Copy-Protected issue with apps after update?

[Jeremy]

Has anyone experienced the issue of getting the "copy-protected" error with certain applications in the Android Market after the update not showing up?

It seems as if Verizon points the finger at HTC and Google and they point the finger right back at the applications themselves. Anyone else seeing this?

 

[IzelTokatl]

huh? do you mean after the update, your apps are missing and uninstalled, and they are not showing up in the market? If that is what your saying, yes my ColorDict program was missing right after the early January update. I found it directly via the apps market from the net, scanned the barcode went to the browser and downloaded it via the Dolphin Browser, now I have ColorDict back, but it doesn't show up in the Market app.... so I assume Verizon/HTC blocked certain apps... no idea why?

 

[Jeremy]

huh? do you mean after the update, your apps are missing and uninstalled, and they are not showing up in the market? If that is what your saying, yes my ColorDict program was missing right after the early January update. I found it directly via the apps market from the net, scanned the barcode went to the browser and downloaded it via the Dolphin Browser, now I have ColorDict back, but it doesn't show up in the Market app.... so I assume Verizon/HTC blocked certain apps... no idea why?

I don't own a Eris or know of this issue. I'm just asking Eris owners if they have seen this behavior. There are some other forums with a ton of people complaining of the issue.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Any ROM (factory or home-cooked) has a signature or footprint attached to it. Google has a list of "valid" signatures. If you ever log into the market using a ROM with a signature Google has not flagged as valid, protected apps will not show. It's part of the anti-piracy measures. Your market account gets flagged, and you're stuck. There's two ways to remedy it -

Google purges certain signatures from their database, then flags the offending signatures as valid. Next time you log into the market Google's info about your account is updated and you're good again.

You flash to a ROM with a signature from "official test builds" (ROM built from source for a development phone) and Google see's (thinks) you have a dev phone and purges your server side cache.

Since the Eris isn't rooted yet, you're going to have to let Vzw and Google fight it out. If by chance it gets rooted soon and before they straighten it out, I can help.

Why an official updated signature is not flagged as valid is a clusterf* that I have no answers for Same thing happened with the first Sprint MR, and still happens to anyone who tries out a 2.1 test build.

@Jeremy -
There's an easy way non-rooted phones can back up their protected apps. Is it OK for me to post how it's done?

 

[Jeremy]

Any ROM (factory or home-cooked) has a signature or footprint attached to it. Google has a list of "valid" signatures. If you ever log into the market using a ROM with a signature Google has not flagged as valid, protected apps will not show. It's part of the anti-piracy measures. Your market account gets flagged, and you're stuck. There's two ways to remedy it -

Google purges certain signatures from their database, then flags the offending signatures as valid. Next time you log into the market Google's info about your account is updated and you're good again.

You flash to a ROM with a signature from "official test builds" (ROM built from source for a development phone) and Google see's (thinks) you have a dev phone and purges your server side cache.

Since the Eris isn't rooted yet, you're going to have to let Vzw and Google fight it out. If by chance it gets rooted soon and before they straighten it out, I can help.

Why an official updated signature is not flagged as valid is a clusterf* that I have no answers for Same thing happened with the first Sprint MR, and still happens to anyone who tries out a 2.1 test build.

@Jeremy -
There's an easy way non-rooted phones can back up their protected apps. Is it OK for me to post how it's done?

Sure, why not. Post away.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Download and install the Android SDK. Instructions from any of the root threads will work.

Open the terminal and browse to the SDK/tools directory and run this:

adb pull /data/app-private/*

This will place a copy of all your protected apps in the SDK/tools folder on your PC/Mac. They will be saved as .apk files, and can be copied over to the SD card and reinstalled at any time.

 

[IzelTokatl]

Sweet tip. You should post in the tips sticky

 

[Yesterdays Shoveler]

Has anyone experienced the issue of getting the "copy-protected" error with certain applications in the Android Market after the update not showing up?

It seems as if Verizon points the finger at HTC and Google and they point the finger right back at the applications themselves. Anyone else seeing this?

Yes, this is happening. There are several posts on other Android forums and on Google's support forums. HTC points the finger to either the apps themselves or to Google, but then HTC has no way to escalate the issue with Google other than sending end users to the Google support forums.

It's obnoxious and Google needs to pick it up and either find a faster way of doing this or improve their support channels for end users. Or both.

 

[Yesterdays Shoveler]

Still an issue. Apps that were paid for are no longer accessible and all we can do is wait on Google and they seem to not be interested in fixing it.