Suspended Verizon service essentially means bricked phone

**jthore** · 03/09/2011, 04:22 PM

I found out something interesting today that has me PO'ed to the max. I suspended my service with Verizon for the allowable 3 months per year on Jan. 1. I did this because I decided I would rather not pay for their service while they and HP/Palm figured out what they were going to do to correct things like the GPS problems EVERYONE knows about (and the pdf reader problems, voice apis for Skype client, etc., etc.) and lived up to their promise to deliver WebOS 2.0. Up until this time, the phone was connected to the internet via home wi-fi and I could still use the apps (that I'd paid for). I was still loading Preware every few days to keep things current too, with no problems.

Today, after rebooting the phone (something I have also done many times during the suspension w/o a problem), it went into a sky and clouds loop for an hour until I finally called tech support at Verizon and they then got an HP tech on the line who explained that I'd somehow gotten locked out of my Palm profile (probably because of the suspension) and the ONLY way to sign back in is to do it through Verizon's data connection; which is also the only way to turn wi-fi back on.

So it looks like I have been shut out of using apps that I paid for until I start paying Verizon this blackmail rental fee to use what I already bought and paid for.

There's just no end to the deviousness of these <mod edit>!

**bluenote** · 03/09/2011, 04:50 PM

if you are using 1.45, i think you can get to the profile screen, see thread below:

http://forums.precentral.net/webos-p...e-1-4-5-a.html

And cheer up. Pre3 coming soon and webos internals has an automated script to get webos 2.1 on a preplus, even with wifi only, see below:

http://www.webos-internals.org/wiki/WebOS_2_Upgrade

**jthore** · 03/10/2011, 09:33 AM

bluenote,

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, I can't get past the log-in screen, which means I can't get anywhere as long as I have the data connection to Verizon suspended. This is what is so infuriating about the situation - that my apps and device are being held hostage by Verizon until I am once again paying them for service.

And this brings up an interesting question: do I own the phone and what's on it (I certainly paid for it and them in the form of a one time fee), or am I just "renting" those things from Verizon as long as I keep paying them service charges?

What I have right now is a totally useless piece of hardware; at the least, I believe that I should be able to use a PDA (MY PDA) with applications that I can use (especially the internet independent ones) until I decide I'm ready to start paying Verizon again for voice and data services.

What do the rest of you think?

jthore

**bluenote** · 03/10/2011, 09:42 AM

if you read the thread I referenced and you are on 1.45 which I assume you still are, you should be able to install bypass activation patch and show first use app via WebOS Quick Install and then log onto the screen with your profile using wifi (not Verizon).
Put your phone into developer mode first using the code.

**jthore** · 03/10/2011, 09:47 AM

bluenote,

How can I install a patch when I can't even get to the desktop and run Preware?

Thanks -

**bluenote** · 03/10/2011, 10:05 AM

The short answer: you will need to install WebOS Quick Install on your desktop and connect to the Pre. You can find a link to WOSQI in precentral (go to the developer forum and look for it Canuck subforum).

After you download WOSQI, follow the procedure in the first post in the thread I referenced above.
Namely, run Palm's bypass activation tool, the first post in that thread I referenced has the link.
Enable wifi.
Then type in the developer code on your Pre.
Then connect to WebOS Quick Install on your laptop and install the patch for 1.45 from that thread. Install also First Use App. WOSQI will also have preware so why you are connected, you might as well download preware as well.

Note: if you decide to reconnect to Verizon, you will have to run the 1.45 doctor again before you do so as these tools above presume you will be working in wifi only permanently, they will not allow a hookup back to verizon (hence the need to rerun the doctor before calling Verizon).

**Cantaffordit** · 03/10/2011, 10:53 AM

when you get to the activation screen, tap the bottom to make an emergency call. instead of calling 911, type ##DEVMODE# (vzw/sprint. gsm may be different) and put the phone in dev mode.

The phone will restart and you will be able to install preware, the bypass patch, etc. It works great!

**jthore** · 03/10/2011, 10:54 AM

Got it. I've already got WOSQI installed and have used it many times - I thought that might be the key here. I'll give it a whirl. then I'll load up 2.1 and see how she sails. Thanks again!

**bluenote** · 03/10/2011, 10:58 AM

With 2.1, you will not need a patch to have wifi work. When you go to the wiki from webos internals for 2.1 upgrade instructions (follow it carefully), there is a script for wifi only. If you run that script, you can enable wifi and then call up an app already installed on your pre called gesture tutorial which will let you sign into your app.
A few posts up, someone gave you a shortcut for devmode on 2.1 (you will have to use the old way for 1.45)

**jthore** · 03/10/2011, 11:02 AM

It's already in dev mode and has been forever so it should be a piece of cake, but thanks to you also.

I'm still curious to see what others may think of this whole ownership versus rental lock out thing.

**bluenote** · 03/10/2011, 11:14 AM

if you install 2.1, you will have to re-enable dev mode.
re: rental vs ownership, i think it inspired alot of indignation several years ago when the pre was first introduced and you may be able to find some old threads. Once people were able to get into wifi mode and activate a profile from there (which includes access to the app catalog via this patch), it became a moot issue as the device was still theirs along with all their apps, just not the phone service if they terminated a contract

**jthore** · 03/10/2011, 12:18 PM

WOSQI does not see the phone as connected, so apparently, even though the phone was in dev mode before all of this started happening, this might've gotten turned off when I was locked out of my profile. There appears to be no way to type in the "upup..." string to get back into dev mode from the emergency call keypad. Any suggestions? Thanks -

**bluenote** · 03/10/2011, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by jthore

WOSQI does not see the phone as connected, so apparently, even though the phone was in dev mode before all of this started happening, this might've gotten turned off when I was locked out of my profile. There appears to be no way to type in the "upup..." string to get back into dev mode from the emergency call keypad. Any suggestions? Thanks -

Did you run Palm's emergency bypass activation tool and then enable wifi? You should not be getting the emergency call keypad screen if you do so, you should already be in developer mode also I think:
Developing on an Unactivated Device - HP Palm Developer Center

**jthore** · 03/10/2011, 12:31 PM

I can't get past the profile login screen, except to the emergency call dialer which doesn't let me do anything and WOSQI does not see the phone as connected and tells me to connect a device and try again and then goes away when I click ok. ??

**bluenote** · 03/10/2011, 12:39 PM

Flash the device again with 1.45 doctor, then run Palm's activation bypass tool. Get webOS Doctor from http://palm.com/rom.

You may need to boot the device into recovery mode by performing the following steps before flashing 1.45:

Plug the USB cable into your computer. Do not connect the other end to your device yet.
Remove the battery from the device.
Hold down the device's volume up button.
Insert the USB cable into the device.
Re-insert the battery.
Release the volume up button.

Boot your device into recovery mode, as described above.
Run webOS Doctor.

The device will reboot. You're now ready to run the activation-bypass tool.
Running the Activation-Bypass Tool

The activation-bypass tool is a Java application. To use the tool, you need to have installed Java and the latest webOS SDK (which includes the Novacom driver).

Download the activation-bypass tool, which is available on the Palm link I showed you above, and save it in the location of your choice.
Boot your device into recovery mode, as described above.
Run the activation-bypass tool.

The device will reboot. Once the device is booted, it will be in developer mode.

You will then run WOSQI and install "bypass activation patch for 1.45" (available at precentral thread I gave you some posts above).
Also install "Show First Use" App and Preware.

**jthore** · 03/10/2011, 12:53 PM

Thanks a ton - I'm now in recovery mode at least!

**bluenote** · 03/10/2011, 10:21 PM

Good, I assume this worked for you as you have not posted anything different.

**jthore** · 03/11/2011, 11:41 AM

I'm back up on 2.1 with all my profile data restored, etc. Wifi only for now, the way I want it so I can do some serious messing around with the new OS before reconnecting to Verizon. Thanks again for everyone's help!

**ashykat** · 03/11/2011, 02:36 PM

What a great forum this is. I love seeing this level of help because I know if I have issues like this people will be there to help me out.

**bluenote** · 03/11/2011, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by jthore

I'm back up on 2.1 with all my profile data restored, etc. Wifi only for now, the way I want it so I can do some serious messing around with the new OS before reconnecting to Verizon. Thanks again for everyone's help!

Terrific, enjoy. You are welcome.

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