topic Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone in Android

Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Charlieboyoo — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:17:43 GMT

Hi everyone i was wondering if anyone can help me or advise me.I ve using a new galaxy s4 for a few weeks and on saturday the phone froze.I thought it was rebooting,it has for my pin and then it said this phone is stolen,please return to ****** Type in unlock code.I went home and gotin touch with o2 and i couldnt speak with anyone 45 min wait 😞 so i had to chat to an advisor online.I was told there was no block or bar on the phone.So i went online and went to my google email adress and seen a message about different sim on phone.The avg antivirus that came with the phone locked the phone down and said it was stolen.I managed to unlock it.But could anyone please explain what happened or how it happened.Was very annoyed like.

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:21:23 GMT

Have you bought your phone directly from O2 or somewhere else like eBay etc?

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Charlieboyoo — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:30:52 GMT

Hi the phone was bought directly from o2.

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:33:58 GMT

Maybe it would be a good idea to contact Samsung directly.

They should be able to help you better.

http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/GT-I9505ZWABTU link to get in touch with Samsung

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Charlieboyoo — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:36:20 GMT

no prob i will try that thanks

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

MI5 — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:37:26 GMT

It was just the inbuilt KNOX security kicking in.
If anyone tries to factory reset an S4 without the correct security it locks it out as a security measure.
The reset is through your Google account as you have found out

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:47:28 GMT

MI5 to the rescue again

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Charlieboyoo — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:52:10 GMT

thanks thats good to know.cause i was really wound up when it happened.lol.I have a password set up now.so hopefully it dont happen again.

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

MI5 — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:55:04 GMT

When the software crashed it tried to automatically recover which involves an internal system reset.
Perfectly normal and you wouldn't have noticed on older firmware.

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Charlieboyoo — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 16:09:20 GMT

its a good safety precaution,its just i wasnt aware and o2 couldnt help.

@MI5 wrote:
When the software crashed it tried to automatically recover which involves an internal system reset.
Perfectly normal and you wouldn't have noticed on older firmware.

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

MI5 — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 16:21:17 GMT

At least you know that if your phone gets stolen it's useless to anyone without your Google ID

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Charlieboyoo — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 16:22:59 GMT

yeah thats true

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 18:18:53 GMT

What happen's if the thief reflashes the phone's firmware?

I know flashing a non Samsung firmware will trip the Knox E fuse.

Would reflashing another firmware erase the owners details from the phone allowing someone else to use it until the IMEI got barred?

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

MI5 — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 19:06:00 GMT

No, because Odin does not wipe the phone.

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 19:25:46 GMT

@MI5 wrote:
No, because Odin does not wipe the phone.

So Samsung firmware flashing just reinstalls the firmware & doesnt wipe the complete phone back to out of the box state like flashing a Sony Xperia does?

Re: Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

MI5 — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 20:12:50 GMT

That is correct.