[WARNING][You MUST Reset Google Wallet When Switching ROMs!]

Search This thread
By:
Advanced…
bp328i

bp328i

Senior Member
May 22, 2010
2,154
1,196
Tampa Bay
I'll add this to the discussion.

The first phone I had to Google Wallet on was my Verizon Galaxy Nexus (when wallet first came out and WAS stored completely on the secure element) then on my Sprint Galaxy S III and now on my Sprint Galaxy Note II.

I have never once reset Google Wallet on any of my phones before flashing a new ROM, and never have had a problem.

So not resetting Google Wallet before flashing a new ROM does not guarantee a secure element warning.

This debate has been going on since Google Wallet first came out on whether or not it helps to reset the app prior to wiping your phone and flashing a new ROM.

There really is no proof either way works better. I have seen people post that they have received the secure element warning when doing it both ways.

On a different note should this thread really be in the development section?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cyberthug101 and thunderwagn
KEYofR

KEYofR

Senior Member
Jun 14, 2010
595
221
Why? You are the one making an assertion by starting this thread so you should be the one obligated to prove that assertion.

But in fact you've done my work for me anyways. The links you post yourself already disprove that assertion by what they don't provide as justification for the advice they give.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium
 
  • Like
Reactions: thunderwagn
lennykravitz2004

lennykravitz2004

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2012
229
58
Where'd you go to high school?
...and the issue at hand is also about whether or not using the Factory Data Reset borks the SE. I say it does. When I ran into GW issues the first time, I ran the Factory Data Reset, and afterwards, I kept getting an error massage specifically mentioning the SE (IIRC, "Secure element not responding"). EVERY single post I read about this message elsewhere through simple Google searches told me I was never using the SE on my first Note again.

Factory Data Reset = Toasted SE, as far as I've read
 
S

siraltus

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2010
1,997
1,734
KEYofR said:
Why? You are the one making an assertion by starting this thread so you should be the one obligated to prove that assertion.

But in fact you've done my work for me anyways. The links you post yourself already disprove that assertion by what they don't provide as justification for the advice they give.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Burden of proof lies with the accuser. You're the accuser.
 
S

siraltus

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2010
1,997
1,734
bp328i said:
I'll add this to the discussion.

The first phone I had to Google Wallet on was my Verizon Galaxy Nexus (when wallet first came out and WAS stored completely on the secure element) then on my Sprint Galaxy S III and now on my Sprint Galaxy Note II.

I have never once reset Google Wallet on any of my phones before flashing a new ROM, and never have had a problem.

So not resetting Google Wallet before flashing a new ROM does not guarantee a secure element warning.

This debate has been going on since Google Wallet first came out on whether or not it helps to reset the app prior to wiping your phone and flashing a new ROM.

There really is no proof either way works better. I have seen people post that they have received the secure element warning when doing it both ways.

On a different note should this thread really be in the development section?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The issue is specific to wiping the ENTIRE phone - that is ALL partitions including /.android.secure. That's what a factory reset or a restore-to-stock (flashing a factory image) does. It doesn't happen when you just flash a ROM.
 
Last edited:
_-Jay-_

_-Jay-_

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2011
365
74
NJ
So if I am getting SE errors now its hopeless for my N2?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Xparent Tapatalk 2
 
bp328i

bp328i

Senior Member
May 22, 2010
2,154
1,196
Tampa Bay
siraltus said:
The issue is specific to wiping the ENTIRE phone - that is ALL partitions including /.android.secure. That's what a factory reset or a restore-to-stock (flashing a factory image) does. It doesn't happen when you just flash a ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Really...you think I have never done a factory reset before flashing a new ROM?
Sorry I forgot specifically mention that. I kind of thought that would have been assumed.

But again does this really belong in development?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
 
  • Like
Reactions: thunderwagn and KEYofR
S

siraltus

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2010
1,997
1,734
_-Jay-_ said:
So if I am getting SE errors now its hopeless for my N2?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Xparent Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

If you don't have a nandroid backup of a working Wallet install that you can go back to and are now getting the "secure element has stopped responding" error, you're done. Google Wallet will never work again on that phone.
 
S

siraltus

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2010
1,997
1,734
bp328i said:
Really...you think I have never done a factory reset before flashing a new ROM?
Sorry I forgot specifically mention that. I kind of thought that would have been assumed.

But again does this really belong in development?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The factory reset in a custom ROM doesn't actually wipe everything and just formatting /system, /data, and /cache in recovery is also not the same. The "Factory Reset" option in CWM or TWRP actually just wipes /data, including /data/media, and /cache, it doesn't touch anything else. I'm talking about doing the ##786# kind of reset or a complete "restore-to-stock" flash from a factory image where the flash script actually wipes every single partition in the eMMC in sequence, even including the carrier partition. I don't know what you did or did not specifically do on your phone so I will not comment on it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cyberthug101
bp328i

bp328i

Senior Member
May 22, 2010
2,154
1,196
Tampa Bay
siraltus said:
The factory reset in a custom ROM doesn't actually wipe everything. I'm talking about doing the ##786# kind of reset or a complete "restore-to-stock" flash from a factory image where the flash script actually wipes every single partition in sequence, even including the carrier partition. I don't know what you did or did not specifically do on your phone so I will not comment on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I did a "##786# kind of reset" on both my Galaxy Nexus and my Galaxy S III several times, never needed to on my Note II.

Never had an issue...

Good luck with your witch hunt.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
 
  • Like
Reactions: thunderwagn
robertm2011

robertm2011

Senior Member
Dec 27, 2011
861
497
Kinda makes sense, whether it is true or not, it would definitely be a big deterrent against people rooting their phones. That appears to be the direction that the industry and certain government agencies are taking.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
 
  • Like
Reactions: cyberthug101
S

siraltus

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2010
1,997
1,734
bp328i said:
I did a "##786# kind of reset" on both my Galaxy Nexus and my Galaxy S III several times, never needed to on my Note II.

Never had an issue...

Good luck with your witch hunt.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The whole reason why I bricked the SE on my Note 2 is because I never had this happen on my Sprint GNex. Then boom, bricked my Note 2 because I wasn't expecting this to happen at all. Why are you calling this a witchhunt as if I just made all this up? The problem is all over Google and since I was unlucky enough to destroy my Note 2 because of lack of knowledge, I posted this in a Note 2 forum to warn Note 2 owners that this CAN happen. Better safe than sorry, wouldn't you agree? If every single person in this thread has a problem with the thread, please, by all means, delete it. I just thought I could spare a few people a few hundred bucks each. Oh well! (So much for "contributing" to the "community.")
 
Last edited:
bp328i

bp328i

Senior Member
May 22, 2010
2,154
1,196
Tampa Bay
siraltus said:
The whole reason why I bricked the SE on my Note 2 is because I never had this happen on my Sprint GNex. Then boom, bricked my Note 2 because I wasn't expecting this to happen at all. Why are you calling this a witchhunt as if I just made all this up? The problem is all over Google and since I was unlucky enough to destroy my Note 2 because of lack of knowledge, I posted this in a Note 2 forum to warn Note 2 owners that this CAN happen. Better safe than sorry, wouldn't you agree? If every single person in this thread has a problem with the thread, please, by all means, delete it. I just thought I could spare a few people a few hundred bucks each. Oh well! (So much for "contributing" to the "community.")
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The reason I called it a witch hunt is because ever since people have been receiving the SE issue there is ZERO evidence as to what is causing it.

No one has been able to nail down the true reason it happens.

It has happened to people right before they go to use Google Wallet when they used it the day prior with an issue. Then like you it has happened when doing a factory reset. So what is the real reason for it????

No one has nailed down the real reason it happens.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
 
moose1313

moose1313

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2012
576
231
I'm absolutely positive of 2 things at this point. It really happens... But didn't brick your phone. Maybe a attempt to fix it will brick but that also might depend on how your trying to "fix" it. I have a nandroid of my previous version that did work.. So I'll get back to you guys in a few
Edit: also this shouldn't be in dev section till there's a fix.
Sent from my weapon of choice.
 

Attachments

  • uploadfromtaptalk1361160079755.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1361160079755.jpg
    62 KB · Views: 170
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cyberthug101
_-Jay-_

_-Jay-_

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2011
365
74
NJ
Tried the last nandroid I made and it still didnt work. I guess it must have failed prior to that nandroid. This effing blows.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Xparent Tapatalk 2
 
neopolotin75

neopolotin75

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2010
1,206
259
Indianapolis
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Just wanted to say.....those links are before google switched to storing the info on the cloud....wallet was updated in Aug 2012 to start storing on the cloud...ive used Billards restire without wiping wallet several times and it still works. I thank you OP for trying to help but if you look at the link I posted earlier google switched to storing the info on the cloud.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
 
  • Like
Reactions: cyberthug101, thunderwagn, ac16313 and 1 other person
_-Jay-_

_-Jay-_

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2011
365
74
NJ
neopolotin75 said:
Just wanted to say.....those links are before google switched to storing the info on the cloud....wallet was updated in Aug 2012 to start storing on the cloud...ive used Billards restire without wiping wallet several times and it still works. I thank you OP for trying to help but if you look at the link I posted earlier google switched to storing the info on the cloud.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Does that mean there's hope for those of us who get the SE error? Or should I just give up at this point?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Xparent Tapatalk 2
 
S

siraltus

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2010
1,997
1,734
neopolotin75 said:
Just wanted to say.....those links are before google switched to storing the info on the cloud....wallet was updated in Aug 2012 to start storing on the cloud...ive used Billards restire without wiping wallet several times and it still works. I thank you OP for trying to help but if you look at the link I posted earlier google switched to storing the info on the cloud.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Then how come the latest Wallet (1.6 r96) did not survive a stock restore on my Note 2? By what you're saying it shouldn't matter anymore and yet it clearly does. They store your credit card info on the cloud but that info is attached to a piece of information stored in the SE that's passed via NFC to the retailer's NFC terminal at the time of purchase. If what you're saying was true, then the SE shouldn't matter at all and Wallet should "just work" - it clearly isn't that way based on my experience as well a few others in this thread.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

JoshBeach
  • Poll
[ROM][MOD][APP][THEME] JellyBomb Domination Ver. 21.0.0 - Final Update!
Replies
14K
Views
1M
aheeejd
aheeejd
billard412
[ROM][RESTORE][5-12-13]Back to UNROOTED Stock with Auto Flash Count Reset
Replies
826
Views
209K
Patch7
Patch7
evolutioncsr
[ROM][Team WHOMP!]Whompasaurus Rom V4.2-Are we there yet?[AROMA][MA7]4/24/13
Replies
3K
Views
388K
Zeuszoos
Zeuszoos
mijjah74
  • Locked
Goodbye XDA, was a fun Ride.
Replies
2K
Views
241K
jayharper08
jayharper08
mackentosh
  • Poll
[ROM] [Team WHOMP!] MacksROM AllStar 5.0 MA7 6/8/13
Replies
3K
Views
395K
jlmancuso
jlmancuso

Top Liked Posts

24 Hours All time
  • There are no posts matching your filters.
  • 7
    S
    siraltus
    If you're doing a factory reset, switching to another ROM, or restoring to stock and you're currently using Google Wallet, you MUST reset your Google Wallet app by going into Settings --> Reset Google Wallet in the Wallet app, or you will permanently lock out your secure element and will never be able to use Google Wallet again - you will have to get a new phone!

    This is because your Google Wallet app is married to the secure element with a unique crypto key when you first set up Google Wallet on your phone and if you wipe your phone without first resetting Google Wallet, that key will be lost forever, rendering the secure element useless.

    Performing a Google Wallet reset will unmarry the app from the secure element and reset it to its original state so that it can accept a new Google Wallet installation when you wipe your phone and then restore it to stock.

    I had to get a new Note 2 because of this, thankfully I had phone insurance. If mods could sticky this, it would be great!

    Google "secure element has stopped responding" if you don't believe me.

    Engadget article explaining the problem: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/google-wallet-factory-reset-problem/

    Android Community article on the issue: http://androidcommunity.com/more-google-wallet-problems-phone-reset-bricks-service-20120529/

    Phandroid article explaining the problem: http://phandroid.com/2012/05/28/and...allet-a-factory-reset-could-break-it-forever/

    AndroidCentral: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ht...here-google-wallet-root-unlock-sensitive.html

    A PSA thread on XDA warning of the issue: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=26587822

    Another XDA thread where Google and the Money Network both say you need a new phone if this happens: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1472117

    Yet another XDA thread where someone bricked their phone: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1721222

    For the naysayers, just because you've never seen something happen, doesn't mean it's not true or it will never happen to you. I just bricked my Note 2 and had to get it replaced under phone insurance. Went from the NoWiz ROM to MA7 stock rooted, wiped the phone in the process (my guess is Wallet stores the crypto key in /.android.secure, which gets wiped when you do a factory reset), installed Wallet on the clean MA7 ROM and got the dreaded "The secure element has stopped responding E00" error. NOTHING could make it reset. At all.

    Also, to those who say Wallet stores things in the cloud now - false. Wallet stores its very own virtual card number in the secure element, which is what gets transmitted via NFC when you touch your phone to the reader. That number is then linked in the cloud to your actual credit cards, so your actual card numbers are not transmitted to the retailer. If Wallet stored nothing on the phone, it simply wouldn't work, period. Also, if Wallet stored nothing in the secure element, then it would work without it and not throw the "secure element not responding" errors, so it definitely stores something there, which is why it's important you don't brick it!
    View
    7
    the_plattypus
    the_plattypus
    -EViL-KoNCEPTz- said:
    Considering the only thing stored in the secure element now is your unique encryption algorithm that every NFC app uses to identify your device, and absolutely nothing to do with wallet is stored in the element any longer, everything you've said is false. The element gets borked when you lose your encryption algorithm and nothing else, it happens when you NV data or partitions get corrupted. For one thing the secure element isnt even in a user accessible partition its in a secured "read only" partiton similar to your efs and NV data which means any wipes from recovery will have 0 effect on the element. Wallet has nothing to do with the element breaking since google patched the app to store to cloud.

    I like to break stuff! :D
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    Hey I have a Secure Element that is not responding and have spent the last week going through the google wallet v96 reversed "source code". To say that it is a "Read-only" memory partition I believe to be false. I will explain more in an edit to follow.

    Edit: So the Secure Element has 4 states, ACTIVATED, CLEAR, LOADED, LOCKED, determined by a Byte Value stored in the SE memory. Also depending on which version you downloaded of the newest release of the app (there are two version I have found a ~5mb app and an almost 11mb version that TrevE sent to me while he was helping me troubleshoot this.) The fact that the SE has 4 states determined by a byte string that is pulled during Reset, proves that the SE is not read only, also the fact that nfc_extras is the key to access and having rw permissions to the SE also proves that it is not read only. While some of your info is stored in the cloud (which is the fifth item that is cleared out during reset with method TSA_NOTIFY_WALLET_RESET) there is still data being written to the SE.

    I am currently working on modifying the Wallet app to attempt to hard restore a working state of the SE based on the permissions and items that the Wallet has access to changing.

    So as to the legitimacy of whether the Wallet is what locks you out, all I can speak on is my own experience (locked out) and the research I have done. I was on MA5 and setup wallet, did not do any transactions just setup cards and stuff, did a wipe to flash my latest Synergy test build and afterwards was Secure Element Stopped responding which is a sting that is thrown during WAIT_SECURE_ELEMENT_UNLOCKED method.

    You're welcome to your own beliefs though. It's America

    Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium
    View
    4
    -EViL-KoNCEPTz-
    -EViL-KoNCEPTz-
    siraltus said:
    And yet you will not cite even a single word or sentence of mine that's actually wrong. Welcome to my ignore list.
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    Considering the only thing stored in the secure element now is your unique encryption algorithm that every NFC app uses to identify your device, and absolutely nothing to do with wallet is stored in the element any longer, everything you've said is false. The element gets borked when you lose your encryption algorithm and nothing else, it happens when you NV data or partitions get corrupted. For one thing the secure element isnt even in a user accessible partition its in a secured "read only" partiton similar to your efs and NV data which means any wipes from recovery will have 0 effect on the element. Wallet has nothing to do with the element breaking since google patched the app to store to cloud.

    I like to break stuff! :D
    View
    4
    neopolotin75
    neopolotin75
    Just wanted to say.....those links are before google switched to storing the info on the cloud....wallet was updated in Aug 2012 to start storing on the cloud...ive used Billards restire without wiping wallet several times and it still works. I thank you OP for trying to help but if you look at the link I posted earlier google switched to storing the info on the cloud.

    Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
    View
    3
    KEYofR
    KEYofR
    We don't know what kills secure element yet.

    Sometimes it dies even when you do reset.

    Sometimes it dies for no reason at all overnight by itself when you made no change at all.

    And usually it doesn't die even when you do flash and/or factory reset without clearing first.

    Nice sounding theory but doesn't fit the facts.

    Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium
    View

New posts