If you’re like me, and you’ve been having trouble getting Google Wallet working properly on your HTC EVO 4G LTE, it seems that some individuals have discovered a possible workaround. This method does require root and a willingness to edit a system file, but some people are having success.
Basically, this method involves tricking Google Wallet into thinking that your device is a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, since Google has apparently shut off all Google Wallet activations on the EVO 4G LTE until further notice. (I’m still not sure why Google is doing this, since Google Wallet worked perfectly on my EVO 4G LTE review unit.)
Here are the steps you’ll need to take:
- Reset Google Wallet: first, select Reset Google Wallet in the Google Wallet settings. Then, go to your Android app settings (Settings > Apps > All > Wallet), and clear the cache and data.
- Using your favorite file explorer (i.e. Root Explorer or ES File Explorer), navigate to /system and select the build.prop file. Note: Before proceeding, don’t forget to either make a nandroid backup, or at the very least save a backup of your unedited build.prop file!
- Find these lines:
ro.product.model=
ro.product.device=
And change the values in each to: GT-I9300 - Reboot your phone and try to activate Google Wallet again, including the Google prepaid card.
If you have followed these steps and are still having trouble, try uninstalling all Google Wallet updates, and then reinstall Google Wallet through Google Play. Of course, this is definitely a case of YMMV. Some people are reporting issues with initializing Google Wallet after taking these steps, and others are reporting no change at all. Still more are reporting that this has worked for them.
Even though I’m rooted, I personally don’t want to risk doing anything that might break the secure element in my phone, so I’m waiting for Google’s official fix to come, hopefully sometime soon. But if you’re brave enough to give this a try, let us know how it works for you!
I did this method and it worked nearly flawlessly. I say nearly, because after i modified the build.pop file and rebooted I was able to get google wallet working, but it affected my front facing camera. The front facing camera had a redish/pinkish hue to it. I thought I was going to have to replace it, but by going back into the build.pop file and changing the values back/reverted back from my back up, then doing a restart by holding power and both volume keys(emulating a battery pull). It was all fixed. Hopefully this will help others who run into this.
Thanks Joseph, the front camera effect freaked me out to
, glad to know it was just from this change. Can’t wait for them to get their act together and fix Wallet for this phone.
what is very odd is I did this yesterday – was in a bit of a rush. Edited, saved, rebooted, did not work, then noticed my build.prop was saying EVO again.
Assuming something went wrong, but, far too much of a hurry then to play with it.
I tried following the steps and after I change values to GT-19300 and try to save it. It says error cannot save. Anybody know why I cannot save
Check and see if you have an option to mount in R/W mode. It’s read-only by default.
if you are using root explorer, make sure you enable root explore and enable mout file system as writable in the settings.
Did not work for me
when i did it at first, it didin’t work either. I actually had to uninstall all updates, then redownload wallet from play store.
I will try again tonight, but I did everything short of uninstalling and reinstalling. Thanks for the heads up.
The whole thing might be a knee jerk reaction by Google to the fact that Sprint is now pursuing their own NFC payment system, and none of the other carriers are supporting Wallet anyway…
Anyway, Wallet’s future outlook aside, I’ve got a question. If I never actually set up Wallet, do I still have to worry about resetting it before wiping to avoid bricking the NFC element? Or am I safe in that regard if I never touch it?
Also, what’s up with the lack of returns (line spaces) in the comments section??
I was told by someone else that if you’ve never set up and activated wallet on the device, there was no issue. Basically, if you go into Wallet and it says “Get Started” there’s nothing to clear. Best to go in and see if you can get to settings to clear, but if not no biggie.
I personally have an active google wallet account, but the Money Networks Google Prepaid card refuses to work. And that is Money Network’s issue with Google supposedly.
Money network is owned by MetaBank: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaBank which does prepaid cards and doesn’t appear to be a google company.
This level of unworking does not seem like Google’s handywork… their methods seem to be more Condescending Wonka. Also not sure what is up with the space issues.
Do I have to be on stock Rom for this to work.
I tried enable root explorer and mount file system..was thinking after setting values if I should disable both?not sure
Did not disable and rebooted phone and still no go
I am stuck at Adding Card….. I have tried each method and nothing has changed. I am using BuildProp Editor and double checking with ES Ex. Still not working.
So, I got it to work – for a minute till I reset it back to the way it was. If you’re wondering, this is the process I used:
reset google wallet
uninstall google wallet updates
adb shell
su
cp /system/build.prop /sdcard/build.prop
mount drive to computer, edit build.prop in notepad edit it for those two lines, save
adb shell
su
busybox mount -o remount,rw /system
cd /system
mv build.prop build.good
cp /sdcard/build.prop .
chmod 644 build.prop
exit
exit
adb reboot
update google wallet
sign in, add card
and it worked $10 card added after about 5 minutes in which I thought it was not working
At this point it’s working fine,I decide to revert to the original build.prop
remove payment info / reset google wallet
adb shell
su
cd /system
busybox mount -o remount,rw /system
mv build.prop build.wallet
mv build.good build.prop
exit
exit
adb reboot
open wallet / authorize / set up pin
card is gone
add card and it’s stuck at verifying your account with Money Network
At 7 minutes it still has not told me that the thing has failed adding the card, but it seems it’s taking an abysmally long time verifying the account, which I guess means it went back through the EVO servers as opposed to the GT servers…
If it ends up working, after this, I’ll post a follow up…
I was not sure if the build.prop mods might bjork the secure element, which is why I did a reset and a switch back. Quite possibly it would have been fine with a simple change and a reset, but I do not know.
make that “edit in notepad++”
as long as the build.prop has EVO in it you can’t reactivate… le sigh…
And finally: do the above to activate.
force close google wallet menu, settings, apps, all apps, wallet, force close
change your build.prop back to EVO
reboot
wallet works – no secure element issue.
Now, it didn’t work for me at McDonalds, but I didn’t have time to figure out why it would NFC unlock and then just not work – there was a line behind me and I was not going to be that guy
The above method worked for me however, I got he red hue issue with the front facing camera. I changed the setting back to the original, camera fixed and wallet say unsupported country or device.
Now I can’t get past the unsopported device even with the previous method. I called Google and they said they were working on the problem. I guess I shouldn’t have added funds until I used the $10.
having the same issue myself
It’s works as long as I leave the changes in and disable SU. Looks like I will deal with the red front camera till I spend my money out of GW. Hopefully Google will fix the app soon.