Hovatek Forum MOBILE Android [Tutorial] How to fix IMEI using nvram.bin & nvdata.img in MTK
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[Tutorial] How to fix IMEI using nvram.bin & nvdata.img in MTK

[Tutorial] How to fix IMEI using nvram.bin & nvdata.img in MTK

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hovatek
hovatek
hovatek
Administrator
49,570
07-07-2018, 11:28 PM
#1



If you run into null IMEI on your Mediatek (MTK) Android device then it might not be able to make or receive phone calls. There are several other methods to fix Null IMEI on Mediatek devices but this guide will focus on fixing null IMEI by restoring/flashing nvram.bin & nvdata.img.

Before you consider fixing null IMEI on Mediatek devices, you should ensure to verify that the device has a valid Baseband. If Baseband is unknown then you need to resolve that first by flashing the firmware before proceeding to write IMEI.

Requirements

  • Download SP Flash tool
  • Install Mediatek USB VCOM drivers
  • Scatter file, nvram.bin & nvdata.img obtained from a firmware backup of a working phone of the same model. You could use WWR MTK to backup the working phone
  • Install Notepad++

Steps to fix null IMEI by flashing nvram.bin & nvdata.img using SP Flash tool


Follow the steps below to use SP Flash tool + nvram.bin & nvdata.img to fix Null IMEI

See the video tutorial below or @ https://youtu.be/Woa0Y9mPKRk

  1. Open the scatter file using Notepad++
  2. Search the scatter file for nvram; it should contain an entry like this:

    Code:

    - partition_index: SYS3
      partition_name: nvram
      file_name: NONE
      is_download: false
      type: NORMAL_ROM
      linear_start_addr: 0x380000       
      physical_start_addr: 0x380000       
      partition_size: 0x500000       
      region: EMMC_USER
      storage: HW_STORAGE_EMMC
      boundary_check: true
      is_reserved: false
      operation_type: BINREGION
      reserve: 0x00

  3. Edit the following lines to what's below:

    Code:

    is_download: true
    file_name: nvram.bin

  4. Search for nvdata in the scatter file

    Code:

    - partition_index: SYS20
      partition_name: nvdata
      file_name: nvdata.img
      is_download: false
      type: EXT4_IMG
      linear_start_addr: 0x1af00000     
      physical_start_addr: 0x1af00000     
      partition_size: 0x2000000       
      region: EMMC_USER
      storage: HW_STORAGE_EMMC
      boundary_check: true
      is_reserved: false
      operation_type: INVISIBLE
      reserve: 0x00

  5. Edit the following lines to what's below:

    Code:

    file_name: nvdata.img
    is_download: true

  6. Save the scatter file

  7. Copy the scatter file, nvram.bin & nvdata.img into the same folder

  8. Launch SP flash tool

    [Image: How-to-restore-nvram.bin-nvdata.img-usin...ool-1.webp]

  9. Click Scatter-loading

    [Image: How-to-restore-nvram.bin-nvdata.img-usin...ool-2.webp]

  10. Navigate to the location of the scatter file, highlight it then click Open

    [Image: How-to-restore-nvram.bin-nvdata.img-usin...ool-3.webp]

  11. The nvram and nvdata should be automatically ticked in SP flash tool

    [Image: How-to-restore-nvram.bin-nvdata.img-usin...ool-4.webp]

  12.   Click Download. Power off the device (with battery in, don't hold any button) then connect to PC via a USB cord

    [Image: How-to-restore-nvram.bin-nvdata.img-usin...ool-5.webp]

  13. Sp flash tool should begin flashing (do not interrupt). You should see a green OK sign once flashing is done

    [Image: How-to-restore-nvram.bin-nvdata.img-usin...ool-6.webp]

  14. Disconnect and power up the device

Video Transcript
Quote:In this video tutorial, I'll be explaining how to restore NVRAM and NVdata to an MTK device using SP Flash tool. Usually, you'll have to do this when you have Null IMEI and you have tried other methods like a box or Maui Meta and the rest and they just don't work okay? In that kind of case, you have to resort to restoring the NVRAM and NVdata using SP Flash tool.

Now, first off, you need to have installed your VCOM drivers. We have a guide on how to do that so check out our YouTube Channel and our Forum You also need to have the scatter file for your phone model, You can get this from the firmware for your phone and also the NVdata & NVRAM files which you backed up from a working phone. Its very important you get them from a working phone of the same model because if you flash another model's NVRAM, You might corrupt Your NVRAM partition so just to be on the safe side, get from a working phone of the same model.

Now, once you have all these in place, the next thing you want to do is to modify your scatter file Now, I also should mention that you should have installed Notepad++. I have that installed on my PC. So You open the scatter file using Notepad++ because that gives you a better view of the contents of the scatter file so you don't mix things up. Now, you can see the layout is very OK visually.

Now, what you want to do at this point in Notepad++ is to search for the NVRAM so I'm going type Ctrl + F and NVRAM and then you tap Enter. So that takes me to the NVRAM section of the scatter file. Now, you're going to change Two values. You have is_download set to false, You change that to true. This is so that SP Flash tool can detect the NVRAM file when you load the scatter file in SP Flash tool okay? because if you just load the scatter file without changing these values you'll find out that the list will not contain NVRAM & NVdata okay? that's why we're going through this step.

Now, the next thing you want to do is (still under NVRAM) you want to change the file name from none to nvram.bin This is the file name here. So, nvram.bin okay? I'm done with NVRAM. Over to NVdata so you tap Ctrl + F again, and nvdata this time around and Enter. Alright! Great! Now,here, You change is_download from false totrue and then under file name, we have that in place so we don't have tomake any edit there.

So what you want to do is just tap Ctrl + S which is Save the scatter file and you can close the scatter file. Now, back to SP Flash tool. What you want to do now is to launch SP Flash tool. I recommend using a lower version because I tried using the latest version and that wouldn't even let me flash NVRAM at all so I just had to go with this particular version. Alright! Great! So in SP Flash tool, what you want to do is to click on scatter loading and navigate to the location where the scatter file is.

You highlight the scatter file then you click on Open. That's going to load the files so you can see NVRAM is ticked here and NVdata is also ticked alright? So if I hadn't made those edits You'll notice that once I load the scatter file, these will not be on this list okay? That's why we had to do the edits earlier on. So, I'm ready to flash.What you want to do at this point is to click on Download. Alright! Great! So you power off the device which is having null IMEI issue.

You make sure the battery is inserted, don't hold any button then you connect it to the PC via a USB cord. Wait for detection and flashing. SP Flash tool is flashing...and... Yeah, that's done. So you have the Download OK, great! Then you can close SP Flash tool, disconnect and power up the device. Once you boot up, you should dial *#06#  to check IMEI. You should see that it is restored to your device.

So that's basically how to restore NVRAM and NVdata to fix null IMEI on an MTK device using SP Flash tool.
This post was last modified: 14-11-2023, 01:35 PM by hovatek.

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DesCoene
DesCoene
DesCoene
Junior Member
29
20-09-2018, 08:40 AM
#2
(07-07-2018, 11:28 PM)hovatek If you run into null IMEI on your Mediatek (MTK) Android device then it might not be able to make or receive phone calls. There are several other methods to fix Null IMEI on Mediatek devices but this guide will focus on fixing null IMEI by restoring / flashing nvram.bin & nvdata.img.
...

I can't find any nvdata.img in my original wiko sunny v46 ROM how can i reset the phone's nvdata.img
This post was last modified: 20-09-2018, 01:15 PM by X3non.
Attached Files
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rom inhalt pic.jpg
Size: 43.99 KB / Downloads: 63
X3non
X3non
X3non
Recognized Contributor
22,062
20-09-2018, 01:20 PM
#3
(20-09-2018, 08:40 AM)DesCoene I can't find any nvdata.img in my original wiko sunny v46 ROM how can i reset the phone's nvdata.img

thats how you differentiate factory / original firmware from firmware dumps
factory firmware doesn't include nvram / nvdata file but includes DB files for fixing imei
stock rom dumps dont have DB files but might contain nvram file.

if you need nvram / nvdata then you need to dump it from a working device
This post was last modified: 20-09-2018, 01:21 PM by X3non.
madcom5
madcom5
madcom5
Experienced Member
88
19-10-2018, 09:33 AM
#4
Help, i'm facing this error, TECNO LA7.


[Image: 58788473928828145341.png]
This post was last modified: 19-10-2018, 09:39 AM by madcom5.
hovatek
hovatek
hovatek
Administrator
49,570
19-10-2018, 01:06 PM
#5



(19-10-2018, 09:33 AM)madcom5 Help, i'm facing this error, TECNO LA7.

Have you tried unlocking bootloader then retrying?

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xerxes
xerxes
xerxes
Senior Member
8,355
19-10-2018, 01:07 PM
#6
(19-10-2018, 09:33 AM)madcom5 Help, i'm facing this error, TECNO LA7.


[Image: 58788473928828145341.png]

Please create a new thread so we focus on it.
See https://www.hovatek.com/forum/thread-514.html for how to create a new thread.

Sent from my M5 mini using Hovatek Mobile
madcom5
madcom5
madcom5
Experienced Member
88
21-10-2018, 08:27 AM
#7
(19-10-2018, 01:06 PM)hovatek
(19-10-2018, 09:33 AM)madcom5 Help, i'm facing this error, TECNO LA7.

Have you tried unlocking bootloader then retrying?

Hey, you must be genious, after unlocking the bootloader the error got solved. And then i relocked it back.
manuel11
manuel11
manuel11
Newbie
1
04-01-2019, 11:24 PM
#8
What if i got this error when flashing the nvram? Do someone know how to solve it? please
Attached Files
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X3non
X3non
X3non
Recognized Contributor
22,062
05-01-2019, 11:15 AM
#9
(04-01-2019, 11:24 PM)manuel11 What if i got this error when flashing the nvram? Do someone know how to solve it? please

check for and try the fixes listed at https://www.hovatek.com/forum/thread-439.html
sicariusM5
sicariusM5
sicariusM5
Junior Member
33
07-07-2019, 11:57 PM
#10



I've been dealing with this IMEI, MEID, and SN issue and I just found in this thread (which i've seen before) that it is recommended to use older SP Flashtool version for you to be able to flash the images. Now, if this will be succesful, my questions are:

-Which range of old version can you recommend, that can flash these img/bin files (i am hoping I can also flash a proinfo.img using this metjod) ?

- will this method restore the original phone's IMEI/MEID? Or will it show the IMEI of the phone where you extracted the nvdata/nvram file?
This post was last modified: 07-07-2019, 11:58 PM by sicariusM5.
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