# iPhone IMEI reset



## ThaSoulHacker (Oct 2, 2007)

I've reset everything in my phone to a virgin iPhone after downgrading from 1.1.1 to 1.0.2 and my IMEI was fine. Everything worked except unlocking to work with Rogers. The lastest simfree does not work on my phone for some reason (even though I did pay for it), so I had to you anysim to unlock. After doing that my IMEI number changed and now I can't sync with iTunes unless my sim card is taken out and it might just be in my head but the bars of service on my phone just aren't as strong as they used to be. I'm not sure if that's related to the IMEI issue or a whole other problem. Anyone know how to fix this or is this another sit and wait game?


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

I think you're lucky to get any service at all. Some services will block you if your phone shows up with the same IMEI as another previously "known" device on the network. Does your IMEI now start with three zeros by chance?


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

That's what the SIM unlock does. It doesn't actually change the IMEI number, that's just what it shows in the software. The IMEI number that's read by the cellular system is from the SIM card itself, and that isn't changed.

Try this:

Put the AT&T sim card back in the iPhone. Restore it using 1.0.2 in iTunes.
Once that's done, turn off iTunesHelper and reset the iPhone. Put your sim card in it and use Jailbreak again. This _should_ activate your Rogers sim, and fix the syncing problem with iTunes.


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## ThaSoulHacker (Oct 2, 2007)

I've seen that method and tried a restore both with the AT&T sim as well as no SIM. When you go to settings and check your phone's IMEI number it's fine, but once you sim unlock it changes to one iTunes cannot recognize. So what I'm thinking needs to happen is some hacking into the phone somehow to change the number or some way to reset the software in such a way that it doesn't relock my phone.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Yeah, it's the hack, and it's normal.

Did you shut your phone off, put your Rogers sim in it then 'Activate' it using INdependance?


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## ThaSoulHacker (Oct 2, 2007)

yeah. it wouldn't let me do it otherwise


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Did you do it again after the unlock?


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## ThaSoulHacker (Oct 2, 2007)

no. I haven't done that again after the unlock, but iNdependance does give me the option to activate.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Do it!


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## ThaSoulHacker (Oct 2, 2007)

iNdependance crashed a few times trying to activate, but finally it worked. So now it'll sync with iTunes without needing to remove the sim card which is pretty nice. However, I went into setting -> general -> about and my IMEI number is still the wrong one. I wonder if there is still a way to change this and if it'll affect my phone service at all. Thanks for your help to date. This forum is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. Been visiting it for a few weeks now.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

That IMEI thing is the way the hack works. I read this somewhere a while back. The only IMEI number that's actually used by the cellular system is the one on the SIM card, so there's really nothing to worry about, except the small hassle of having to take the SIM card out to see or write down the IMEI.

I knew you had to 'Activate' it again, because it's exactly what happened with mine. I had to restore mine, then it wouldn't connect to iTunes, so I realized that I had to use INdependance again to Activate, Jailbreak and SSH.

Glad it's working again, those few hours were rough eh? Hehe, I missed the heck out of mine when I couldn't figure out what was wrong.


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## ThaSoulHacker (Oct 2, 2007)

Yeah they were rough. I've actually been working on my phone since Thursday afternoon, so it's been a rough few days from bricked to fully functional again. Thanks again.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

No worries, cheers.


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## An Old Soul (Apr 24, 2006)

your authentic IMEI is also on the back on your phone.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

The IMEI is **NOT** on the SIM card.
Its the _I_nternation _M_obile _E_quiptment _I_dentifier and as such is burned into the device firmware. Modifying it is illegal.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Script Kiddie said:


> The IMEI is **NOT** on the SIM card.
> Its the _I_nternation _M_obile _E_quiptment _I_dentifier and as such is burned into the device firmware. Modifying it is illegal.


Well, in any case, who gives a s***? I certainly don't officer Bob.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

Excellent question (I'll ignore your sarcasm)

If there are not jail penalties in Canada now probably will be before long, and what you have posted here could be used against you. I suppose ehMac could also be taken down for providing a forum for illegal activity.

Is that enough?


For your reference:

Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act 2002 (c. 31)


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

meh, i'm not too concerned. 

ive read mixed reviews on the subject of the hack changing the imei.. some people have noted by running anysim again the imei goes back to the original. i guess time will tell if numerous occurances of the same imei show up on the cellular systems whether or not it raises any flags.i

regardless, i remember reading a while back that the imei isn't actually changed in the firmware, just that it's changed in the software to work with the unlock. can't seem to find the info now so who knows...


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## Ace McDuck (Sep 27, 2005)

*Does unlocking always change internal IMEI??*

I unlocked my phone with the iunlock method & my internal (settings/general/about) IMEI is the same as the one on the back of my iPhone. I thought someone said that unlocking changes it - is this always true, or dependent on which method you use to unlock?


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

which firmware did you unlock?


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## Munchie (Mar 10, 2006)

*repair for incorrect iPhone*

You can remove back-ups from iphone library when itunes opens or Download and reinstall Itunes to fix this error.


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## ThaSoulHacker (Oct 2, 2007)

My IMEI has been fine for a while now. Basically reactivating with iNDEPENDANCE and using iPhone Sim Free worked. My iPhone runs fine and I've done several updates, downgrades, virginizing, and restores and have yet to encounter this problem again.


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