Had my S3 returned today from Samsung unrepaired
The reason: One of our engineers, has tested your phone and found that unauthorised rework has been previously carried out on your phone. Unfortunately, as this is not covered under Samsung's warranty obligations, this prevents us from repairing your device. We are therefore returning your phone un-repaired and in the condition it was received.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have assured Samsung I have not tried rooting or updating the software with unofficial software.
Their response, which I find unbelievable was that and I quote "There are Apps on the Play Store that if downloaded, can alter your OS and thus make your phone unusable, this isn't covered by warranty".
My problem or the phones problem is it won't boot or charge. When plugged into the mains, it will only show the battery charge indicator, which doesn't spin. It just sits there frozen. Occasionally, it will boot to the Samsung welcome screen but load no further.
This problem isn't anything to do with me trying to root or add software I wasn't meant to or caused by a dodgy app.
I can't believe Samsung won't repair my phone after 5 months use!
What else can I do as at the moment it's an expensive paper weight?
I do not own a galaxy s 3 but a problem like this should be told to Google.
KKBoro said:
Had my S3 returned today from Samsung unrepaired
I have assured Samsung I have not tried rooting or updating the software with unofficial software.
Their response, which I find unbelievable was that and I quote "There are Apps on the Play Store that if downloaded, can alter your OS and thus make your phone unusable, this isn't covered by warranty".
My problem or the phones problem is it won't boot or charge. When plugged into the mains, it will only show the battery charge indicator, which doesn't spin. It just sits there frozen. Occasionally, it will boot to the Samsung welcome screen but load no further.
This problem isn't anything to do with me trying to root or add software I wasn't meant to or caused by a dodgy app.
I can't believe Samsung won't repair my phone after 5 months use!
What else can I do as at the moment it's an expensive paper weight?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try to return it to the store you bought it from! In our country the law states that any defect that appears on the device to its 6th month of usage is a Factory defect unless the seller can prove otherwise! You can dig a little into your local laws regarding your liberties on the matter!
Sorry if I misused some of the terminology but English is not my native language!
and this is why apples cs is second to none doesnt help you i know just sayin
Contact google and show them the last message from service center. So it's play store guilty?
Claim Google then.
Sent from an electronic device.
i find that shocking.
out of interest can you get into download mode? power, home, volume down.
because if you're left hanging at least you could just flash an official stock.
This isn't related but Samsung said they would not repair my GS3 headphones that stopped working because I bought it off ebay with the phone, saying warranty is not transferable.
just hope the I don't have anything wrong with the phone later on because of this. what a bunch of *insert something not nice here*
Edit: on there site it says "Warranty periods and warranty services are intended as a guide only and variations may occur. The warranty period applies from the date of purchase by the first customer and is transferable only between end-users."
http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/warranty/warrantyInformation.do?page=POLICY.WARRANTY
Doesn't that mean they should repair it?
Don't you have consumer rights people/lawyers where you live? Find them and talk to them. They will help you. They know what they're doing and companies fear the damage they can cause.
This is unacceptable.
KKBoro said:
Had my S3 returned today from Samsung unrepaired
The reason: One of our engineers, has tested your phone and found that unauthorised rework has been previously carried out on your phone. Unfortunately, as this is not covered under Samsung's warranty obligations, this prevents us from repairing your device. We are therefore returning your phone un-repaired and in the condition it was received.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They do not mention software/firmware in their reason for not repairing your phone. I interpret this as there is hardware work done on the phone.
It's far fetched, but maybe, just maybe, they're imposing it's low level stuff thats gone ape**** like bootloader/efs by using some crappy SIM Unlock tool/fix or flashing the wrong firmware.
Try another service center. In Canada I'm not asked anything.. if the manufactured date is within 15 months and the phone is linked to any local provider then free repair.
Sent from my SGH-I717 using xda premium
Thanks guys.
I asked the customer service lady what was meant by rework and she said it was the OS wasn't right.
I was then told to ring the tech support department. I told them I hadn't rooted it or updated the software with anything that wasn't official.
She said it was probably an App that altered the OS and it wasn't covered by warranty.
I don't see how me downloading Google Apps or Samsung Apps could completely trash my phone so that it's unusable. Fair enough if I'd downloaded from some dodgy website but I haven't.
I also said, I could go out and buy another brand new S3 and the same thing could happen again, she agreed!!!
If this IS true and Play Store apps can brick your phone, then if the media gets hold of this, Samsung sales will hit the floor!
Thanks guys.
I asked the customer service lady what was meant by rework and she said it was the OS wasn't right.
I was then told to ring the tech support department. I told them I hadn't rooted it or updated the software with anything that wasn't official.
She said it was probably an App that altered the OS and it wasn't covered by warranty.
I don't see how me downloading Google Apps or Samsung Apps could completely trash my phone so that it's unusable. Fair enough if I'd downloaded from some dodgy website but I haven't.
I also said, I could go out and buy another brand new S3 and the same thing could happen again, she agreed!!!
If this IS true and Play Store apps can brick your phone, then if the media gets hold of this, Samsung sales will hit the floor!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only problem being for an app to alter anything that might cause a brick it needs root. Your phone hasn't got it so the tech centre is talking out there ass.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
KKBoro said:
Thanks guys.
I asked the customer service lady what was meant by rework and she said it was the OS wasn't right.
I was then told to ring the tech support department. I told them I hadn't rooted it or updated the software with anything that wasn't official.
She said it was probably an App that altered the OS and it wasn't covered by warranty.
I don't see how me downloading Google Apps or Samsung Apps could completely trash my phone so that it's unusable. Fair enough if I'd downloaded from some dodgy website but I haven't.
I also said, I could go out and buy another brand new S3 and the same thing could happen again, she agreed!!!
If this IS true and Play Store apps can brick your phone, then if the media gets hold of this, Samsung sales will hit the floor!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you are not fighting enough with sammy service centre, dont give up and come crying here, have you tried d options of changing battery n see if it resolves, also have you tried factory resetting your phone and see if it works... You are giving xda guys a clear picture of the problem with your phone...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
KKBoro said:
Had my S3 returned today from Samsung unrepaired
I have assured Samsung I have not tried rooting or updating the software with unofficial software.
Their response, which I find unbelievable was that and I quote "There are Apps on the Play Store that if downloaded, can alter your OS and thus make your phone unusable, this isn't covered by warranty".
My problem or the phones problem is it won't boot or charge. When plugged into the mains, it will only show the battery charge indicator, which doesn't spin. It just sits there frozen. Occasionally, it will boot to the Samsung welcome screen but load no further.
This problem isn't anything to do with me trying to root or add software I wasn't meant to or caused by a dodgy app.
I can't believe Samsung won't repair my phone after 5 months use!
What else can I do as at the moment it's an expensive paper weight?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is flashing through odin still possible?
gchindi said:
I think you are not fighting enough with sammy service centre, dont give up and come crying here, have you tried d options of changing battery n see if it resolves, also have you tried factory resetting your phone and see if it works... You are giving xda guys a clear picture of the problem with your phone...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hardly crying but after spending £500 on a phone that lasts 5 months and Samsung refuse to repair it for a lame reason, I am a little hacked off.
I've tried a new battery and VOL UP+HOME+POWER. I did this before I sent it away to Samsung for repair.
I've tried 3 different charges, USB, Mains and a car charger. Nothing works.
I'm convinced there is a hardware fault. If you Google Samsung S3 wont charge, there are many results with the same problem.
My next step will be legal action.
Have you sim unlocked it?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
ok this is very disappointing but honestly, have you done ANY of the following?
rooted the phone
unlocked the phone / sim
installed a custom rom
installed stock from a different region
installed an app from a source other than the play store
run an app that performs root operations
installed any mod
entered any system codes
or;
are you running a stock s3 as supplied factory fresh, apart from play store app installations, theme changes etc?
whatever you have told Samsung, which is it...... honestly? (you can tell me, no one else needs to know)
Hey, it seems a little weird that they are refusing to help you at all!
I've had samsung phones before and had them repaired no problem even with custom ROMs flashed on them..
I would either try a different service centre (without mentioning that this incident) or fill in the form here http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/engla.../reporting_a_problem_to_trading_standards.htm
and then write an email back to the people telling them that you've contacted citizens advice and reported them to the trading standards. A gentle threat works wonders!
Good luck
mossy1963 said:
ok this is very disappointing but honestly, have you done ANY of the following?
rooted the phone
unlocked the phone / sim
installed a custom rom
installed stock from a different region
installed an app from a source other than the play store
run an app that performs root operations
installed any mod
entered any system codes
or;
are you running a stock s3 as supplied factory fresh, apart from play store app installations, theme changes etc?
whatever you have told Samsung, which is it...... honestly? (you can tell me, no one else needs to know)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of the above, it is 100% completely and utterly a stock handset. I even use a genuine Samsung case lol.
I had the last two iPhones, 3GS and 4 and never even jailbroke either of them. I run them how the manufacturers intended them to run.
That's what is so annoying about this!
You are either hiding a part of the story, or you are in the wrong service center.
If you didn't alter the phone (OS or Hardware) in ANY way there is NO WAY your phone will get "Bricked by an app in the play store".
So yep either you are hiding something, or that lady is crazy.. try another service center.
Related
To get to the point, people DON'T UPDATE YOUR VIBRANTS and T-MOBILE HANDLES THE ISSUE HORRIBLY! Obviously this is not a universal problem, but if you do happen to be one of the lucky ones that bricks their phone with the update there is no saving it (at least with the help of T-mobile).
I just got off of the phone with tech support and they were less than helpful. After the regular punching in numbers, talking to two different people, and trying to re-boots that everyone with half a brain have tried, they informed me that they would replace the phone but I had to PAY for shipping. While I realize this is a normal policy when it comes to random malfunctions, which may or may not have been the users fault, this is absolutely ridiculous when the problem is 100% their fault. Seriously, T-mobile ships a top of the line phone that has some major flaws and inactivated software (media hub), then breaks the phone with it's official update, and somehow this is MY responsibility to pay to get fixed? The rep even asked if I at this point wanted to add insurance so next time I wouldn't have to pay for shipping and if I wanted to pay extra for expedited shipping! They were trying to make an add-on sale while fixing an issue THEY caused!
That's not even the end of it, because I was so irritated they sent me to a "loyalty specialist" (who sounded like a used car salesman). He rambled on about how he would waive the shipping fee (he made it sound like he just saved my first born child). I told him I appreciated that but it didn't fix the fact that T-Mobile was not handling the issue well. When a large number of phones break from an issue originating from the provider they should either 1) have re-furbished phones (or even set aside new phones if necessary) to replace these broken phones as they come up or 2) offer free over night shipping of the replacement phone. He told me that these options were too expensive for T-Mobile, and that if I like I could sign up for either of their two insurance plans, as they would allow me to do an in-store replacement (he later noted that one of them was only available within the first 14 days of owning the phone...). I couldn't believe they were trying to another add-on sale! The best part being, I later called around to all my local T-Mobile owned stores and none of them have the Vibrant available for in-store replacement (and never have).
So the Cliff-Notes of my rant:
1) DON'T UPDATE YOUR VIBRANT
2) If you did brick your phone, make sure to complain and they should refund the ridiculous shipping charge
3) If you don't own a Vibrant and are thinking about it consider the following (Don't let it stop you, just consider it):
- Still on 2.1, when Nexus One has been on 2.2 for months (and the Galaxy S 2.2 official ROM has been leaked so it does exist in some form.) => Meaning updates are super scarce and extremely late.
- T-Mobile is selling a good phone with many flaws, and their first attempt to fix it bricked many phones (do a google search I am not the only one).
- While it may be better than other companies, T-Mobiles customer service is FAR from flawless
P.S. My phone was completely stock (so please don't mention how I did this with a lag fix, etc.). I waited at least 15 mins before I pulled the battery, before which I had noted the T-Mobile sound starting without the animation (seems like a timing issue or something). And finally, I realize this is a duplicate post to many others but I want people to find this info (not be at the bottom of a really long thread) to get the word out how T-Mobile deals with their errors.
I hate when people mess with their phones then get angry at a company for "breaking" their phone. Im running stock rom with root and also got bricked, but, I manned up and knew I was in the wrong and accepted what happened. I didn't put the blame on TMo, because completely untouched vibrants that I was aware of had no issues with this OTA. If you added functionality to it after the fact that it wasn't originally on there before when you initially purchased it; then its YOUR fault that it bricked, NOT T-mobiles. Take some responsibility and stop crying.
Had the same problem but this is a pretty fix using Odin.
If you install an update from an OTA T-Mobile should be held responsible
I don't know about you guys but when you have been a customer for 10+ years, T-Mobile will pretty much suck your balls.
Either way, if you guys rooted it, then that takes the fault from T-Mobile to you. You changed the phone. The update was designed for a pristine un-edited Samsung Vibrant, if you changed anything in the system by rooting or flashing it is your fault for changing the equation. T-Mobile is NOT at fault for your actions.
Yeah why warranty the phone when you can just ODIN and fix it yourself? Do a xda search. If you're gonna use xda to complain at least use it to solve your own problems as well. Unless your phone is hardware locked it is 100 % fixable.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
starkiller86 said:
I hate when people mess with their phones then get angry at a company for "breaking" their phone. Im running stock rom with root and also got bricked, but, I manned up and knew I was in the wrong and accepted what happened. I didn't put the blame on TMo, because completely untouched vibrants that I was aware of had no issues with this OTA. If you added functionality to it after the fact that it wasn't originally on there before when you initially purchased it; then its YOUR fault that it bricked, NOT T-mobiles. Take some responsibility and stop crying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
P.S. My phone was completely stock (so please don't mention how I did this with a lag fix, etc.). I waited at least 15 mins before I pulled the battery, before which I had noted the T-Mobile sound starting without the animation (seems like a timing issue or something). And finally, I realize this is a duplicate post to many others but I want people to find this info (not be at the bottom of a really long thread) to get the word out how T-Mobile deals with their errors
Did you not read that part?
I bricked two stock Vibrants with the update. The second one failed during Mini-Kies update and was hardware locked.
It is a known issue according to the Tech guy that I spoke to while getting my replacement.
First phone wouldn't power on after failure, second phone was hardware locked so un-fixable.
No, no.
This happened to me, I had a rooted phone I had uninstalled the inflight internet, etc on it and hadn't overclocked or anything like that. Phone kills itself. I went to the tmo store and they only make you pay for shipping if you take the overnight option.
PROTIP - DON'T ASK FOR EXTRA SPEEDY SHIPPING AND THEY'LL PAY FOR IT.
so i guess we are just SOL for the data on the phone? I just lost an entire vacation of pictures. I had not had a chance to root this phone either. this is ****ing awesome.
dechire said:
so i guess we are just SOL for the data on the phone? I just lost an entire vacation of pictures. I had not had a chance to root this phone either. this is ****ing awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess this is just an example of "store your pictures on the external SD card"
Then if you brick it you can still get your pictures back ....
watcher64 said:
I guess this is just an example of "store your pictures on the external SD card"
Then if you brick it you can still get your pictures back ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Word. That's one of the first things I did when I got the phone and was playing with the features. Switched it from phone storage to memory card.
Sorry to hear you lost photos.
Protip: Pay the damn overnight shipping fee...it'll be deducted from your bill (flex pay) which makes it free: )
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Here is the business side
If I am T mobile every time some person has a problem and I offered free shipping, the Every moron would be shipping the device back for Any problem. Way way costly, so that is not going to happen. If you Really believe the phone is factory defective then, pay the shipping and move on. If you messed with it at all then the burden to resolve is yours and be honest about that. Remember the reason people are in here is to customize the phone and improve it. Like the XDA mantra sez.......... It is not just the result... but the journey....
Like one of the other posts stated:
If you rooted it, then that takes the fault from T-Mobile to you. You changed the phone. The update was designed for a pristine un-edited Samsung Vibrant, if you changed anything in the system by rooting or flashing it is your fault for changing the equation. T-Mobile is NOT at fault for your actions.
Gr8gorilla said:
First phone wouldn't power on after failure, second phone was hardware locked so un-fixable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a hardware lock fix now, you really should flash that before you do anything else. Yeah, you run the risk of bricking with the hardware unlock, but it's probably a safer bet than flashing away.
dechire said:
so i guess we are just SOL for the data on the phone? I just lost an entire vacation of pictures. I had not had a chance to root this phone either. this is ****ing awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you Odin it with the JI6 update, you might still be able to get a working system out of it. Worth a shot to see if you can get it without having to flash to stock first (which will wipe).
With all the time you spent with tech support, you could have found the thread that delineates how to fix your phone and update through odin. Its very easy and, frankly why be on a developers forum when you are not willing to tinker around a bit.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
dechire said:
so i guess we are just SOL for the data on the phone? I just lost an entire vacation of pictures. I had not had a chance to root this phone either. this is ****ing awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as the phone still powers on you can still use ADB Pull and save the data from the /sdcard folder. This update isn't a totally bricking the phone (at least it didn't mine) just making the display and inputs not work. To quote Billy Crystal: "He's only MOSTLY dead"
Odin was really simple to reflash the stock ROM and then I was able to do a nandroid restore from there.
The T-Mobile OTA update left my phone only booting to the vibrant screen, but it was a pretty simple fix with Odin. The hardest part was getting the proper drivers installed in windows!
Mini kies wouldnt even let me update,so I rooted and flashed bionix 1.8,works great.**** tmo.
Fyi to the people with hardware lock. I did the update on my gf's phone which was hardware locked and it failed. The phone would only boot to the vibrant screen. The good news is the ota update unlocks the hardware because her phone is able to get into recovery and download mode even thought the update failed. The point is don't worry if ota fail on you because you can just use odin to fix it since it unlocks the download mode.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
mr2t32 said:
Fyi to the people with hardware lock. I did the update on my gf's phone which was hardware locked and it failed. The phone would only boot to the vibrant screen. The good news is the ota update unlocks the hardware because her phone is able to get into recovery and download mode even thought the update failed. The point is don't worry if ota fail on you because you can just use odin to fix it since it unlocks the download mode.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the update even gets that far...
Hey guys,
my usb port is starting to act wierd. It refuses to charge unless at a certain angle. It seems it got damaged with all the plug/unplug it went through during its life.
I know that Samsung "Might " exchange the phone rooted, but i rather restore it to factory ICS from bell as i will be doing the exchange through them and they can be assholes sometimes.
What is the best way to completely restore it to stock to avoid any issues?
Use the samsung Kies method, check the general section to find it, remember to wipe flash counter first. If you can't find it let me know
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
USB Stopped working completely. Phone died so I braught it to the Samsung Service Center.
They initally refused to service it and delcared it out of warranty because i Rooted the phone. It took 1 hour of yelling so they could fix the DAMN usb port....
R.I.P. little note.....(sniff)
well they replaced the USB board apparently and restored it to Stock ICS 4.04
They told me that if i root my phone again, they will not repair it .
However i went into download mode, and still see my original 4 flash counts
Now, before I re-restore to Black Star, How Can i Backup The original Bell Recovery firmware?
If this is was an AT&T phone, you would have had a better experience at the AT&T device support center.
I honestly had this problem and JUST came back from the AT&T device service center with a BRAND NEW NOTE. SO, first off, I did have my phone rooted w/ cyanogenmod. I thought this would be a problem, so with what little battery power I had left, I downloaded the last zip on this webpage from the device (USB doesn't work, remember?) and wiped everything and flashed that stock rom. Went to the AT&T device support center right here in San Francisco. Told them what was wrong, they took a look at it, plugged it in, did what I think was a water damage check, and proceeded to give me a new note. I didn't even have to sign anything.
I was a little worried at first, because I bought my phone from a dude on craigslist back in March, but apparently this didn't matter. So, if you're on AT&T they did a surprisingly AWESOME job switching out my phone for one with a functioning USB port. Best of luck to you if you attempt to do this, the dude did do a cursory investigation of my phone's software, which I don't think was very thorough, but likely didn't notice that it was a cleaned up rom (aka, no att crap on it).
I don't get why Samsung thinks rom flashing has anything to do with physical hardware. Kind of unlightened? Or just looking for any excuse not to provide that repair? I'm sorry to hear they are so lame.
I bought my note from craigslist and 2 months later my charging port was having the same issues, I don't have att, but found the charging port on ebay for $20 and replaced it my self, easy.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
it was a "authorized" service center.
What strikes me is the fact that they told me if i bring it rooted they wont fix it again, but they didnt reset the trip counter....
Exactly what rangercaptain says. Samsung should, if they don't already, pride themselves in the fact that when someone buys there device, it should be theres to discover, not forced/told what they have to use for an OS or have limitations in general. I was lucky enough to discover this accidentally. This now is a HUGE, perhaps only factor in my future purchases. That is after all what Google Android is about to me, freedom. Creativity stumbles in its absence. I do however wish there was a dedicated charge port. Or that going with a wimpy micro usb over even the mini usb was a bad thing. This being said, devices that last longer don't sell new ones well.
Sounds to me as the OP states certain angle to charge....Happens to me on all my devices, the cause, lucky for me has always been faulty/cheap worn out cords. I know have a pile of them on hand. Best luck and quality I find works for me are BlackBerry cords.
BLACKSTAR X-SGH-I717 xda-developers app
Something very strange, I checked the time on the phone while I was seating on my car, then I came home, and when I sat on my desk the phone was completely off. At first I though it might be an empty battery, so I plugged on the wall charger, but NOTHING happened. I tried the charger on another phone and worked, so the problem was the phone.
Took out the battery, put it back again and tried to enter recovery or download mode, none of them worked. (Even the 4 touch keys don´t light up, exactly like when you try to turn it on without a battery).
I left it charging all the night, and in the next morning, it was all the same.
About the phone
Because of the forum, its obvious that is a sgh-i777 AT&T SGSII. I changed many times of ROM, but I was running a custom one called "Alliance", wich is Touchwiz based and so stable, that I decided to keep it (flashed it maybe 3 months ago).
Regarding the installed apps, I had "RAM Manager", on the "more multitasking" preset, also had "STweaks" on the default profile, a task killer called "Speed Booster", "Next Launcher" and a bunch of games.
About the battery
I went to a store and asked to try a new one, but It didn't worked at all. The guy at the store told me that maybe it was a "Motherboard" (or something like that) issue, so I left the phone there to see if the can fix it, but they didn't have any luck. (I have to admit that it wasn't an official Samsung service center, but a friend's shop, so its probable that they dont know much about this kind of stuff). Besides, if you look closely at the phone, you cant see that the screws were untouched, so it seems that they didnt even try to repair it.
Another important thing is the battery "lifestyle" that I always used with the phone: Usage, from normal to exhaustive during the day and let it charging all night, everyday. I notice some alarming overheating when playin hard games (so hot that I quit playing and put the phone on the floor to make it cooler), this maybe has fried something inside.
I insist in the fact that I dont think that the battery is the problem because It didn't worked with a new one.
Well, the last "strage" thing that may have something to do, is that I plugged the USB cable to a "broken" car charger, causing the car fuse to burn, but I dont know if that could affect the phone somehow. (Notice that this episode ocurred 1 week earlier than the sudden death, so I dont think is a problem...)
So, this is it. Hope you can help me, because I miss my phone quite much (1 week no use...) and I would really love to have it back.
Kind regards,
Francis
P.S.: I took a lot of time writting this, try to be polite and helpful with the answers.
How are you trying to get into download mode?
Sent from my GS4 running CM11 Kandy Kane
In the moment I've tried, I did Vol Down + Power Button
Adb portable in my signature can help reboot you to download mode.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
In fact, it didnt worked, because the phone does not react when plugged, so it is not detected by the pc nor ADb. Nice try anyways
If your phone does not respond to battery, computer, or wall charger then it is what is known as a hard brick.
Your device may have been damaged by the car charger as well.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
@FranAmestoy,
If you are getting absolutely no response from the phone, and nothing you can do has any effect, then try one last thing (if you haven't already). Pull the battery and leave it out. While holding down both volume buttons, plug in the usb cable. The computer will supply the power. This will put a phone into download mode, but if there is no response to this, then at least you know for sure it is not a battery problem.
There is a difference between "hardware failure" and "hard bricked".
Technically speaking, hard bricked means a firmware problem, usually with the primitive bootloader or the primary bootloader. Such a problem can be fixed using equipment and a technique called jtag, by which the damaged bootloaders are reinstalled. This supposes that the hardware is still functioning correctly.
On the other hand, if the phone has damage to the eMMC memory, or some other hardware failure, then the only remedy is to troubleshoot and repair the hardware. This is perhaps what the technician was suggesting when he said it could be a mother board problem.
Judging from your description of the occurence, it doesn't sound like you did anything that would result in a hard brick. But then I don't know if you actually mentioned everything relevant. In order to find out, you would need to get the phone to a competent technician. The guy who owns Mobile Tech videos is highly respected here. If you wish to pursue getting it repaired, I would suggest that you call him and go over the problem with him, find out his prices, see if he thinks it is worth it, etc.
I have used MTV before and I can say their service was wonderful.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
Now this is what I call "help"
I have to say many thanks to creepyncrawly and Red_81 for giving me the kind of answer that I was looking for.
In a few minutes I will try that USB power method, and see what I get.
Regarding your suggestion, I do very appreciatte your kindness and recomendation of where to take the phone to, but my problem is that I bought the phone in the USA, and I live in Argentina, so its way out of my reach to get what you recommend. Anyway, a few minutes from home there is an official Samsung store, that apparently, offers technical assistance, so I will try luck by going there.
For now, I still say you many thanks and I will keep you informed about what I get.
Kind regards,
Francis
Red_81 said:
If your phone does not respond to battery, computer, or wall charger then it is what is known as a hard brick.
Your device may have been damaged by the car charger as well.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium
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If the car charger burned down the phone, how can be possible that it continued working during a week before the dropout? I am not saying that's not the problem, but I dont know if there are any relations with so much time in between...
FranAmestoy said:
In the moment I've tried, I did Vol Down + Power Button
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No, USB + both volume keys
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
Donwload also didnt work...
As the title reads, I still dont have any luck.
Guess the final call will be to take it to the technical service T_T
Are those things "fixable"? Will be impossible to get a new phone if I cant sell this...
(Now Im missing it a lot...)
FranAmestoy said:
If the car charger burned down the phone, how can be possible that it continued working during a week before the dropout? I am not saying that's not the problem, but I dont know if there are any relations with so much time in between...
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Click to collapse
Agreed. I think it unlikely, but it is possible.
FranAmestoy said:
Are those things "fixable"? Will be impossible to get a new phone if I cant sell this... (Now Im missing it a lot...)
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Click to collapse
Hard brick repair with jtag would be around US$50.00 plus shipping. Hardware repair would be at least that much in the US unless you can do it yourself. It may be more economical to replace the phone.
When you go to the Samsung store, ask them if it is still under warranty. The phone can be sent to Samsung for repair if they can not do it at the store. I have no idea what that would cost if it is not under warranty. Here in the US we would ship it off to a Samsung repair shop somewhere after talking to them over the phone. But I've never had to do that so I have no idea.
creepyncrawly said:
Agreed. I think it unlikely, but it is possible.
Hard brick repair with jtag would be around US$50.00 plus shipping. Hardware repair would be at least that much in the US unless you can do it yourself. It may be more economical to replace the phone.
When you go to the Samsung store, ask them if it is still under warranty. The phone can be sent to Samsung for repair if they can not do it at the store. I have no idea what that would cost if it is not under warranty. Here in the US we would ship it off to a Samsung repair shop somewhere after talking to them over the phone. But I've never had to do that so I have no idea.
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Thanks for the ideas, but will be impossible, because I bought the phone through eBay and I dont have the invoice, also the phone is rooted and with a custom ROM (triangle alert appears), so the warranty is "super-voided", no chances at all to get it back to stock (remember he's dead...)
I will cross my fingers to see if the can tell me if the can fix it, and how much would it cost.
My major concern is that the failure became impossible to fix. In that case, what will I do? I just can't offer a dead phone on internet for $2... Obviously I need to make some money from him in order to get a new one... However I still have some faith in the official store
You would likely get more than a few dollars selling it on ebay for parts. The digitizer and other parts are definitely worth something. But of course it's not going to be $200.00. Anyway, good luck. I hope you find it is fixable.
hi all,
this is my first post here, the noob video did cheer me up alot after the day ive had...
around a month ago, my phone started to have problems connecting to wifi, the problem occurs when making a connection to ANY ROUTER USING ANY KIND OF SECURITY,the phone comes back stating "authentication error", yet when i connect it to my motorola xoom tablet (set to mobile hotspot) the phone connects and functions great!?
now for my question,
samsung have voided my warranty as i flashed the software on the phone (as some asshole at the samsung call centre asked me to do,said the warranty would be ok as long as its the genuine software....what a load of rubbish that turned out to be) i have not rooted it,and they are quoting me in the vacinity of $250 us to fix it (w##kers) ,its a longshot but,can any of tell if this is a firmware problem rather than a hardware problem? it seems to me like its along the lines of firmware, as it works in only the one instance connected to my tablet..i know i did get an update from my phone company and it stopped working shortly after then...theoretically if it is just a firmware issue i could pick up on how to do the jtag trick and try and reload the firmware myself? instead of pay the same jerk who screwed me to fix it in the first place?
have any of you had your phone into samsung for the same problem? though a good search turns up many stories on power save mode etc, no one seems to have the same problem i do...HELP!!!
the other way is i guess to do a pcb swap, but i dont know how many of these are available...
i know nothing about what you all do, i am an electrical engineer with a big background in industrial electronics and computers and the last thing i want to do is spend what little free time i have modding my phone, i dont have anything against anyone who does, its just that valve amps and vinyl do alot more for me than the new stuff does...BUT if i need to do something out of nessecity, then id love to learn a few tricks you gurus could teach me to save my skin, who knows, i might be able to offer you some advice one day!!
after 4 weeks searching and reading this site amoung others,i have tried EVERYTHING software wise to rectify the problem,
samsung are not telling me what exactly the fault is and are using my flashing of the standard software as a scapegoat to say ive tamered with it.
samsung nz are a bunch of scam artists who ill never again trust with a dime of my hard earned cash and thats all i have to say about that....will be taking them to court (new zealand has a consumer rights guarantee system so their warranty does not mean jack but they still refuse to repair it)
thank you in advance for any help you can offer, i am at my wits end and regret stepping into the "smartphone" world!!!
mike
preludefan said:
hi all,
now for my question,
samsung have voided my warranty as i flashed the software on the phone (as some asshole at the samsung call centre asked me to do,said the warranty would be ok as long as its the genuine software....what a load of rubbish that turned out to be)
No root and stock firmware flashed does not void warranty .
Wifi is generally a kernel problem you can try flashing a stock firmware from here or sammobile.com.
As you mention dimes and dollars do you actually have a I9300 ??? as flash I9300 firmware on a non I9300 will brick your phone.
jje
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Click to collapse
thanks for your reply,
yes it is definetly a gt19300, i was blown away by the number of variants out there!
so any pointers on how to deal with samsung if they refuse to fix it?
thanks
mike
JJEgan said:
preludefan said:
hi all,
now for my question,
samsung have voided my warranty as i flashed the software on the phone (as some asshole at the samsung call centre asked me to do,said the warranty would be ok as long as its the genuine software....what a load of rubbish that turned out to be)
No root and stock firmware flashed does not void warranty .
Wifi is generally a kernel problem you can try flashing a stock firmware from here or sammobile.com.
As you mention dimes and dollars do you actually have a I9300 ??? as flash I9300 firmware on a non I9300 will brick your phone.
jje
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preludefan said:
thanks for your reply,
yes it is definetly a gt19300, i was blown away by the number of variants out there!
so any pointers on how to deal with samsung if they refuse to fix it?
thanks
mike
You need to argue the case that the Samsung call centre told you to carry out steps xyz .
Alternative paid for repair then complain to Samsung re call centre .
You can try arguing the EU regulations as referred to on XDA by Adam Outler .
However does any EU legislation have similar in new Zealand .
What firmware and root is on your phone that Samsung said to flash .
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Click to collapse
they arent saying anything of the details of the rom, but i flashed a genuine 2 degrees (phone company) software, but they could have changed it themselfs?
i have argued with them to my wits end about the law etc but they are not taking it on board, so im asking for the phone to be returned to me, then ill take them to court...paying to get it done then complaining wont work in a legal sense, as by paying,they see it as though im agreeing to it all...
i do know this however, if i do fix it myself ill post a fix incase it happens to any one else...
IT'S A TRAP!
Well I just found out the hard way that VZW is even more evil than I thought.
Called about my G3 because of audio issue with the headphone jack, seeking an RMA.
Without my permission verizon ran some remote diagnosis on my phone and discovered root, right while I was on the call. Tier 2 support did this by the way.
Not sure how... I froze all the VZW bloat I could find in titanium.
Just wanted to let you guys know to watch your back. I'm not sure exactly when verizon got wind of my root. Whether it was right there while I was on call or the minute I rooted.
Verizon is literally the devil
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
What did they say once they discovered root on your phone? Just denied the RMA? Would they let you make an insurance claim at least?
The rep responded "after running diagnostics on your device I see your phone is rooted so your warranty is invalid"
Then he preceeded to try and give me instructions to call LG and get the flash tool to return to stock.
My issue with the audio jack is obviously a HW issue and not an issue with software/root
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
Always put your phone in Airplane Mode if you have to call them. If they say they need the phone turned on to run diagnostics, REFUSE, and tell them that you don't consent, or tell them that the phone is not near you, then continue talking and tell them that you're NOT calling about a software but hardware issue and there's no reason that they need to run a Software Diagnostic.
Someone else mentioned the same thing however from what I understand their system polls your phone every few hours so that may not help. Even if the phone was offline the system may still show root status regardless of the phones current state.
Couldn't hurt though...
Either way it's a little to late for me. I just hope that someone sees this thread before calling only to get a big fat middle finger from VZW.
Flash to stock and wait a bit on official software to make sure Verizon's system shows official software.
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
I woulda said root (software) has nothing to do with audio jack (hardware). Not that it wouldve really gotten you anywhere anyway.
Either way, Verizon doesnt really cover hardware warranty, they just send the phone over to LG, which the rep directed to you anyway. So sounds like youre gonna have to contact LG directly.
Or maybe you even get a do-over. You could flash back everything to stock, and then just walk into store and try the same thing. The reps at the store arent nearly as sharp as the phone reps.
Good to know tho, thx for the heads up!
Yeah but I got the phone on the VZW website on a black Friday deal. So that would leave me without a phone. I'm assuming they would have to ship it back and would not just exchange it on the spot.
Couldn't hurt though I call tomorrow and ask if they will swap it on the spot.
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
I had same exact audio jack prob on G2. They didnt take my phone or anything, they shipped me a new one and i sent back the old one afterwards. There's something like a 30 day grace period to ship your phone back before they charge you for it. Was easy peasy
---------- Post added at 06:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:58 PM ----------
Oh and doesnt matter where you bought the phone , its a Verizon phone and youre a Verizon customer so they will help you no matter what. That G2 was from Ebay. If its under warranty by LG, its under warranty. Again, Verizon just assists yoh with the warranty as a customer service. The money comes out of LG's pocket, not theirs.
Yeah but their service department knows I have root. I'm pretty sure they will just tell me to screw off if I go to swap the phone. But it couldn't hurt to try. Thanks for the info.
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
True but you never know, give it a shot and let us know.
---------- Post added at 06:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:36 PM ----------
Check out this article from Droid Life. Verizon actually saw tge article and made some clarifications in regards to root, warranty and what they consider void or not void.
Verizon Begins Charging Full Price of Warranty Phones if Rooted? (Updated)
What exactly should happen if you were to root your phone, play around with ROMs/hacks/etc., somehow manage to break it, and then send it in to Verizon for a warranty replacement? Should you be allowed to get a replacement or not? According to reports, you can get a replacement, but the rooting of your phone voids any warranty you had and gives Verizon permission to charge you for a new one if they determine that your broken phone was tampered with.
Our buddy @P3droid has apparently heard from a couple of friends who have run into the scenario that we described above and then been slapped with a pretty hefty and unannounced bill. Fair or unfair?
I’ll just say this – we’ve known that rooting your device voids your warranty since well back in the original DROID days, so it makes sense that Verizon would do this. As unpopular as this may sound, I can’t fault Big Red for going this route. If you decide to take your phone out of its original factory status, tinker with its guts, and break something, it shouldn’t be their responsibility to take care of you.
With that said though, a broken volume rocker, faulty screen, etc. has nothing do with rooting, so I’d hate to see someone get charged for something that they didn’t cause even if they decided to root. It’s an interesting topic, and one that I would love to hear all your opinions on.
Update: Our friends at Verizon saw this post and wanted to reach out to clarify everything immediately. First up, is the fact that their policy says absolutely nothing about checking for root on devices. When a phone is received, a phone is checked for three things and that definitely isn’t one of them. They check to see if the box that the device was sent in is damaged, if the outside of the phone looks awful, and if it powers on – satisfy all of those and they move on to the next phone. So basically, these reports of being charged for a rooted phone simply mean that these people were sending in garbage phone with defects.
So…sound off!
http://www.droid-life.com/2011/06/1...ging-full-price-of-warranty-phones-if-rooted/
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I would take the word of a Verizon PR Rep over some call center dweeb. Just b/c he works there doesnt mean he's rhe end all be all.
I'll tell you what's up there. Worked for the company for a while and encountered this. Rooting does not really void a warranty, as the warehouse does not check for root, they just check if a phone has physical damage to it. Now if your phone is rooted, reps are advised to tell you that it can't be supported any longer by VZW. But that could happen with any company. If you modify a LG TV, LG might not want to support it either. If you are just rooted, it might be one thing, but different roms MIGHT affect different things. Yours probably is the hardware issue though. If you haven't been already taken care of, if you call back in, just let a rep know that you don't want anyone to remotely access your phone. That is not supposed to be done without your permission. I have had a few phones replaced under warranty that had been rooted. If nothing else, just return a phone to stock. But if you don't want to worry about any of that, just turn your phone off, and tell them that you tried to accept the most recent 12B update, and now your phone won't fully boot up, and leave the phone powered off the whole time.
subhelix said:
I'll tell you what's up there. Worked for the company for a while and encountered this. Rooting does not really void a warranty, as the warehouse does not check for root, they just check if a phone has physical damage to it. Now if your phone is rooted, reps are advised to tell you that it can't be supported any longer by VZW. But that could happen with any company. If you modify a LG TV, LG might not want to support it either. If you are just rooted, it might be one thing, but different roms MIGHT affect different things. Yours probably is the hardware issue though. If you haven't been already taken care of, if you call back in, just let a rep know that you don't want anyone to remotely access your phone. That is not supposed to be done without your permission. I have had a few phones replaced under warranty that had been rooted. If nothing else, just return a phone to stock. But if you don't want to worry about any of that, just turn your phone off, and tell them that you tried to accept the most recent 12B update, and now your phone won't fully boot up, and leave the phone powered off the whole time.
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Click to collapse
I would assume that because I have already been caught that they have the voided warranty on record... or is this not the case?
I thought that once they caught you, thats it, the jig is up and they put a note on your account that the phones warranty is void.
I think I might know what happened. I have noticed that when I first rooted my G3 (3 Days Ago) that the Verizon Mobile app asked for root permissions immediately upon rebooting for the phone. I accidentally gave it permissions and it went on about its ways. I later removed the permission and didn't worry about it any longer. Not thinking anything about it I think that once you give the Verizon app permission it will figure out your rooted and sync up with your account (which it does automatically during the setup process) by your phone number tied to the Sim card. I think that's exactly how they knew, and I think a warning goes out and is posted on the account phone number saying its a rooted device.
Possibility? Let me know.
Wow, now that I think of it, you might be right!
Same thing happened to me a few days ago. I had already granted it access before i even realized it was the actual Verizon app. Shrugged my shoulders after I realized it but thought it had something to do with the actual ROM im running (Jasmine 3.0).
That being said, if it were me, id still try the store. Things arent nearly as automated and recorded as you think they might or should be in the real world.
Not to mention, reps at the store are idiots and dont really know too much about smartphones outside of using the setup wizard. I cant tell you how many times tge in store reps have told me or someone else to call the hotline b/c they werent sure or didnt know. The physical store employees are the bottom od the Totum pole. Halfbof them are fresh out of High School
Its not just Verizon that does this by the way.. These phone companieshave this in place as a standard to protect themselves against people bricking phones, and crying out for a replacement. History has shown them that when people root, they tend to flash custom roms, and more dangerously, custom kernels.. As well, people attempt to change the way their CPU functions, and alter the phone to better its performance.. When these things are done, it changes the system hardware stability, and things can get weak or damaged.
So as a way of cutting you off from future complaints, they make it clear that if you root, your warantee is void.
NEVER tell them its rooted, never walk into a store with a rooted device and ask for help, and if you call for support, dont just put it in airplane mode.... PULL THE BATTERY!!! They are able to access your phone through GPS, wifi, bluetooth, and data connection
If the battery is in your device, it can be accessed... The Government has been doing it for years to track people...and contrary to common thought, I believe I read some documentation that "front facing" cameras were a Government idea...
Anyways, be safe, and be careful...youve just learned proof that someone is watching
JJT211 said:
Wow, now that I think of it, you might be right!
Same thing happened to me a few days ago. I had already granted it access before i even realized it was the actual Verizon app. Shrugged my shoulders after I realized it but thought it had something to do with the actual ROM im running (Jasmine 3.0).
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Why on Earth would you grant something root privileges without verifying what was asking first? This is exactly the type of thing more senior folks in the modding community are constantly complaining about.
yes NEVER EVER GIVE MY VERIZON SU!!! this is what probably happened and it throws flag in their system if you call or request service
Its totally possible.
From what I understand the response from denying root access and the response from not having it at all have two different signatures.
Once I saw a VZW app requesting root I immediately denied it. But that right there could have been the dead giveaway.
I already tried flashing back to stock using the KDZ method. Still the problem of audio quality persists.
Either way, it's BS this is most definitely a hardware issue and should be covered under warranty.
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
Yes it's BS but it shouldn't really be a surprise. And it's nothing we haven't been warned of before
I suggest calling back in. If you are now back on stock, you should have no problem. I know it sucks ass, but representatives are just doing a job. What we were told, if someone was rooted, to try to suggest that they return to stock and then we can support the phone, and that is again no matter what the issue might be. Well, as long as it can boot up. So if you flashed back to stock using the KDZ method, root should not be detected anymore. And it might have been noted at that time that it was rooted, but it's a different story now since the phone is back to stock.