2016.09.30
Not a big upgrade, but the price is right.
Two day shipping, its there Friday evening when I get home. Unbox, photograph, plug in to charger.
Later, turn it on for first time.
English, Next. Setup Wizard, Phone activation.
Only thing I can do now is use Wi-Fi or make an emergency call.
Skip through as much set up as can.
note some values:
{see Google doc "phone SCH-I545 2016.09.30-"}
Check IMEI on Verizon site: "Success! Your Samsung Galaxy S® 4 in Black Mist works on the Verizon network.".
Is there any point to resetting the phone? If there was something evil on this phone from the previous user, would it be removed? A quick search revels the self reset in Settings doesn't do much to the system, just the user.
Went to a Verizon store, got sim installed.
2016.10.01
Backup Google accounts using Takeout.
Backup and reset
Factory data reset
Reset phone
Delete all {10p... reboots, Android icon 'erasing', reboot, Verizon checkmark logo ... 10:02p ... 10:03p Setup Wizard}
Setup Wizard
Language English
"The SIM card has already been activated", Your phone number is ...
Sync your contacts with Verizon UNCHECK, Next
"Gmail setup is in a later step." Skip
Software update, checking, {seems to do nothing, next step...}
Tap & Go, Skip
Add your account, Google, Enter your email, password {OK}
Just a sec...
Get your apps & data
Restore from this backup, includes apps, app data, system settings, and Wi-Fi passwords.
Galaxy Nexus Last used 1 day ago
Also include
All apps 37
Next {why not, let's see what happens, i can always reset}
Google services {UNCHECK all of these}
Back up your phone's apps, app data, settings, and Wi-Fi passwords
Use Google's location service
Help improve location services
Help improve your Android experience
{unchecked all} Next
Setup Wizard
My Verizon Mobile
In-Store View Terms & Conditions
Not Now
Done
Samsung account
Skip
Protect your phone, You will not be able to prevent other people from using your phone when it is lost or stolen...
No
Protect your phone, You can always turn on Reactivation lock...
2017.01.27
I got the phone just set up enough to use, started using it, stopped changing it. Only recently did I even bother adding something simple like ringtones. Lately the phone has been acting flakey, and now its offering a system update, so let's see what happens.
Current version = Android 5.0.1
Settings -> System Updates, install.
Version is still 5.0.1.
2018.05.16
Frequent error messages and need to restart.
Usually something about the SIM being missing. Then there's this one:
"Global network Switching to Global Mode."
which seems more benign.
2018.07.07
Got a new Google Pixel 2 XL, time to move out of here permanently.
The mobile account was moved to the new phone yesterday, so its time to move photos, take any screenshots desired, reset, power off, and put away.
Transfer photos. While phone still mounted on PC, go through dirs, copy to Z:\. Basically just the download folder, which is probably all garbage but why sort through it now, screenshots and ringtones. The only thing left I might want to save on this phone are the messages, if it can be done easily.
It would be nice if Google could just do this, but it looks like a third party app is how its down. "SMS Backup+" or "SMS Backup & Restore"? How to decide which to trust? I'll go with SMS Backup+.
Why is my Google backup account set to Yahoo? Changed to Outlook.
I really don't use apps all that much, because seeing some of these permissions make me queasy. Why do I want some third party app to be allowed to do anything it wants to my email? I know, I should really just relax.
Backup all messages. Backing up #/2709 items.
