...

Are you able to read your IMEI number when entering *#06# into the dial pad?
 
ironass said:
Odd that your IMEI number does not match the sticker in the battery compartment.

Post #2 of [Q] efs restore, no backup discusses ways of restoring/repairing an /efs file.
Click to expand...

Thank you!
At the first glance seems very complicated but I am reading thoroughly. I hope I can do this

Reading the posts from the links mentioned in #2 posts , I discovered that the IMEI number that I get shown is a 'generic' one - 004999010640000 ...so yes, my IMEI is screwed afterall.

To access the efs folder with root explorer, what kernel should I use for rooting ?

Also... when I look into My files, I have 2 efs-related files ( efsdev-mmcblk0p1.img.gz & efsbackup.tar.gz from 23 sept ) and 2 in the GSII_repair folder ( efs_save.tar & efs_save.tar.gz from 25 sept )
On my computer I have an efs_save.tar that I copied from the phone and the date says 22 Sept.
 
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To root your Galaxy S2, carefully follow the instructions in Rooting Galaxy S2 - Dummies Guide and you will need to add Root Explorer file Manager mentioned in it. I would go for the earliest /efs file backup that you have as the later ones may be compromised.
 
ironass said:
To root your Galaxy S2, carefully follow the instructions in Rooting Galaxy S2 - Dummies Guide and you will need to add Root Explorer file Manager mentioned in it. I would go for the earliest /efs file backup that you have as the later ones may be compromised.
Click to expand...

This post makes more sense to me: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/help/solved-stuck-flight-mode-efs-issue-t1261948 , although this one http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/help/efs-recovery-t1331701 solved the problem as well

My progress so far:
I successfully rooted the phone and I installed ES file explorer.
I found the efs folder. There, I have nv_data.bin and nv_data.bin.md5 files and their date is shown as 2 oct 015.
I don`t have in the efs folder the .nv_data.bak & nv_data.bak.md5

Ive mentioned in the post before what efs files I have.

Also, I have installed ADB following this guide http://www.howtogeek.com/125769/how-to-install-and-use-abd-the-android-debug-bridge-utility/ and I can see my device when I connect it.
I have 7zip on my PC if I need to explore the .tar

I am not too sure what to do next, I`m scared of ruining it completely. ADB is very unfamiliar to me. Could you please guide me through this process as well ? Thank you
 
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