Google deactivation - Nexus 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So ups lost my phone during shipping, Google said they'd remotely deactivate it and sent me another, if the other were to show up, would it really be deactivated?
If it would, out if curiosity, how does that functionality work? Is that something in the bootloader? Or is it is os level stuff? Also, if someone did steal my phone, can they bypass it or are they dead on the water?
I find it really interesting that Google can do this
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Only thing I can think of is IMEI blacklisting. I don't think they have the ability to do any other kind of remote wiping and would venture to say the rep you talked with didn't know what they were talking about.

It's not just one rep it's the entire process
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

There is an option in "Google Settings", which could be used to remotely lock the device and clean all data. Maybe related to this?
Lock bootloader, clean EFS partition, etc all are "useful" for deactivation, but these seem too dangerous.

Related

[Q] Xoom was stolen!?!? wifi version

So I know there is almost no way to recover it as security programs need a data connection..
Either way, not too worried about that.
I just bought the darn thing 3 weeks ago, box is sitting in front of me..
I put a facelock/lock on it, It was rooted and running EOS 2.0
What is making me sick to my stomach, is the fact someone else will be able to use it
Makes me sick..
Can they sign in with google and basically use it? Is there a way I can say xxxx model xoom was stolen and it locks the device or something?
So sad
fastfed said:
So I know there is almost no way to recover it as security programs need a data connection..
Either way, not too worried about that.
I just bought the darn thing 3 weeks ago, box is sitting in front of me..
I put a facelock/lock on it, It was rooted and running EOS 2.0
What is making me sick to my stomach, is the fact someone else will be able to use it
Makes me sick..
Can they sign in with google and basically use it? Is there a way I can say xxxx model xoom was stolen and it locks the device or something?
So sad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard that you can install a security app from the online Play Store you may be able to disable your Xoom remotely. I'm really sorry that it's been stolen.
only way a security app would work, would be if it had a network..
My xoom was locked, so someone would of had to format it to get it to come up and by then, any app would be erased anyway
Just sucks that these companies cannot some how incipient a unique ID for each tablet.
**** THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The app in the play store is called plan B and can be installed and used remotely. Good luck!
Sent from my Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 with Verizon 4G LTE
The best way for you to prevent someone from charging your google account is to go to google online, on another computer and change your login password. If they try to purchase an app the old password will no longer work.
Sorry to hear about this. But the is ways to own him/her like big ach said with Plan B but I also found an app called Lost Phone which you just install from Google Play site and then sign into your Google Account via the website and you can set off alarms, wipe and stuff. Try it out.
sadly all these tricks are based on the fact that they got passed my facelock and security pin.
without those, they cannot get in, there for they will have to format/reset the entire xoom to factory settings..
which means no google account anymore
fastfed said:
sadly all these tricks are based on the fact that they got passed my facelock and security pin.
without those, they cannot get in, there for they will have to format/reset the entire xoom to factory settings..
which means no google account anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just go to the site via a computer login and install apps remotely then use them to locate, wipe, or what ever else they can do, I know some that do actually give you GPS location
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium
deathblade said:
just go to the site via a computer login and install apps remotely then use them to locate, wipe, or what ever else they can do, I know some that do actually give you GPS location
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did that.. but I had my xoom set for wifi while awake only.
Its not a network verizon xoom, wifi only
I did do those apps though, nothing came back
Jeez is it me or no one actually read what the guy is trying to say? You can't install an app if you don't have data connection! He bluntly says it everywhere! So your only option is to move on, since the stealer could get some one to flash a new ROM or just by relocking/unlocking the bootloader it would reset everything! Well don't think he would do that though. But factory reset will also work. Sorry for your lost buddy!

Goodbye Nexus S

I just lost my Nexus S, it fell somewhere when i put it in my short's pocket
I want to say goodbye to NS developers and community with awesome supports, NS is an old device but still the best single core phone IMO.
And i need to know that is there anyway to access to my phone if i had locked my phone with pattern password?
Well, if they know anything about a rooted phone they could go into recovery, wipe, and flash again. Then they would have access to your SD card and a new phone. You didn't have any kind of app to remote wipe it?
I'm sure there's A way to access your phone, but I doubt it's of much concern.
If you used 2 step verification, you can go into your security settings from your Google account and revoke the application password for your phone. How useful that is depends on how reliant you were on Google though.
There are also "Plan B" apps that can help with locking down your phone I think, although they generally just help locate it.
climhz said:
I just lost my Nexus S, it fell somewhere when i put it in my short's pocket
I want to say goodbye to NS developers and community with awesome supports, NS is an old device but still the best single core phone IMO.
And i need to know that is there anyway to access to my phone if i had locked my phone with pattern password?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure about hacks to access your data, but they could wipe it and start fresh if they know how to get into the boot loader. They could possibly recover your SD contents after the wipe as well.
Would you not get another Nexus S 4G? They are very cheap and easy to find on Craigslist, at least in my city.
if they have to full wipe before access to my phone then it's ok, thank u all for replying
You should have had Cerberus, would look it up if I were you
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2
Try androidlost I believe you can install it from your computer and than do anything you want. I hope it works as I am not sure you have to set it as administrator
Sent from my Nexus S using xda app-developers app
Login to play.Google.com and search for Plan B made by Lookout. Install it then you just text your phone find from any other phone and it will email you the location. I've used the app a couple times and it worked great.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda app-developers app

What is best way to make phone literally UNSTEALABLE??

Hi,
Recently my phone got stolen. It was HTC Desire. And I never thought it would happen, so was not prepared for it to happen.
And now in wake of that I was wondering what is the best mechanism available to recover lost phone.
To be precise, I am looking for something which will work even if thief removes the SIM, SDCard, does a factory reset, or install an entirely fresh ROM.
And if it could.. send an SMS/Email to a fixed destination (with phone number and GPS location) upon request/fixed-event in the background, it would be great.
So that virtually, the Phone would be unstealable as long as someone uses it with a new SIM(send SMS) or connects to internet (Email) even after wiping everything clean and installing a fresh ROM.
Complete protection is not possible, unless there is some option from the phone manufacturer build-in.
And I think even that can be circumvented.
However if your phone is rooted, you can install some apps which hide themselves and even survive a factory reset.
Lookout Security & Antivirus
Cerberus anti theft
And I think most thieves are not that smart to flash a new rom.
cool.aquarian said:
Hi,
Recently my phone got stolen. It was HTC Desire. And I never thought it would happen, so was not prepared for it to happen.
And now in wake of that I was wondering what is the best mechanism available to recover lost phone.
To be precise, I am looking for something which will work even if thief removes the SIM, SDCard, does a factory reset, or install an entirely fresh ROM.
And if it could.. send an SMS/Email to a fixed destination (with phone number and GPS location) upon request/fixed-event in the background, it would be great.
So that virtually, the Phone would be unstealable as long as someone uses it with a new SIM(send SMS) or connects to internet (Email) even after wiping everything clean and installing a fresh ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lizard said:
Complete protection is not possible, unless there is some option from the phone manufacturer build-in.
And I think even that can be circumvented.
However if your phone is rooted, you can install some apps which hide themselves and even survive a factory reset.
Lookout Security & Antivirus
Cerberus anti theft
And I think most thieves are not that smart to flash a new rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lizard is right. It's not possible to do what listed. Only way to make it unstealable is to chain it to yourself
It's pretty hard, unless the guy who's steals your phone is a noob
// sent from a galactic Ars Sss
Lizard said:
Complete protection is not possible, unless there is some option from the phone manufacturer build-in.
And I think even that can be circumvented.
However if your phone is rooted, you can install some apps which hide themselves and even survive a factory reset.
And I think most thieves are not that smart to flash a new rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, Thief himself may not be that smart, but where I belong to, stealing phones is a well-known racket.
So they have people who specifically know how to handle stolen phones.
Plus the police/manufacturer/carrier here is not of much help afterwards to track the thief down or block the IMEI.
Thanks for the links. Though they may not be exactly what I am looking for, any level of protection is better than none.
I am hoping someday there could be a better means to have more control/personalization of phone at hardware level.
like permanently associating phone's hardware identity with the online profile of original owner.
Complete protection is not possible..
There are many apps that can give phones position by sending an sms but thief r smart..
First they do is a reset..
Sent from my GT-I9100G using xda app-developers app
I'd say you're looking at this the wrong way. Software to locate a stolen phone is a measure that can only possibly help if your phone has already been stolen.
Better to think about how your phone was stolen and what you can do to prevent that from happening. Stop it being stolen before it is actually out of your hands.
Buy a GPS locator and embed it into the phone physically, if anything small enough is even available to the average consumer...
It would have to be fed power from the battery as well, which is far from impossible of course, but still quite the ordeal.
And since your police is obviously useless, learn to fight or buy a gun
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium
Pennycake said:
Better to think about how your phone was stolen and what you can do to prevent that from happening. Stop it being stolen before it is actually out of your hands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me.. in my case, the theft was done in a very planned way by two guys (with one guy distracting me, and other guy snipping-off the phone from within my car at a busy traffic signal...
More than losing the phone, I am pissed about how it all happened..
I was considering teach those fu**ers a good lesson.
Locking your phone in Ft. Knox would still have the potential of disappearing.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire using xda app-developers app

Security Apps

Hey guys, never really thought about it before because I'm a careful guy but I just gave my N4,to my little brother and now I'm curious, is there an app that can locate/lock/wipe/brick a phone remotely EVEN IF it lands in the capable hands of someone who could wipe/format it?
Obviously I'd prefer to be able to pinpoint it using forced GPS or forced internet regardless if the phone is set on location reporting off or data off. And would also like to only resort to the remote bricking as a last resort.
I've checked around and haven't been able to find any apps that fits my demanding request so I'm asking for a 'best fit' app that any of you all may know and free is always a plus
Tldr; is there an app that locates phones and devices if if its formatted or wiped?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Once wiped, whatever app you paid for or got for free, is... wiped, hence answering your question.
Sent from my Nexus 5
So no steal proof methods?
dynamo147 said:
So no steal proof methods?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other than you pretty much opening your phone, hardwiring a microscopic device to the battery and hoping no one finds it? Nope. Not that I know of. I could be wrong.
That would be quite an interesting concept to have though. Maybe a partition that isn't user accessible and not wiped as part of a factory reset. I doubt most thieves will go into recovery and flash roms and modify partitions. LOL
I wonder how that kill switch Samsung or one of the manufacturers want/ed to or have already introduced works, i.e whether a device wipe disabled that feature.
A untouchable partition would be great, locked up by a user password, and ensuring constant validation and communication of each individual phone would be great since an imei # can only do so much
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

Stolen Nexus 5

Just got my Phone jacked I have full protection on it from T-Mobile which comes with Lookout Premium, but for some reason even tho I had it installed, I can't access it on Google Maps, from the Lookout website. It's not showing the location, not allowing me to issue commands, anything. So I think I am basically screwed. I didn't have a password on it. Tho some of my files are Encrypted. And I had just cleaned out my Call log and SMS log, so that's a plus.
So does Anyone know of anyway to get this Lookout "Find My Droid" feature working? Or am I just gonna have to suck it up and go pay the deductible to get myself my nexus back before i go through SNWS (sudden Nexus Withdrawal Symptoms)
Silicon Knight said:
Just got my Phone jacked I have full protection on it from T-Mobile which comes with Lookout Premium, but for some reason even tho I had it installed, I can't access it on Google Maps, from the Lookout website. It's not showing the location, not allowing me to issue commands, anything. So I think I am basically screwed. I didn't have a password on it. Tho some of my files are Encrypted. And I had just cleaned out my Call log and SMS log, so that's a plus.
So does Anyone know of anyway to get this Lookout "Find My Droid" feature working? Or am I just gonna have to suck it up and go pay the deductible to get myself my nexus back before i go through SNWS (sudden Nexus Withdrawal Symptoms)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats the point of security software without the first line of defense a password!
Look up the android device manager app on Google play.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Dragn4rce said:
Look up the android device manager app on Google play.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Visit https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager?u=0 while logged into your Google Account, if you see the location, don't go try retrieve yourself, contact the police for help.
Good luck!
Silicon Knight said:
Just got my Phone jacked I have full protection on it from T-Mobile which comes with Lookout Premium, but for some reason even tho I had it installed, I can't access it on Google Maps, from the Lookout website. It's not showing the location, not allowing me to issue commands, anything. So I think I am basically screwed. I didn't have a password on it. Tho some of my files are Encrypted. And I had just cleaned out my Call log and SMS log, so that's a plus.
So does Anyone know of anyway to get this Lookout "Find My Droid" feature working? Or am I just gonna have to suck it up and go pay the deductible to get myself my nexus back before i go through SNWS (sudden Nexus Withdrawal Symptoms)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just tried to Find My Device from LookOut's webpage. Surprisingly, even though my phone was right next to me, connected to WIFI and LTE, it kept saying locating. I then opened the LookOut app and BAM, my phone was found right then and there. For some reason, it seems that LookOut, even with the "Better Missing Device" option checked in under Device Administrators, closes itself and cannot work properly. I just have the regular free version though.
A suggestion for you though @Silicon Knight would be to log into the LookOut website, then to check previous locations. That should leave a pretty good trail up till the last point. I am also assuming that since you don't have a lock, you won't be able to benefit from receiving a picture when the password is entered wrong a few times.
As @Dragn4rce mentioned, login to Android Device Manager and try to locate your phone that way hoping that your phone hasn't already been wiped. Here are two links I'd suggest you try to report your stolen device at :
https://www.fcc.gov/guides/stolen-and-lost-wireless-devices
http://imeidetective.com/
Use android device manager.
https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager
i always install avast anti-theft it's one of the best anti-theft apps it has format protection you can sms command and it locates with gps it doesnt need wifi or 3g to work all other apps needs internet to work.
If you didn't have a password they probably have powered it off already and you are out of luck. They will probably wipe the device and your data and it will get shipped across seas for sale.
u wiped mssges and call log just before the theft? and few files were encrypted. Sounds too fishy to me!
jags_the1 said:
u wiped mssges and call log just before the theft? and few files were encrypted. Sounds too fishy to me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would that be fishy?
adio01 said:
If you didn't have a password they probably have powered it off already and you are out of luck. They will probably wipe the device and your data and it will get shipped across seas for sale.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
or eBay,
I use cerberus on my nexus, I think you need root but I may be wrong, it has loads of options on it such as:
Remote wipe via text, text your phone to enable 3g, take pictures of failed unlocks and it even hides the app so someone can't delete it.
Its similar to lookout but I like it better and it works well.
If you manage to get your phone back it may be worth looking into it, fingers crossed you do get it back :fingers-crossed:
how did they steal it??
The OP hasn't said a single thing since the 26th wth?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Tango down - NSA
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
i'm sorry about that
it happened to me too
we re not alone in this world
keep cool
I haven't said anything cause, A.) I usually post on here via my Smartphone. B.) It's the holidays and am staying at my parents until the 2nd, so I keep getting roped into lil family outings lol And I lost the phone at the bank the other day, I had my cousins dog with me, was trying to keep him in check (he's a pitbull pup and very rambunctious, i don't know why i thought that would be a good idea to bring him to the bank) and I set the phone down to fill out a deposit slip and left it there like a fool. I've never lost or had a phone stolen in my life. But I guess it happens to everyone at least once...or at least most people.
I am going down to get a new Nexus 5 tomorrow. Filed a Police Report, did all that I could. In the end someone got a mint condition nexus 5, for the 5 finger discount price of FREE !
and yea, why would it be fishy that I wipe my SMS and Call Logs lol I flash lots of custom roms and I don't ever back SMS/Call Logs, never had a need to, so they get wiped every time i switch to something new, or if I restore a nandroid, then I have old messages and call logs so I wipe them myself.
Anyways, thanks for the advice peeps. Cerberus sounds like the way to go. Lookout is pretty similar but the ability to hide the app itself so it cannot be removed except by the owner, is pretty damn cool, and wins my vote.
Please ignore this post. Replied from phone and didn't emerge last part of thread.
Sent from my Nexus 5
Don't feel bad. I've done FAR worse. I lost my phone at a strip club before. It was in my pocket and I'm guessing the stripper popped it out when she was grinding on my pants. I tracked it, and it showed that it was still in the strip club, so I went back to look inside for it, but I couldn't find it. I'm guessing someone "found" it.
I leave my phone in the car now.
nerv8765 said:
Don't feel bad. I've done FAR worse. I lost my phone at a strip club before. It was in my pocket and I'm guessing the stripper popped it out when she was grinding on my pants. I tracked it, and it showed that it was still in the strip club, so I went back to look inside for it, but I couldn't find it. I'm guessing someone "found" it.
I leave my phone in the car now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha, that's funny, that sucks of course, but yea, you know what i mean lol
This is the first Time I've ever lost a phone or had one stolen. I lost my pager once when i was like 14 my mom got me one. I wanted a cellphone but they were hella expensive back then. That's back when my mom was on Voicestream lol The prices they charged for cell service in the 90's made Verizon look like its cheaper then foodstamps haha So she got me a pager from a company (think they may still be around) called "Cook Paging" I had it for like 2 weeks, and somehow on the way home from my GF's house (who was like the only one who ever paged me, besides my mom lol) I lost it.

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