Family member just passed away and his wife is trying to get to the contacts in his phone to let his friends and acquaintances know. Phone is locked with a Number passcode. Doesn't know if he had Google Account and I've seen some tutorials on unlocking the phone using SDK or even Odin having rooted my own phone before and change OS. BUt know him and his age, the phone has never been modified and developer tools has never been enabled. Do i just really need to download some custom recovery and flash that recovery on phone with ODIN to be able to access the contact list or just remove the Lock feature. They're contacting Verizon to see if they can help but if i can get into phone for them it would be a great help.
Carrier:Verizon
Phone: Samsung Galaxy S4
Model: SCH-i545
I know this sounds suspect and people maybe be hesitant to help thinking i have a stolen phone but i can reassure you that it's not the situation and you'de be doing a great service to my aunt who's trying to get things arranged and people notified of her husband's death. Anything i can do to prove it i would gladly do so. I've been researching how to do this myself and unfortunately I don't know if its possible on a Stock Verizon, Unrooted, Smasung Galaxy S4 SCH-i545. Dont want to accidentally wipe this phone and lose the contacts, pictures and videos on the phone. So like i said anything i can do to prove this is isnt bull**** id gladily do.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Related
my s4 lcd cracked on its own, no dropping, no misuse, and i didnt have a chance to back up my files/contacts. I recently switched to android after five years with iphone. With the iphone i could simply plug into my pc and transfer files to itunes with no real knowledge. I figured in this day and age and with the level of tech on the galaxy s4 I could do the same.
my problem is i have 8 years of contacts and a few months of photos, videos, etc. I do not wish to lose. If I had to prioritize, the contacts are definitely paramount as I have them no other place. I know, i know, stupid for assuming recovery would be as simple as plugging into my pc.
My problem lies in that I had a lockcode on my phone, did NOT enable developers options prior to it crashing, and have ZERO experience with "crm flashing, and mounting, etc, etc" and really have no clue what they even are. I can follow instructions and learn pretty quickly, but cant write code or anything like that if that is what is required.
Can anyone provide me with any help or suggestions? I am even willing to take it somewhere to have it recovered if thats an option. I really am desperate for help here and would appreciate anything. Thanks. YOu can message me here or email at [email protected].
Thank you all.
BTw, i downloaded an app called drfone which came up in a google search under "recover dead/broken s4 data:". Well, i dont know who actually took the time to write that post out but it has detailed instructions on how to recover the data from a dead or broken phone, but contradicts itself at every turn since you need access to the touchscreen on the phone itself. That poster must of left their logic button unchecked that day.
pissedoffs4user said:
my s4 lcd cracked on its own, no dropping, no misuse, and i didnt have a chance to back up my files/contacts. I recently switched to android after five years with iphone. With the iphone i could simply plug into my pc and transfer files to itunes with no real knowledge. I figured in this day and age and with the level of tech on the galaxy s4 I could do the same.
my problem is i have 8 years of contacts and a few months of photos, videos, etc. I do not wish to lose. If I had to prioritize, the contacts are definitely paramount as I have them no other place. I know, i know, stupid for assuming recovery would be as simple as plugging into my pc.
My problem lies in that I had a lockcode on my phone, did NOT enable developers options prior to it crashing, and have ZERO experience with "crm flashing, and mounting, etc, etc" and really have no clue what they even are. I can follow instructions and learn pretty quickly, but cant write code or anything like that if that is what is required.
Can anyone provide me with any help or suggestions? I am even willing to take it somewhere to have it recovered if thats an option. I really am desperate for help here and would appreciate anything. Thanks. YOu can message me here or email at [email protected].
Thank you all.
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Do you have samsung kies installed on your pc?? Also can your phone be switched on? I mean does it power up?? If so I think you can backup your contacts n stuff....get kies on your pc
Hey guys,
I'm new to this forum. A while back I found a phone in the gas station bathroom that I was working at. I kept it under the desk with a note and of course the camera watching it in case it disappeared without a customer picking it up. No one ever came for it and after 2 weeks (company policy) I took it home with me. Anyway, I've just been using it on my wireless internet and playing games, however my phone contract just ran out on my crappy verizon old flip phone and I want to go to straight talk and use this one.
So, I bought the Straight talk byop kit which includes a sim card for the phone, however, the SIM card that's meant for AT&T phones is too small for this one for some reason, however the TMobile one fits in it perfectly fine. The problem is that it's a tmobile sim card and I'm sure you all know that I need to unlock the phone to get it. So, last night I spent about 4 hours searching for ways to unlock it. I see it's possible to do it for free using the system settings phone codes, but the code combinations don't seem to work for me.
*#0011# - When i key enter 1 it doesn't do what the video I was watching says it's supposed to do.
*#9090# - Restarts my phone after I hit the what I'm told to.
There's another I tried however, I can't remember the code, it takes me to the debug menu, however option 6 isn't there to give me access to phone options or whatever.
So, I gave up as my laptop battery started to waiver around 10% and went to sleep.
Now, today, I hopped on and attempted to figure it out again, but got bored really quick, stumbling accross the same stuff I tried last night, so I tried rooting it thinking that getting admin access to my phone would make option 6 appear when I entered that number. I was wrong, but hey, I successfully rooted my phone so it's cool.
Anyway, I just want the SIM card to work. I really don't care if I have to unlock my phone or whatever, I just want my phone to be able to make calls. So if unlocking my phone works, please help me, if there's a way to get the super small AT&T SIM card to work, then that's be great.
I'm sure you need some of my phone info to help me out so here we go.
It's a Samsung S4 on 4.3 firmware, rooted. It's an I337 and the baseband version says I337UCUEMK2.
If you need any other information to help me out, please feel free to ask. I tried calling AT&T already btw, they said without a phone number they won't provide me with an unlock code.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2595457
I have tried this and it works
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I467 using Tapatalk
jmjoyas said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2595457
I have tried this and it works
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I467 using Tapatalk
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I honestly don't understand 90% of the words in that post... Is there a post or article that'll teach me the basics to rooting and unlocking? I'd really love to do custom roms and everything. I honestly thought when I rooted my phone it'd give me admin access and the hidden system management options would become open to me.
Anyway, hope you can help, my wife is getting on my case about getting it unlocked. If I don't have it done tonight, she's going to make me add the straight talk to a different phone instead of this one and I really don't want to use a cheap piece of junk straight talk phone.
NeoGriim said:
I honestly don't understand 90% of the words in that post... Is there a post or article that'll teach me the basics to rooting and unlocking? I'd really love to do custom roms and everything. I honestly thought when I rooted my phone it'd give me admin access and the hidden system management options would become open to me.
Anyway, hope you can help, my wife is getting on my case about getting it unlocked. If I don't have it done tonight, she's going to make me add the straight talk to a different phone instead of this one and I really don't want to use a cheap piece of junk straight talk phone.
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Click to collapse
I'm doing research on getting a custom rom installed right now, I'm looking at Carbon ROM. I guess I have another question, is there any roms that give me full access to system manager or whatever it's called when you enter those numbers?
Okay, I made an attempt to use your walkthrough, method 2. I went and downloaded odin, and tried to flash the mdl modem however they don't exactly explain in the walkthrough how to do that, I figured I'd take a hit at it and went to do it and odin says it failed.
Is there a walk through I can read through to find how to flash?
I'm not sure what safestrap is, I can't find it on my phone and google only brings up droid ones for me as far as I've seen. It sounds like if I get the mdl modem on my phone that because it unlocks the hidden options in system manager I just have to do that and use the system manager walkthroughs I've seen to go ahead and unlock it.
EDIT: Okay, I got safestrap installed, now I'm just trying to figure out how to get a different modem installed, any help there? I'm looking and asking around but I'm not seeing anything.
Hey, guys.. so im in the casino walking around and i see a phone under a table. i get it and it's a samsung s7. it was locked so i factory reset it. I still can't get into it because it says the owners identity needs to be verified. how can i get pass all this so i can use the phone for myself? it's with at&t. It asked me to connect to wifi so i did, then it said in order for me to get in the phone i needed the persons email or the phones phone number.. can anyone help, or am just SOL?
Return the phone to casino security, stop trying to come up from another person's loss.
In many jurisdictions, what you are doing is actually a crime.
We will NOT assist you with this here on XDA.
Thread Closed.
A month ago while doing some off road bike riding I found a S8 on the trail. I call Verizon and they said they would get back to me on that to do with the phone. They never called back.
I've placed a ad on Craigslist and have called Verizon 4 times. No one seems interested in the recovery of this phone. I could use it to fly my drone but it's locked. I tried a reset but it's asking for the old Google account info. Is it possible for me to root this phone so it can be used on WiFi? My other option would be skipping it accross the San Francisco bay. I wonder how many skips I could get.
Thanks for any input on this post.
WP
You could just flash stock firmware on it, using Odin.
Flash unlocked (G950U1) firmware on it and wipe it through recovery. Should allow setup without needing the account linked to it
joe3681 said:
Flash unlocked (G950U1) firmware on it and wipe it through recovery. Should allow setup without needing the account linked to it
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Click to collapse
No, that does not erase frp. Frp bypass discussion is forbidden on XDA, as the #1 reason to use it is to resell stolen phones.
To OP there are enough resources on the internet that you should be able to figure out whether or not this is possible yourself.
You could also just figure out what carrier it's on, walk into their store and hand it to them so it can be reunited with its owner. I know if I lost my $800 phone I'd be pretty sad. Definitely better than destroying it, seemingly out of spite
There is a combination file which you can flash via odin to bypass frp
google it for more info
partcyborg said:
No, that does not erase frp. Frp bypass discussion is forbidden on XDA, as the #1 reason to use it is to resell stolen phones.
To OP there are enough resources on the internet that you should be able to figure out whether or not this is possible yourself.
You could also just figure out what carrier it's on, walk into their store and hand it to them so it can be reunited with its owner. I know if I lost my $800 phone I'd be pretty sad. Definitely better than destroying it, seemingly out of spite
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Click to collapse
thank you for your input. I'm not sure how but I will try to close this thread down or delete.
Because of my busy schedule I was trying to have verison send me a mailer so I could send them the phone. Also I was just kidding about skipping the phone across the bay. I would never do that. I have left the phone on since I found it expecting someone to call it so I could find the owner but there has been nothing. The owner probably got replacement through insurance leaving this phone disconnected.
I have a OnePlus 8 Pro that i need to get in to. The phone is mine on my T-Mobile account, i bought it for my brother on his birthday.
2 days ago he committed suicide. No note No explanation nothing. He was the strongest person we all knew. Never showed any weakness.
Even his wife cant understand it. I need to be able to get into the phone. There has to be something in there that shed some light on WHY???
His wife, daughter and I NEED answers. I have a ton of experience rooting and modding phones but i don't know how to get past a lock screen without wiping the phone.
If anybody can help me out i would be forever grateful. I would even pay if that's necessary. I am in so much pain right now over this.
Please help
Chipman417 said:
I have a OnePlus 8 Pro that i need to get in to. The phone is mine on my T-Mobile account, i bought it for my brother on his birthday.
2 days ago he committed suicide. No note No explanation nothing. He was the strongest person we all knew. Never showed any weakness.
Even his wife cant understand it. I need to be able to get into the phone. There has to be something in there that shed some light on WHY???
His wife, daughter and I NEED answers. I have a ton of experience rooting and modding phones but i don't know how to get past a lock screen without wiping the phone.
If anybody can help me out i would be forever grateful. I would even pay if that's necessary. I am in so much pain right now over this.
Please help
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Click to collapse
Sorry to hear this.
If the phones on Android 11 then theres no twrp so there no way to remove the passcode / pin as far as I'm aware.
Here's a guide explaining how to remove a passcode. However I think with an encrypted phone you won't be able to access files even via twrp.
https://forum-xda--developers-com.c...e-hacking/remove-lockscreen-recovery-t3530008
Data recovery companies may be able to help if it's really needed.
Don't advise them as to what's happened just the phone is yours and your brother was using it, don't tell them how important it is or the price may just go up.
dladz said:
Sorry to hear this.
If the phones on Android 11 then theres no twrp so there no way to remove the passcode / pin as far as I'm aware.
Here's a guide explaining how to remove a passcode. However I think with an encrypted phone you won't be able to access files even via twrp.
https://forum-xda--developers-com.c...e-hacking/remove-lockscreen-recovery-t3530008
Data recovery companies may be able to help if it's really needed.
Don't advise them as to what's happened just the phone is yours and your brother was using it, don't tell them how important it is or the price may just go up.
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Click to collapse
Thank you for this info. I will attempt whatever i can.
I will try this and see if it works. I just received a call from the detective and he said they have a device that could do this for us.
I might go that route since there is nothing illegal that he was doing.
was just hoping to do it today as to get it done sooner.
Thank you for the help
Chipman417 said:
Thank you for this info. I will attempt whatever i can.
I will try this and see if it works. I just received a call from the detective and he said they have a device that could do this for us.
I might go that route since there is nothing illegal that he was doing.
was just hoping to do it today as to get it done sooner.
Thank you for the help
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Click to collapse
As it's Android it'll be possible. But difficult without the right kit..
I'd clarify what the detective wants to see on the device and can you be present for the unlock.
dladz said:
As it's Android it'll be possible. But difficult without the right kit..
I'd clarify what the detective wants to see on the device and can you be present for the unlock.
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Click to collapse
Exactly what i was thinking. I would prefer i am there and they unlock it and hand it straight to me.
I know he wouldn't appreciate anybody not the closest of family getting access and seeing his personal thoughts.
Chipman417 said:
Exactly what i was thinking. I would prefer i am there and they unlock it and hand it straight to me.
I know he wouldn't appreciate anybody not the closest of family getting access and seeing his personal thoughts.
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Click to collapse
Tbh I wouldn't want anyone looking through my phone is like a treasure trove..
I'd bare that in mind, not everything is meant to be seen. Doesn't mean anything, it's just how we are.
OP, sorry for your loss. That's all I have to offer. RIP.
Just my condolences to you and family
I'm sorry to hear also. May God bless you and family.
Thank you everyone that offered condolences
Chipman417 said:
Thank you everyone that offered condolences
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Click to collapse
Any luck with it?
As insensitive as this sounds, I am a homicide detective. If he had a fingerprint lock on the phone, you could use his physical fingerprint from his hand prior to burial to unlock the phone. We have used this method several times with success.
Regardless, my condolences to you and yours.
AlphaKoi said:
As insensitive as this sounds, I am a homicide detective. If he had a fingerprint lock on the phone, you could use his physical fingerprint from his hand prior to burial to unlock the phone. We have used this method several times with success.
Regardless, my condolences to you and yours.
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Click to collapse
Yeah i was hoping to be able to do just this but since the family members are not very etch savvy, they power cycled the phone off and because of that the first unlock into the system has to be with the numeric password.
I rebuilt his laptop for him a couple months ago so i have the password to get into it. I'm hoping that he saved his email credentials in it. I know that after multiple attempts into android it allows you to change password through the email. This is the last thing i can think to do.
I reached out to OnePlus this morning and the woman who was answering my questions said she had no answers for me. she kept saying i could factory reset it through recovery mode. I already know that, i need the info on it. I'm thinking about reaching out to google also. Who knows they might help since the phone is in my name on my account.
dladz said:
Any luck with it?
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Click to collapse
Not yet. I had an appointment to day with the funeral home to get access to his body so we could use his fingerprint but the phone was turned off since his last login.
It now required the numeric password before logging in. I have one shot left that i can think of. If i can gain access to his email i might be able to reset the password that way.
Fingers crossed. It was so hard yesterday going to the funeral home. We all need answers
Chipman417 said:
Not yet. I had an appointment to day with the funeral home to get access to his body so we could use his fingerprint but the phone was turned off since his last login.
It now required the numeric password before logging in. I have one shot left that i can think of. If i can gain access to his email i might be able to reset the password that way.
Fingers crossed. It was so hard yesterday going to the funeral home. We all need answers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When your reset his email you'll be able to recieve s text message with a verification number
Google find my device . It can unlock it.
SjDU said:
Google find my device . It can unlock it.
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Click to collapse
I saw that. unfortunately i don't have his email credentials for his Find My Device.
Also the sm card was removed my his wife before she gave it back to me unfortunately.
Although it does connect to my Wifi at home... I'm almost to the point of giving up.
I don't think we will ever know why he did what he did.
Thank you to everyone that jumped on this thread. I love this community.
I kinda don't buy the OP story but here is my take:
- Doesn't need a SIM to get/use Find my device working but does require Google account access which is recoverable easily.
- It's trivially easy to recover a Google account with the phone number of the deceased unless the person specifically removed those options and used for instance an authenticator app (of if you don't have the actual SIM or access to that phone number but that would be strange).
- If you cannot recover the account that way, you can still recover it using a legal path by providing the correct inheritance documents to Google (through a lawyer if required) which should pose no issue (again this should pose no issue and while it would take time, it would work).
- Whatsapp cloud backup (on Google drive) is enabled by default and if you're after that, it's probably gonna be trivially easy to restore said backups on any new phone by using the SIM card of the deceased. Unless the person specifically disabled this to prevent this.
You can most likely recover Whatsapp messages without even unlocking the phone. This whole process is actually not hard and requires no tech help and can be done through the legal processes.
Added to all this, I checked your history and saw that you requested help before unlocking a Pixel phone that magically came into your possession before. So it seems you have a pattern of coming into possession of locked phones that makes me very suspicious of your demand.
I'll report this thread and ask a mod to review it.
Sorry. I also have doubts any time I see a story here asking for help unlocking a phone. Always sounds suspicious, and furthermore where are the mods here? Aren't there rules that state no requests for help unlocking phones??
Here is the OPs other post:
" Junior Member11 postsThanks: 2
I have a 64gb Pixel 4 XL that i want to unlock and use on T-Mobile.
The phone was never actually on a Sprint account. It was never technically paid off by a consumer. Its also never been activated on the sprint network to my understanding. (Which are all required to have sprint send an unlock code)
It was given to me by a Sprint store manager when they had to clean out end of year inventory.
I'm trying to figure out if i can unlock it somehow without having to get sprint to send the unlock code.
I don't really want to go through the hassle of explaining to them how i got a hold of it when they look at it in the system.
Any help would be greatly appreciated"
@San Diego The moderators are here and monitoring the thread since it has been created. And these are the XDA Forum Rules to cross-check.
To ask for assistance is not against the rules, and if you read back in the thread quite a few legal possibilities have been given. They obviously didn't delivered the desired result. However, as soon as the discussion or advices deviate towards the obscure side or to paid unlock services this would be removed immediately.
If you check the thread, from which you quoted, you'll see that moderators were acive in it, too.
Stay safe and stay healthy!
Regards
Oswald Boelcke
Forum Moderator