Phone installed apps on its own? - T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Three apps installed themselves without my intervention:
Cookie Jam
Drippler
RetailMeNot
They didn't come preinstalled, but just installed themselves today. I was able to uninstall them but they keep coming back.
Any idea what's going on? They do not show up under My Apps in the play store, but I can uninstall them through settings. I did a factory reset and didn't install anything and they still come back.

Mine just did the same thing also. Just got it two days ago too. I've uninstalled them now, and they haven't come back yet, but that is disturbing if you say gotta keeps coming back.
Forgot to mention this, I've already disabled the other app stores except for the Google play store.

Just happened to me as well. Thought I was the victim of some new exploit.

This just happened to me, and it is driving me nuts. I think I tracked it down to a program called DTIgnite. Somehow, a sight I visited or a link I clicked installed this program which essentially gives the controller a backdoor to install anything they want. I dont recall it being in the file directory before, but its there now and it survives a factory reset. Mine started doing it yesterday and I have done about 2 dozen factory resets trying to narrow down the problem I was able to determine that it only downloads these programs (the same thee mentioned) when the sim card is inserted. Without the sim card, and with an active wifi connection, it does not do it. The moment it gets a carrier signal, it begins downloading those three apps in the background. I went to tomobile and got a new sim card, and it still does it, but not if I put the sim card in a different phone. So it lies within my note 4 not my account or the sim card. Furthermore, if you factory reset without the simcard, DTIgnite does not appear in the file directory. Once it is inserted, DTIGnite downloads itself and then these three programs. This leads me to believe that what ever site I visited or clicked on, rooted my phone. Because, how else would it survive a reset unless it was in the root directory?
Now DTIgnite is an app developed by a firm that tries to market its capabilities to carriers in order to give them backdoor access to phones. I think its possible someone licensed the software and repurposed it to install bloat ware of their own for third party companies for profit.
In anycase, because of my work, I cannot have a compromised phone and must replace it now. Thinking about contacting a lawyer and seeing what can be done to the company that makes DTIgnite
raptir said:
Three apps installed themselves without my intervention:
Cookie Jam
Drippler
RetailMeNot
They didn't come preinstalled, but just installed themselves today. I was able to uninstall them but they keep coming back.
Any idea what's going on? They do not show up under My Apps in the play store, but I can uninstall them through settings. I did a factory reset and didn't install anything and they still come back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
---------- Post added at 11:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 PM ----------
IDIgnite is indeed the problem. I reformated without the Sim, and then without logging into any account I checked the app manager. Within, is DTIgnite, but once it is "turned off" you can insert the sim card and it will not resinstall those three programs. However, this app is not preinstalled which means each one of us clicked on a link that silently downloaded it. Furthermore, I suspect it has been placed in a safe partition on the device or on the ROOT directory itself because it survives a factory reset.
I dont know how to check if my device is rooted, but when I boot in recovery mode it lists me in # manual mode# and I seem to remember the # symbol was significant in the root determination discussion. Again, I am no expert on the matter; so, I can be completly off base here. I recomend you research my findings on your device to see if they are compromised as well.
Now, I just contacted Mandelay Digital, the publically traded company that authors DT Ignite, and let them know that on monday I will consult an attourney regarding there neglegent distribution of their software and have requested they provide steps to uninstall. after my discussion with an attourney, I may come back here to post information regarding a class action if it is feasible.

Well I know you guys have heard this before but porn sites are bad. Lmao. When ya guys click u may be given consent to those other apps to self install. You would have to prove that you did not give consent
BAD ASS NOTE 4

cirrob said:
This just happened to me, and it is driving me nuts. I think I tracked it down to a program called DTIgnite. Somehow, a sight I visited or a link I clicked installed this program which essentially gives the controller a backdoor to install anything they want. I dont recall it being in the file directory before, but its there now and it survives a factory reset. Mine started doing it yesterday and I have done about 2 dozen factory resets trying to narrow down the problem I was able to determine that it only downloads these programs (the same thee mentioned) when the sim card is inserted. Without the sim card, and with an active wifi connection, it does not do it. The moment it gets a carrier signal, it begins downloading those three apps in the background. I went to tomobile and got a new sim card, and it still does it, but not if I put the sim card in a different phone. So it lies within my note 4 not my account or the sim card. Furthermore, if you factory reset without the simcard, DTIgnite does not appear in the file directory. Once it is inserted, DTIGnite downloads itself and then these three programs. This leads me to believe that what ever site I visited or clicked on, rooted my phone. Because, how else would it survive a reset unless it was in the root directory?
Now DTIgnite is an app developed by a firm that tries to market its capabilities to carriers in order to give them backdoor access to phones. I think its possible someone licensed the software and repurposed it to install bloat ware of their own for third party companies for profit.
In anycase, because of my work, I cannot have a compromised phone and must replace it now. Thinking about contacting a lawyer and seeing what can be done to the company that makes DTIgnite
---------- Post added at 11:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 PM ----------
IDIgnite is indeed the problem. I reformated without the Sim, and then without logging into any account I checked the app manager. Within, is DTIgnite, but once it is "turned off" you can insert the sim card and it will not resinstall those three programs. However, this app is not preinstalled which means each one of us clicked on a link that silently downloaded it. Furthermore, I suspect it has been placed in a safe partition on the device or on the ROOT directory itself because it survives a factory reset.
I dont know how to check if my device is rooted, but when I boot in recovery mode it lists me in # manual mode# and I seem to remember the # symbol was significant in the root determination discussion. Again, I am no expert on the matter; so, I can be completly off base here. I recomend you research my findings on your device to see if they are compromised as well.
Now, I just contacted Mandelay Digital, the publically traded company that authors DT Ignite, and let them know that on monday I will consult an attourney regarding there neglegent distribution of their software and have requested they provide steps to uninstall. after my discussion with an attourney, I may come back here to post information regarding a class action if it is feasible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's really not a big deal.
For starters, a random piece of adware did NOT root your device. In order to root, you would need to run commands and codes into your device using a program called ODIN, and unless your phone rebooted, showed a red system menu, then rebooted itself again, it was not rooted. You would also have a root access application like SuperSU or SuperUser.
*****
There's 2 ways to go about fixing the adware...
1. Factory Reset, THEN ODIN back to factory stock, the files (from root accessed files and normal files alike) will be entirely resetted to how the stock .img was created.
2. (Easier way) Root, use Titanium and uninstall the adware application causing the problem. Seeing as I've never had adware on my device, I feel this way would only be a temporary fix.
Needless to say, fix #1 is preffered.
If this is an issue for you (novice problems might I add), use an antivirus designed for your device. There are multiple options in the Play Store.
And a side note for ya, this will not stand up in court, this wouldn't even make it to court; in any way possible. If a lawyer had a nickel for anyone who has ever had adware on their devices that was trying to take a company to court to get some kind of settlement or resolution, lawyers would be very rich people.
You visited a site that infected your device with adware. (Probably pornographic). You'll be wasting your time and money. Based on the fact that you went to the extent to call them and threaten them is even worse, almost childish. They don't care, they probably get calls like that all day, every day.
This is not some random anomaly, it's a virus that was installed into your device due to your Internet browsing / downloading habits.
*****
When you see **** on the ground, rather than yelling at it and rolling around in it, just pick it up and be done.

Same thing happened to me today. I formatted the phone using TWRP and reinstalled stock using Odin. The sim was still in the phone. As soon as the phone connected to the cell network these apps came back!
Next try was to reflash stock with the sim out. The apps were not there. After routing the phone I uninstalled /system/priv-app/Ignite_TMO.apk which is the package for IDIgnite. Thankfully, these apps have not returned since.
What I found odd was that even stock image did not remove these. I did ensure that the microsd card was also not present in the phone so these apps are definitely stored in the internal partition somewhere.

Why are we assuming this is an exploit rather than something T-Mobile shipped in a recent ROM update or in the original image in order to install these bloatware apps?

I think it might be in the ank4, because I just got these when flashing an ank4 Rom.
I know for sure I didn't have them before.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

Unauthorized Apps Downloaded to T-Mobile Samsung Note 4.
I have a T-Mobile Samsung Note 4 which updated on Wednesday, November 26, 2014. Just a few minutes ago, I turned my phone off, then turned it on again and noticed on the status/notification bar a triangle with exclamation mark... and when I pulled down screen it was for 2 apps warning that these apps have high permissions. I did not add these apps and when I looked at my apps I noticed the same 3 listed here were installed on my phone. Cookie Jam (high permissions), RetailMeNot (high permissions) and Drippler. I uninstalled from the Google Play Store. Before uninstalling, I planned to give a 1 star review for all 3 apps downloaded on my phone informing people of these apps, but there was no option for me to review these apps although these apps have reviews from other users. I didn't pay attention to the first two that I uninstalled but when I selected uninstall for the Drippler app, there was a warning "This app was not installed by Google Play Store. Do you want to Uninstall it". After this happened I did uncheck the "Unknown Sources" box under the security option for third party apps. I'm very disappointed that this has happened. I have had too much trouble with this phone and really feel that it was a waste of purchase. The first one I bought was broken and this is the second one exchanged in the store and it has many issues. I only downloaded 1 app (MOOC app) a few hours before this happened, but these didn't download until after I turned my phone off, then back on. The MOOC app listed links to several MOOCs online, and only had 4 reviews. If these same apps are being downloaded to other T-Mobile Note 4 users could this be from a link or a problem with the phone. What are the chances of several people accessing the same link? Does this mean the phone is hacked? If the "Unknown Sources" box is checked, will this stop the downloads without permission? Someone please help. This is an edited response to the above-written. After I wrote the response, I picked up my phone and noticed the Virus Scanner (CM Security) icon was in status bar. It showed there was 1 vulnerability called BroadAnywhere. I searched it on Google and found that it is a very bad virus... Once the virus was cleaned from my phone it seems to be working well. It hasn't been long but so far it seems ok and the apps haven't come back, nor the permissions (which did come back once after deleting apps) and well as a couple other things before the virus scan. Hopefully this will clear the problem. If not, I'll give update.
raptir said:
Three apps installed themselves without my intervention:
Cookie Jam
Drippler
RetailMeNot
They didn't come preinstalled, but just installed themselves today. I was able to uninstall them but they keep coming back.
Any idea what's going on? They do not show up under My Apps in the play store, but I can uninstall them through settings. I did a factory reset and didn't install anything and they still come back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I noticed this happened to me as well,but it only happened after I updated my note to the new update. My wife's phone has not been updated and she doesn't have the app in her applications, so my assumption is it was packages in with the new update.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app

There is a preinstalled app labeled "DT Ignite" in the most recent stock rom.
The app is found in /system/priv-app. The file is Ignite_TMO.apk.
Package name is com.LogiaGroup.LogiaDeck.
Just disable it and you guys should be fine.

happening to me too
I can confirm that this has happened to me after the most recent update. Note 4 tmobile version. Disabling "DT Ignite" seems to have fixed it.

First of all, thank you.* Despite your tone it was helpful and reassuring. I have never rooted before and am unfamiliar with the process. If you're willing, I have a few questions that perhaps you can point me in the right direction.
I would like to root and get rid of some applications in general so this isnt exactly off the table, but I would like to begin with a clean factory stock image.
If I do the first method, can I leave it rooted afterwards, or will the act of installing a clean factory stock image unroot the device again?
Also, can you provide a link to a site that offers detailed and trusted steps for either process? Searching google provides several dozen sites each with slightly different methods; what method did you use?
Regarding the tone and assumptions: You do make a lot of assumptions, and you do ooze an air of superiority in your response. I can respect that; this is, afterall your expertise. I just dont think its needed for people to respect your opinion. Assumptions, on the other hand, just lead to people being dismissive of your remarks all together. Its my job to look past assumptions, so they dont bother me much.
Regarding a lawsuite: I live in California and Mandelay Digital is based in California as well. In California you can (edited) sue someone for just about anything: bad thoughts, dressing poorly, beverage too hot etc (all real cases). If there is money to be had, a Lawyer will find a way. Mandelay is publically traded and the author of the software being used; there is incentive there. I will let the attourney make the decision.
Anyway, thank you for your initial response, and any further help you can provide.
---------- Post added at 04:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:41 PM ----------
Looks like I responded too early and should have read the new developments on the thread. It is possible my phone updated thanksgiving and I wasnt aware of it. I did change the battery mid afternoon for family pictures and such, and I noticed the apps (through app2sd notification about some of them being campatible with moving to the SD card) after it booted back up. I just did not see anything about a software update.
With that being said, I suppose it is fairly harmless, though I do not like the idea of such a direct and quite backdoor to installing apps on my phone. I agreed to the initial presinstalled apps, and I am sure somewhere in the initial agreements I may have agreed to unfettered access to my device's selection of apps, but I would still like a more obvious warning of this capability.

I figured it was something that T-Mobile or Samsung had to have snuck in on one of their updates. Luckily I got my phone right before we went on a trip for Thanksgiving. So I haven't had much time to play with it or even Root it yet. I was able to go through all my Apps in the application manager and clear data/turn off all of the apps that I don't want or use, and I haven't had anything reinstall itself without my approval. I have also unticked the unknown sources option, so maybe that helped as well.
I would normally agree that it was some site that performed a drive - by installation, but I haven't used my phone for anything other than taking pictures, and asking Google for directions around Nashville since I got it on Wednesday.
I will definitely be rooting and probably flashing a new rom as soon as I get home though. Having Random apps installed without me knowing is no fun at all.

I've had the new update since the day it was released and never had this problem.

Very disturbing. This is the rights for DT Ignite which is now built into the rom after taking the last update. Did a hard reset and now is part of the rom. Nothing loaded and just logged into the phone. The community should be very upset about T-Mobile sneaking this malware on our phones!
Let me be clear that this is after a hard reset without logging into google, Samsung or a Web page. This crapware is now part of the device if you took the last update.

cirrob said:
First of all, thank you.* Despite your tone it was helpful and reassuring. I have never rooted before and am unfamiliar with the process. If you're willing, I have a few questions that perhaps you can point me in the right direction.
I would like to root and get rid of some applications in general so this isnt exactly off the table, but I would like to begin with a clean factory stock image.
If I do the first method, can I leave it rooted afterwards, or will the act of installing a clean factory stock image unroot the device again?
Also, can you provide a link to a site that offers detailed and trusted steps for either process? Searching google provides several dozen sites each with slightly different methods; what method did you use?
Regarding the tone and assumptions: You do make a lot of assumptions, and you do ooze an air of superiority in your response. I can respect that; this is, afterall your expertise. I just dont think its needed for people to respect your opinion. Assumptions, on the other hand, just lead to people being dismissive of your remarks all together. Its my job to look past assumptions, so they dont bother me much.
Regarding a lawsuite: I live in California and Mandelay Digital is based in California as well. In California you can (edited) sue someone for just about anything: bad thoughts, dressing poorly, beverage too hot etc (all real cases). If there is money to be had, a Lawyer will find a way. Mandelay is publically traded and the author of the software being used; there is incentive there. I will let the attourney make the decision.
Anyway, thank you for your initial response, and any further help you can provide.
---------- Post added at 04:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:41 PM ----------
Looks like I responded too early and should have read the new developments on the thread. It is possible my phone updated thanksgiving and I wasnt aware of it. I did change the battery mid afternoon for family pictures and such, and I noticed the apps (through app2sd notification about some of them being campatible with moving to the SD card) after it booted back up. I just did not see anything about a software update.
With that being said, I suppose it is fairly harmless, though I do not like the idea of such a direct and quite backdoor to installing apps on my phone. I agreed to the initial presinstalled apps, and I am sure somewhere in the initial agreements I may have agreed to unfettered access to my device's selection of apps, but I would still like a more obvious warning of this capability.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes if you use the first method, it will unroot your device. (If it's rooted, that is. )
I am making a guide but got tied up yesterday, the guide will be up in about 2-3 hours. I will link it here when it's done.

devynbf said:
Yes if you use the first method, it will unroot your device. (If it's rooted, that is. )
I am making a guide but got tied up yesterday, the guide will be up in about 2-3 hours. I will link it here when it's done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you

cirrob said:
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/not...uide-odin-to-stock-unrooted-firmware-t2957156
Here ya go, guide is live.

Related

Should I buy apps now or wait for froyo?

Hi, new user here. Also kind of new to android in general, but I've been lurking avidly over the past couple of weeks and soaking in as much as I can.
So here is my dilemma:
There a couple of apps that I came across that I wish to buy. However, I'm currently running 2.1 with JH7. I'm waiting for AT&T to release an official Captivate froyo (which I've been reading might be anywhere from a few days from now, or sometime mid December), before I root my phone.
So, if I buy the apps now, they'll get installed onto my phone memory. After froyo, I understand I'll have to option to install the apps on my SD instead - and this is the option I want.
So if I buy the apps now, is there anyway to move the installation files or even somehow reinstall the app to my SD card once froyo hits? If not, I might just have to wait until froyo is released before I buy the apps.
Thanks in advance.
We have 16g of internal mem. compare to 2g on Nexus One. It will not be an issue. But yes when you move to froyo you will still be able to move them over.
Thanks, that's good to know. I guess now I can do some shopping.
Just a more general question: how do the rights for paid software work? Are you generally restricted to a specific phone, or does the buyer still have rights to the software should he later decide to upgrade to a different android phone?
kingtz said:
Thanks, that's good to know. I guess now I can do some shopping.
Just a more general question: how do the rights for paid software work? Are you generally restricted to a specific phone, or does the buyer still have rights to the software should he later decide to upgrade to a different android phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The software you purchase is yours. And can be installed on any Android phone that will run that app. I bought most of apps when I got my droid and have used them on multiple Android phones. Same apps are now on my Captivate. You only have to purchase them once. As long as you sign into your phone with the same account on your previous device. They will show in the market as "purchased" and you just reinstall them to your new device. Hope that explains what your asking.
rdunseith said:
The software you purchase is yours. And can be installed on any Android phone that will run that app. I bought most of apps when I got my droid and have used them on multiple Android phones. Same apps are now on my Captivate. You only have to purchase them once. As long as you sign into your phone with the same account on your previous device. They will show in the market as "purchased" and you just reinstall them to your new device. Hope that explains what your asking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, that was very helpful. Time to shop!
uninstalling an app
Just thought I would post this here. I bought the SETCPU app which ended up locking my phone when it went into standby. I uninstalled the app, and to my surprise marketplace detected it and automatically issued me a refund.
This phone continues to amaze me. I had the windows Surround phone, kept it 2 weeks, and brought it back to exchange for the Captivate. The windows phone had much better sound, great voice recognition, easy to use, but apps were way too limited and the OS needs a lot more tweaking. The tradeoff was worth it. Maybe by next year windows phones will catch up somewhat.
Returning apps - 24H Refund
Refund policy
You have 24 hours from the time of purchase (not download) to return an application purchased through Android Market for a full refund. You may only return a given application once; if you subsequently purchase the same app again, you may not return it a second time.
How to return an app:
From Market, visit the My Downloads page, and select the application you'd like to return.
Applications that are eligible for return are marked with a 'Uninstall & Refund' button. Please note that after the 24-hour return period has expired, all sales are final.
After 24 hours, selecting the "Uninstall" button will simply remove the application from your device. More about uninstalling purchased applications.
If you're unsatisfied with an application after 24 hours, we recommend contacting the developer directly. Learn more about refunds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://market.android.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=134336

Google Wallet guide

Ok guys, as i'm browsing, I keep seeing the same questions over and over gain in different threads talking about Google Wallet. I want to put everything out here in one thread. Keep in mind i'm in the US, I know our foreign friends will be different as Google is still working on getting it working outside the US. So this guide is for you US peeps.
1.) Yes, GW works fine on rooted devices. A banner will show that your device is unsupported, and a warning may appear during checkout...ignore this. The app still works just fine. The reason it says "Unsupported Device" is because when you are rooted, there is a security risk for GW (just like there's one for you device as a whole).
2.) GW will not appear on the Play Store from your device. However, if you go to the Play Store on your computer, it will be there.
3.) You have heard there was an update that allowed you add all major credit cards, but you can't see how to update it. You have two options:
~a.) My most recommended option. Go to the Play website using your computer. Click on 'My Android Apps'. Choose the Asus Nexus 7. Scroll through the installed apps until you find "Wallet." Click it. Click on 'INSTALLED' and it will offer to send the update to you. Send it to your N7, you may need to be on wi-fi, I'm not sure about that. Now you'll have the other options for credit cards.
~b.) IF IF IF IF IF and ONLY IF the first option does not work, you can use the hacked apk found here. Just follow the instructions. Now if you are outside of the US, there are instructions in that thread for getting GW to work outside of the US. If you have issues, post them there so the developer can work on it. It is his apk, so he needs to know of issues, not me.
4.) You have added your credit/debit card. When you use GW, it will actually use your virtual master card that goes through Google, which will then debit from your actual card. What does this mean? It means that if you get any kind of rewards for using your card at certain places, you may not get those rewards or only part of them, as your billing statement will show that it was a Google purchase.
5.) No. You do NOT have to have a data or internet connection to use GW.
So there you have it. And just point out the most frequently asked questions: no data/internet required, works on rooted devices regardless of the warnings you see, only shows up in the Play Store on your computer browser. There, those have been repeated twice, so you should not be asking anymore
That's awesome. I'd added a card online, deleted an old one, but the damned app on my N7 just showed a Citi card, and no option to update. I felt retarded... I'm glad this is finally set up. Thanks.
My N7 is rooted. I've installed the latest wallet and I've entered one of my credit cards. When I did that I got an email from google stating that my wallet was set up and ready to go. To test it I should open wallet and tap my card to authorize its use. It doesn't matter how much I tap, touch, or rub the card on the N7 it doesn't appear that it is reading my card.
Is it working properly? I'd kinda like to test it out before I actually take it in someplace and try to use it.
ba_hamilton said:
My N7 is rooted. I've installed the latest wallet and I've entered one of my credit cards. When I did that I got an email from google stating that my wallet was set up and ready to go. To test it I should open wallet and tap my card to authorize its use. It doesn't matter how much I tap, touch, or rub the card on the N7 it doesn't appear that it is reading my card.
Is it working properly? I'd kinda like to test it out before I actually take it in someplace and try to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is your card a paypass card? Never seen it ask to tap the card to the phone. Not sure why it would, frankly.
I was about to say the same thing. You can't tap just any ole card. Doesn't work that way. The card needs to have an RFID chip in it, or some sort of NFC chip. Someone correct me if i'm wrong.
Installed yesterday from the link that was posted and this is what I get.
Thoughts?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
I am not rooted and I tried it at a Walgreens, but it didn't do anything. Can someone explain in elementary steps how it actually works when using it at a store? I just figured I had to have a data connection and that is why it didn't work, but this guide says otherwise.
Thanks for your help!
First, download the PayPass locator to find which stores near you actually have a console that is compatible with the device. Some Walgreens DO NOT have the mastercard paypass system. They have some other kind of technology. I tried at a walgreens by my place and felt foolish when the girl just looked at me weird.
You can use this at ALL McDonald's. Go there and order something. Turn your device on. Make sure NFC is enabled in the settings. You don't need to have wallet open already, but it would speed up the process. If you don't have it open, but with the phone screen turned on, rest the back of the device to the paypass surface. They need to be physically touching. You may need to move the device around just a bit. You will hear a ringing noise, and then google wallet will be active. It will ask you to type in your PIN and the press the device to the surface to complete the transaction. Sometimes you have to tell the person at the cash register that you are paying with credit. Once you tap it a second time to the surface of the paypass thing, it will say transaction complete.
NOW, sometimes it doesn't work 100% flawlessly. SOMETIMES you have to tap the device to the pad over and over again. Or move it around on top of the pad until it goes through. And sometimes, even tho it goes through on the end of the cash register, the device still tells you that the transaction may not have gone through. If the person smiles at you and gives you your receipt, it went through just fine. But the device will ask you to tap the paypass pad again. Just take the receipt and wink at the person if they are cute because they have never seen it before and they are probably blown away by it.
Oh, and even though people say that you don't need a data connection to use it, I have always been connected via wifi to my phone or the wifi at the restaurant when I use it.
One more question, I am getting annoyed by the "you need flash blah blah blah", so I am going to root.
In the past I thought I saw articles saying something about resetting google wallet before you root or it messes it up, but when I go into Wallet to reset it - I don't see that option.
Is this something that is still required? If so, what are the steps?
I was under the impression that you don't need a wi-fi connection to complete a transaction at a PayPass terminal. Has anyone used it successfully knowing there was no wi-fi connection?
Heaterz16 said:
One more question, I am getting annoyed by the "you need flash blah blah blah", so I am going to root.
In the past I thought I saw articles saying something about resetting google wallet before you root or it messes it up, but when I go into Wallet to reset it - I don't see that option.
Is this something that is still required? If so, what are the steps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From Google wallet, go into the menu from the google wallet home screen. The three dots up in the right hand corner. Then settings. Then reset google wallet.
You do not need a wifi / data connection ! How many times does this need to be stated?!
Groid said:
I was under the impression that you don't need a wi-fi connection to complete a transaction at a PayPass terminal. Has anyone used it successfully knowing there was no wi-fi connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.....................really dude? Did you read the whole thing? I even said it twice. Let me quote myself:
5.) No. You do NOT have to have a data or internet connection to use GW.
So there you have it. And just to point out the most frequently asked questions: no data/internet required, works on rooted devices regardless of the warnings you see, only shows up in the Play Store on your computer browser. There, those have been repeated twice, so you should not be asking anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See? I put it in there twice. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just have little patience for people who don't read and ask questions that were already answered. Hope the bluntness gets the point across so this doesn't happen in the future, that's all.
adamhlj said:
From Google wallet, go into the menu from the google wallet home screen. The three dots up in the right hand corner. Then settings. Then reset google wallet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't believe I didn't see that until now, I tried that about 4 times using the menu button but it never had the settings option....before I realized I was within a card which didn't have that option. I had to hit the back button twice to get to the "homepage" of the app, then I saw the settings, reset option...
Thanks!
Thanks OP. Your method of updating the app worked flawlessly for me. Now I added another card. Can't wait to try this out.
Quick question: lets say I get a galaxy S3, it has Google wallet on it or I install it(I believe that device has nfc also, all I would have to do is sign in and data transfer KR copies to new device? Or will I have to set THST device up all over again ?
Here's an odd question:
Let's say you're at the end of your funds on your debit card, and you don't want to charge the whole amount on your (different)credit card. Is there a way to use Google Wallet to pay out the last of the debit card's funds, THEN cover the balance of the purchase with the credit card?
matrix0886 said:
~b.) IF IF IF IF IF and ONLY IF the first option does not work, you can use the hacked apk found here. Just follow the instructions. Now if you are outside of the US, there are instructions in that thread for getting GW to work outside of the US. If you have issues, post them there so the developer can work on it. It is his apk, so he needs to know of issues, not me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm running Team EOS Rom build 19.
Nothing else would work for me, so I did this method.
I have tried installing it by just tapping the apk and I have also put the apk in /system/apps and set permissions. No matter how I do it, I always get this.
Any thoughts?
I can verify that this works when rooted on the stock ROM AND WITHOUT INTERNET CONNECTION. When I have used it on my Nexus 7, I have had the app open as it will ask you to put in your PIN number on the device.
Few things to make sure you have done before scanning. Make sure you have a card selected before hand WHICH DOES REQUIRE INTERNET CONNECTION. I have tried to scan my Nexus 7 and Galaxy S III without a card selected (although I'm not sure why the card was deselected) and neither would work.
When you scan the device at the NFC point of sale, make sure you center the "U" in "Nexus" on the back of your device over the scanning area (this is according to the instruction manual on the device). You can test this for yourself if you have another NFC capable device, using Android Beam. You will find that the scanning range of the NFC is very specific on both devices.
Sometimes, it will take a little bit of time for the device to be scanned and for the transaction to be completed. You will hear a sound from your device indicating that the NFC has been scanned, after which the Google Wallet app will pop up prompting you to put in your PIN or that the transaction has been completed, showing you a receipt.
matrix0886 said:
.....................really dude? Did you read the whole thing? I even said it twice. Let me quote myself:
See? I put it in there twice. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just have little patience for people who don't read and ask questions that were already answered. Hope the bluntness gets the point across so this doesn't happen in the future, that's all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read the OP entirely and thought, hooray! In post 7 someone said his didn't work and questioned the data connection. Post 8 said he was successful and stated he had a wi-fi connection with his phone at the time. No one before my post had verified wi-fi or data was not needed except the OP. Trust, but verify. I just wanted one other person to say it worked.
Just curious if there was a way to reload the virtual card without having another credit/debit card added as an available card in GW? Is there a phone number or website where we could add funds, so the virtual card is the only card listed in GW?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Android Device Manager

In case you didn't know, Google has silently implemented FREE tracking for almost all androids. It also allows you to erase the phone if you feel that it's necessary, all you have to do is enable it as a device admin. I realize there have been apps on the market for a long time now that do this (and more) however Google doesn't require you to install or update any apps to use this service and from my brief testing it seems to work amazingly well right off the bat.
Go here and bookmark: https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager
it's about time they did this. i've hated having to install lookout or avast for decent location and remote wipe. now, that is more. further proof why you don't need an AV on your phone.
The only thing missing that I would like to see in future updates would be the ability to remotely lock the device so that a thief would have a harder time fooling around with the phone before you can track it. I've been using Where's My Droid for a long time but it lost the web interface tracking a while ago and that's been a bummer.
Is there any way to uninstall this useless feature? I never use GPS in my phone (because of the horrible reception, also because I am able to navigate without it), and also do not lose it.
Also, I already encrypted my device, so people can't do anything with it when they find it.
Also, whilst I am at it, I really do not like the way google forces their "content" down the wide opened throat of the community. I did not like the way they went with google services framework, and how you can't do jack sh*t without it, and I do not like the updates and "progression" they make.
Soo, any idea on how to get that off my phone?
Cheers!
PS: Everything I wrote is my own opinion, and if yours differs, at least RESPECT mine. If not, I could not care less about yours and do not get upset if I make fun of it. (Just in case some fanboy tries to attack me )
IRKONIK said:
Is there any way to uninstall this useless feature? I never use GPS in my phone (because of the horrible reception, also because I am able to navigate without it), and also do not lose it.
Also, I already encrypted my device, so people can't do anything with it when they find it.
Also, whilst I am at it, I really do not like the way google forces their "content" down the wide opened throat of the community. I did not like the way they went with google services framework, and how you can't do jack sh*t without it, and I do not like the updates and "progression" they make.
Soo, any idea on how to get that off my phone?
Cheers!
PS: Everything I wrote is my own opinion, and if yours differs, at least RESPECT mine. If not, I could not care less about yours and do not get upset if I make fun of it. (Just in case some fanboy tries to attack me )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can disable the google play services in a custom ROM (i think it's built-in to android 4.2.2) but it'll break the YouTube app, and as you said, you're limited without it. as far as like older ROMs go (ICS, GB, etc.), the app isn't built-in and you can uninstall it.
I personally find google play services somewhat useful (especially now with the ADM), and i use YouTube occasionally so i need it for that, but we all have our own opinions, as you said, and I'd personally like to keep things civil.
and if you hate the services that much, you can actually reflash the ROM you're using without Gapps. it will be a limited experience, but the Play Services won't be there
IRKONIK said:
Is there any way to uninstall this useless feature? I never use GPS in my phone (because of the horrible reception, also because I am able to navigate without it), and also do not lose it.
Also, I already encrypted my device, so people can't do anything with it when they find it.
Also, whilst I am at it, I really do not like the way google forces their "content" down the wide opened throat of the community. I did not like the way they went with google services framework, and how you can't do jack sh*t without it, and I do not like the updates and "progression" they make.
Soo, any idea on how to get that off my phone?
Cheers!
PS: Everything I wrote is my own opinion, and if yours differs, at least RESPECT mine. If not, I could not care less about yours and do not get upset if I make fun of it. (Just in case some fanboy tries to attack me )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other than what was already said I don't think there's a way to remove it, but just look at it this way... it doesn't take up any space and won't just activate by itself, so it's really not inconveniencing you in any way. I understand you don't want to be force-fed features that you don't want, and I absolutely respect that, but for many (myself included) this was a long overdue feature that will no doubt help many many users. This kinda stuff comes with the territory of owning a 'connected' device like a smartphone, so if you really want to get off the grid, just go back to a dumb-phone (yes they still exist).
Sorry for the "rant", but these updates cost me money, since I don't have a flatrare on my phone. (And Android OS still uses my data, whilst I have it turned off. Which is strange)
I actually do own "a few" dumb phones, one for calling, one for getting called, one for SMS.
So I am off grid, at least a little bit.
I actually never understood that feature. As I stated above, I am not the kind of person that loses stuff (OK, maybe sometimes my manners ) nor did I ever had something stolen from me. People tried, but never succeeded.
I am looking forward to Replicant, so I can finally shove my middle finger up Googles fat back-ends (of the wafer. Also it is somehow connected to the fat file system. Not what you thought )
Some day.. Soon.
IRKONIK said:
Sorry for the "rant", but these updates cost me money, since I don't have a flatrare on my phone. (And Android OS still uses my data, whilst I have it turned off. Which is strange)
I actually do own "a few" dumb phones, one for calling, one for getting called, one for SMS.
So I am off grid, at least a little bit.
I actually never understood that feature. As I stated above, I am not the kind of person that loses stuff (OK, maybe sometimes my manners ) nor did I ever had something stolen from me. People tried, but never succeeded.
I am looking forward to Replicant, so I can finally shove my middle finger up Googles fat back-ends (of the wafer. Also it is somehow connected to the fat file system. Not what you thought )
Some day.. Soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Replicant is available for the galaxysmtd (international galaxy s). it's not fully functional though, because there aren't a ton of open-source libraries and drivers available. if you want replicant on this phone, you gotta learn how to code, and how to build from source.
supernexus is kinda like replicant except it uses a lot of closed-source libraries that make things work. as i said, just don't flash the google apps package. it's basically a clone of the Nexus firmware, as you get all the AOSP components, nothing more or less. oh and also, very minimal google integration without Gapps
How does it work
So does Android Device Manager track the phone or tablet by the hardware signature or by Google account? I ask because I lost my Nexus 7 last Monday and immediately changed my Google Account password. Now when I try to track the Nexus 7 using Android Device Manager it shows that it has not been used since last Monday.
Capt-Capsaicin said:
So does Android Device Manager track the phone or tablet by the hardware signature or by Google account? I ask because I lost my Nexus 7 last Monday and immediately changed my Google Account password. Now when I try to track the Nexus 7 using Android Device Manager it shows that it has not been used since last Monday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hardware i reckon, when i used this it let's me choose which device I've used with my Google account. It sees phone as different again when I've flashed a new ROM.
Crawshayi said:
In case you didn't know, Google has silently implemented FREE tracking for almost all androids. It also allows you to erase the phone if you feel that it's necessary, all you have to do is enable it as a device admin. I realize there have been apps on the market for a long time now that do this (and more) however Google doesn't require you to install or update any apps to use this service and from my brief testing it seems to work amazingly well right off the bat.
Go here and bookmark: https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CM Team Announces CyanogenMod Account For Remote Device Wipe/Tracking, Dual-Release Branches For Better Security
Posted by Ryan Whitwam in News
http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/0...ng-dual-release-branches-for-better-security/
CM guys still finding ways to 1-up google android :silly:
.

HELP Please - LG say my phone is rooted

I did post this in the G5 group, but this is more appropriate, I only got 1 reply there and need more info really to fight my cause. I have also emailed the Superuser developers but no reply..
My LG G5 is just under 18 months old, so still covered by the 2 yr UK warranty in that sense. It has started to only accept a USB connection (for charging, data connection, anything) once before it needs rebooting to accept it again.
So, I sent it back to LG. They sent the phone back to say it is rooted and wouldn't fix it.
I have eventually got to someone at Head Office and they still say the same, that as the OS has been modified then they will not repair it (the warranty does state that they will not repair a fault CAUSED by a modification by the way)
So I ran the internal software check as mentioned here - - and it does indeed come up with a positive, it says that SUPERUSER (a rooting related app) was installed on 1/1/17. - see attached image
I well remember doing a full wipe and reinstall of the phone on new years day and Google Play installed all the apps on my account and I had to delete the ones that I didn't use anymore. I have rooted various devices and that is why Superuser was in my Google Play account. It did install on the phone that day and was uninstalled (never run) the same day. The phone has never been rooted (it has been mine since new, I know how to root phones and would know if I had! I have also had no reason to) and I have run Android Pay and the banking apps on it all the time.
I can actually get the phone repaired for £25 anyway so it's not so much the repair that is the issue right now, it's that I think LG shouldn't get away with treating customers like this and I want to make a point.
Before I go through the various public attempts to make the point (Twitter, Trading Standards, Tech mags) I do want to be 100% clear of the facts, so if I am mistaken then please do tell me.
The Head Office guy said that even though Android Pay etc still works, that they have different checks and that a program has been run that has modified the OS. Their own internal phone software tells me that this program is Superuser. My understanding is that superuser does nothing at all unless a phone is rooted. Then, on a rooted phone, it will act as a 'middle-man', intercepting anything that wants root access and asking for permission from the user.
Am I correct in saying (and LG incorrect) that Superuser makes NO change to the OS? All the version numbers in About in Settings are the current legit ones.
In my opinion, they are technically intelligent enough to know that there is no technical issue with my circumstances, they just want to get out of fixing the phone (which has already cost them me buying the next incarnation of the series at the end of my contract and my next TV too). Even if it had been modified, the app was installed on 1 Jan, the issue started a month ago, and LG happily fixed another fault (fingerprint sensor) on the phone back in April with no complaining about root! There could be no proof that the fault was caused by Superuser.
Any advice/ammunition to talk to them would be appreciated.

Question How to recover accidentally erased Camera folder from Samsung S21 Ultra - Data Recovery Android 12 / Root?

Problem:
My mum has an Android-based Samsung phone and unfortunately, when the main folder with photos ("Camera") was moved from the Phone to PC via USB cable, it was made using Cut and Paste. By accident the files were pasted into Recycle Bin and we received warning "Files will be permanently deleted. Do you wish to proceed?". We pressed "No" to abandon this process and undo the mistake. Nevertheless, the entire folder "Camera" has already disappeared from the window of DCIM folder on the phone (as viewed from PC). Similarly, the folder appears to have been deleted when viewed from within the phone. (also the phone now has 150 Gb free, while before the process it had 110 Gb free, so it appears 40 Gb of photos have been deleted....
Attempts to fix:
Standard photo / data recovery services failed to bring results (searching hidden folders using Windows Explorer, Total Commander and Ultdata Android).
We then tried two professional software solutions (Cellebrite UFED and Oxygen Forensic Device Extractor -- Android Agent), which also did not manage to locate photos on the device.
It appears as if they were completely deleted.
The same person who used the two prof software solutions above has access to PC-3000, but he claims it's not suitable for Android data recovery (?)
We have already spent 2 days and hundreds of dollars on consultations, which unfortunately still have not brought any results, while the emotional weight of deleted memories is haunting us. Thus, we appeal to help of this forum.
Current thoughts:
#1 All other methods suggested require rooting the phone, which apparently will wipe the whole and make recovery of that specific folder even less likely (correct me if I'm wrong).
#2 All suggestions to make back-up of the phone / clone the entire memory are not relevant, as the only files that are of importance here are the files in the deleted folder, and those files are not hidden and therefore will not copy into this back-up anyway (correct me if I'm wrong).
#3 One person told us to ask Samsung customer service, but their response was that they don't do data recovery and that they only can restore if there was Samsung cloud backup activated.
Questions:
Q1: What is our best course of action? It seems, rooting is one way or another, inevitable. What rooting method would be best to use here, given the situation and my phone specifications? I understand that there is no 100% guarantee to recover the erased photos, but we would like to at least give it a try with maximum chances of success.
Q2: Given that the files we want to back-up are already deleted and not visible, is it even worth it to try to make any back-ups? or will it be in vain, and should we just proceed to rooting and further recovery attempts?
Q3: IF, we successfully root, what is the best way to access the hidden data? Do we need help of this expert who has PC-3000 and specialized software, or is it going to be accessible using our own PC+USB cable + extra downloaded software?
Phone:
Samsung S21 Ultra (G998B). Android 12. No cloud, no backup. Phone not used for now. New data is not copied onto the phone. Phone not rooted.
Thank you for all your help. I do hope to find some solution. We are down hundreds of dollars, many hours of talking to consultants, many of whom appear to just google potential solutions and offer us some basic things, while the pain of cherished memories potentially lost forever is the worst, much worse than money lost. Any help or constructive feedback would be appreciated!
BTW if someone offers a working solution, I can offer consultancy fee for time and success fee in case of recovery.
Root probably won't be possible without unlocking the bootloader, and unlocking the bootloader factory resets the phone, which formats the internal storage and permanently deletes everything. I've used root apps to recover deleted photos and videos before but that only works if the phone was already rooted, or if there's a way to do it without wiping the phone. When I joined XDA almost a decade ago it was relatively common to see root methods that used exploits, and didn't require you to wipe the phone but that's not really a thing today. All this is to say that root is almost certainly not a viable option.
Have you checked for professional forensics services that can disassemble the phone and connect wires directly to the storage chips?
I've seen Youtube videos like this, where they get into the guts of the electronics and use solder and wiring. Sorry I don't know more specifics, but perhaps you can find them online and mail your phone for professional forensics recovery.
Maybe you can download a folder files of camera for the S21 Ultra :U
KingFatty said:
Have you checked for professional forensics services that can disassemble the phone and connect wires directly to the storage chips?
I've seen Youtube videos like this, where they get into the guts of the electronics and use solder and wiring. Sorry I don't know more specifics, but perhaps you can find them online and mail your phone for professional forensics recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^this^ Your best shot. With this you may only get one shot especially if you cause more damage by misadventure...
Others here have gone this route and gotten good results. $400-800 for non rush service is in the ballpark.
KingFatty said:
Have you checked for professional forensics services that can disassemble the phone and connect wires directly to the storage chips?
I've seen Youtube videos like this, where they get into the guts of the electronics and use solder and wiring. Sorry I don't know more specifics, but perhaps you can find them online and mail your phone for professional forensics recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
blackhawk said:
^this^ Your best shot. With this you may only get one shot especially if you cause more damage by misadventure...
Others here have gone this route and gotten good results. $400-800 for non rush service is in the ballpark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. I have come across some websites mentioning this, but could not find any agency of repute in my region offering such a solution. And especially if I can only get one shot with this, I definitely want to pick the best agency to try it out. The photos inside are worth it for me to shell out hundreds of dollars if necessary...
I wonder also, if we can reasonably expect technical progress to be able to solve this situation. I don't mean some stuff like quantum computing, but for instance I'm aware that PS3 has recently been cracked , a few years after it came out. Can I reasonably expect something similar to happen to Android 12 that what's not breakable/crackable today, may become so in 1-2 or maybe 3-4 years? While I'd hate to have to wait for 2-3 years, there's nothing time-sensitive in those photos; just family moments that I would like to be able to revisit 10 years later, so if I only will be able to access them later on, that's fine, I can just put my phone in a drawer for a few years and wait. As long as this wait is not in vain. Definitely don't need false hope.
Thanks for your feedback!
samsungs21 said:
Thank you. I have come across some websites mentioning this, but could not find any agency of repute in my region offering such a solution. And especially if I can only get one shot with this, I definitely want to pick the best agency to try it out. The photos inside are worth it for me to shell out hundreds of dollars if necessary...
I wonder also, if we can reasonably expect technical progress to be able to solve this situation. I don't mean some stuff like quantum computing, but for instance I'm aware that PS3 has recently been cracked , a few years after it came out. Can I reasonably expect something similar to happen to Android 12 that what's not breakable/crackable today, may become so in 1-2 or maybe 3-4 years? While I'd hate to have to wait for 2-3 years, there's nothing time-sensitive in those photos; just family moments that I would like to be able to revisit 10 years later, so if I only will be able to access them later on, that's fine, I can just put my phone in a drawer for a few years and wait. As long as this wait is not in vain. Definitely don't need false hope.
Thanks for your feedback!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a thread here I posted on going 4-8 months. He had hid data recovered from a Samsung for $1200 rush job vs the usual $800 charge). I've tried to find it, but you see my post count. Usually that works in my favor but not always He shipped it to them if I recall correctly.
Try these guys. That may be the company he used. Been too long and it was of passing interest to me. If you do recover the data please report back. Many posters here have asked for this.
Due to the way those files were lost they may not be recoverable. Personally I would've written them off. However only a recovery specialist can say for sure.
blackhawk said:
There's a thread here I posted on going 4-8 months. He had hid data recovered from a Samsung for $1200 rush job vs the usual $800 charge). I've tried to find it, but you see my post count. Usually that works in my favor but not always He shipped it to them if I recall correctly.
Try these guys. That may be the company he used. Been too long and it was of passing interest to me. If you do recover the data please report back. Many posters here have asked for this.
Due to the way those files were lost they may not be recoverable. Personally I would've written them off. However only a recovery specialist can say for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
reached out to the guys you recommended, though their website / social media have not been updated since 2020... Will report back on the progress.
samsungs21 said:
reached out to the guys you recommended, though their website / social media have not been updated since 2020... Will report back on the progress.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure that's who he used and I know only what I read on their site. Just saying...
Can't you just plug the phone to a PC and use a recovery tool like DiskDrill, or something?
Flash the original firmware
Samarimama said:
Flash the original firmware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would do nothing except complicate the issue.
RSGI said:
Can't you just plug the phone to a PC and use a recovery tool like DiskDrill, or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tried that. The phone is not considered a hard drive, hence neither appears on the list of hard drives on Disk Drill, nor can be selected as folder/destination to run it on...
samsungs21 said:
tried that. The phone is not considered a hard drive, hence neither appears on the list of hard drives on Disk Drill, nor can be selected as folder/destination to run it on...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should mention that even if the jpegs can be recovered their exif data is not able to be associated with the jpeg. The folder structure is lost as well. A sea of jpegs with no time stamp or original image name. A daunting task in itself to sort these out.
Make a factory reset
Samarimama said:
Make a factory reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would overwrite the lost data potentially making it impossible to recover as if it's not already bad enough.
It was a simple data transfer that went bad (this can happen), nothing indicates the user partition or rom are corrupted... throwing rocks at it doesn't help.
samsungs21 said:
tried that. The phone is not considered a hard drive, hence neither appears on the list of hard drives on Disk Drill, nor can be selected as folder/destination to run it on...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try an app called "Disk Digger". Its on the playstore. It might belp.
RSGI said:
Try an app called "Disk Digger". Its on the playstore. It might belp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're not going to use a professional recovery service, go for it.
Otherwise using the device risks overwriting the now unallocated data... once overwritten recovery is completely impossible on a flash drive.
blackhawk said:
That would overwrite the lost data potentially making it impossible to recover as if it's not already bad enough.
It was a simple data transfer that went bad (this can happen), nothing indicates the user partition or rom are corrupted... throwing rocks at it doesn't he
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samarimama said:
Make a factory reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would definitely ruin his chances of any recovery... just avoid making any writing on the storage, cause if the data you want to recover is overwrite, it's definitely gone... at least intact...

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