[GUIDE]Google Wallet - Everything you need to know before you flash or root!

Google Wallet - Everything you need to know before you flash or root!​

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT OCCURS TO YOUR PHONE. THIS IS A COLLECTION OF INFORMATION I FOUND WHILE ROOTING AND FLASHING ROMS. I ONLY ORGANIZED IT HERE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO FIND.

Don't forget to thank people who made the ROMs, Root Methods, etc. They put in a lot of work and take a lot of time helping people. All it takes is a click of a button. One for me too! It's a lot of work trying to keep everything updated. =P

This will and always will be a work in progress. If you feel something should be added, clarified, or corrected feel free to PM me. I'm not perfect and I can't read everything so any and all help is appreciated. (Yes of course I will credit you. Just no plagiarism!)


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What is Google Wallet?
http://www.google.com/wallet/what-is-google-wallet.html
The new update has simplified the process greatly. Now all cards can be added and all transactions are saved to the cloud. Very minimal information is saved on the device. There is also a very very very slim chance at breaking your secure element.



What do I need to know before I start rooting or flashing ROMs?
While there is much debate over whether or not to Reset Google Wallet before wiping the device, you should do it just in case. There needs to be more testing done to see if the Secure Element will be broken if you don't.

To Reset Google Wallet do the following:
1) Open Google Wallet
2) Enter your pin
3) Tap your Menu Button
4) Tap Settings
5) Tap "Reset Google Wallet"


You should also write down your Google Prepaid Card User ID as well prior to resetting just incase. This will help Google find your money incase your ID changes. You only have to do this once. So far the USER ID has not changed for me ever. This change happens when you physically change phones. Also make sure you know the balance on the card.

Write down your Google Prepaid Card User ID.
1) Open Google Wallet
2) Enter your pin
3) Tap "Payment cards"
4) Tap "Google Prepaid Card"
5) Wait for your User ID to load and then tap "Show ID" to see your entire ID number. Write this down BEFORE FLASHING OR CLEARING DATA.

Once you do this you are good to go and flash a custom ROM. You can wipe data, cache, dalvik without an issue.



After you have set up your new ROM, download and install the latest Google Wallet in the Play Store.

Once you login, Google Wallet will now automatically pull from the cloud any credit cards on file. All you have to do is set them up by tapping them. Some will automatically setup, others will require you to enter in all the card and billing details.

Google Prepaid Cards you have to tap to add. It should pull all the funds and the same user ID as before. If the funds do not pull up, make sure you have your User ID from above, and call Money Network. Their number is (855) 896-0693.

As I don't have every single credit card type, please post in this thread if you run into any issues. I'll update the OP

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ROOTED USERS:
If you are rooted but stock and you have never used the Google Wallet application, there are a few things you need to know:
#1 - You will always get an unsupported error at the top of your Google Wallet application. Do not worry. Google Wallet will still work as long as you didn't break your secure element. If you can add a Google Prepaid Card and add funds, then you can use it.
#2 - If you try to call in for support, Citi Mastercard will not help you since you are rooted. Google Wallet and Money Network will give you very limited support if you are rooted.
#3- Some users are finding success restoring their backups of Google Wallet to fix broken secure elements. I will need more confirmation but if it is broken, what do you have to lose.

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Common Questions + Issues

How to get it up and running on actual unsupported devices:
You will have to edit your build.prop to make Google Wallet think your phone is one of the ones supported.

Here are instructions. This is not for everyone. Sprint users won't have to do all this.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1769083

How do I use Google Wallet to purchase items?
1) You do not need to have the app open but the phone must be turned on. (There are some ROMs that turn NFC on without the screen being on, but you will still need to put in your PIN so just turn the screen on)
2) Let the cashier know you are paying credit or press credit on the credit card terminal.
3) Place the BACK of the phone on the sensor of the card terminal. You can put it on the terminal or place it near but it has to be within an inch or two.
4) Remove the device and enter your pin.
5) Follow directions on the screen till your transaction is complete.
6) When in doubt, ask the cashier if it went through. Most will be amazed and think its cool and spend time with you to get it to work. lol

I think my secure element is broke. How do I tell? How do I fix it?
Check out this explanation w/screenshots. Great work Hobadee!
http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=35156196&postcount=93

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I hope this helped you. If it has, please click thanks!

Thanks to Racer of All and Rev3ge07 for their contributions on the Secure Element. Thanks to ogdobber for the build.prop tutorial. Thanks to Hobadee for the secure element soft brick fix explanation.
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I have been messing around with Google Wallet and found out some useful info I figured I would share.

It *IS* still possible to "brick" your secure element, HOWEVER, it is only a soft-brick and can be fixed.

The easiest way to brick your secure element is to flash a new ROM without resetting Wallet. For example, last night I did a Nandroid backup, flashed a new ROM without resetting Wallet, then restored the Nandroid backup I had made. The secure element was bricked. (I never even opened Wallet on the ROM I flashed.)

In this screenshot, you will notice that in the Google Wallet "About" screen, the "Google Secure Element Version" is "Not Present". If Google wallet reports this, your device will NOT be able to make wallet payments using NFC. (I should know - I looked dumb quite a bit before I figured this out. )
"Bricked"



If your "Google Secure Element Version" is something other than "Not Present" (As shown in the following screenshot) then you WILL be able to make wallet payments using NFC. (I guess the current version is 1.6.)
"Non-Bricked"


While I haven't been able to narrow down a specific set of steps to unbrick the element, I have done it a couple times by fiddling with it enough. Here is what I do:

1. Reset Google Wallet
2. Restart Phone
3. Open Google Wallet
4. Select your account & enter credentials
5. • Wait for it to think (Mine usually freezes here and will restart the UI. I'm guessing this has to do with the bricked element, but I cannot confirm this.)
   • If your phone has restarted the UI, open Google Wallet again. If it asks you which account to use, repeat steps 4 & 5 again until it works. It took me about an hour last night before it finally worked.
   • Note than when it finally does work for me, it still crashes, with the exception that the next time I open Wallet, it asks me to setup a PIN.
6. Enter your new PIN.
7. Go to your cards and click "Setup Card" on a card you already have. "Google Secure Element Version" will still show "Not Present" until you do this!

...I have no idea why Wallet crashes so much for me. You may not have this issue. As always, YMMV. I would still recommend resetting Wallet before flashing, but if it does "Brick", hopefully this will help get you back on track.

Time to update

Probably time to update this thread. The new version of Google Wallet supports all credit cards and keeps the info in the Cloud. Should alleviate any concerns of ROM Flashing and messing up your Wallet account.

Cool write-up.

and can you clarify in the OP, that if someone HASN'T used google wallet, or "enabled" any cards on a phone, they don't have to mess with any of this, right? can they flash a new rom normally?

okay... and another hypothetical situation: what if someone originally HAD google wallet, did everything as stated in the OP, but after they flashed a new rom, they didn't bother with google wallet, so the app was never installed. does that person have to do anything before installing a FUTURE rom? or what?

FYI anyone that was having wallet issues should try again now. I have been having issues since Nov and Google was finally able to resolve them and it should resolve them for others. "Fail To Add Card" was the previous version error msg. I think the new version says failed and to check internet connection and try again.

Anyways after several emails back and forth with the Google development team and loads of logcat files they finally resolved the issue.. They pushed the fix to the backend lastnight and mine is finally working after several months of it not.

Hope this helps..

James