My son got my first HD2. What I did not know when I installed it the first time before he got it, was the fixation of the phone to the gmail-account I used at that time and only for that purpose. Intuition has its flip side too.
My son has his own gmail account, which I was not aware of, and obviously he wants to have his HD2 running his affairs on his own account (communicate with friends etc.)
Now, he has used the HD2 extensively, installed lots of apps, also some paid ones. Purging my old (installation-) account will reset the whole device to its initial state, all accounts and licences will be lost, if he understands that warning correctly.
Is there a way to change the 'ownership' with as little damage to the contents as possible, like save all contents as a backup, start with a new account identity, and restore all contents? Or will that also inevitably overwrite the new account with the old one too?
One could call the task also a migration of an android installation to a different account. BTW, it's equipped with a 16 GB card which has lots of free space left right now (looking at the backup space needs).
I am sure this has been discussed here before, but I seem to not find the right search words. Any hints, links, advice?
Would a total backup using Titanium be advisable? Or will that restore the present status including the unwanted account again?
Thanks for your help in advance. It doesn't make things simpler that my son and his HD2 are some 1.000 miles from here, studying there. but we have skype and other paths on PCs...
Cheers,
the longkeeler.
You can always use Titanium Backup to back up the apps (the paid ones, too), make a factory reset and let him set his own account and then restore the backup.
But you can never transfer the ownership of app(s) from one account to another. (For example, by using TB backup, he can use the paid apps, but he won't be able to update them, he'd need to buy them from his own account)
I'm sorry, but that is the way Android works. (which is lame)
follow-up
Clearing the primary gmail-account and thus resetting the device did not remove just that account, which kind of surprises me. Well, I don't have the HD2 in my hands, and I just hope that my son will have made the backup I advised hin to make and store it where he can reconstruct from.
Cheers,
the longkeeler.
But at least, he would have back what was there before. The nature of the paid apps is static, there are no backups to be expected. And it was not an amount of money that would kill anyone - just throwing it away should be avoided. Now, as posted a few minutes before, he was not successful to remove the undesired account. Are there any protections built in, that follow the great old MS tradition , it's not a bug, it's a feature, if not even industry standard?
it is however possible - to some extent - to "merge" google accounts.
if you do not use your gmail acc (as i understood from your first post) you can transfer quite a bit of contacts/features and stuff to your sons account and the other way round. this way he might be able to keep the paid apps (and updates) and also communicate with his friend on the dame account.
if thats any help...
Is the phone running froyo or gingerbread? If it is on Ginger then try deleting the account from sync and accounts... that's all for froyo u will need root explorer to delete a file located in the data folder.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App
From accounts and sync remove the account.. I believe this only works for Ginger ..
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App
You can also do it by deleting this file With root explorer . Hope this helped.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App
Just use your sons email and then go to accounts and sync.turn sync off. That's basically your only hope.
Sent from my HD2 using xda premium
First: Thanks to all for your replies!
Afaik, it's the gingerbread flavor.
I have the same type of HD2 here for myself but don't want to mess that up too much - I just saw under acc and synch that my account appears there once under mail and then under google.
If I remove either of those - does it only purge the link from my device to gmail resp. all other google-accounts, or does it remove the account as a whole from google's servers? (if so, probably only from the visible surface, but that's a different story...)
I am not sure if my son sees the same image and what he did there.
So again: Does "removing" the account on the smartphone just "divorce" it from google, or does it kill it?
Thanks again for your help!
Cheers,
The Longkeeler
Nieve, thank you so much. I am not sure yet if it will work but it sounds plausible. surprising how close to the surface such an essential database is located - like the rock that merged with the Costa Concordia... So, everybody just can hope that it will become easier in future to change the primary account rights.
A different side-question: What tool did you use to add the hints to the screen shots?
Extended thought, not necessarily useful for my son's problem, but: Would it be possible to cultivate different versions of the accounts.db, renaming them according to the desired application spectrum (like, say, change the "personality" of the phone from business to leisure)?
Reset device completely
With a clean device when the touch android screen comes up...
he signs in with his account. Establishes his acct as primary
then logs in with your acct secondly or later on in order to get access to the paid apps on your account
Only way to xhange primary is a wipe of data. The primary is simply the very first acccount entered after a device reset.
Your a great mom!
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
nieves53 said:
You can also do it by deleting this file With root explorer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nieve, thanks. After getting root explorer 2.15 I can see into the innards now too - on my phone here, there is the accounts.db of course, and two more entries, one called accounts.db-wal and the other accounts.db-shm. Look more like folders. What about those?
androidcues said:
Your a great mom!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Always try to do my best, and I'll ask my wife for her opinion on this . Well, I'm just only the dad...
But your proposal sounds very reasonable and based on practice. If nieve's and your advice can be combined (purging the data base, tnen installing accs from scratch), it would be great.
accounts removed now, but no re-installation yet.
nieves53 said:
You can also do it by deleting this file
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(\data\system\accounts.db) deleted - et voilà, after rebooting, no more accounts. So, step one done successfully. So, again, thanks for that!
Now came the next one, re-installing his own gmail account as a primary one. He could open the dialogue - but his entry was refused, 'sorry, username and pw don't match.' Bummer. He tried it several times, took care that the account was not opened anywhere else - no avail so far. The error message could well be misleading.
There must be a missing resp. hidden link.
Update: re-installing the prior "false" primary account worked immediately. So, the error message IS misleading. I guess there will be no other way than to completely re-initiate the whole system and then start with the other identiy. Unfortunately, the HD2 has to travel 2.000 miles for that, but it is the safest way then. My son has neither the experience nor the tools to do that himself there.
If somebody has yet another idea - please don't hesitate to let us know!
The application is call picsin, you can find it in the android market...about his account ask him to make sure his email and password are correct. I have change my accounts many times doing that process. He can maybe try login to his account thru the browser, just to make sure the email and password are right.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App
SOLVED
longkeeler said:
Update: re-installing the prior "false" primary account worked immediately. So, the error message IS misleading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some times, the solution comes as a surprise. Just before my son had started his trial to rearrange the accounts yesterday, he had applied for a new login scheme with google - some double-password story. This, he had not mentioned until today, an hour ago, when he received a mail from google, giving him directions on how to handle logins in a transitional phase.
You guess it: All is well now, he has his own account as the primary one, and sounds much more relaxed than before.
Oh well...
But nevertheless: Your help was absolutely substantial in achieving this, and I hope that the bitdust will settle soon... So thanks again, I can recommend you
Cheers, and a happy rest of this weekend!
The Longkeeler, now also a bit more in weekend mood/mode.
That's good to hear! And a pleasure to help.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App
Related
Ok,
Just going to through this up in a thread of its own. If this info needs to be added to a newbie's thread fine, but I have not seen one.
This is a lesson learned with the Evo that as a NEW android user I was completely unaware of:
--You MUST have a GMail account. An old Google account will not work.
--You only get ONE CHANCE at entering the correct account for your phone set up.
It seems that while other android phones have tricks to work around changing accounts...the Evo does NOT. You must do the factory reset from...Menu > Settings > Privacy > Factory data reset.
YES you will lose all the screen customizations you made, all the emails you have set up, all the settings you wanted.
NO you do not lose data as all my test pictures are still there.
The GMail account must be set up BEFORE you try to add it to the phone. (This seems to be the gist of lots of stuff on internet and this is way I did it. Set it up through my old Google account before adding to the phone during the set up process.)
There you go. Very important and frustrating tip for those of us that are new to android and especially to the Evo.
....
are you sure?
you can't just got Accounts and Sync and change it there?
I can't imagine why not
You can't go to menu>settings>accounts and sync>google and remove your Google account?
if your rooted you can easily change google accounts
i found this goodie back in the hero days messing around with accounts.db
adb shell
sqlite3 /data/system/accounts.db "delete from accounts where type = 'com.google';"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Either he doesn't know any better, or hes a troll
BAleR said:
Either he doesn't know any better, or hes a troll
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Luv you too.
No, you cannot just go Accounts and Sync...tried it. When you go into the google account you have a button below that says...'Remove Account'. When you try you get two pop-ups. First says you will lose account information. Second says you must do the factory reset.
So...anyone else want to call me a troll before they actually TRY what they are suggesting? 'Cause I tried three different approaches I found when searching. None worked.
TrevE said:
if your rooted you can easily change google accounts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, phone only about 4 days old and still figuring out if she will be moving in with me or returned to the pound. So no rooting yet.
sablesurfer said:
Luv you too.
No, you cannot just go Accounts and Sync...tried it. When you go into the google account you have a button below that says...'Remove Account'. When you try you get two pop-ups. First says you will lose account information. Second says you must do the factory reset.
So...anyone else want to call me a troll before they actually TRY what they are suggesting? 'Cause I tried three different approaches I found when searching. None worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or maybe I just don't know any better, I don't have this problem with my phone, I've accidentally entered my Google account incorrectly and I always just re-entered it and it worked just fine.
My first post wasn't directed in any way negative. I just didn't know any better
Well, I'm pretty sure I've had my gmail account for about 3 years and it synced right up; worked on my mom's as well and then I made a new one for the dad.
Hrshycro said:
Well, I'm pretty sure I've had my gmail account for about 3 years and it synced right up; worked on my mom's as well and then I made a new one for the dad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not being rude, but this has nothing to do with what I said in my tip. <shrug>
sablesurfer said:
Not being rude, but this has nothing to do with what I said in my tip. <shrug>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you aren't being entirely clear on what your point is. I have no idea what you are talking about given that I know for a fact that:
A> I am usually drunk when I try roms, which usually require a full wipe and account info on 1st boot...which I usually screw up.
and most importantly,
B> That the day I got my phone I forgot my password for a good 5 minutes at radio shack and tried wrong passwords repeatedly until I got it right.
Not to mention
C> I have changed gmail accounts multiple times, even in those brief hours while I was still 100% stock.
...and I have no idea what a "google account" is otherwise. It very may well be 'a thing', but I have no idea what it is.
If I managed to evade your point, please--for the sake of the forum and your own well being--articulate it a little better.
daneurysm said:
Then you aren't being entirely clear on what your point is. I have no idea what you are talking about given that I know for a fact that:
A> I am usually drunk when I try roms, which usually require a full wipe and account info on 1st boot...which I usually screw up.
and most importantly,
B> That the day I got my phone I forgot my password for a good 5 minutes at radio shack and tried wrong passwords repeatedly until I got it right.
Not to mention
C> I have changed gmail accounts multiple times, even in those brief hours while I was still 100% stock.
...and I have no idea what a "google account" is otherwise. It very may well be 'a thing', but I have no idea what it is.
If I managed to evade your point, please--for the sake of the forum and your own well being--articulate it a little better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your Google account is basically your Gmail account. All though I do believe it is a seperat account. It also allows you to link youtube, latitude and a few other Google tools or services.
Hmmm, Home screen, menu, settings, applications, gmail and or market, then clear data, and or clear cache ... worked for me... then I had to re-enter my password and user name, ill be damned if i didn't screw it up. Not even drunk, course i didn't forget it for 10 minutes, just about 30 seconds.
BAleR said:
Your Google account is basically your Gmail account. All though I do believe it is a seperat account. It also allows you to link youtube, latitude and a few other Google tools or services.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I assumed, but, you never know. Google is a little to smart to go for anything less than a unified ID. Having a handful of disparate and overlapping accounts (and their associated 'sign up process') seems like an annoying waste of time, storage and bandwidth.
Btw, I'm not trying to be a ****. If you are in fact having these issues it may be an isolated incident.
I had the same issue as the original poster. I believe what is being said is that the "google" account you enter the very first time, is the one used for your identity on the phone, and to change it requires a factory reset on the Evo.
Personally I have 3 google accounts, one is gmail and the other two are google apps. All of my contacts are under a google apps account.
Well, turns out, if you enter your gmail account not knowing the difference when you originally setup the phone, it stays stuck in there and won't let you change it without doing a full factory reset. I realized I needed to use my google apps account instead and had to factory reset to change it.
This is of course before I attempted any rooting fun, I had just came from WinMo on a Touch Diamond previously and hadn't read up on how any of that worked at the time.
Hope this helps clarify things.
Can't you just go to setup and redo your setup??
Nvm just tried nogo me =stupid
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
sablesurfer said:
Not being rude, but this has nothing to do with what I said in my tip. <shrug>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sablesurfer said:
--You MUST have a GMail account. An old Google account will not work.
--You only get ONE CHANCE at entering the correct account for your phone set up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, condiering I've had my gmail account for over 3 years and used it to set my evo up with, it's not new - it was 3 years ago but it sure wasn't new when I got my evo. Therefore, an old gmail/google account works just fine.
And, I just added me other gmail account without any problems. Gave me the options to sync mail, contacts, ect., too.
I think were missing your point here...or something.
total fail dude...
daneurysm said:
That's what I assumed, but, you never know. Google is a little to smart to go for anything less than a unified ID. Having a handful of disparate and overlapping accounts (and their associated 'sign up process') seems like an annoying waste of time, storage and bandwidth.
Btw, I'm not trying to be a ****. If you are in fact having these issues it may be an isolated incident.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know what you mean, in a way. I guess it just depends on the person and the what your needs are. iGoogle for instance, you can set up your own home page, you can add all kinds of different widgets like latitude, translate, local search, wiki, tv guide. You can be updated when concerts and such are appear in your town. I love latitude, I just link it to my phone, if anyone ever stole my phone I could just go to my google page on my pc and id automatically know the location and I'm pretty sure theres a free service for this same thing that adds the ability to send messages, not texts, to the phone and wipe it if you want. Pretty dang useful if you ask me. I love it, I just open mozilla and everything is there, mail, rss feeds and news, weather everything
larrybiggs said:
I had the same issue as the original poster. I believe what is being said is that the "google" account you enter the very first time, is the one used for your identity on the phone, and to change it requires a factory reset on the Evo.
Personally I have 3 google accounts, one is gmail and the other two are google apps. All of my contacts are under a google apps account.
Well, turns out, if you enter your gmail account not knowing the difference when you originally setup the phone, it stays stuck in there and won't let you change it without doing a full factory reset. I realized I needed to use my google apps account instead and had to factory reset to change it.
This is of course before I attempted any rooting fun, I had just came from WinMo on a Touch Diamond previously and hadn't read up on how any of that worked at the time.
Hope this helps clarify things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, this makes since, I guess I never noticed because I have one account. I KNOW that if you enter in an incorrect user/pass it will just promt so. then just re-enter
Some of you are aware of how "paranoid" I am, and refuse to have my Calendar and Contact synced via google.
Just before I did my firmware upgrade today, I used an application in the market place called MyBackup, but I carefully avoided choosing to backup to local (SD card) and not Online.
After I flashed the new firmware and made the restore, I discoverd to my horror that all my contacts are now having the symbol "g" within a square, which I understood to be indicative of the fact that these contact are now also stored in Google's server somewhere, and none of the contact are coming from my phone! So, MyBackup restored my entire contact database from my phone to the cloud rather than my phone? There is not single contact entry on my phone now. Everything I have is shown to be from Google.
Anyone knows how the hell could this happen? Is MyBackup a sneaky program which steal all these information and put it to the cloud without my consent?
I'm really really pissed
Now I'm forced to put in dummy tel number and address, birthday to all my contact and let Google get the false data, before abandoning Google phone platform all together. THIS IS EVIL, SNEAKY, UNETHICAL !!!
You really are paranoid .
I don't think MyBackup Pro actually stores all your contacts on some Google server - I think the app just assumes they are Google contacts. I've stopped using it for backing up contacts for a different reason: because it duplicates everything when restoring it - a real PITA. And by everything I mean everything - linked contacts become multiple independent contacts, some of them without any details and impossible to delete without a factory reset. I'm actually using Kies for that now (ironic, no? ).
Do you have a Google account for using the phone with? The simple thing do is to log in there and check whether your contacts are actually in there. If not then they probably aren't.
If you are that paranoid perhaps put the phone into airplane mode when you backup?
I think you are being a bit paranoid here. Besides google might just keep changelogs on the contact which would render you attempt with dummy info useless.
I just checked. I don't see any entry under contact when I signed in. Whew!
But please explain to me why all my contacts now are displayed under the google heading? (You know the display option in contact lets us select contact on the SIM, Phone, or Google?), now all my entries are under google. Yet, I don't see any thing there (yet?)
According to this thread, I think there's still a possibility that my details has already been taken without my permission, although it's not reflected in the contact list in google account.
I'm confused...
To anyone of you thinking that I'm paranoid, one day you will know I'm right. The world just isn't as innocent as you think.
I have to very seriously re-evaluate whether I would want an Android phone. It's way too open, anyone can take information from me, since there is no QA done on the market place applications.
Think someone's had a bit too much wacky tobacco.
GOT you info
I could be wrong but all my contact say Google except the one i use my HTC Sync to transfer my work email from Outlook.
By the way i can see all of your contacts. You were too late!!!
eaglesteve said:
To anyone of you thinking that I'm paranoid, one day you will know I'm right. The world just isn't as innocent as you think.
I have to very seriously re-evaluate whether I would want an Android phone. It's way too open, anyone can take information from me, since there is no QA done on the market place applications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, for starters,
1) The [G] means they have been imported into your Google account. Probably, as mentioned by your backup. Go to Google Contacts and you can wipe them. But no, I don't believe they took them without your permissions.
2) What makes your email addresses so valuable? Do you honestly believe Google cares? Hahaha... Clearly, you don't know anyone who works at Google. I met a bunch and they really are all legends, and they know your rights. They are normal people, not politicians. This is in comparison to Apple people I know, who I post stuff to on their facebook wall, they remove it secretly and tell me by email that they didn't want their manager to see it.
3) If you are concerned about privacy, why can you trust the "MyBackup" program. did you install an applications which isn't open source?
Perhaps you should get a dumb phone or hack up your own firmware and remove Google's services?
You should also consider avoiding entering ANY google account if you don't trust them. Why did you enter them in the first place? To enter the market where Google could track your downloads, your location and your firmware? Seriously, I strongly urge you to sell your Android phone if you don't trust them. Instead, get a dumb phone. I however believe my contacts list is useless to Google, so have no problems sharing information with them
i don't know about that backup program you are using.
however, if you are concerned about the contacts @ google.
just login to your google account, and select DELETE all contacts, in your account.
then it'll be all gone
you can do the same for all the emails too.
once deleted they will no longer have your data on their servers.
eaglesteve said:
Some of you are aware of how "paranoid" I am, and refuse to have my Calendar and Contact synced via google.
Just before I did my firmware upgrade today, I used an application in the market place called MyBackup, but I carefully avoided choosing to backup to local (SD card) and not Online.
After I flashed the new firmware and made the restore, I discoverd to my horror that all my contacts are now having the symbol "g" within a square, which I understood to be indicative of the fact that these contact are now also stored in Google's server somewhere, and none of the contact are coming from my phone! So, MyBackup restored my entire contact database from my phone to the cloud rather than my phone? There is not single contact entry on my phone now. Everything I have is shown to be from Google.
Anyone knows how the hell could this happen? Is MyBackup a sneaky program which steal all these information and put it to the cloud without my consent?
I'm really really pissed
Now I'm forced to put in dummy tel number and address, birthday to all my contact and let Google get the false data, before abandoning Google phone platform all together. THIS IS EVIL, SNEAKY, UNETHICAL !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's BackupPro when it restores the contacts it assigns them as Google. I made the mistake of backing-up and restoring contacts with this and spent the next hour wondering how I've got contacts with 3 Google entries when I was expecting only two.
I have no problem syncing all my data with Google's servers, but I want to remember everyone that the right of privacy is an absolute requirement for a working democracy.
If eaglesteve does not want his data being stored at a central repository then he has every right to freak out when it appears as if his contacts were synced with Google's Servers.
Of course, if he should believe that Google is after him personally, well, then this is probably a bad sign of paranoia
flamingpitofhell said:
You really are paranoid .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the same until I saw he's in Australia.... the government over there is screwed up big time. The crap they are trying to do to their Internet is appalling.
I'm also paranoid about the same...i did this to solve (ive not an english firmware so will try to give simmilar instructions):
go to contacts -> menu -> more -> import/export and save all contacts to a vcard on SD, and connect to pc and save that vcard on pc.
Go into settings -> privacy -> "erase all data" (dunno how its called on english firmware)
then i chose to erase data on SD also after unmounting it.
After that i restarted phone without simcard and with volup+home+power i cleared cache and hard reseted it.
After that the phone boots with factory settings and without simcard and keep it that way and connect to internet via wireless after booting.
Then i checked if i had no contacts, there were none so all okay... went to menu, definitions -> "accounts and sincronization" and i added my google account, but i unchecked first the auto sync and data in second plan above (the options above, dunno how they are called in english firmware). Then the google account was added. Then i disabled wireless and checked the options i disabled in last step (the auto sync and the other), i opened the google account i added in last step and disabled all syncs there (sync calendar, contacts and gmail).
After that i went to contacts and restored all contacts via the vcard, all are stored on phone after that (via the same import/export option).
As a final option i went to my gmail and deleted all contacts synced... now the phone is not syncing with google in any way but i can use the market because i have a google acc added...
dunno if i explained myself well, it worked for me that way.
I'd love to hear some worst case scenarios of what you think might happen if mr google checks your contacts and finds your mate Fred's email address.
And also why you'd think anyone would want to know your contacts.
are you worried that your network provider has a log of who you called and when?
if they find Fred's address, Fred is effed.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
well.... i dont like to give my info/data away, just really when needed.... some years ago maybe not, but today, google and other companies have so much info about so much people around the world, and you dont even know if they use it or not, you are not there to check... they can for example see the places you visit more because of gps tracking, if people in some zone visit shoppings a lot and at what times, who your friends are and if they use android and gmail also (by contacts), and assemble strategies for their business based on that, because all we are giving is free info about what we do, who we are, who our friends are....that, for business activities is very valuable. And im not talking about gmail, with all valuable info about everyone, they are able to see all your info since you have all stuff stored on their servers and they dont need to tell to you anything about it and you dont even know they maybe will do it... i may be wrong, but thats my point of view, i didnt had that oppinion since a friend i have, erased all his mails from gmail telling me "google can use all my info for marketing purposes or another stuff"...
They give us free services, but there is no such things as free services... we pay with info to improve their business, thats my point of view...
I'm not concerned with the email of my friends. I'm concerned that their photos, address, birthday, spouse's name, children's name, telephone number, work place number, fax number, and everything is on the cloud, which means any hacker could get it, and the consequence would be serious. It's not giving MY details away. It's giving my friend's details away, and I don't want to do that to my friends.
In Australia, we have this thing called the Privacy law. You just can't come around and grab my wifi address, email login password, and claim that you make a mistake unintentionally. All these data stealings are deliberate.
For those of you saying that it's not a big deal, could you all in your next post show me your real photos, address, name, telephone numbers, birthday, spouse's name, children's name, and the other typical contact info on this forum.
So, now they grabbed my contact without my consent. Have they also grabbed my eWallet password file and are now cracking it?
I can't believe you guys are not seeing problem here.
Nuf said.
as long as google don't try to sell me anything they can do what they want with my data.
I'm pretty sure my bank and credit card company know more about me than google and their sales and junk mail are certainly more annoying than anything google ever did to me.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
I got my first Android phone last year, and I've loved it. Obviously, hanging out in here, I'm looking at getting the Atrix. OK, I'm committed to it, damnit.
Anyway, question is this: When I pick up the Atrix...how do I get all my crap from my N1 to it? Apps, texts that I want to keep, game data, etc. Is this where we just run something like Titanium (which I *think* requires root) and just restore from that? I'm sure this is really simple and basic...but I've never had to change Android phones before.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
ETA: Are there options that don't require root? Assuming it could take a week or so for the Atrix to be rooted.
Requiring root. You can titanium backup your messages and game data to your sd card. When you get the atrix, put your sd card in it and restore the data using titanium.
Your apps/contacts/games will download automatically as soon as you log into the phone, assuming you have a google account and have everything set to sync automatically on your current phone.
As for a non-root method, I haven't looked into it.
Mike's Aria said:
Requiring root. You can titanium backup your messages and game data to your sd card. When you get the atrix, put your sd card in it and restore the data using titanium.
Your apps/contacts/games will download automatically as soon as you log into the phone, assuming you have a google account and have everything set to sync automatically on your current phone.
As for a non-root method, I haven't looked into it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sure the apps and everything will download? The GF lost her Captivate, so I got her a new one, logged in, contacts downloaded...and that was it. Maybe I just haven't checked the setting to back up the apps as well? If not, I probably need to do that on my N1, though I've got that thing backed up ten ways from Sunday lol.
ETA: Appreciate the help, Mike.
App backup, if I recall correctly is enabled by default, but only available on 2.2+ builds. So that would be why the Captivate didn't come back. As for texts, SMS Backup & Restore works perfectly for me, and it doesn't require root.
dorsai3d said:
App backup, if I recall correctly is enabled by default, but only available on 2.2+ builds. So that would be why the Captivate didn't come back. As for texts, SMS Backup & Restore works perfectly for me, and it doesn't require root.
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Click to collapse
Thanks! Appreciate that
Sent from my Sexy Nexy, courtesy of the fine developers of Tapatalk
If you use a messaging program like handcent, you can back up your SMS and MMS to be reloaded onto your new phone too. Save all your numbers to your google account too, and also consider moving all your apps and files to your external sd card.
ApplCobbler said:
If you use a messaging program like handcent, you can back up your SMS and MMS to be reloaded onto your new phone too. Save all your numbers to your google account too, and also consider moving all your apps and files to your external sd card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Contacts and SMS aren't too big of a deal. I've got those covered a few different ways. I'm worried more about apps, app data, and various settings. If an app doesn't natively support being on the SD card, then one must run Apps2SD, which is cool. Except it's not, since we have no idea when the Atrix will be rooted. And then there's the issue of apps that AT&T *may* not allow. I'm not sure how those would be installed from the SD card, as per your recommendation, if AT&T elects to block non-market APK installs.
In short, I appreciate the reply and discussion. I could have thought through my initial question much better, as your reply has cause me to rethink a bit. Thanks mate.
Funny, I'm gonna go from an N1 to an Atrix as well. I know as far as contacts go, el goog will have them for me already. But I was wondering if using a csv(?) contact backup would be better? My google contacts aren't all right, my online gmail is missing some contacts that are on my phone. My main concern is getting all the extra stuff in contacts; email address, street address, birthdays, etc... Just wondering which would be better at transferring all that?
im in the original winmo boat. First time going to android. What if I sync with outlook, will android synch with outlook? Anybody?
sdlopez83 said:
im in the original winmo boat. First time going to android. What if I sync with outlook, will android synch with outlook? Anybody?
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Click to collapse
Are you using an Exchange account with Outlook? Android will sync mail, calendar, and contacts with Exchange much more easily that trying to sync directly with Outlook.
stoli412 said:
Are you using an Exchange account with Outlook? Android will sync mail, calendar, and contacts with Exchange much more easily that trying to sync directly with Outlook.
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Click to collapse
I am using Outlook without Exchange on my home PC. Still checking different ways to sync phone and android. I have >5000 contacts from several associations I am in, and I am not sure if Gmail can handle those plus the supplemental info (spouses, birthdates, etc.).
I got my N4 a couple of days ago. It's my first foray in the Android world.
The requirements that I am hoping to meet are pretty simple:
1) I want to be able to call contacts and send text messages
2) I don't want Google tracking my contact list
3) I don't want Google tracking my location
4) I don't want Google tracking my browsing history
5) I want to be able to use the Play store to download 3rd party apps. I didn't buy an N4 to use it it like a dumbphone. Logically, the Play store shouldn't require constant access to my contacts, location or browsing history.
I am making this post to get help meeting the above requirements. Despite seeming really basic, I'm running into trouble, and I think I will need frequent help. This thread can act as a journal that hopefully other people can follow.
What I did so far is immediately flashed the N4 to AOKP, and applied the OpenPDroid patches (though I've yet to use OPD). From a blank slate start, I declined to create an account, disabled location access, etc, during the startup wizard.
Adding a contact round 1
I was able to create a local, unsynced contact.
Using the Play store
I was forced to sign up for a gmail account, which is normal. I declined to "keep this phone backed up with my Google Account". I then went in Settings > Account and disabled sync for everything, including Contacts. I also disabled background sync in the power controls.
Adding a contact round 2
I am now unable to add a contact without being forced to sync it with my BS gmail account. When I click "Add Contact" in the phone app, a dialog says "Your contact will be synced with [email protected]" and my choices are either "OK", "Add other account", or to cancel out by clicking Back.
So I'm already stuck. Once a Play account is created, I am now unable to do something as basic as adding a contact without sending it to Google. Can someone tell me how to get past this obstacle?
That's how Google makes their money! Your only options are to either start using the amazon app store only or side loading apps if you don't want Google involvement. Good luck.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Why? Like they don't have all your information already? You freely give your information to everyone when you use the internet. Congratulations. You are not that special.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Eurotrash: always in this sort of discussions there's people like you who essentially advocate shutting up and taking it. "That's how things are" is not an acceptable solution to my problem, or I would not have made this post. There IS a way around the creeping, and someone knows it. My last resort is blocking every Google service from accessing the Internet except Play. I'm asking here because I'm hoping there's a less extreme solution that other people can use.
Gotzadroid: I will hold out for a better solution. Amazon appstore will likely be limited. Sideloading is not possible because many devs don't provide APKs
I know you can get an app to block individual permissions of other apps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stericson.permissions
It requires root. Not sure about the contacts and other stuff you wanted to block, im assuming you've disabled location services.
Why not try flashing like cm10 and not flashing gapps so no Google apps? Then just manually downloading the apps apks and sideload the ones you need?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Didn't think my post lacked clarity, so hopefully this will be clearer:
My ONLY problem right now (we'll leave the rest for later) is that the Phone app, an essential app if I want to use my phone for making calls, an app that isn't even part of Gapps, doesn't let me add a local contact without sharing it with Google. That's it. Forget everything else in my post.
So my simple question is, how do I add my friend Bob to my contact list, locally in phone memory or on the SIM card or whatever, without telling Google I'm friends with Bob and giving them his phone number?
MachinTrucChose said:
Didn't think my post lacked clarity, so hopefully this will be clearer:
My ONLY problem right now (we'll leave the rest for later) is that the Phone app, an essential app if I want to use my phone for making calls, an app that isn't even part of Gapps, doesn't let me add a local contact without sharing it with Google. That's it. Forget everything else in my post.
So my simple question is, how do I add my friend Bob to my contact list, locally in phone memory or on the SIM card or whatever, without telling Google I'm friends with Bob and giving them his phone number?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As previously mentioned, try flashing a rom without gapps
OK, try this. Make a dummy gmail account for the play store only. Get all the apps you want and then sign out of gmail. Only sign back in when you want another app. That should keep Google from syncing all your info.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Michealtbh said:
As previously mentioned, try flashing a rom without gapps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Phone app is not a part of gapps. It came on the stock ROM before I flashed gapps on it. I didn't try it before adding gapps, are you saying it will change behavior and no longer prompt me to sync when I try to add a contact?
I gotta go to sleep, I'll do more tests tomorrow evening to test this (and wait for your reply to the above question in case you misread my posts).
If the answer to the above question is yes, this would immediately beg another question: how do I install 3rd party apps from Play without flashing gapps?
gotzaDroid said:
OK, try this. Make a dummy gmail account for the play store only. Get all the apps you want and then sign out of gmail. Only sign back in when you want another app. That should keep Google from syncing all your info.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I did in the OP (2nd bolded step). I created a dummy account cause Play requires it. That became my main Google account on this phone (since I declined to set up an account prior to that). That's the account Google tries to sync my contacts to when I try to add a contact.
I looked in the Gmail app, there's no way for me to sign out. All I can do is add more accounts.
A similar thread from the galaxy nexus forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1589367
However, I'd also be interested in a deeper insight on why you're trying to do this. Fear of the big brother? Or just proving a point?
We know before buying an android phone that everything is tied to that Gmail address; now you want to cut that tie but maintain full functionality. Well, that probably doesn't work. And if it at the end does, why going through all that trouble? If a different platform offers all that then..
Why you bought an android phone in the first place? Just curious
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
You can try downloading or side loading the app "contacts+" then sign out of your dummy gmail account. You can get a sim to USB hub online and plug your sim into the hub and into PC to add contacts directly to sim. I don't know if there's a way to export contacts to sim anymore unless I'm guessing developers somehow add that feature. So look into CM or another well built ROM and ask some questions.
Good luck
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
MachinTrucChose said:
The Phone app is not a part of gapps. It came on the stock ROM before I flashed gapps on it. I didn't try it before adding gapps, are you saying it will change behavior and no longer prompt me to sync when I try to add a contact?
I gotta go to sleep, I'll do more tests tomorrow evening to test this (and wait for your reply to the above question in case you misread my posts).
If the answer to the above question is yes, this would immediately beg another question: how do I install 3rd party apps from Play without flashing gapps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock rom comes with gapps already loaded.
Most custom roms come without them and they must be flashed separately. If you choose not to flash them you aren't even given an option to sign into your Google account at first boot, so there will obviously be no option to sync your contacts.
Your phone will be crippled and you'll have to find workarounds for many things. I don't think you'll be able to use Maps for example. To install apps you'll have to download and install the apks or use an alternative app market like SlideMe or Amazon
What's there to hide? They're just contacts
Sent from my Nexus 4
Google doesn't care what your Aunt Bertie's phone number is. All they use the data for is to customize ads for you, and if you're going to be seeing ads anyways they might as well be relevant to you.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
It's disappointing that the thread is taking the direction of Google advocacy rather than finding a technical solution to my problem, hopefully this post answers your questions and we can stop arguing about this.
Drakkula4 said:
You can try downloading or side loading the app "contacts+" then sign out of your dummy gmail account.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I sign out of my dummy gmail account?
Vangelis13 said:
A similar thread from the galaxy nexus forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1589367
However, I'd also be interested in a deeper insight on why you're trying to do this. Fear of the big brother? Or just proving a point?
We know before buying an android phone that everything is tied to that Gmail address; now you want to cut that tie but maintain full functionality. Well, that probably doesn't work. And if it at the end does, why going through all that trouble? If a different platform offers all that then..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, not full functionality. I can avoid using all gapps. The only required Google service is the Play store, which is the primary gateway to non-Google apps. I would use Email over Gmail, Navfree over Maps, etc.
The next paragraph is meant as a reply to the 5 posts essentially saying "tinfoil hat, trust Google!".
This is supposed to be an open phone, allowing the user to do what they want, compared to the big bad iOS. That's why I bought it. Now I find out Google is insisting on taking something extremely private (my social graph) even when I don't want to give it to them. I respect my friends' privacy, and I don't want an intersection of my online and offline lives being made by some 3rd party with intentions I don't trust. The insistence is starting to creep me out. You can provide convenience and still respect basic privacy, look at Mozilla with Firefox Sync: even they don't see the data you sync. I'm not even asking for that much, just respect my wish to draw the line at real-life stuff. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, this is the company banning people using pseudonyms on Google+.
The most disappointing thing in all this, is that you have 5000 custom ROMs being developed, which mainly differ in pointless GUI BS like scroll animation speed. Not a single one of those projects thought to provide a way to make the phone usable without giving up extremely private data. AFAIK only 3 guys are working on privacy stuff, and even those guys' patches and apps don't protect you from the Eye of Google.
chrisrozon said:
Google doesn't care what your Aunt Bertie's phone number is. All they use the data for is to customize ads for you, and if you're going to be seeing ads anyways they might as well be relevant to you.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What if I don't want tailored ads? Or what if I only want tailored ads by tracking the online activity I'm willing to submit to them, and I feel it should be my my right to draw a line? Many people are not comfortable seeing an intersection of online and real life activity. I am one of those people.
MachinTrucChose said:
Didn't think my post lacked clarity, so hopefully this will be clearer:
My ONLY problem right now (we'll leave the rest for later) is that the Phone app, an essential app if I want to use my phone for making calls, an app that isn't even part of Gapps, doesn't let me add a local contact without sharing it with Google. That's it. Forget everything else in my post.
So my simple question is, how do I add my friend Bob to my contact list, locally in phone memory or on the SIM card or whatever, without telling Google I'm friends with Bob and giving them his phone number?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple question deserves simple answer, only thing I can think of, go to settings > accounts > google > tap your account email address > and uncheck the things you don't want synced with google.
Hopefully it works and you will just have a local copy of everything then.
Again just flash like cyanogen mod since you have to flash gapps separate. Then don't flash gapps and your phone will have nothing to do with google.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
My parents, away on holiday, just had the holiday rental place turned over and their stuff stolen including the Nexus 10.
Is there Anything I should do? I don't think it had any bank details etc on it but does have parents email set up (so that needs a new password)
And has my gmail account linked to it, so that needs a new password.
Is there anything else?
If it matters, it's on stock ROM, I'd unlocked it to get stick mount working and titanium backup, think I left the bootloader unlocked.
Thanks
Neilroot said:
My parents, away on holiday, just had the holiday rental place turned over and their stuff stolen including the Nexus 10.
Is there Anything I should do? I don't think it had any bank details etc on it but does have parents email set up (so that needs a new password)
And has my gmail account linked to it, so that needs a new password.
Is there anything else?
If it matters, it's on stock ROM, I'd unlocked it to get stick mount working and titanium backup, think I left the bootloader unlocked.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Change all relevant account details immediately. You'd be surprised what someone could get out of a login, especially if you were using a browser that caches/syncs password information (like Chrome). If you do use Chrome, you may want to clear all saved Chrome Sync data-- it's a pain, yes, but that's what you sign up for if you're going to use a syncing service.
In all likelyhood, your device is just going to get wiped and sold (sorry, but it's probably true unless they get confounded by a custom recovery [if you're using one]). Before you reset the password though, you may as well try to push one of the after-event anti-theft apps out on the market (like Android Lost or Plan B) to your tablet in case the thief is stupid enough to leave the tablet on or connect it to Wi-Fi. You never know!
You also may as well try to get your S/N and forward that to local authorities. You may get lucky.
Cheers.
I bought it for them as a present at Christmas so I guess my Google account may have the s/n. I also set it up for them so although mum created her own gmail account I think the tablet is still linked to mine. How do I push a theft app to it and NOT my nexus 4 or my old Desire (now my mum's mobile)?
Neilroot said:
Cheers.
I bought it for them as a present at Christmas so I guess my Google account may have the s/n. I also set it up for them so although mum created her own gmail account I think the tablet is still linked to mine. How do I push a theft app to it and NOT my nexus 4 or my old Desire (now my mum's mobile)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to the Play Store online, search the names of the apps I mentioned, and hit the INSTALL button. It'll bring up a window showing compatible devices; choose the relevant one and away you go. Keep in mind that these are by far and away not bulletproof solutions, and it's more of a "why not" thing than something to rely on.
Rirere said:
Go to the Play Store online, search the names of the apps I mentioned, and hit the INSTALL button. It'll bring up a window showing compatible devices; choose the relevant one and away you go. Keep in mind that these are by far and away not bulletproof solutions, and it's more of a "why not" thing than something to rely on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. From my phone I can install them on it (my phone), but can't seem to push the app to another device.
Oh well. This is what insurance is for.
Neilroot said:
Thanks. From my phone I can install them on it (my phone), but can't seem to push the app to another device.
Oh well. This is what insurance is for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The insurance is going to be a lot more reliable than these apps. But yes, you can do it from your phone-- but you won't be able to do it in the Play Store app. You need to do it from the browser version (just navigate to play.google.com, and if it redirects you to the app, go to Settings > App > Play Store > Clear defaults and try again).
Excellent! Prey is now pushing....if it connects that is. So....do I wipe or do I go for location and a photo? Wipe I think!
Neilroot said:
Excellent! Prey is now pushing....if it connects that is. So....do I wipe or do I go for location and a photo? Wipe I think!
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Click to collapse
You may as well go for the location first and send the wipe immediately after. If the app is any good it should handle the requests sequentially.