Galaxy S9 asks for SIM card PIN even without SIM card

Using /e/OS Troubleshooting
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1

Installed /e/ Q [e-0.17-q-20210529117214-dev-starlte] just two days ago on a refurbished S9 [SM-G960F] that came with Android 10 which I updated to the latest version [2021-05-10] before I flashed /e/. Neither a SIM card nor a microSD card was installed during the rollout of the flashing process. As /e/ seemed to work properly I inserted the SIM, then the micro SD and finally both (each time power off - restart). The PIN of the SIM was accepted - everything worked fine. I changed some settings, tried some standard Apps, browsed the Apps and installed three or four of them. Then discovered on the home screen a “SIM Manager” (or similar name) icon which did not react when I tapped on it (didn’t care at that moment).
Yesterday I switched off the S9 and later switched it on again. It booted to the SIM authentication screen but did not accept the PIN. I put the SIM into my old phone which accepted the PIN, then booted the S9 without SIM card but it booted straight to the SIM authentication screen which rejected the PIN.

@Ludix suggested in a thread on a Galaxy S7 restarting issue to wipe the Cache with TWRP. I did but TWRP [twrp-3.5.2_9-0-starlte] issued the message:

Updating partition details…
…done
Unable to mount storage
Full SELinux support is present.
Unable to mount /data/media/TWRP/.trwps
Failed to wipe dalvik
Updating partition details…
…done
Unable to mount storage
After that /e/ booted still to the SIM authentication screen which rejected the PIN.

I wanted to save the log files with TWRP which resulted in:

Updating partition details…
…done
Unable to mount storage
Full SELinux support is present.
Unable to mount /data/media/TWRP/.trwps
Copied kernel log to /data/media/dmesg.log
Copied recovery log to /data/media/recovery.log
With TWRP’s File Manager /data is empty. (Should be /data of the recovery system but I have no idea if the File Manager can access /data of the /e/OS).

@Danno proposed a patch and fresh /e/ flashing in a thread on Galaxy S3 rebooting issue. I’m not sure what the “patch” is. In the /e/doc for installation on Galaxy S9 there is a patch to be done (which I did). However, the “[HOWTO] install /e/ on a Samsung device from a GNU/Linux PC successfully” post does not mention a patch .

  • If someone could confirm that a new patch (which one?) and flashing of /e/ would solve the issue I would do it.
  • What is the purpose of the “SIM Card Manager” App? Is it a standard of the /e/ ROM?
  • Its seems to me that something went wrong with the wipe operations. Any suggestions how to fix this?
  • Or could this be an issue of a wrong TWRP version? (3.5.2 was proposed for P and Q)
  • Did someone already solve a “SIM authentication without SIM” issue? How did you manage?

Any suggestion is heartily welcome.

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I have no information where SIM card manager came from in your case, but it is a headache! Does this thread from google (sorry) throw any light? Getting a constant issue of error message Sim Manager stopped working - Google Pixel Community

(Elsewhere, sorry cannot find link, someone suggested/speculated SIM card manager had been introduced by the carrier.)

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Thank you for the link.
Meanwhile I made several recovery boots (System and into TWRP with different reboots from there). One offered me a pop-up window saying it will remove the most recently installed apps. When the home screen was displayed I could just see the icon of the “SIM-Toolkit” (not SIM Card Manager, sorry) which instantly disappeared. I switched off the S6, inserted the SIM and microSD and rebooted the system. Everything went as expected, the PIN was accepted and the “SIM-Toolkit” was back. It opened an empty screen with only one choice “Configure Card”. I taped on it and it started some action without end. But even though the field strength icon in the status bar was marked with an “X” (suggesting no net), phone calls are possible.
So the boot/authentication issue is solved. I will study the post you linked to. In case of new troubles with the “SIM-Toolkit” I will open a new thread.

4

Hi @sperber welcome btw.!

What is with "SIM Tool Kit"? :slight_smile:

5

Again a good link, thank you.
This is what I suspected - a useless tool of the SIM card provider. In my case Otelo/Vodaphone. It worked for 20 min doing nothing then I forced it to stop. Hope it will not do any harm in the future.