[Q] i9500 S4 won't boot - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi,
Details of phone: Galaxy S4 i9500, Network is Three (UK), 16GB External Micro SD card, phone is not rooted and is running on stock OS.
I have owned the phone brand new since the end of August.
Last night the battery of my S4 went flat and the phone died (I didn't have a charger on me).
This morning when I stuck it on charge and after letting it go for about 10mins, the phone displayed the Galaxy text as usual, then the Three logo and blue LED as usual, but then it vibrated and rebooted itself and would do so continuously unless I held the power down.
I have tried letting it fully charge as well as removing the battery for over an hour, but when I power on, the same problem persists.
I went into Android system recovery; rebooting from there results in the same effect and an error appears before powering off when I try clearing the cache.
What can I do? It has not been like this for over 24 hours.
I don't want to factory reset in case that doesn't fix the problem either and it's all for nothing.
Thanks in advance for any answers.

Well, the next logical step is a factory reset.

dinci5 said:
Well, the next logical step is a factory reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your response, I have considered that, but like I said "I don't want to factory reset in case that doesn't fix the problem either and it's all for nothing".
There must be another solution. I'm going to try installing the last update through Kies.

Could be that the battery has crapped out. Do you have access to another? I haven't tried this, but can you power it on with just the USB connected (without battery)?

My guess is your battery is dead.

Ok, I have solved the problem, however not the most ideal way.
I ran the 'Emergency Upgrade and Initialisation' on Samsung Kies, this requires you to put the phone in download mode.
It is basically a factory reset to the latest update and on first try, the phone works fine again.
I did read elsewhere however that a lot of people experiencing the same problem tried swapping the stock (apparently defective) battery with a new one and this fixed the issue as well without having to go through a reset.
I may get a new battery just in case this happens again so I can swap it.
Anyway, thanks for the responses guys.

Related

Samsung Focus hangs at logo.

I updated to mango a few days ago, and today my phone randomly turned off, and now it hangs at the samsung logo. The only way to power on the device is to remove and slip in the battery. Also, I've tried all soft and hard resets, formatting, nothing works. Never had an SD card, had the Focus for 2 months.
johngentile said:
I updated to mango a few days ago, and today my phone randomly turned off, and now it hangs at the samsung logo. The only way to power on the device is to remove and slip in the battery. Also, I've tried all soft and hard resets, formatting, nothing works. Never had an SD card, had the Focus for 2 months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Something must've gone wrong. Something similar happened to me, you can try re-flashing (that also means you have to start from scratch: reinstall every app and make sure you sync ALL your media).
Read my story here.
Wanted to bump a thread since I have a similar problem. I attempted to run the CAB uploaded with the latest OEM updates for the Focus. The phone went into download mode, uploaded the cabs. Once it rebooted it started flashing the Samsung logo, 2 seconds, Samsung logo again.
The download mode flashed quickly and resets back to the Samsung logo. I suspect something went bad with the bootloaded/etc. Since I can't get into download mode with the key combo (the screen flashes triangle for split second and resets), would getting a JIG help at all in this scenario? Or should I consider selling it for scrap?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I don't think it's the bootloader.
You should try the jig, it's just a few bucks.
Sounds like a plan, does any Samsung microusb JIG work for this purpose? Almost all the ones one ebay state Galaxy series, etc.
I bought one for Galaxy S (I9000) and it did the job. There are also a few how-tos with cables and resistors on the forum, if you search, but I'd go for the jig, it's a few bucks...
Well, the JIG didn't work. It flashed the Samsung logo for a second and then resets, the cycle repeats endlessly. I guess its time to put it up for parts of fleabay. Sad
Thanks for the help though.

[Q] Defy Won't Boot, Options Exhausted: You Are My Last Resort.

I originally posted this over on the MotorolaDefy.com forums, but it seems to be pretty dead, so I'm going to quote over my post and then update it with what I have tried since.
Generally, I don't like to post on forums asking for assistance, I know how many repeat problems you guys probably have to read, but I don't know what else to do at this point. I've had my Defy running Cyanogen Mod for months, and earlier today I noticed the Wifi wasn't connecting properly, so I rebooted it. Lo and behold, it became stuck at the Cyanogen Mod screen, it might have something to do with me installing BusyBox earlier in the day. In anycase, I followed this guide: (link removed, since this is my first post - not really important since I figured out the McGyver trick) to attempt to fix the problem. Now the phone won't boot at all, I can't even get to the boot loader screen. RSD Lite still recognizes the phone when it is plugged in, and the white light still comes on when it is charging. I'm scared ****less to take any further actions without input from somebody with more experience. I have to head out to work now, but I wanted to post this before I left. If anybody has a solution to my problem (and I'd be grateful), then I'll attempt it in a few hours. All I'm trying to do is reset it to factory default so that I may reload Cyanogen Mod onto it. The phone worked beautifully up until this point. I am on Telus and I live in Canada, if that is at all relevant. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, since then, I've gotten my screen working again, I had to use the McGyver trick (gypsy-rigged usb cable to the contacts of the battery) to jump start the bootloader, and I managed to flash in the Froyo 2.2, 3.4.2-179 sbf. It ran! Thank god in heaven! But... it got stuck at the T-Mobile logo consistently. Next, I tried flashing in Froyo 2.2, 3.4.2-177 sbf. Again, it miraculously boots but it hangs at the pulsing Motorola logo.
That brings me to where I am currently, which is; I have absolutely no idea what to do next. All I want is to get my Defy up and running with a stable version of Cyanogen Mod again. It ran flawlessly before and I loved my phone, best phone I've ever had. I'm stressing out pretty hard, and I've tried all I can find on the internet. Please, XDA, help me!
Edit: I doubt this is relevant, but more information can't hurt, so I'll add that my Defy is one of the newer ones with the red-lense.
Have you remembered to wipe data and cache (factory reset) in stock recovery?^^
If you still have that data from when you ran cm7, and you're trying to boot stock, it could prevent you from booting! Happened to me once and i just couldn't see what the problem was! Really annoying.
That sounds like it could be the issue, you're supposed to be able to do that by holding volume down while powering it up, correct? Because that doesn't seem to do anything for me.
Not working? Strange. Hold volume down before pressing power button and keep it pressed untill you se a warning triangle. Then hit both volume keys to enter the recovery. Still not working?
Sorry, I should have been more specific, I can get to the little Android guy and exclamation mark, but when I touch the bottom right corner, no menu comes up. I've never actually had to access the stock recovery before, Cyanogen made it so simple. Am I supposed to be doing something other than tapping the screen?
Update: Google is my friend. I found a suggestion that I hit the up and down volume buttons at the same time, and the menu appeared! I wiped the cache and all the use data (important stuff is on a memory card anyway, I'll just have to get my contacts back). I did get an error, reading: "E:Can't mount CACHE:recovery/log". I rebooted the system regardless and IT BOOTED!
Thanks for pointing me down the right path, I owe you and this forum a great debt!
I'm now going to charge this bad boy back to full before I attempt to reload Cyanogen. (Since having wires hang out the back is starting to get old.)
I managed to short out something doing the McGyver trick, because I'm getting the question mark battery problem. Hopefully it's an issue with the battery and not the phone. I'm incredibly disappointed, the phone is fairly new and I loved it, and don't have the money to drop replacing it since there are more urgent things to attend to. I guess all I can do is hope for the best.
As of now, it won't even boot. I'm going to try the battery in a friends phone and his in mine to try to identify the problem.
Lunk23 said:
I'm going to try the battery in a friends phone and his in mine to try to identify the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always recommend THIS solution over the McGyver method. Defy is farely often owned phone, so guys... first of all, don't let the battery drain completely; second - if this happens, don't rush into jump starting it. Try all other options first, ask somebody to recharge your battery and don't do McGyver, unless you've run out of other options.
Now try connecting your phone to the wall charger and don't try to start it for at least an hour. I've had plenty of cases when brand new Defy, Defy+ or Atrix, that have never been rooted, leave alone jump started, show the battery with "?" in it when battery drains completely and takes some thirty minutes or so of charging until the phone is able to start again.
Good luck, my friend!
I had made this. .... just in case it can help you
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1551472

[Q]reboots i9505

Hi i have an s4 i9505.
It was bought from someone else so i cant go back to the store so i hope some people here can help me.
I flashed a GE rom on the phone and it got random reboots so i reflashed it to stock. It worked for 2 days and did a lot of reboots to test if it keept working. After those 2 days i wanted to insert another sim so i first rebooted to check if it still worked and it dit then i turned it off. I inserted the new sim (witch requires to pull the battery). I tried to boot it and it came to the unlock screen and even before i touched it it rebooted. It was stuck in this reboot loop.
The weird thing is that the more reboots toke place the shorter they took to get to a reboot. So the first time i got to lock screen after 2 times i didn't. Better said after 20 reboots it even rebooted in the startup sound. Now if i plug battery insert it again it does the same. If i leave the battery out for some time and put it back in it will boot again to lock screen (sometimes i can use it for 5 min before a reboot).
I already had done a new flash of stock firmware and also flashed cm10.2, cm11, GE4.4 and some more roms they all have the same problem.
I already replaced battery and didn't help a bit.
I hope someone can help me and give me a direction i have to look into.
zeldalink said:
Hi i have an s4 i9505.
It was bought from someone else so i cant go back to the store so i hope some people here can help me.
I flashed a GE rom on the phone and it got random reboots so i reflashed it to stock. It worked for 2 days and did a lot of reboots to test if it keept working. After those 2 days i wanted to insert another sim so i first rebooted to check if it still worked and it dit then i turned it off. I inserted the new sim (witch requires to pull the battery). I tried to boot it and it came to the unlock screen and even before i touched it it rebooted. It was stuck in this reboot loop.
The weird thing is that the more reboots toke place the shorter they took to get to a reboot. So the first time i got to lock screen after 2 times i didn't. Better said after 20 reboots it even rebooted in the startup sound. Now if i plug battery insert it again it does the same. If i leave the battery out for some time and put it back in it will boot again to lock screen (sometimes i can use it for 5 min before a reboot).
I already had done a new flash of stock firmware and also flashed cm10.2, cm11, GE4.4 and some more roms they all have the same problem.
I already replaced battery and didn't help a bit.
I hope someone can help me and give me a direction i have to look into.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about the connector pins on the battery? Does one of them look like it's bent in so that it might not be making good contact all the time?
Do a factory reset and install my real AOSP http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2397511, it will solve your problems guaranteed
broodplank1337 said:
Do a factory reset and install my real AOSP http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2397511, it will solve your problems guaranteed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it was already on there and even at that rom it keeps randomly rebooting (mostly in the bootup sequence)
Skipjacks said:
How about the connector pins on the battery? Does one of them look like it's bent in so that it might not be making good contact all the time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the battery pins look al good.
okay the problem is resolved for now i replaced the battery again with another one and that one still works even after a few reboots and battery pulls the other 2 batterys are both dead so thanks for all the help

[Solved] My Blade got a weird brick. Nothing seems to work.

Well I just got myself in a really weird situation. I will try to be as descriptive as possible about what I did wrong. My Blade was flashed with "Eco CM7 - A minimalist cm7 build" and it was working just fine until today I tried to install INT2EXTV2+ The flashing hanged at the point where it was asking me if I wanted SWAP or not and nothing would work even if I kept choosing NO! Ever since then I tried to install that my phone will just not turn on if I push the power button. BUT, if I connect the USB cable and hold the power button, the phone will power on.
I have tried formating and re installing the rom I was using and also I tried reflashing Via windows with TPT which worked just fine but even if I did so, the problem still remains. As soon as I unplug the usb the phone goes off as if the battery is dead, even if the indicator shows the battery is full. Also if I let it boot, as soon as the screen shows a glimpse of the android UI, the phone reboots.
Does anyone have any idea what I can do and what I did?
-EDIT-
After leaving it for a whole day (14 hours) to rest with the battery off and then putting the battery back on and trying to turn it on, it did. I am glad it is still alive. I still do not get what happened to it.

[Q] Galaxy S4 just died out of nowhere?

So, long story short, my GS4 just froze up and shut off on me this morning while checking out Facebook on the phone, and now it won't turn on no matter what I do.
Removing the battery and holding the power button for a few minutes partly resolves my issue, as I am then able to actually power on the phone, but then it just gets stuck on the GS4 logo and doesn't boot into the actual system. I was also able to get into Download mode at one point, but I wasn't sure about flashing new firmware from there since my phone is rooted and has a custom recovery installed, and maybe that will interfere with the installation.
Anybody got some input on this? I am kinda freaking out here, would really love it if I could fix this thing without taking it to an overpriced shop, who maybe wouldn't even accept it due to it's 'modified firmware'.
BamBamBam. said:
So, long story short, my GS4 just froze up and shut off on me this morning while checking out Facebook on the phone, and now it won't turn on no matter what I do.
Removing the battery and holding the power button for a few minutes partly resolves my issue, as I am then able to actually power on the phone, but then it just gets stuck on the GS4 logo and doesn't boot into the actual system. I was also able to get into Download mode at one point, but I wasn't sure about flashing new firmware from there since my phone is rooted and has a custom recovery installed, and maybe that will interfere with the installation.
Anybody got some input on this? I am kinda freaking out here, would really love it if I could fix this thing without taking it to an overpriced shop, who maybe wouldn't even accept it due to it's 'modified firmware'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if it boot into recovery, factory reset your phone and wipe cache, it's a painful solution but it's functional.., I've had the same issue on another Samsung phone and that fixed it, also I don't think flashing stock rom would interfere with anything, you can try that as well.

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