How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920

23 Sep 2014

How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920 – Replacing radio firmware sometime needed when you have problem with signal reception on your device. This happen when china phone flash with ROW (Rest of World) firmware or vice versa, If you experience the signal reception problem then this guide is right for you, through this guide it recommended you to try any different radio firmware that fit with your conditions. This guide needed to modified system files that is not recommended for you to do before you have system backup, even this guide already tested but it has possibility to brick your device, read careful and be safe.

Disclaimer :
This guide for educational purpose only, We not responsible if your device bricked after following this tutorial. Even this guide is already tested but it has possibility to brick your phone, (DWYOR)


How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920

Conditions :

Downloads :
  • ROW
    • V23 ↦ from Lenovo P780 with firmware S123 – Fixed some problem with bluetooth
    • V23 ↦ from original Lenovo S920 with firmware S117
  • CN
    • V18 ↦ from original Lenovo S920 with firmware S920_S510
    • V51 ↦ from original Lenovo S920 with firmware Vibe UI
    • V52 ↦ from original Lenovo S920 with firmware Vibe UI
How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920
  • Using Custom Recovery Method :
    1. After 2 conditions above already fulfill, move the modem file to your device. Put it on the root of your SD Card, do not inside the folder.
    2. Turn off your device and boot to recovery mode, press and hold Power button + Volume Down + Volume Up button and release until you can see recovery main menu
    3. On the custom recovery main menu select Install zip from sd card ↦ Choose zip from sd card ↦ point it to downloaded modem file
      How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920

    4. After installation finish back to custom recovery main menu, select Reboot System Now
    5. Boot normally and confirm with go to System Setting ↦ About Phone ↦ look on the Baseband Version make sure it same with the downloaded modem file.

  • Using Manual :
    1. Install Root Explorer on your device, this program needed ROOT to be run
    2. Extract downloaded modem file to your computer and move it to external sd card, there will be 1 folder with 2 sub folder ↦ /system/etc ↦ firmware ↦ mddb
      How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920

    3. Open Root Explorer and navigate to /etc/firmware, rename modem.img then navigate to /etc/mddb rename BPLGU*******.
    4. Move modem.img from downloaded modem file to /etc/firmware then set permission to RW–R–R.
    5. Move BPLGU******* from downloaded modem file to /etc/mddb then set permission to RW–R–R
      How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920
      How to Replace Radio Firmware for Lenovo S920

    6. Done, now reboot your phone.
I hope this guide will help you solving your signal reception problems, I cannot recommend the best modem file to use because it depend on many conditions, so you must try which one is the best for you. Leave comments if you found any problems regarding this guide, and thank you for visit.
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50 comments

  1. Hi Andy, already rooted my phone, and tried all of the above modem firmware without succes… By chance, do you have any other modem firmware that I can use?
    Only used the first way, as the doing the second I receive the error message that the file can not be renamed as it's a reading only file
    My phone has installed the band base: S960.ROW.V103 and compilation number S960_ROW_S211_140702. Really appreaciate your help as I have very poor signal and not 3G at all. Thanks and best regards.

    7. china devices flash with international ROM often got this problem, because of this always backup your modem file and flash it after you change ROM. but if you already miss it just try to re flash your ROM again, and if still not success just use china firmware.

    1. Hi,
      Yes you can, modem file can be use to any devices but make different is the system. If you use ROW use mofem for ROW but if you china use China version. Or you can try combine it. It will not make your device brick. Just try and try.
      The way is same for every device so you can use this guide for Lenovo S930

  5. My phone is S920 with KITKAT, baseband version v104.
    Build number is ROW S220.
    My problem is when use phone at outdoor both SIM signal strength are strong.
    When I enter the building under the roof. Both of the signal strength go low drastically.
    SIM2 signal is weak and SIM1 is no signal all the time.
    I wondering is hardware or software problem. This phone still have few days warranty. This condition is suitable for this guide tutorial? Please give some advise to me. (If hardware problem I still can go for warranty, but with this guide i rooted my phone warranty will gone.) Sorry for the inconvenience.

    1. Hi,
      I think your condition is not same with this guide. Because this guide is told that your signal is weak on insideand outside, not just on inside. My suggestion is ask to your supplier first if you can try t9 claim the warranty don't modified first because you still have warranty and not make sure the problem cause by hardware or software or network provider

  7. Hi, let me be more clearly. 🙂
    I have Kitkat baseband S920 ROW V104,2014/07/14 15:05. My build number is S920_ROW-S213_140714.
    So, I rooted it, as u said.
    Than I used custom recovery method to instal ROW – V23, firmware S113. I had no problem, but you say to verify the baseband nomber to be the same. And in my case is not and nothing happend with slot 2.
    Than, I tried the manual way. When I open rootexplorer and go to each file to rename, it say they are read-only. But if i check for permisions, these are right, rw-r–r–, for both of them.
    Now, I don't know if what I did is OK and if yes, why doesn't work.
    Pls, help!

    1. On the root explorer there is onption on the top that make it read only or read write, as long as your device rooted you can make root explorer to mode read write, and for the custom recovery method look at the progress or log that show when you install from custom recovery it will show you what happen.

    2. SP Flash Tool V3.1324.0.sn177 runtime trace is ON.
      Build: 2013/06/07 17:33 (r1188)
      Comment: [Official Build][Customer Release][W1324 Customer Release]
      Load Path: D:lenovoROOTNew folderFlash_tool.exe
      ==================================================================================================================================

      ==================================================================================================================================
      Smart Phone Flash Tool runtime trace is OFF

  8. I did everything all over again. I did the rooting, went ok. I did the custom recovery method and it said that it was installed. But still doesn't work and when I enter in kinguser I see this message Su upgrade failed. missing root permission…..
    Don't know what to do.

    1. i need screen shot or view from your problem, begin with your rooting, installing custom recovery until you say that installing modem from custom recovery success and root permission missing.
      you can sent the image on my hangout or facebook. search for andylah on facebook.

  10. Thanks for your quick reply. You say no consequences?
    If I unserstand, I can received Row updates but they will not change the CN modem that I use? I can easily update my phone and don't loose the modem file/Radio Firmware, that's right?

  11. hi, i am using Vibe UI 4.4.2 DEV V2.0, and i have a problem about low signal both of my sim card….
    I already replaced my modem file with a lot of kind modem file version, but nothing changes…
    i am even flashing and downgrade my phone back to stock rom s110, but still bad signal…
    can you help me to solved my problem???

    1. Hi,
      Usually they back to the first rom they got, so if you first ROM S124 and have good signal then back to it. But to solve the signal problem usually they just try all modem and see the best signal strenght

    2. I've tried ROM S110, s117, and s124 but still nothing .. is that normal ??
      When i check band mode on mobileuncle, my phone only support EGSM900, DCS1800,PCS1900,GSM850 and WCDMA-IMT-2000, WCDMA-GSM-900, is that correct band for Indonesia? in your opinion, do you think my problem caused by different band mode or hardware problem? because, as i know Indonesia is on GSM900/2100… CMIIW

    3. What is your first ROM? Or are you have signal problem from the first you buy the phone? If it baseband problem you can try to switch different mobile provider and see if it have good signal. I think yes indonesia use GSM900/2100, but i think it not because baseband problem

    4. i don't remember, because i've always update my phone until kitkat official ROW from system upgrade…
      nope.. my phone works properly before. i just found this problem when i tried to use Vibe UI V1.5, 3 weeks ago..
      i've tried switch different mobile provider and not help.. even my current sim card works properly in other device with very strong signal..

    5. Hmm, i just can tell you to try change the modem file until you can found the best signal if you cannot find it than just bring your device to lenovo service center and ask to fix your phone.
      Because it all ian do for you… Sorry cannot help you more..

    6. it's okay,… so, if i still cant find the best modem file, it means there are posibility my problem caused by hardware problem??? if yes, do you know the way i could to do some trouble shooting for my hardware?? thank you by the way…

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