Three days in with a replacement Pixel C, it has stopped recognising my lockscreen pattern. I know it is correct as I use the same pattern on my phone. Wiping the cache has no effect.
I can't use Android Device Manager to set a new password as it detects that the lock screen is already active.
Is there any option other than a factory reset?
PriyanPhoenix said:
Three days in with a replacement Pixel C, it has stopped recognising my lockscreen pattern. I know it is correct as I use the same pattern on my phone. Wiping the cache has no effect.
I can't use Android Device Manager to set a new password as it detects that the lock screen is already active.
Is there any option other than a factory reset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this case, even a factory reset might not help.
Just to confirm, should anyone else have the same issue, a factory reset did solve the problem and the error has not returned. Still no idea what could have caused it though.
Solution
I had this problem also just hold the power button down for like a minute.
I'm having the same problem, was working fine a few hours ago then not recognizing the pattern. I've tried holding the power button but that just powers it off. When I turn it back on it asks for my pattern to power the device back on and it recognizes the pattern then just fine but once it power's up and I try to put the same pattern in to unlock the screen it says wrong pattern!! What the hell is going on here? Any help please?
This happened to me and Google RMA'd the unit. I had to factory reset it, but if you want to retain the data on it I strongly recommend installing something along the lines of Airdroid so that you can access the file hierarchy remotely even if the device is locked.
Airdroid has its benefits in other areas, however I found it a lifesaver for that one incident which allowed me to pull my files prior to the factory reset.
NJ72 said:
This happened to me and Google RMA'd the unit. I had to factory reset it, but if you want to retain the data on it I strongly recommend installing something along the lines of Airdroid so that you can access the file hierarchy remotely even if the device is locked.
Airdroid has its benefits in other areas, however I found it a lifesaver for that one incident which allowed me to pull my files prior to the factory reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I'll have to check into that app. I already did a factory reset this time and it worked but I'm just curious what caused it and if I should just not use a screen lock on it anymore? So when you say you RMA'd the unit you mean Google swapped the unit out for another one? Or they recommended you to do a factory reset? Thanks again for the advice.
1barlog17 said:
Thanks I'll have to check into that app. I already did a factory reset this time and it worked but I'm just curious what caused it and if I should just not use a screen lock on it anymore? So when you say you RMA'd the unit you mean Google swapped the unit out for another one? Or they recommended you to do a factory reset? Thanks again for the advice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, Google sent me a new unit. They didn't advise to do a factory reset, they just advised to return the unit. Part of their RMA process is that they recommend you wipe data (for data protection) so I ended up doing both.
I imagine that there are other apps which would offer access to your device data without unlocking, I just have experience with Airdroid.
I also had this problem, but I was using a pin instead of a pattern. Very concerning to be locked out of your own tablet. Had the tablet for about 3 months before it happened. Factory reset fixed it, hasn't returned since but only time will tell. Doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in the device knowing that maybe you could get locked out at any moment.
The same problem has been found on the Nexus 6p. Lockscreen not unlocking with the correct pin/password, appears to be a problem with the lockscreen as the phone can be booted or decrypted with the correct password.
The suggested fix was to ensure you have prey or another similar program installed. Changing your unlock password remotly via prey fixes the problem allowing you access to your phone.
Just had this problem today. Went to login with the same pattern I've been using for the past 3+ months, and it said "Wrong Pattern" over & over again. I tried to reboot and try again, same story. I used Android Device Manager to lock it & entered a password. Then my Pixel C confirmed that it was locked via the Android Device Manager, but when I went to log in, it asked me for a pattern, not a password! (Bad sign!) And, of course, I entered the right pattern and it told me it was the wrong pattern.
The Google support rep said I had to do a factory data reset. It is indeed disconcerting and frustrating. Next time I'll use Backup!
are you guys rooted? I had this problem on my N5X during rooting and trying to install ROMs. wiping data helped but I simply reset the device anyway. I noticed this also happened on some devices when an incompatible version of SuperSU was installed. If not rooted then you got me.
I am not rooted. I haven't done anything to the tablet except install & use apps and install a p12 certificate (which, I believe, unfortunately, requires you to use some kind of lock screen).
So, I used Android Device Manager to erase my tablet & the problem went away. Yay! I changed to using a PIN instead of a pattern. Now, today, just over a week later, the problem has recurred. <sob!> It says "Wrong PIN" when I try to login, even after powering off & on again, and I am facing the prospect of having to go through all that again.
Just had the same issue, tablet not rooted no developer options unlocked/used just left as factory with apps installed from play store.
Factory reset in progress...
Just happened to me (on the official beta ROM)
This just happened to me today on my Pixel C. I found threads on Google Forums that this has been happening for over a year without a fix.
If your bootloader is unlocked, you can always boot TWRP, Advanced > File Explorer, change to /data/system and delete locksettings.db, locksettings.db-wal and locksettings.db-shm.
Does anybody has an idea here? I'm confronted with this issue: Wrong PIN. No matter how many times i give the correct PIN
restarting Pixel C does not help. Is there any other way to fix this issue?
Shame on Google for this!
farsiray said:
Shame on Google for this!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually: did Google forget your PIN? As far as I am concerned: Google still knows your PIN. It's you that doesn't.
bornheim2 said:
Actually: did Google forget your PIN? As far as I am concerned: Google still knows your PIN. It's you that doesn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks you have no clue what you're talking about. Do some more reading before you give a useless comment.
This is an issue with Pixel C since 2016, Google still hasn't fixed it.
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/62404336
https://productforums.google.com/fo...ce=footer#!msg/nexus/ImQsmQ8-8JA/n-1kqOv9AwAJ
Hi
My Nexus 5X is arriving this week. I had many nexus devices before, but now I saw that you can add a password at the startup of the phone and I wanted to know how this is working with an unlocked bootloader.
In the Nexus 5 (2013) I used to keep my bootloader closed because with the bootloader open there was a risk: you were able to install (fastboot flash) or boot (fastboot boot) a CUSTOM recovery and flash things without wiping data, or even, access the internal memory of the phone from the custom bootloader. (This didn't happen with the locked bootloader because you were forced to wipe /data before flash a custom bootloader).
So now, with the 5X and the startup password, how does it works with an open bootloader? If I open the bootloader, the only way to flash anything is knowing the startup password? Or you can access fastboot mode without any password and good to go?
If that's the case, then I think I'll keep my bootloader locked!
I'm asking this prematurely because I don't want to install everything, and then wipe to open the bootloader, and start from scratch again.
Thanks
Sebastian!
thesebastian said:
Hi
My Nexus 5X is arriving this week. I had many nexus devices before, but now I saw that you can add a password at the startup of the phone and I wanted to know how this is working with an unlocked bootloader.
In the Nexus 5 (2013) I used to keep my bootloader closed because with the bootloader open there was a risk: you were able to install (fastboot flash) or boot (fastboot boot) a CUSTOM recovery and flash things without wiping data, or even, access the internal memory of the phone from the custom bootloader. (This didn't happen with the locked bootloader because you were forced to wipe /data before flash a custom bootloader).
So now, with the 5X and the startup password, how does it works with an open bootloader? If I open the bootloader, the only way to flash anything is knowing the startup password? Or you can access fastboot mode without any password and good to go?
If that's the case, then I think I'll keep my bootloader locked!
I'm asking this prematurely because I don't want to install everything, and then wipe to open the bootloader, and start from scratch again.
Thanks
Sebastian!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can access without password.
Thanks Oblox. Then I think I'm keeping a locked bootloader for now!
I don't understand why they don't request a password to access the bootloader.... it could be much more secure.
Sent from my E5823
thesebastian said:
Thanks Oblox. Then I think I'm keeping a locked bootloader for now!
I don't understand why they don't request a password to access the bootloader.... it could be much more secure.
Sent from my E5823
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed in principal, security concerns raised by unlocking the bootloader would be much less of an issue if they allowed it to be password protected.
However id imagine it would cause headaches when flashing new bootloader (Where does the unlock info sit?) and when ADB'ing via usb etc that are too much effort to address. Id imagine most users dont ever unlock so dont suffer and 'developers' who do are suitably warned.
thesebastian said:
Hi
My Nexus 5X is arriving this week. I had many nexus devices before, but now I saw that you can add a password at the startup of the phone and I wanted to know how this is working with an unlocked bootloader.
In the Nexus 5 (2013) I used to keep my bootloader closed because with the bootloader open there was a risk: you were able to install (fastboot flash) or boot (fastboot boot) a CUSTOM recovery and flash things without wiping data, or even, access the internal memory of the phone from the custom bootloader. (This didn't happen with the locked bootloader because you were forced to wipe /data before flash a custom bootloader).
So now, with the 5X and the startup password, how does it works with an open bootloader? If I open the bootloader, the only way to flash anything is knowing the startup password? Or you can access fastboot mode without any password and good to go?
If that's the case, then I think I'll keep my bootloader locked!
I'm asking this prematurely because I don't want to install everything, and then wipe to open the bootloader, and start from scratch again.
Thanks
Sebastian!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends what you are trying to protect.
When you boot the phone it will pick some random key and encrypt your user partition, so your user partition is ALWAYS encrypted using a private randomly generated key.
Then if you don't select a pattern, pin, or password, that random key is (rather than being stored in plaintext) encrypted using the default string "password" plus some phone specific information accesible on the phone itself.
If you do select a pattern, pin, or password, then the random key is reencrypted with a process that includes your pattern, pin, or password.
In this way, when you change your pattern, pin, or password, the whole user partition does not need to be re-encrypted, just the random private key used to encrypt your user partition needs to be re-encrypted.
The password you enter upon startup is to unlock/decrypt the user partition.
So if you have unlocked bootloader, someone can steal your phone but can't get access to your data easily unless you leave the phone with no pattern, pin, or password.
They can overwrite your system and boot partitions, but if you have pattern, pin, or password when they try to factory reset your phone there is some Android factory reset protection that will ask them to enter your pattern, pin, or password when the phone connects to Google. This actually often locks users out of their own phones when they forget the pattern they used because it was just temporary when they entered it or it was an old pattern they used a long time ago and it comes back on factory restore.
The best they can hope for would be to install custom boot/system images and trick you into giving them your pattern, pin, or password, prior to stealing your phone.
So it really depends what you are trying to protect.
Locked bootloader, on the other hand, if you mess things up, can be a big impediment to fixing your phone.
My suggestion would be to unlock your bootloader, create a pattern/pin/password, and leave Nexus factory reset protection turned on.
Good flexibility with reasonable protection.
The password you enter at startup is so the kernel can finish the boot process, otherwise it cannot read your user partition.
You'd need to enter that password when running TWRP custom recovery as well or it won't be able to read your user partition.
thesebastian said:
Hi
My Nexus 5X is arriving this week. I had many nexus devices before, but now I saw that you can add a password at the startup of the phone and I wanted to know how this is working with an unlocked bootloader.
In the Nexus 5 (2013) I used to keep my bootloader closed because with the bootloader open there was a risk: you were able to install (fastboot flash) or boot (fastboot boot) a CUSTOM recovery and flash things without wiping data, or even, access the internal memory of the phone from the custom bootloader. (This didn't happen with the locked bootloader because you were forced to wipe /data before flash a custom bootloader).
So now, with the 5X and the startup password, how does it works with an open bootloader? If I open the bootloader, the only way to flash anything is knowing the startup password? Or you can access fastboot mode without any password and good to go?
If that's the case, then I think I'll keep my bootloader locked!
I'm asking this prematurely because I don't want to install everything, and then wipe to open the bootloader, and start from scratch again.
Thanks
Sebastian!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just one thing to add onto the words of everyone else. This is my first Nexus but it is my understanding that previous Nexus devices have allowed users to lock/unlock the bootloader on the fly via an app. If this is something you intend to do, you should be aware that does not exist on the 5X. The bootloader must be unlocked after enabling OEM Unlock in Developer Settings. You can now install sideload OTAs from Google's website though.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Thanks you very much for all your posts.
I think I'll stay with a locked bootloader for now. At the end of my N5 2013 life I wasn't really using root features. Later I spent too much time with a Z5 Compact where opening a bootloader has bad consequences. So now I'm pretty much used to closed bootloaders.
So considering that fast boot and recovery mode don't need the startup PIN I'll stay with a locked bootloader.
However I already got a reason to unlock the bootloader. If there's any way to record videos in [email protected] I'd root the phone.
Sent from my Nexus 5X
I think sfhub said that you'd need a password to boot into the recovery as well. So unlocking your bootloader and leaving the phone encrypted with rest of the security features turned on does seem quite secure than i initially imagined. Too bad I never stayed encrypted long enough to play around with these.
But does it still ask for a password if you flash a different/custom recovery? I'm guessing it will, assuming the passwords are located on /data partition which is encrypted.
That said, someone in PN thread mentioned that knowledgeable hackers can still gain access to an unlocked, but encrypted phone via methods I'm unaware of. But I'd say it is very unlikely that my phone will end up in the hands of someone with such abilities.
The conversation is here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/nex...nexus-layers-fi-wifi-calling-t3244601/page351
roofrider said:
I think sfhub said that you'd need a password to boot into the recovery as well. So unlocking your bootloader and leaving the phone encrypted with rest of the security features turned on does seem quite secure than i initially imagined.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need a password to boot into Recovery. You need to enter a pattern/PIN/password into TWRP (TWRP's UI is the one presenting the UI to ask for your password) to allow TWRP to mount your user partition as without that information the user partition is just gibberish.
roofrider said:
But does it still ask for a password if you flash a different/custom recovery? I'm guessing it will, assuming the passwords are located on /data partition which is encrypted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whether the different custom recovery asks you a password or not will depend on the custom recovery, but if your recovery doesn't ask for a password, then that recovery has no ability to access your user partition as it won't be able to decrypt the contents. Even if it does ask for a password, sometimes it can't access due to mismatch in decryption procedures. Some earlier versions of TWRP had this problem.
roofrider said:
That said, someone in PN thread mentioned that knowledgeable hackers can still gain access to an unlocked, but encrypted phone via methods I'm unaware of. But I'd say it is very unlikely that my phone will end up in the hands of someone with such abilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you leave your bootloader unlocked (especially if a bad actor has physical access to your phone), if someone is determined enough they can eventually get access, but with current features it is significantly more difficult/annoying (compared to how trivial it was prior to encryption) to the point most normal people won't bother:
1) AES encrypted user partition
2) multiple password failure reset
3) mixing your pattern/PIN/password with phone specific salt
4) factory reset protection
5) remote reset
The easiest way for them to get access to your phone is to install a custom android or recovery that records your pattern/PIN/password and getting you to enter that information on your own, prior to stealing your phone.
I am guessing multiple password failure reset can be bypassed with bootloader unlocked, so brute force is likely easier.
Now if someone comes out with tools to automate brute force of phones with bootloader unlocked then you might only have real protection from brute force if you enter a complex password rather than pattern/PIN. This still wouldn't protect you from having someone replace your recovery or OS with something that records your pattern/PIN/password but it would protect against the most likely case of someone stealing your phone and trying to access your user data.
I have another question
Can you open the bootloader if the phone is encrypted and with startup pin/password?
If so (I assume yes) /data is wiped and then the phones encryption is reserved? (Just like out of the box)
Sent from my Nexus 5X
thesebastian said:
I have another question
Can you open the bootloader if the phone is encrypted and with startup pin/password?
If so (I assume yes) /data is wiped and then the phones encryption is reserved? (Just like out of the box)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you mean "unlock" the bootloader.
The answer is yes and no.
You must first go into developer options to allow OEM unlocking.
If you have a locked bootloader and set up a pattern/PIN/password, then for somebody else (w/o your pattern/PIN/password) to enable OEM unlocking would prove to be a challenge since they can't easily get past your Android login and I haven't an easy way for them to enable it through other means.
Assuming they can get past your pattern/PIN/password (or you just left OEM unlocking enabled yourself) then yes, they can unlock the bootloader and it will enforce a data wipe in the process.
Android factory reset protection might also kick in after the phone connects to Google and they may be forced to enter your pattern/PIN/password to access your system.
I don't know what you mean by "encryption is preserved" The user partition starts off unencrypted. Upon first boot, the kernel will see it isn't encrypted and will encrypt it. From that point on the user partition is always encrypted.
If your data gets wiped due to bootloader unlock, the user partition will be erased, reformatted (at which point it'll be briefly unencrypted), then will be re-encrypted upon first boot of kernel.
sfhub said:
I assume you mean "unlock" the bootloader.
The answer is yes and no.
You must first go into developer options to allow OEM unlocking.
If you have a locked bootloader and set up a pattern/PIN/password, then for somebody else (w/o your pattern/PIN/password) to enable OEM unlocking would prove to be a challenge since they can't easily get past your Android login and I haven't an easy way for them to enable it through other means.
Assuming they can get past your pattern/PIN/password (or you just left OEM unlocking enabled yourself) then yes, they can unlock the bootloader and it will enforce a data wipe in the process.
Android factory reset protection might also kick in after the phone connects to Google and they may be forced to enter your pattern/PIN/password to access your system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yes sorry! I totally forgot about that option under dev settings when I asked the question. So fastboot oem unlock will never work without knowing my PIN (I never had this the Nexus 5 and older Nexus).
That means that a Nexus 5X with a locked bootloader and that option disabled is completely useless for a thief? (Without including advanced concepts like "change the internal memory") Or you can still rewrite /data with a locked bootloader and get rid of the encryption?
(This applies also for the stock recovery "wipe data" function?)
These last questions I've made are not about privacy, are more about anti-theft features.
Sent from my Nexus 5X
thesebastian said:
Oh yes sorry! I totally forgot about that option under dev settings when I asked the question. So fastboot oem unlock will never work without knowing my PIN! (I never had this the Nexus 5 and older Nexus).
That means that a Nexus 5X with a locked bootloader and that option disabled is completely useless for a thief? Or you can still rewrite data with a locked bootloader and get rid of the encryption?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think "useless" is in the eye of the beholder.
IMO with locked bootloader, OEM unlock disabled, pattern/PIN/password created, standard encryption enforced, it would be extremely difficult to access your data.
They could boot into recovery and reset your user partition, but in that case, they wouldn't be accessing your data and upon connection to google will likely get hit with android factory reset protection and need to enter your pattern/PIN/password to access the phone.
They may be able to force LG recovery mode and rewrite your phone. I don't know what happens with Android factory reset protection in this case, but they won't be accessing your user data unless they can easily break AES-256 brute force (which is not really possible today unless your keys get compromised through social engineering)
I think worse case, with a bunch of work, they might have a functioning phone that will lock them out if they ever connect to a network. They can probably sideload some games and use it for that.
---------- Post added at 12:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 PM ----------
One other thing, keep in mind this is how things are designed to work with all the chains being secure (bootloader, kernel, recovery, android, etc.)
There could always be some zero day bug that could be exploited to break the design. If there was a kernel memory overrun bug that wasn't patched, that could potentiall be exploited to replace the code that resets the phone upon too many mistaken password entries, and then that combined with a 4 digit PIN code might result in a brute force attack on your PIN being feasible, there are only 10,000 combinations to try.
That is similar to what happen with the San Bernardino iPhone case. They were able to disable the phone reset after incorrect PIN entry functionality then just brute force the PIN.
sfhub said:
I think "useless" is in the eye of the beholder.
IMO with locked bootloader, OEM unlock disabled, pattern/PIN/password created, standard encryption enforced, it would be extremely difficult to access your data.
They could boot into recovery and reset your user partition, but in that case, they wouldn't be accessing your data and upon connection to google will likely get hit with android factory reset protection and need to enter your pattern/PIN/password to access the phone.
They may be able to force LG recovery mode and rewrite your phone. I don't know what happens with Android factory reset protection in this case, but they won't be accessing your user data unless they can easily break AES-256 brute force (which is not really possible today unless your keys get compromised through social engineering)
I think worse case, with a bunch of work, they might have a functioning phone that will lock them out if they ever connect to a network. They can probably sideload some games and use it for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if a thief get my phone and do a wipe data in the stock recovery. The phone is still encrypted? They can't add a new Google account and use it like an out of box Nexus?
I'm not concerned about privacy anymore (encryption seems to be good enough). Now I'm asking about how this device is protected against the black market
Sent from my Nexus 5X
Regarding privacy in Android N I just read this article that adds more (future) information to the topic:
http://m.androidcentral.com/how-android-n-addresses-security
Sent from my Nexus 5X
thesebastian said:
So if a thief get my phone and do a wipe data in the stock recovery. The phone is still encrypted? They can't add a new Google account and use it like an out of box Nexus?
I'm not concerned about privacy anymore (encryption seems to be good enough). Now I'm asking about how this device is protected against the black market
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IIRC they may be able to factory reset using stock recovery (or Google could have enhanced stock recovery to ask for pattern/PIN/password as well) but upon connection to Google it'll reinstall pattern/PIN/password.
So they can probably get the phone to be usable until they connect to Internet at which point it isn't usable. How usable your phone is without a network connection is debatable.
If Google has enhanced recovery to ask for pattern/PIN/password then they couldn't even get that far, unless they somehow force LG recovery mode and use LGUP to overwrite the phone.
I would test this all out for you but I don't have a phone I can spare being used as a test right now.
sfhub said:
IIRC they may be able to factory reset using stock recovery (or Google could have enhanced stock recovery to ask for pattern/PIN/password as well) but upon connection to Google it'll reinstall pattern/PIN/password.
So they can probably get the phone to be usable until they connect to Internet at which point it isn't usable. How usable your phone is without a network connection is debatable.
If Google has enhanced recovery to ask for pattern/PIN/password then they couldn't even get that far, unless they somehow force LG recovery mode and use LGUP to overwrite the phone.
I would test this all out for you but I don't have a phone I can spare being used as a test right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem! Thanks for the answer. Really helpful.
This is also useful in case I wanted to buy a used Nexus phone. (Well I bought mine directly from "Amazon Warehouse deals" but I could had used Wallapop who knows!)
I assume that a Factory Reset made by the legit owner from the "Settings" menu and not from the "Recovery" is enough to make the Nexus "tradable" again.
Sent from my Nexus 5X
thesebastian said:
No problem! Thanks for the answer. Really helpful.
This is also useful in case I wanted to buy a used Nexus phone. (Well I bought mine directly from "Amazon Warehouse deals" but I could had used Wallapop who knows!)
I assume that a Factory Reset made by the legit owner from the "Settings" menu and not from the "Recovery" is enough to make the Nexus "tradable" again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I think you jogged my memory.
I believe what happens is this.
When you tie a Google account to your phone, it sets some information in the UEFI bios storage area (or some other area that survives factory reset). When you factory reset from recovery, during the initial setup it'll force you to connect to the most recent account associated with the phone (normally upon initial boot, it won't force connection of Google account)
This tends to hit buyers of used phones when the seller factory resets their phone right before selling it without removing pattern/PIN/password and removing google accounts.
So the proper way to sell a phone is
1) remove pattern/PIN/password
2) remove all Google accounts associated with this device
3) factory reset phone
Every manufacturer might have slightly different factory reset protection routines. I believe some states passed laws that required devices have ability to be remotely locked in case stolen and all this is part of that infrastructure. You can look at that as government wanting control over locking your phone or government trying to reduce the value of stolen phones for your benefit.
I think even Factory Reset from settings can experience the problem of new buyer needing to connect to previous google account, so best to remove pattern/PIN/password and Google accounts. I believe just removing the pattern/PIN/password will remove factory reset protection and similarly removing Google account will to, but I am not absolutely sure, so best to remove both.
I know you asked from standpoint of buyer and I responded from standpoint of seller. If you purchased a used phone, you should remind the seller to do the proper steps to disable the factory reset protection. I think factory reset protection started in in devices that were pre-installed with 5.1 or higher.
If folks forget to remove factory reset protection, they'll need to contact the buyer and give them their Google account password so they can complete set up and un-associate the account from the phone. Also don't reset your Google password then give the other user the temporary password, hoping to then reset your Google password back to standard, because there is some freeze I think 24 or 72hours where you can't use the account for initial setup if your password just got changed.
@ sfhub It seems to be much more complex now. I have to sell my previous phone (Xperia Z5 Compact, shipped with lollipop, but not encrypted out of the box) one of these days. And I plan to sell this (amazing) Nexus 5X as soon as there is a new 2016 Nexus (specially if it's a bit smaller). So the tips are really welcome. Thanks
sfhub said:
Also don't reset your Google password then give the other user the temporary password, hoping to then reset your Google password back to standard, because there is some freeze I think 24 or 72hours where you can't use the account for initial setup if your password just got changed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I asked a friend who went through this trauma and he confirmed that if you change your Google password, there is a 72hour (not 24hour) lock before that password can be used to unlock a phone that has been factory reset.
Further, everytime you enter the wrong Google account/password on the phone the 72hr timer is reset.
So if you are in this situation best to just let the 72hr cooldown period pass before attempting to get into the phone. Spend your initial time making sure you have the correct Google account and password that was associated with the phone in question, then just wait it out.
My friend has an AT&T S6 Edge+ that is boot looping. Initially it was just frozen/unresponsive on the home screen. Rebooting just went to a boot loop showing the Samsung splash screen over and over again, although once in a while it does actually seem to do something which appears to be perhaps a failed attempt to apply an update (see attached image)
All I really want to do is to recover contacts from it. For some reason it seems the device was not configured to sync them to Google (or Samsung Cloud afaik), and they are not stored on the SIM, so they must be on the device only. If my best option is to try to fix the boot looping (i.e. get it to boot) in order to recover this data, let me know.
I have done recovery and rooting and custom ROMs on Nexus/Pixel devices for years, but never on a Samsung device. This was running the stock ROM (but I am not sure of which version exactly)
Is it conceivable that I could use ODIN to flash the same (or perhaps a slightly newer) AT&T ROM onto it in order to get it to boot? Does that flashing process have to wipe the user data from the device? (I have already download a fairly recent AT&T ROM) This won't cause a KNOX issue, will it?
Is there another way? Can I install a custom recovery on it and access user data via ADB? Seems like that might require it to have an unlocked bootloader, right? And I bet there is no way to unlock the bootloader without first booting it and enabling "OEM unlock", is there?
Does anyone know where the Samsung Contacts app stores its data? What is the full package name of that app?
Would it be better to post this on the regular "Galaxy S6" non-Edge+ forum? Or on the non-carrier-specific forum?
Do people in AT&T stores have the ability to repair the OS or access data with a device in such a state?
Take it easy on me because I am a noob with Samsungs but otherwise pretty experienced with this sort of stuff.
scootley said:
My friend has an AT&T S6 Edge+ that is boot looping. Initially it was just frozen/unresponsive on the home screen. Rebooting just went to a boot loop showing the Samsung splash screen over and over again, although once in a while it does actually seem to do something which appears to be perhaps a failed attempt to apply an update (see attached image)
All I really want to do is to recover contacts from it. For some reason it seems the device was not configured to sync them to Google (or Samsung Cloud afaik), and they are not stored on the SIM, so they must be on the device only. If my best option is to try to fix the boot looping (i.e. get it to boot) in order to recover this data, let me know.
I have done recovery and rooting and custom ROMs on Nexus/Pixel devices for years, but never on a Samsung device. This was running the stock ROM (but I am not sure of which version exactly)
Is it conceivable that I could use ODIN to flash the same (or perhaps a slightly newer) AT&T ROM onto it in order to get it to boot? Does that flashing process have to wipe the user data from the device? (I have already download a fairly recent AT&T ROM) This won't cause a KNOX issue, will it?
Is there another way? Can I install a custom recovery on it and access user data via ADB? Seems like that might require it to have an unlocked bootloader, right? And I bet there is no way to unlock the bootloader without first booting it and enabling "OEM unlock", is there?
Does anyone know where the Samsung Contacts app stores its data? What is the full package name of that app?
Would it be better to post this on the regular "Galaxy S6" non-Edge+ forum? Or on the non-carrier-specific forum?
Do people in AT&T stores have the ability to repair the OS or access data with a device in such a state?
Take it easy on me because I am a noob with Samsungs but otherwise pretty experienced with this sort of stuff.
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Click to collapse
You can flash the latest firmware via Odin under CSC. Just make sure to untick F. Reset under options and choose HOME CSC as it will keep device data intact, leaving the contacts you are trying to get. Not sure if that will fix the issue on your friend's phone though. Good luck!
Rehvix said:
You can flash the latest firmware via Odin under CSC. Just make sure to untick F. Reset under options and choose HOME CSC as it will keep device data intact, leaving the contacts you are trying to get. Not sure if that will fix the issue on your friend's phone though. Good luck!
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the help @Rehvix. I thought CSC was just for location/carrier features. Do you think that will fix the boot loop? Is that a common situation? I was thinking I might have to flash the Android System which I believe is "AP". Maybe I should try CSC first and then AP. What effect will unticking the "F Reset Time" have? Does that option (if ticked) just reset a flash counter? And in the ROM that I got from another post on XDA (version G928AUCS5ERA2), there is only one CSC_ATT.....tar.md5. There is no separate CSC file with HOME in the name. Maybe I need to read up on Odin some more.
scootley said:
Thanks for the help @Rehvix. I thought CSC was just for location/carrier features. Do you think that will fix the boot loop? Is that a common situation? I was thinking I might have to flash the Android System which I believe is "AP". Maybe I should try CSC first and then AP. What effect will unticking the "F Reset Time" have? Does that option (if ticked) just reset a flash counter? And in the ROM that I got from another post on XDA (version G928AUCS5ERA2), there is only one CSC_ATT.....tar.md5. There is no separate CSC file with HOME in the name. Maybe I need to read up on Odin some more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I apologize for creating confusion. CSC is used on phones starting with the s7 because the firmwares started getting really big so they had to break them up into chunks for flashing. For the s6 edge+ there will only be one AP file, as you mentioned. This one should end in HOME (mine goes G928TUV...EQC6_HOME.tar.md5). Flashing this should upgrade the OS to the latest version without wiping it, unless the SD Card is bad, it may or may not flash at all.
As for F Reset Time, it's not factory reset as I believed it was. It resets the flash counter, so you would want to leave that checked.
I converted my girlfriend (a long-term iPhone user) over to Android, and we got a shared plan with Google Fi. She installed the December OTA update, and today her Pixel XL began bootlooping.
She is running completely stock Android -- I haven't touched it in any way, and she doesn't know anything technical about the phone (so no funny business on her end). The phone was constantly bootlooping, sometimes with artifacts appearing on the screen (which looked like the "static" you'd see on a TV screen not set to any channel). These artifacts wouldn't happen every time, but about 25% of the time they'd appear.
I can boot into the bootloader with zero issues. Fastboot recognizes the device just fine. At first, I couldn't boot into recovery -- it would crash and start bootlooping before loading the recovery screen. Finally, though, I managed to get into recovery and did a standard factory data reset. No dice. I went into recovery again and flashed the OTA image via adb. This solved the "crashing before getting into recovery" issue, but not the general bootloop issue. I can't downgrade the OTA now, either.
My next option is to flash a factory image. However, as I mentioned, the phone is completely stock -- with a locked bootloader. I can't get into the device at all due to the constant bootloops. Is there ANY way to allow OEM unlocking through ADB/Fastboot? I'm running out of options here.
The good news is that Google Fi now supports iPhones, and she still has her old iPhone. I don't know if her Pixel XL is under warranty, though, so I don't know if they can RMA her a new one. Any help?
Update: She talked to Google Fi support (and by "she," I mean her calling me over to explain the technical stuff to the support rep), and they're going to RMA her a new one. Which sucks, but at least she has her iPhone until then. For anyone coming from the future, this thread matched my problem exactly, but ultimately I wasn't able to fix it. Even so, it might come in handy if this ever pops up on a Google search somehow.
Moral of the story: Leave your bootloader unlocked unless you absolutely need it locked. And even then, people were reporting that their phones got bricked.