The Dreaded Google Lockout

[bradly1101]

So I get a new phone (S7), and Google Play was acting weird (wouldn't show app icons, wouldn't download or "pending download," and it wouldn't accept payments with "an error occured" - nothing about password and there's $ in the acct.), so I did the one update and reset the phone, still nothing.

So I looked online for solutions and one suggested changing the Google password. I did that, still couldn't make a payment.

Another site recommended a factory reset, and BAM! I could no longer sign into the phone just to set it up. I did research, and it appears those steps could be done by thieves, so Google won't allow it until after a 72 hour (cooling off?) period.

There are a bunch of online guides on how to bypass the Google account verification, but none worked for the S7. There are guys online who charge to do it with Teamspeak, but I can wait. I've got my correct password, it's so frustrating.

Edit: The phone was bought retail (MetroPCS).

 

[shabby]

Try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPema4Hjfjo

 

[bradly1101]

Try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPema4Hjfjo

Damn! So close! My phone doesn't have the "Enhanced Features" option when selecting The End User License Agreement, it's just a doc.

 

[sweenish]

So I get a new phone (S7), and Google Play was acting weird (wouldn't show app icons, wouldn't download or "pending download," and it wouldn't accept payments with "an error occured" - nothing about password and there's $ in the acct.), so I did the one update and reset the phone, still nothing.

So I looked online for solutions and one suggested changing the Google password. I did that, still couldn't make a payment.

Another site recommended a factory reset, and BAM! I could no longer sign into the phone just to set it up. I did research, and it appears those steps could be done by thieves, so Google won't allow it until after a 72 hour (cooling off?) period.

There are a bunch of online guides on how to bypass the Google account verification, but none worked for the S7. There are guys online who charge to do it with Teamspeak, but I can wait. I've got my correct password, it's so frustrating.

Edit: The phone was bought retail (MetroPCS).

I know you're already locked out and everything, but was this over the course of a few days? Just to rule out an out of date Play Store and/or Play Services.

It would have also been worth trying to clear Play Store data, and maybe even Play Services cache, but that's a very specific process to make sure things don't get messed up.

 

[bradly1101]

I know you're already locked out and everything, but was this over the course of a few days? Just to rule out an out of date Play Store and/or Play Services.

It would have also been worth trying to clear Play Store data, and maybe even Play Services cache, but that's a very specific process to make sure things don't get messed up.

This is phone setup from a factory reset, so can't access apps.

 

[bradly1101]

My answer was to reactivate my old phone while I await the lockout.

 

[cronos]

This is a little disconcerting. What triggers such lockout? I used to factory reset my phone all the time but haven't needed to for a while, so I'd like to know if I could avoid this sort of thing if I need to do it again.

 

[bradly1101]

This is a little disconcerting. What triggers such lockout? I used to factory reset my phone all the time but haven't needed to for a while, so I'd like to know if I could avoid this sort of thing if I need to do it again.

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

Just don't change your Google password THEN do a factory reset on the phone. That's what triggers the 72 hour lockout.

 

[bradly1101]

Google really needs to fix this. I found myself in this situation just by troubleshooting a Google app. From my searching this has happened to many other legal users of their phones. If it's to prevent theft, why does it reset at all? Craziness!

 

[bradly1101]

Fortunately it was just a 24hr lockout, but I'm back to the original problem; I can't download apps. I managed to get one app installed from Google Play yesterday, but otherwise it just shows the scrolling status without details of MB downloaded. The Facebook icon has its own download manager that shows "Restarting Download" forever until I stop it.

I can see app. icons after clearing cache/data for Google Services and the Play Store, but it still won't download.

I'm awaiting the end of a TV recording, then I'll try rebooting the router.

Edit: I fixed it not with a router reboot but by disabling all the MetroPCS apps., and voila! A perfectly working S7 is a beautiful thing. I thought about getting an unlocked one to avoid this sort of thing, but I can't use it with my provider's cheapest unlimited plan ($30/mo.) - how else could I pay for this fabulous phone? It still kills me that the camera can take RAW files

 

[gorcorps]

Fortunately it was just a 24hr lockout, but I'm back to the original problem; I can't download apps. I managed to get one app installed from Google Play yesterday, but otherwise it just shows the scrolling status without details of MB downloaded. The Facebook icon has its own download manager that shows "Restarting Download" forever until I stop it.

I can see app. icons after clearing cache/data for Google Services and the Play Store, but it still won't download.

I'm awaiting the end of a TV recording, then I'll try rebooting the router.

Edit: I fixed it not with a router reboot but by disabling all the MetroPCS apps., and voila! A perfectly working S7 is a beautiful thing. I thought about getting an unlocked one to avoid this sort of thing, but I can't use it with my provider's cheapest unlimited plan ($30/mo.) - how else could I pay for this fabulous phone? It still kills me that the camera can take RAW files

Wow, I've heard of some poor carrier bloatware before but not so bad that it ruins a basic functionality of the phone like that.

 

[bradly1101]

Wow, I've heard of some poor carrier bloatware before but not so bad that it ruins a basic functionality of the phone like that.

Well it was something else (too?):
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2472772