NFC Help - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 5

HI All -
I've posted in the Help/QA forum and didn't get any responses so I thought I might be able to reach a wider audience in this forum. I have the G900T and NFC is only half working and I believe I somehow manage to break it, but now I'm trying to see if there is any way to fix it. The issue is that Tap and Pay works, but Android Beam and any app that reads anything that emits NFC signals such as NFC tags, my yubikey-neo and an app which can read passports no longer work.
I initially noticed the issue on my phone and thought it was hardware related and was granted a warranty replacement by T-Mobile. Once I received the replacement phone I went through my usual setup.
1. Rooted via the NE6 boot image and towelroot method to gain root and then flashed the NK2 boot image back.
NFC worked as expected after rooting.
2. I used PC Odin and flashed twrp which tripped knox which I didn't care about since I don't use it, although clearly it voids the samsung warranty.
NFC continued to function correctly.
3. I backed up my rooted installation and decided to flash the latest CM12 KLTE nightly and play around for a few minutes. I then restored my original rooted TW install.
This is the point where NFC began to no longer function as expected. As mentioned Tap and Pay works fine, but I can't read anything emitting NFC signals. I also can't use Android Beam or S-Beam.
I have tried the following :
I used PC Odin to flash the original stock NK2 image and the issue persisted.
Afer backing up the /efs partition just in case it was somehow related ( no clear reason led me to believe it was ) I used PC Odin option to clear EFS and also used NAND Erase and flashed the stock firmware again and performed a factory reset. The issue still remains.
While using adb logcat and looking for nfc strings while I toggled it off and on I found that it appears that there is some issue with the NFC/Bluetooth radio handoff. I'm not entirely sure if it's a red herring or not. Just a message in the logs indicating there was some form of issue, but it only showed up once after a stock rom flash and rebooting the device and performing the same steps didn't emit the same message again.
I started looking at the init.rc and ueventd.rc files and noticed references to /dev/sec-nfc and /dev/bmc2079x - neither of which exist in /dev on my device. I didn't check when I first got the phone as I was under the false assumption at the time that it was hardware related. The /data/nfc directory and directories related to the libnxp-nfc and bmc nfc appear correctly and to my knowledge contain the correct firmware images and files required for the hardware to work.
I posted this same question on the galaxys5 subreddit over on reddit.com and there is one other user who has a 900F who has experienced the exact same issue. So it seems like it's not a oneoff issue. I'm just hoping to figure out what the issue is and if it can be fixed.
Any ideas on things I can look at beyond what I have already would be awesome.
Also, if anyone has time and can see if /dev/sec-nfc and /dev/bmc2079x device entries exist on their S5 that would be super helpful. If they do exist, then perhaps it points to the hardware simply not being initialized fully, that's simply a guess on my part. If you do happen to have those 2 dev files can you attach them so I can test them out? I would be forever grateful.
Cheers.

Per XDA rules no double posts. Also all questions and request for assistance do belong in the Q&A section not in General.
Edfunkycold
Have a great day!

Related

[Q] Unknown IMEI/Baseband version issue

Hello people, I have a rather peculiar issue with my SII
I have had this issue for some time now and really doesnt bother me that much, its just annoying. And its just now that I have bothered writing a post about it.
If Ive run out of battery, I plug my phone into the charger, turn it on while its charging, I get no service, not prompted to input PIN and get the Uknown IMEI\baseband version. But if I let it charge a couple of minutes, unplug the charger and turn it on, everything works fine. Whats going on here?
I think this problem occured after installing one of bmarko's MIUI roms. I have since full wiped and restored stock rom. Upgraded two new official samsung roms as they have been released, currently running XWKI8 unrooted completely stock and the issue still persist.
I have searched around and there are similar cases out there but not really any clear solutions. Theres even a post over at cyanogenmods forum site, but no replies.
As said earlier its not really a big issue for me, not expecting a immediate solution but I would really like to understand the problem if someone has the information since I dont have the technical competence to understand it myself. I obviously havent corrupted or lost anything in my efs folder since its working without the charger, or? Could there be remains of a bug from another rom still in the system causing this?
Any replies would be appreciated, thanks.
Same Problem
Hey FlipTrick,
I got exactly the same problem. Dont remember how it happened exactly, but do remember I didn't do anything exotic. Can't display my IMEI, unknown baseband version and no prompt for my PIN.
I Tried several things:
- Reflashed the advised codeworx kernel using odin.
- ReInstalled CM 7.1 and tried nightly version.
- Reflashed different RADIO ROMS from XDA (goo.gl/TjoaM)
Nothing worked. Does anyone know what the problem might be? Or know what I could try next?
Greetings,
Xianduras
I had this problem once when I used a jig to reset the flash counter. Given the modem (and the IMEI) wasn't showing up in the phone details, I reflashed the modem which fixed it.
Occasionally after a reboot my modem/IMEI details take around 20-30 seconds to appear, but they've never not turned up/left me without service apart from that one occasion.
problem gone?!
Problem seems to be gone, noticed it after flashing Hydrog3n rom. Cant say if thats the solution though, havent tested it for awhile and i've flashed alot of roms

[Q] Dead Radio

So after initially getting the S4, I couldn't wait for a ROM to come out so I didn't have to run TouchWhiz. Needless to say when I seen some ROMs starting to appear, I flashed some with no hesitation.
I flashed the following before encountering any problems -
garwynn's - AOSPA Beta followed by CM 10.1 (POC)
Everything on those ROMs was pretty much perfect, no errors or glitches in anything I used the phone for, so after a day or two I was feeling pretty confident about the current releases thus far. I seen the thread for SlimBean this morning and flashed it with no problems
The ROM loaded up just fine, instantly obtained 4g signal with full bars and everything seemed pretty much good to go. About a half hour into it my signal indicator went to "Roaming". I figured it was just a glitch in the ROM not properly displaying the signal indicator as it should. My data was working fine, so I just assumed all was well. I switched the indicator to the text / dB style which showed a pretty constant "-72 / 80" It didn't come to me that I could not call or text for about two hours...
Needless to say, I tried to put the phone on "CMDA only" "EVDO only" and pretty much any combination besides "GSM only" in the Phone Information section after dialing *#*#4636#*#*. I tried turning the radio off an on. Still nothing would work....so I dirty flashed SlimBean over itself. Didn't work, flashed the following ROM-
Beans' Stock ROM (Odexed)
Loaded up fine, had 4g but still couldn't call. I tried flashing the CM 10.1 ROM as well with the same problem. When I got home I put the phone in download mode and flashed the stock image (link) hoping that it would solve my problem. It didn't.
I'm currently sitting here as stock as I'm aware I can be with no working voice / text on my radio. Data works fine, as does everything else. My IMEI matches what is on the label under the battery. Everything looks normal to me except the IMEISV which currently reads "00".
I'm not too worried about this as of this moment as I know the SIM card is good, it works in my SIII and my other phones. I'm just not sure if this is a fixable problem or not.
Thanks,
-clay
Odin back to stock and go get your phone exchanged.
Solution
I'm glad to report that I did in fact manage to fix this problem. Hopefully this can help others.
*DISCLAIMER* - I am not claiming this is 100% full proof, nor am I able to explain why this worked.
However it may be useful to others....
After doing a bit of research I came to the conclusion that my EFS wasn't completely corrupt because I still had my IMEI intact on the phone. The best I could come up with was that my files / data for SIM card provisioning weren't correct / corrupt. Thus I tried the following:
1) Odin stock image.
2) Odin MD2 kernel and root via Motochopper.
3) Install Root Explorer and Terminal.
4) Copied my EFS folder and placed it elsewhere. (Never used this copy but could be useful somehow?)
5) Renamed EFS to something random. *Probably very dumb to do* Deemed necessary after some reading.
6) Phone rebooted into Factory Mode.
7) Executed the following command
Code:
su
echo -n ON >/eds/FactoryApp/factory mode
8) Rebooted Phone.
9) Odin Stock Image.
10) Odin MD2 kernel and root via Motochopper.
11) Flashed TWRP.
12) Boot recovery and run Fix Permissions.
13) Rebooted, powered down phone, pulled battery and SIM for about 10 minutes and then reinstalled SIM, powered on.
14) Odin stock MDK kernel back to phone.
To my surprise in a minute or so I locked on to a signal and could make calls / text. 4g was working as it was previously. I'm not sure if all steps are necessary but after a few attempts at various things, this method proved to work.
I'm back on SlimBean and everything seems to be working smoothly.
Glad you got it back up and running! Nice to see a community member work around and solve the issue. Many times a device ends up back to the carrier when all thats needed is a little trial and error with various fixes. Sure the carrier will replace the device, but this is why some carriers lock them down e.g. verizon/att.
nice job :good:
Glad you figured it out, but as an FYI, my IMEISV reads 00 and I have no issues, so this seems normal.

Camera unable to start

I recently rooted my One and had networking issues so i flashed this rom ( http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2266025 ) and after flashing though the networking issues were fixed it then had issues with the back and home buttons, as the phone did when i purchased it, so i located and installed the ota patch that tmobile had pushed to fix it, and there was an error installing it, but the buttons were fixed anyway, but now my camera app does not work, i can open it and see nothing but black, the apps buttons do not appear to respond and after some time i get a "unable to start camera: error. i cannot locate a apk or anything similar to try to reinstall the camera app, other apps i launch tell me "error accessing camera", any help would be appreciated
Update: just discovered, the light does not work either
fixed issue by flashing a different rom and flashing back
i had the same problem
I never actually solved it though. It happened when a replacement was already on the way so i didn't bother trying to fix it. I did research a little and came across a few people that said a bad kernel flash could cause this. I was running the stock kernel and stock rom, and it was working just fine before the OTA so i figuered it was probably a hardware issue. If i were you i would try flashing another kernel. If doesnt work call up tmo and they will probably send you a replacement(you can also contact them through the live chat the on the website, much more convenient in my opinion). I had blown speaker and they didnt even ask about unlocking the bootloader or root, i assume it is because it was clearly a hardware issue. If you figure it out, please share.

Solve Display init failures by Android update?

Dear Experts,
Months ago my 2y old XZU on 4.4.4 (6833, towel rooted, locked, CWM recovery) started to fail on init of LCD, when coming out of standby. LCD init not only fails when device gets waked up by "power" button, but also when power is applied (Dock connector or USB). So I guess in fact it is a firmware issue (not a defective power button or the like).
It gets worse and worse; when device is warm it sometimes needs 30 or more off/on cycles.
When LCD init fails, the screen either stays black (only backlight) or colored lines show up shortly and fade away. But in fact the device is running - only LCD is not working.
But when init is successful, the XZU can run nicely for hours (as navi).
I hope that a android FW update might help!?
Unfortunately OTA doesn't seem to work on routed devices even with still locked boot loader.
Is there a way to update directly to 5.1.1 available now? Is it possible to update in two steps?
I would not mind to loose root, but loosing the possibility to write to external SDCARD!
Any help/ideas? THANKS A LOT!
Thomas
Sounds like SOD, or Sleep Of Death. The Ultra had some issues with it back on Jelly Bean, but I hardly read about it being an issue on KitKat, but yeah, it's probably a software issue, so an update to 5.1.1 might just cure it. You have a couple of options here:
1. Update the official way by installing Sony's PC Companion app on your computer and updating it that way
2. Update it in a little less official way by updating it manually yourself with Flashtool on your computer
3. Update by flashing a customized version through a recovery system on your device (like CWM or TWRP)
I would personally update it through PC Companion if I were you, since I guess you're not that technical when it comes to flashing and troubleshooting things. PC Companion should notify you about the update as soon as you plug your Ultra to your computer. If it notifies you about the 5.0.2 update, then I guess you'll have to update to 5.0.2 first, and then you'll be able to update to 5.1.
Flashtool allows you to manually download a FTF, or the ROM file from XDA and then flash it yourself. It's a lot quicker than PC Companion, but also a lot more complicated for people who haven't used it before.
Flashing through a recovery is mainly for people who already are used to flashing and stuff like that, and know what they're (mostly) doing.
Any other questions?
Thanks for your very valuable hints!!!
I'm really curious if it will work with PC comp (vs. OTA) and if I will loose write access to SDRAM (introduced in Android 4.4 and regained by root and SDFix).
Currently the download is running..
Will post results
zamzon said:
Thanks for your very valuable hints!!!
I'm really curious if it will work with PC comp (vs. OTA) and if I will loose write access to SDRAM (introduced in Android 4.4 and regained by root and SDFix).
Currently the download is running..
Will post results
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OTA will only tell you to connect to the computer to update. And regarding SD-card, that won't be an issue. Android will ask you to grant permission to the SD-card in some cases, but I haven't had any issues with it. Most if not all file explorers works just fine, and you won't experience any issues with the SD-card.
The update worked (no error on PC), but device seemed dead afterwads
After a reset and numerous power off/on cycles, the LCD init worked and I could see the result. :laugh:
Root was gone, of course. Recovery system and write access to SDCARD, too. Therefore Sygic app (navi), which had been moved to ext. SDCard. could not run anymore and moved itself to .android again.
But worst of all: the init of LCD now works even more seldom!
It does not even work when device has been shut down before, cooled down and is then switched on.
As far as I read, the SOD is different, cause my device in fact is "awake". It runs fine - only LCD is not working and not displaying anything.
I have no idea how to fix this. I can not imagine any hardware defect, causing such behavior (and I designed embeded systems with gfx controllers, myself).
Thomas
zamzon said:
The update worked (no error on PC), but device seemed dead afterwads
After a reset and numerous power off/on cycles, the LCD init worked and I could see the result. :laugh:
Root was gone, of course. Recovery system and write access to SDCARD, too. Therefore Sygic app (navi), which had been moved to ext. SDCard. could not run anymore and moved itself to .android again.
But worst of all: the init of LCD now works even more seldom!
It does not even work when device has been shut down before, cooled down and is then switched on.
As far as I read, the SOD is different, cause my device in fact is "awake". It runs fine - only LCD is not working and not displaying anything.
I have no idea how to fix this. I can not imagine any hardware defect, causing such behavior (and I designed embeded systems with gfx controllers, myself).
Thomas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But that does sound like a hardware issue. The final thing you can do, before you'll have to send it in for repairs, or get a new device, is to do a full factory resetting and see if that finally helps. You just updated now, but there's still a lot of crap left over from the previous version, that might screw things up.
So my advice would be to do a wipe, check if it help, and if not either send it in for repairs or get a new device. It's not a software issue if the issue travels over several OS versions with you. It may be a faulty display connector.

[SOLVED] S9+ Fails to Unlock After Latest Pie OTA Update

Hey all,
My phone updated today and ever since I cannot move past the initial lock screen. When unlocked, the UI appears to crash and send me back to the lock screen. My pin code works for turning the phone off, restarting the phone and putting it into emergency mode, which indicates some sort of UI crash.
Because this is a new account I can't post a link to a video of the issue directly, but the YouTube video code is: 8ZhlH-Tt-NU
I have tried the standard fixes like wiping the cache partition and booting into safe mode, but these don't seem to make any difference. Unfortunately I never logged into my Samsung account on this device, so their 'Find My Mobile' service is not an option. I am however signed into my Google account on the device and it does have wifi/network enabled.
The phone is running PPR1.180610.011/G965FXXU2CSA8
On the phones internal memory is a bunch of photos from a recent trip to Japan, I'm a fool for not backing these up sooner but I would hate to lose them.
Has anybody experienced anything like this before, and is there any way for me to get back into the phone, or atleast recover the photos that I took?
Thanks!
Edit:
One potential route out of this I can see is sideloading the same or a subsequent OTA update using ADB to hopefully fix the issue. Unfortunately despite some digging I can't find any updates that will allow installation from: PPR1.180610.011/G965FXXU2CSA8
If anybody has any information on this specific firmware version (Is it beta 3? beta 4? ect.), its installation path and where files relating to it may be listed/hosted it would be appreciated. Also how disasterous would it be to take a mismatched OTA upgrade and modify the metadata to allow it to be sideloaded onto the phone? I assume this would almost certainly break the OS completely but I'm not too sure.
You can try to flash your firmware again with ODIN, but with the HOME_CSC (Important!)
profi_fahrer said:
You can try to flash your firmware again with ODIN, but with the HOME_CSC (Important!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply Profi I had no idea using HOME_CSC would retain user data. I have tried flashing a few different versions of Pie (wish HOME_CSC) using Odin but with no luck, every time the phone boots I have the same problem. Do you know if there is a sure way to downgrade to Oreo while retaining user data? I have seen a few posts of people attemping this and getting stuck in bootloops, eventually requrining them to factory reset.
To give a final update on this. I attempted the Oreo downgrade, upon reboot the phone was stuck in a bootloop so I updated to Pie again. When the phone booted I tried the pin code as quickly as I could, and after some glitchy graphics on the screen it unlocked. From here I turn on the stay awake while plugged in feature in the developer options and managed to transfer all my data over to PC.
I don't believe it was the firmware changes that actually made any difference, because any further attempts to put my pin in, to remove the pin code for example, failed and cause the same crashing behaviour.
All data is recovered, I have factory reset the phone and all appears to be behaving as normal again. If anybody stumbles upon this with the same issue, all hope is not lost, but unfortunately I was unable to determine a realiable way to overcome it. It seems in this case it was just dumb luck.
Thanks for the assistance.

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