The ones at my jack in the box don't work either. They have them but they're not active. One of the employees told me this.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
PSA: Clear Google Wallet Settings Before Flashing ROM/Hard Resets!
- Thread starter TaintedByte
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- brick nfc responding secure wallet
The ones at my jack in the box don't work either. They have them but they're not active. One of the employees told me this.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
The ones at my local McDonalds work fine, maybe they were down for the day.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
I have a question regarding this issue that I'm currently having trouble with. I've got a Galaxy Nexus (unlocked GSM from Google Play) and someone was going to purchase it from me. Knowing about this issue, I prepped the phone to get ready to sell and went into Wallet and cleared the settings. It went fine and bounced me back to the set up screen where it wants you to choose which gmail account you want to set up with and I left it at that.
At the last minute, the buyer changes his mind and so I realize that in prepping to sell the phone I already went through and deleted data, accounts, settings and all that stuff - so the easiest thing to do would be to restore my last Nandroid backup from a few days before. However, that Nandroid backup had my Google Wallet set up (not cleared). The current state of the phone before I restored it was a clear Wallet app. Upon restore, when I opened up the Wallet app it said "initializing Google Wallet" like it normally does when you start up the phone and then it gave me the PIN log in screen for my gmail account. However, my PIN doesn't work (and I know it's the correct PIN).
Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? I don't get the bricked screen, but now I can't get into the app to clear the settings. If I wipe the phone again I'm not sure where that leaves me (not sure what restoring a Nandroid backup with Google Wallet set up to a phone with cleared settings actually did to the element). It's possible the element is actually not set up, or it's possible when I started up the app after restore it kind of initialized itself and anything I do from here on out will brick it... Any help or thoughts are much appreciated.
At the last minute, the buyer changes his mind and so I realize that in prepping to sell the phone I already went through and deleted data, accounts, settings and all that stuff - so the easiest thing to do would be to restore my last Nandroid backup from a few days before. However, that Nandroid backup had my Google Wallet set up (not cleared). The current state of the phone before I restored it was a clear Wallet app. Upon restore, when I opened up the Wallet app it said "initializing Google Wallet" like it normally does when you start up the phone and then it gave me the PIN log in screen for my gmail account. However, my PIN doesn't work (and I know it's the correct PIN).
Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? I don't get the bricked screen, but now I can't get into the app to clear the settings. If I wipe the phone again I'm not sure where that leaves me (not sure what restoring a Nandroid backup with Google Wallet set up to a phone with cleared settings actually did to the element). It's possible the element is actually not set up, or it's possible when I started up the app after restore it kind of initialized itself and anything I do from here on out will brick it... Any help or thoughts are much appreciated.
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I have never restored with wallet setup. Though in theory it should work since now most is in the cloud. For me even if I clear wallet from a complete reflash it remembers all of my cards associated with gwallet I just have to log in and set the default card and the pin. I cant help to much with the restoring and the pin being borked but if you re login it should have saved your cards that you were using in gwallet.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
I believe if the state of the NFC secure element and your Google Wallet app (signed in/set up, or not) are the same before and after a restore, or before and after a fresh flash, you are fine. As this thread shows, having your Wallet/element set up, then failing to clear it before you flash a new rom leaves you in trouble. In my case, I had it cleared but then restored to a Nandroid backup image in which Google Wallet had NOT been cleared...
So I took a gamble (or another gamble, as it would be) and guessed that since the secure element WAS cleared before I restored the backup, my opening the Wallet app was just a kind of "surface glitch". It said "initializing Wallet" because that is the information the phone had from the backup image, but the actual secure element was actually not set up that way. As a result, the app kind of hung on itself - thinking it was set up (allowing me to attempt to enter my PIN) while not actually being set up, which is why my PIN did not work. So, I made a backup of the phone in this state, just in case...
Then I cleared and wiped the phone, flashing a fresh, clean JellyBean ROM. After the initial phone set up I updated the Wallet app and ran it. WHEW - it opened up fine and let me add / set up my account. I did it just to make sure there were no problems. I even got the confirmation email about setting up Wallet on another device. I immediately went back in and cleared the settings to leave Wallet untouched. Considering I haven't been able to use it much where I live it's just safer this way. I'll hide it from the app drawer and hopefully we'll be able to avoid this kind of thing from here on out
. Thanks to anyone who would have helped! :good:
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I believe if the state of the NFC secure element and your Google Wallet app (signed in/set up, or not) are the same before and after a restore, or before and after a fresh flash, you are fine. As this thread shows, having your Wallet/element set up, then failing to clear it before you flash a new rom leaves you in trouble. In my case, I had it cleared but then restored to a Nandroid backup image in which Google Wallet had NOT been cleared...
So I took a gamble (or another gamble, as it would be) and guessed that since the secure element WAS cleared before I restored the backup, my opening the Wallet app was just a kind of "surface glitch". It said "initializing Wallet" because that is the information the phone had from the backup image, but the actual secure element was actually not set up that way. As a result, the app kind of hung on itself - thinking it was set up (allowing me to attempt to enter my PIN) while not actually being set up, which is why my PIN did not work. So, I made a backup of the phone in this state, just in case...
Then I cleared and wiped the phone, flashing a fresh, clean JellyBean ROM. After the initial phone set up I updated the Wallet app and ran it. WHEW - it opened up fine and let me add / set up my account. I did it just to make sure there were no problems. I even got the confirmation email about setting up Wallet on another device. I immediately went back in and cleared the settings to leave Wallet untouched. Considering I haven't been able to use it much where I live it's just safer this way. I'll hide it from the app drawer and hopefully we'll be able to avoid this kind of thing from here on out
The new Google Wallet builds don't use the Secure Element anymore. All the encryption happens in the cloud. I have repeatedly flashed without clearing the data and never have any problem activating it.
This thread is no longer valid. Google fixed this problem and it's not coming back. If I was to guess, even if it says your secure element is bricked, you could use the newer builds just fine.
If you're worried about this at all, stop worrying. I'll say it again; as long as you're using the newer builds of Google Wallet, there is NO interaction with the Secure Element period. You can wipe as much as you want, even RUU for all it matters, Google Wallet will work and activate just fine.
Liquid - thank you for the clarification. I didn't realize this and what you explained does make sense. I went back and restored my last, fully set up Nandroid backup again. As it was starting up I could see Google Wallet initializing automatically. I went into the app manager and stopped it, then cleared the data for it. When I went to start the app back up it just gave me a message that Wallet was not supported for my area or device or something like that, so I uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it started back up fine and fresh. Secure element or not, I'm good to go (but I'm glad it's not borked in my device, either way). It's good to know what you said, and I'm glad they addressed the problem. Thanks for your help.
There have been quite a few bricked nfc elements from flashing . Me however have never wiped before flashing and its still working I went through HTC dev unlock then s off , I even tried aosp and wallet still work's from launch day!. I'm not saying its bull**** to wipe before flash. I would rather be safe then sorry. Tbh I think newer boot loaders may brick NFC when tampered with but I have no idea why most people have luck and a select few have borked the nfc(nvmd I just read GSE is cloud stored now) I wonder if wallet works without data?
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Had the enter pin loop after restoring myself. Just go to app>wallet>clear data/cache. Boom! Setup like new, no more to it.
It will still work but there is a patched wallet app somewhere in the app section if you want to get rid of the unsupported device message
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Wrong forum. Try the Thunderbolt forum. This forum is for the HTC EVO 4G LTE.
http://xdaforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1103
The advice is free....the bandwidth, not so much
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My secure element has stopprd responding.
where can I get thenew google wallet build
Thanks
I forget to do this before I root and flash a rom and 2 evo but lucky, it still works
Sent From My White Cricket LTEvo
Sent From My White Cricket LTEvo
Completely dead wrong. The secure element is still in use - if it weren't, then GW would be working on the GT-I9100P and SGH-I777. GW wouldn't cause piles of SE spam in logcat when you use it. GW wouldn't REPORT A DAMNED SECURE ELEMENT VERSION IN THE ABOUT SETTINGS. GW wouldn't bomb if nfcee_access.xml is missing.
The only thing that changed with the "cards stored in the cloud" update is that instead of directly storing the info for an added Citi PayPass card, the SE now stores a "proxy" PayPass card that is funded from whatever card you added in the cloud.
However, Google has made SE management significantly more robust. Previously, if GW lost its credentials, it would just keep retrying until the SE bricked. Now, if it can't authenticate with the SE, it commands the SE to wipe its data and start from scratch. It's pretty much impossible to brick SEs with GW these days.
(Why the thread necromancy? People are still linking to this thread from elsewhere.)
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48UPDATE!!! (9/8/2012)
One of the newest versions of the Wallet app seem to prevent the issue (if you already have the error, you are still out of luck). Entropy512 made a detailed post here explaining how the secure element is still being used but how Google updated Wallet to prevent this issue:
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While waiting to get my hands on one of these awesome phones I've been reading all I can about it. One thing I ran across in another forum was an issue people were having with the Nexuses & One X's and Google Wallet.
If you do not clear the Google Wallet settings before you do a hard reset/ROM flash, the secure element could be FOREVER BRICKED and you will NOT be able to ever use it for secure purposes such as Google Wallet purchases or future use of the secure element.
For some, this wont be a problem, but if you ever plan or at least want to have the option to use the google wallet, follow these simple steps before doing a hard reset or flashing a new ROM on your phone:
Launch Google Wallet
Hit menu button> Settings> Reset Google Wallet
You are now safe to flash a new ROM or reset your phone, Wallet will be waiting for you on the other side.
Clearing the app data or cache through settings or Titanium WILL NOT WORK! It HAS to be done within the Wallet app. This resets the secure certificate (?) and allows NFC to be used for secure purposes in the future.
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While I understand the notion of keeping such functionality very secure, Google should have expressed the potential problem. Especially since hard resets are used as a solution when an ordinary user has a problem with their phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this mean if this happens to me I wont be able to use NFC at all?
No. Not at all. NFC will still be functional for non-secure events, like Beam and NFC tag usage. This will only affect secure things, which at the moment is only Wallet.
Is there really no fix?
If you get the "secure element not responding" error, no. Of all the cases the only solution is to get a new phone. The secure element is permanently broken. In the future someone might find a fix, but that sounds unlikely. If you can swap your phone, do it.
How can I prevent this from happening?
If you don't do a lot of flashing, just remember to clear Wallet settings before flashing a new ROM. I would recommend to just leave Wallet cleared if you plan on flashing a lot, you forget once and it could be the end of your secure element.
I get a "Unsupported Device Error" yet Wallet still works, why?
This is a complete different error altogether and as a matter of fact, is not a big deal at all. This only shows up to root users and can easily be ignored -- Wallet will still work.
Why don't we have ROM devs cook in an auto-wiper when installing their ROM?
Only Wallet has the ability to access the phone's secure element, and it will likely be that way for the foreseeable future. A workaround would be to add an option before flashing anything to the recovery itself to ask people if they have cleared Wallet settings.
Wallet is asking for root permissions, should I grant them?
While there are no known repercussions to allowing root, as a general rule of thumb you should never allow root to an application you did not intend to give root access or do not know why it is requiring it. To be on the safe side (and in case something comes up in the future) deny root access to Wallet.
If I never set up Google Wallet will I be fine?
Yes. When you reset Wallet, its restores the secure element and the application data to how it was before an account was linked to your phone, therefore if you never set one up it will be the same as "restoring" an existing Wallet setup.
Wallet is stuck at "adding card" or "initializing account" or it tells me my device/carrier is not authorized, is my secure element toast?
Nope. This is a different message, Wallet activation is turned off at the moment. However, utnick came up with a working fix to get Wallet working right away. Check out his post here to get it. Please do not discuss Wallet activations here.
Sources:
http://rootzwiki.com/news/_/articles/secure-element-error-locking-users-out-of-google-wallet-r280
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1472117
http://androidforums.com/verizon-galaxy-nexus-all-things-root/500485-secure-element-problem-google-wallet-help.html#post4013169
http://androidforums.com/sprint-galaxy-nexus-all-things-root/547165-sprint-google-wallet-root.html#post4376858
http://pocketnow.com/android/google-wallet-good-news-and-bad-news7Here's my fix for the Google Wallet error after rooting the phone.
WARNING: YOU WILL HAVE TO UNROOT.
1. Unroot (available option in SU menu)
2. Head to your "manage apps" option in settings -> apps
3. Find Wallet and force stop, uninstall, and disable.
4. Find NFC in more connections dialog in settings. If unchecked, check it back on.
5. Go back to Wallet in manage apps, enable it then launch it.
6. Wallet will try to update itself from Google Play, once that happens, it should go through setup with you again, and you'll be fine.
I confirmed it worked at the 7-11 down my block.
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE.5There's a lot of misinformation in this thread.
Firstly, the yellow unsupported device banner at the top of Google Wallet means nothing. You'll still be able to use Google Wallet. Only rooted users will see it. It's basically warning you that if you mess up, Google aren't liable.
Secondly, there are two types of secure element errors that you'll get. If you get an error saying that there are insufficient secure element privileges, this is to do with your custom ROM being crap. This error is fixable, as it's merely to do with incorrect permissions in the ROM. Using wlpywd's linked workaround could work.
The second secure element error reads as 'secure element not responding' or 'secure element not found'. This is the error that results from not clearing Wallet prior to flashing. If you get this error, there is absolutely nothing you can do other than getting a new phone. Changing build prop or anything else will have no effect - the secure element hardware is now corrupt. Restoring backups will have no effect.
Some have suggested that custom ROM developers could include Wallet wiping as part of the flashing process. This is impossible. When you wipe Wallet, you're wiping the secure element. Only Google has the ability to gain access to the secure element through software. That's why it's secure. It's impossible for ROM developers to gain access to and wipe the secure element without begging Google for the keys.
---------- Post added at 07:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:30 PM ----------
You'll still be able to use NFC for Android beam and to scan NFC tags. The destruction of the secure element means that you'll be unable to use other NFC financial services in the future. It also means that if Google ever allows card emulation on Android in the future, you won't be able to use it for access control and ticketing.
However, there is still some hope. Phones can have multiple NFC secure elements. Rumour has it that ISIS will be using the SIM card as the secure element. If this is the case, people with messed up embedded secure elements will still be able to pay for goods with their phones via the SIM secure element.3
You would be surprised, most people never see the stickies because they are using tapatalk or the xda app. The rest usually just glance over them.
So long as it doesn't get buried this would probably be the best place for it to get exposure.
