How do I backup and restore /efs?

There are a few methods to backup /efs, but they all require customisation of your phone.
Either root access, or a custom recovery. I appreciate that many of you do not wish to root
your phones and just want to flash official ROMs via Odin... Well here are your choices:

1. Only use OTA or KIES to update (Official Method)

2. Root using CF auto root / Framaroot - backup efs and THEN flash via ODIN
3. Flash a custom recovery via Odin, backup efs and THEN flash a ROm via Odin
4. Risk it. Don't backup efs. Simply flash via Odin and hope for the best

...and here are the options for backing up / restoring efs (this list is not exhaustive)

EFS Pro - App needs root

SGSIII EFS backup / Restore - app runs from Windows / Linux and needs root

kTool - app needs root.

Philz advanced CWM rewcovery - custom recovery can take efs backups using the
"Custom Backup" feature.

It's worth noting that some custom ROMs will give the option to backup efs, but you can
never have too many backups!
.tar and .tar.gz backups can be extracted on /sdcard and then manually used to replace the
files in /efs using a root explorer or adb as a last resort. Some people have reported more
success deleting the /efs folder contents before hand. This is risky though, so only those of
you who can backup the /efs with Philz recovery before trying this - should try it. Why Philz
recovery backup the already broken EFS? well you can restore it if the phone doesn't boot
and at least you are no worse off than before attempting this method. Messing woith EFS
can cause your phone to not boot up so be CAREFUL!!!
Please see below for step-by-step instructions to restore a folder dump* of EFS
using adb. Do so at your own risk!!!
This is useful if you cannot boot.
*An example of a folder dump would be an efs backup created using my mg baseband
pack linked earlier in this thread.

I heard I can manually modify my IMEI,

transplanted from another device?

Modifying an IMEI is illegal in many countries. Even if this was possible, discussion here
would be against the rules. Your IMEI must not be modified. Either restore a backup or
send for repair.

I'm stuck in factorymode, is this related?

Yes, factorymode is caused by corrupt efs. It is possible to fix it with root and a terminal
emulator.
Firstly try these commands (case sensitive)
Code:
su
echo -n ON >> /efs/FactoryApp/factorymode

If they fail, use the more detailed commands:

Code:
su
rm /efs/FactoryApp/keystr
rm /efs/FactoryApp/factorymode
echo -n ON >> /efs/FactoryApp/keystr
echo -n ON >> /efs/FactoryApp/factorymode
chown 1000.1000 /efs/FactoryApp/keystr
chown 1000.1000 /efs/FactoryApp/factorymode
chmod 0744 /efs/FactoryApp/keystr
chmod 0744 /efs/FactoryApp/factorymode
reboot

This should hopefully return you to user mode. If not, the last thing you can try, which
reportedly works is to delete /efs/FactoryApp/ folder, then factory reset from recovery. This
*should* regenerate the folder. Your factory mode will still need "echo -n ON >>
/efs/FactoryApp/factorymode" doing though, which can be done as described above or
opening the file in a text editor and changing the content of the file to "ON"
Failing that, flash stock and send for repair.
See here for more info on factory mode

How does "Ariza patch" fit in to this?

Ariza patch does not fix IMEI issues. It fixes "00000" Serial number issues, which has
similar symptoms. This patch does not work on EFS v2 ROMs. If you use it, you may
irreparably break your phone.
Also it would seem, Phones that had this patch ON EFS v1 ROMS will break their IMEI if

they upgrade to EFS v2 ROMS.

As yet, there is nothing proved to resolve this issue fully. Search the Ariza thread for posts
by zuluman for potential fixes. This Page is hopefully the most useful or one of the patched
modems posted
It would probably be best to get the serial number professionally restored either under
warranty or by sla mobile repair shop. The Ariza patch was always only fixing something
that should have been fixed under warranty anyway.... now we are seeing this issue - cut
your losses

Send for repair

A couple of notes on this. Firstly, "Send for repair" does not necessarily mean you must
return it to Samsung / Your carrier. It is simply a phrase. Many EFS issues can be resolved
by taking it to a mobile repair shop.. In the UK, There's one on almost every street in a town
/ city centre, and they will charge about 20 to get it repaired. Around $25 USD / EUR. If
you are out of warranty or are in a rush for the repair, this is a good option and yes, people
are known to have been successful with this...
Secondly, a more personal note. If I suggest "send for repair" as a solution for you, it is not
because I am unwilling to get involved in troubleshooting or helping (although this is all
already covered in this post) - It is because I truly believe this is the best or only option for
you. Mostly I will only recommend it if it is the only option. Seeing me say this a lot in this
thread is because we need people to accept that there can only be a finite amount of
approaches to fixing the issue. In some cases, I will recommend it if it is the BEST option.
An example of that would be the ariza patch situation. The Change in EFS format broke all
those serial number 000000 phones that were fixed with the ariza patch. It was my opinion
before MG4 that serial number 000000 should have been the resolution to this issue. It still
is. At the moment, there are not many options for broken ariza patched phones. My opinion
is this is the order of best solutions.
1) Repair
2) Wait for ariza update
3) Try Zuluman patch.
I have said this a lot but it needed to go here too..

Other
How to work out when your baseband / ROM was released.
1) Take the last 3 characters from the name.
2) Compare the first of these characters against the below to get the year
L=2012
M=2013
3) Compare the second of these characters against the below to get the month
A=January

B=February
C= March
D=April
E=May
F=June
G=July
H=August
J=September
K=October
L=November
k=December
4) take the last of the 3 characters and compare against the below to get the revision
number
1=Revision 1
2=Revision 2
3=Revision 3
4=Revision 4
5=Revision 5
6=Revision 6
7=Revision 7
8=Revision 8
9=Revision 9
A=Revision 10
B=Revision 11
C=Revision 12
D=Revision 13
E=Revision 14
F=Revision 15