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Can't fully wipe phone

sargan

sargan

Member
I have a Samsung S7 that my Father had been using on a VF contract.
He died in April .... we closed the contract.

Now trying to set up phone as a PAYG on Three for my daughter.
When you boot it up it needs an unlock code - to fill the NUL request form in on VF you need the IMEI which I don't have
I can't use *#06# as the phone comes up as locked and needs PIN. (which I don't have)
Hrs of fun with VF support they advised carrying out hardware reset.
Did that .... it wipes ... starts config & connects to WiFi but then advises it was an unauthorised reset and needs previous Google account details - which I don't have.

So 2 issues - I can't get phone to clean state and I can't get phone's IMEI

Anybody know how to proceed.
 
Unfortunately it sounds like the FRP has been activated, so without the original Google account login details it's essentially a brick. FRP is a strong security/anti-theft measure that cannot be readily bypassed (and please note that discussion of potential means of doing so is not permitted on these forums).
Support shouldn't have told you to reset it without first asking if you had the login but regrettably it's too late now. Unless you have some way of recovering that account info there isn't much you can do.
 
Vodafone support can see all the previous contract details, but not the IMEI.

Slight improvement, after Hrs of searching found my Fathers gmail account details …. Put them in …. And looked to be getting there, then it advised it has sent an email to his secondary email with a code … and I need to input that.
Unfortunately I do t have access to that secondary account.
They showed an alternative … but that was to send SMS to his phone …. Number was closed when Vodafone contract closed.
 
Well my condolences on your Father passing on. But as far as his S7, if there's no way for your family to find out what password he used for the Google account set up on that phone, FRP will make it a major project to bypass. Even if you take it to a service shop to have them do this (you'll most likely need to present a copy of his Death Certificate and/or documentation of proof of ownership), it will involve costs that might exceed the value of the phone itself. Approximately how old is your daughter? It might be better to buy her a new or even a usable pre-owned phone than invest in money to make this S7 usable again.
 
I'm a little surprised that VF can't provide the IMEI, because every time he connected the phone to their network they would have received it (this is how they can deny service to blacklisted phones, they see the IMEI and refuse to connect it). My service provider know what model of phone I use even though I've not bought a phone through them this century, and they get that information from the IMEI. Whether customer service staff can access it may be a different question.

But that's secondary. The problem now is that having entered the password you seem to have encountered 2 factor authentication on the Google account. So it's now Google rather than Vodafone who hold the key to unlocking this. I don't know whether there is any possibility of them giving you the code via some other route, though I think that's a long shot. I suspect that a Samsung service centre could clear this too, but if I were them I'd definitely want proof of ownership before agreeing to such a thing, and as others have said I don't guarantee that charges wouldn't exceed the (by now very low) value of the phone.

One thing to check: I'm assuming that this request for a code is preventing you from accessing the phone's settings, and not just preventing some account-related services from being set up? What you want to do if you can is go into settings and remove the Google account, then reset again in case anything was re-downloaded after you entered the password. I expect it is not letting you do this, but thought it best to check just in case.
 
Hadron said:
I'm a little surprised that VF can't provide the IMEI, because every time he connected the phone to their network they would have received it .
Click to expand...
Spent a long time with VF support yesterday, they can see his old contract, I passed security on all questions but they can't see the IMEI (or at least guy I was dealing with)

As mentioned the hardware reset has now allowed me back in, I have the previous gmail account and password - accepts those, but then it wants to confirm account .... either by ending SMS to phone (phone account now closed) or by email to his secondary account, his email is also now closed.
 
Great idea .. logged in and managed to change mobile number and recovery email. On phone used option to verify email and change password ... so have 100 working gmail account and 100% correct pwd .... but when I put then in .... get same message phone was reset and need a previously synced email ..... when I put in email details I just get something went wrong.

Is there a Samsung support email/chat/phone
 
I can go to Google on web and it accepts the account and password ... so know they are good .... but won't accept them on the phone.
 
If you changed the Google password I think it takes 24 hours plus for that to become active. Not sure if you should change it again and wait, or give it a day for your new password.
 
OK ... you are right it is on back cover ..... it is gold cover and tiny print.
So I can at least apply for NUC code

Factory / Clean wipe (or remove gmail account) still remains.
 
Last edited:
Well if you head over to the Google My Activity page,I think there is a way how to remove that account, if you have your father's email and password you can take it out that way.
 
https://myaccount.google.com/security

I'm unclear where you want to go from here, or the IMEI solves the issue... but as Milo said to close the account - or you can remove the device from your late father's account but keep the account for photos etc - when the new password kicks in (sorry I haven't been following this fully - but my condolences. ; and, like Hadron some of the time, I reside in the UK).

I can find you better links for what you want to do. The easiest route I guess.

===

^ I posted too late again.
 
Madd61 said:
https://myaccount.google.com/security

I'm unclear where you want to go from here, .....
I can find you better links for what you want to do. The easiest route I guess.
.
Click to expand...

IMEI worked and phone now unlocked by Vodafone.
Above was a suggested way to delete the account, there is nothing I need to keep as all photos were downloaded before I cancelled the contract, only concern is once I have done this on-line if it does not clear it off the phone I have no recourse.

As it will allow me to confirm emails & the reset password... part of things work OK, but the message that I have to login with an account previously synced to phone is what concerns me ..... in case it's looking for some other account.

If as you say you know an alternate way to clear the account off the phone (and I need none of the data) be good - it let me do a h/ware reset, and also I checked on-line two-factor authentication is off.

If there is a Samsung help line I'd happily call them.
 
Let me come back later when I'm home if someone doesn't cover it.
Too many cooks and so many flavours!

Let me be clear if you logged in to his account on another device or pc and changed the password for it, but the phone won't accept it... yet... but probably will accept the new password in a day or so.

If we remove the S7 from the devices listed on his account, maybe a pc as well or just the phone....iirc that won't take effect straight away either - or it used to take a while for the account device lists to update but it may be quicker now.

I'll pass you a more later.
 
There's no longer a "Remove" option in the Your Devices list (confirmed on support pages), you can only Sign Out of a device, or Don't Recognise it and it will be gone in 28 days.

So I'm no longer sure which is quickest and best, but you'll clear the phone for use eventually.

Your options are either close the account in
https://myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy - and go to: Delete your Google account

but maybe Sign Out of that Galaxy S7 device first
https://myaccount.google.com/device-activity?continue=https://myaccount.google.com/security

(or see the Manage Devices link under Security)

It will send a message to Confirm this.

... though I suspect the phone will still ask you to sign in with the old password until the new password you set kicks in.

Sorry if I haven't been a great help. Google keeps moving the goalposts or adding layers it seems for the sake of it, but they'll say security.

Also Google has a method to access or erase a deceased person's account:
https://support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590?hl=en
.... though as you have account access anyway, you can perhaps use it as a last resort only.
See if you can use your new password in 24 - 48 hours. Once in the phone, remove / delete the account / factory reset in the Settings menu.
 
I did that a few times when I was getting my new moto, so it is still fresh in my head.
Like I just said earlier OP, you can always flush out the google email as well as on the comp, tablet, even mobile too.
It will not go away,as long as you do not have two-step login either, just be aware on that, since you might run into that error again.
Still you can flush it throughout the Manageable service too,it would however chew up around an hour of doing the process right.
I just recently reset my moto for a technical error too. Like around a fortnight ago,keep in mind about the sims card too.
 
On my phone (newer OS version, Android 11 without Samsung mods) I can simply go to Settings > Accounts, select the Google account and press a "remove account" button. That doesn't close the account with Google, it removes it from the phone. That's what you want to do so that you can reset the phone without being locked out and then set it up with a new user.
 
The issue here is I can't complete boot up so can't do that.

Currently I can login in the Gmail account on a browser, so account & pwd is confirmed.
The phone does not accept them - even though if I use rest pwd - that works and reset secondary account also works ...... but won't allow me to login. Anybody have any suggestions ..... or do I need to send it to Samsung repair
 
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