Help! Suddenly not reading SIM card (...unable to connect to mobile network)

[Brad.4.109]

The problem in detail:

My Galaxy S II has suddenly lost it's ability to connect to my wireless provider (Bell Mobility). I've checked in Settings -> Wireless and network -> Mobile networks: There is just the message, "Insert SIM Card...", even though the SIM card is in there as it has been all along. Where my SIM card data should be displayed, in Settings -> About phone -> Status shows Service state as "Out of service", Mobile network state as "Disconnected", and My phone number, Network Mobile network type, IMEI and IMEI SV as "Unknown",

I have tried removing the SIM card, inspecting it for visible defects, etc, even wiped it's contacts, etc, but to no avail. Lastly I've taken the SIM card and placed it into another phone. The other phone read all my SIM card's data, and connected to my wireless provider service no problem.

Therefore obviously the problem has nothing to do with the SIM card, so I can't count on my provider (who I bought my Galaxy S II from) to provide support in fixing the problem - unless I return the device, utilizing its manufacturer warranty (which is a last resort, since I'll have to ship it clear across the country at my own expense, to Samsung's North American/Canadian customer service center, and wait for the indefinite duration...).

Thanks in advance for any helpful information/experience/advice/suggestions/etc. towards resolving this.

[greenman]

Hi. You have already done many of the things I would have suggested.
But there are more, as this is obviously a phone problem and not the network.
1. Take out battery and leave for 10minutes before replacing. This will allow any residual memory in your phone to leak and give a cleaner network link.
2. The software that connects your phone to the network may have become corrupted by an application or update.
You have tried a soft boot. Now it's time for a reset.
This will erase some data so back-up to your sd card or computer.
Now put your phone into Recovery by pressing and holding volume up+ Menu +Power until Recovery screen appears.
Use volume key to select factory reset and Menu to carry out.
Wait until completed and your phone will be as purchased.
3. Reflash your firmware.



Hope that helps.

[Brad4.109]

Thank you, greenman, for your knowledgeable response. However, after following all the factory-reset steps, precisely as you described (e.g. battery removal >10 minutes, etc) my unit still doesn't read the SIM card/cannot connect to mobile network. Only thing not done... I have not reflashed my firmware yet, since the reset itself failed to achieve the result you seemed to indicate it should (i.e. "phone will be as purchased", which I presume to mean, 'read SIM card/able to connect to mobile network' again). Besides perhaps trying reflashing the firmware next, is there anything else I can/should try at this point?

Thanks...

Hi. You have already done many of the things I would have suggested.
But there are more, as this is obviously a phone problem and not the network.
1. Take out battery and leave for 10minutes before replacing. This will allow any residual memory in your phone to leak and give a cleaner network link.
2. The software that connects your phone to the network may have become corrupted by an application or update.
You have tried a soft boot. Now it's time for a reset.
This will erase some data so back-up to your sd card or computer.
Now put your phone into Recovery by pressing and holding volume up+ Menu +Power until Recovery screen appears.
Use volume key to select factory reset and Menu to carry out.
Wait until completed and your phone will be as purchased.
3. Reflash your firmware.



Hope that helps.

[greenman]

Hi, Just to confirm that you carried out a factory reset by putting the phone into Recovery as described. Afterwards you would have had to put in all your details once more e.g. Gmail, wifi password, time zone.
If you did all that and it's still not working, it's a firmware flash or return to service department.

[GalaxySII]

hi guys,
i've got the same problem. i tried flashing Omega ROM on my SGS2 G version but found out that it only works for the non-G version.
So, i restored using CWM but now, my SIM cannot be recognized and it says baseband unknown. My IMEI also lost!

Anyone got this problem before?
A few xda threads mention that i need to rename some corrupted files using adb shell. Not familiar with that method and I'm not sure if it will really work. DOnt want to further screw up the phone.

Any help will be appreciated.

[greenman]

Found a similar problem at XDA-developers with a [SOLVED] heading:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1261948

[Brad.4.109]

Yes, to confirm: After shutting my phone off, I removed the battery for well over ten minutes, before putting it back in. Then, to reset I pressed the volume up, menu, and power buttons simultaneously and held until blue text at the top of the screen appeared. Then using the volume controls I scrolled down to factory reset and pushed the menu button to select. After the reset completed itself (indicated by message at the bottom of the screen in yellow text), I scrolled to reboot and pressed menu. The phone rebooted. From there I manually entered my details as you describe.

Now I want to try reflashing/updating the firmware. And here I'm a little stymied.

Background: I've connected the phone via USB cable to my PC and using Kies. Within Kies, in the Tools menu, is the option, "Firmware Upgrade and Initialization". After selecting that, Kies asks for my serial number and model. So I enter phone's serial number and its model number. The model number I have here is GT- I9100M. Now when I enter this as the model number a dialogue pops up stating " 'GT-I9100M' does not support initializing". So I decide to drop the "M" and try again, entering GT-I9100 as the model. Then the following dialogue pops up (see screen shot, below) is in some kind of oriental text, which I cannot decipher.

Anyway, any help with this reflashing/upgrading the firmware step would be appreciated.

Hi, Just to confirm that you carried out a factory reset by putting the phone into Recovery as described. Afterwards you would have had to put in all your details once more e.g. Gmail, wifi password, time zone.
If you did all that and it's still not working, it's a firmware flash or return to service department.

[greenman]

Don't know what it says, but probably Korean saying something like: Now Mr Brad. You very naughty boy for pretending you have different model. Only flash the firmware for I9100M, and not with Kies as very crap'

If you're going to flash, use Odin.
Go to Sammobile and search for your firmware.

EDIT : Look here
http://www.sammobile.com/firmware/?p...0M&r=5#regiona

Password to open file sammobile.com

[Brad.4.109]

Don't know what it says, but probably Korean saying something like: Now Mr Brad. You very naughty boy for pretending you have different model. Only flash the firmware for I9100M, and not with Kies as very crap'

If you're going to flash, use Odin.
Go to Sammobile and search for your firmware.

EDIT : Look here
http://www.sammobile.com/firmware/?p...0M&r=5#regiona

Password to open file sammobile.com

I kind of guessed it was Korean. However, my guess was its content style would be something South rather than North Korean. <joking>

Anyway, I've downloaded I9100MUGKG2_I9100MBMCKG2_BMC to my PC. I unzipped it expecting to find an executable application installation file. However what appears is the non-executable file, I9100MKG2_CL371789_HOME.tar along with a dll file (SS_DL.dll).

Now I know I can figure this out if I spend some time informing myself. But I'm pressed for time, while I need the use of my mobile phone asap, so any continued 'take by the hand' guidance here would to be very greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[RichH]

You need Odin. The process is the same as described here http://samsunggalaxysforums.com/show...sung-Galaxy-S2