How many people know about 'safe mode'?

[Big Calhoun]

Is this a common troubleshooting step for a lot of Android users or do you go right to the factory reset?

I do tech support for a carrier and along with the calls I get daily from frustrated Android users and some of the threads that I read in various forums, it just seems like this isn't a widely known or used option.

Personally, before I have someone do a factory reset, I always have them put in in safe mode. Only once has the original issue they called about reoccured while in safe mode, so out a replacement went.

Just seems so much easier to do a little self troubleshooting rather than calling up a carrier or ranting on a message board about how bad or faulty a device is. I'd hazard to guess that 95%+ of the issues these devices run into is due to end-user error.

 

[Todd M]

OK, I'll bite, primarily since you asked if anyone knew about it without telling anyone how to get to it...

How do you go into safe mode, and is it similar to Windows safe mode? What main troubleshooting can you do there prior to a reset?

 

[yojoe600]

i know about it but never use it

 

[NightAngel79]

I to would like to hear of the benefits/uses in detail. Please elaborate.

 

[Big Calhoun]

OK, I'll bite, primarily since you asked if anyone knew about it without telling anyone how to get to it...

How do you go into safe mode, and is it similar to Windows safe mode? What main troubleshooting can you do there prior to a reset?

I'd have to go back to work to get the exact instructions. It's been a feature on all Android phones we sell (I'd imagine it's a feature of Android, in general) and the button combination varies from model to model.

It is similar to a Windows Safe Mode -- allowing you to boot the device without loading any user-installed applications. Helps us to figure out whether a device needs to be replaced or if it's a user-installed app causing the issue. Most times, it is a user-installed app at the root cause of things.

Since the device still keeps are your user data and apps on the device, it's useful in determining if a factory reset could resolve the issue or if the device just needs to be replaced.

 

[Big Calhoun]

...and actually: Enable / disable safe mode - HTC DROID Incredible ADR6300

 

[Randino]

...and actually: Enable / disable safe mode - HTC DROID Incredible ADR6300

Thanks for the info Calhoun I'm sure this will be very helpful and save some folks lots of time. I'm also sure this is the first of many thanks you will receive, welcome to the Forums, great first post!

 

[Terabethia]

Running the phone is safe mode is great... if you are tech support or very knowledgable about the phone.

But having a typical user run safe mode for themselves isn't going to help 98% of people because they simply won't know what to do once they are there. Lets say they open in safe mode and discover everything runs great now.

Okay, that's wonderful. But now what are they supposed to do? They still don't know the real problem with their phone. They just now know it's not the OS. What good is that going to do them? Not much. From there they have to go back to normal mode and figure out what setting or app or whatever they have that causing the problem.


I do agree that it would be smart if Verizon actually troubleshooted phones with the customer in safe mode. But they don't. Probably because it is faster and easier (for them) to just have you do a reset. It sucks, but that's just the way it is. It's not much different than when you call up a computer tech support company and they have you do a system restore or fresh install. It's faster (aka - more cost effective) than truely troubleshooting the problem.

 

[NightAngel79]

Thanks Calhoun, thinking of moving this to the tips section but will wait for more users to comment on this to see if it helps them

 

[Big Calhoun]

Running the phone is safe mode is great... if you are tech support or very knowledgable about the phone.

But having a typical user run safe mode for themselves isn't going to help 98% of people because they simply won't know what to do once they are there. Lets say they open in safe mode and discover everything runs great now.

Okay, that's wonderful. But now what are they supposed to do? They still don't know the real problem with their phone. They just now know it's not the OS. What good is that going to do them? Not much. From there they have to go back to normal mode and figure out what setting or app or whatever they have that causing the problem.


I do agree that it would be smart if Verizon actually troubleshooted phones with the customer in safe mode. But they don't. Probably because it is faster and easier (for them) to just have you do a reset. It sucks, but that's just the way it is. It's not much different than when you call up a computer tech support company and they have you do a system restore or fresh install. It's faster (aka - more cost effective) than truely troubleshooting the problem.

To a certain degree, I agree it's an education issue. Not all of my peers may be aware that it is even an option. To get into that debate would be never-ending and probably have the MiB at my desk when I go back to the office. LOL.

I would, however, disagree that it's faster to just do a reset. At least for me, it's quicker to throw it in safe mode and retest the device than to do a full reset and walk them through programming, initial setup, the questions about their contacts coming back, questions about how do they recover there gmail password because they forgot it, etc...

I try to educate the customers that I help so they understand what we're doing and why we're doing it. Basically, I put it to them like this:

If the issue reoccurs while in safe mode, then it could indicate an issue with the device. We'll try a factory reset as the last resort and if we still can't get it clear, discuss replacement options.

If the issue goes away while in safe mode, then it's related to a third party application or service of some kind. At that point, I recommend that the person can uninstall each app, one by one, testing the phone along the way to see if the issue fixes itself. Or, they can do a master reset, and install apps, one by one, testing the phone along the way, to isolate the issue to the app that's causing the trouble.

 

[jayjay1122]

Thanks Calhoun, thinking of moving this to the tips section but will wait for more users to comment on this to see if it helps them

FWIW, I agree we should leave it here a while.

 

[Terabethia]

To a certain degree, I agree it's an education issue. Not all of my peers may be aware that it is even an option. To get into that debate would be never-ending and probably have the MiB at my desk when I go back to the office. LOL.

I would, however, disagree that it's faster to just do a reset. At least for me, it's quicker to throw it in safe mode and retest the device than to do a full reset and walk them through programming, initial setup, the questions about their contacts coming back, questions about how do they recover there gmail password because they forgot it, etc...

I try to educate the customers that I help so they understand what we're doing and why we're doing it. Basically, I put it to them like this:

If the issue reoccurs while in safe mode, then it could indicate an issue with the device. We'll try a factory reset as the last resort and if we still can't get it clear, discuss replacement options.

If the issue goes away while in safe mode, then it's related to a third party application or service of some kind. At that point, I recommend that the person can uninstall each app, one by one, testing the phone along the way to see if the issue fixes itself. Or, they can do a master reset, and install apps, one by one, testing the phone along the way, to isolate the issue to the app that's causing the trouble.

I would be so excited if the MiB visited me!!

I agree, Safe Mode is awsome. I have actually used it myself on my fiance's phone to figure out which stupid app he downloaded that was causing problems. (He has like 10 different "noises" apps, just to screw with people)

I am just saying, simply knowing how to get into safe mode isn't enough. You have to know what to look for once you are there. That's why it's not very helpful for the average user. People like us who do tech support for a living (or like many on this forum who are tech savvy in general) will find it very useful.

Verizon tech support is just lazy. I don't think it's their fault, it's simply that they are not real trained tech support. They have scripts and that's about it. They know what they know, and it isn't much. So for them, it's a lot easier to just say "here's how to factory reset your phone, once that's done you set it up the same way you did the first time." Most won't even get into the whole "backing up apps" and all that other jazz. They just say "redownload what you want" and then get off the phone with you.

Lazy. Pure lazy. But it is what it is. And that's why I take the time to just learn how to do it myself

Apparenly, you are one of the few good and decent ones out there who is willing to take the time to figure out the real problem for the customer. Most just blow them off with the easy route (aka - reset). Factory reset IS a lot faster (for them at least!) than sitting on the phone with a customer while they redo all their apps and try to figure out which one isn't playing nice.

 

[zemerick]

HAHA. Learn something new every day I did not know about it, and as a trouble-shooter I will love it!

Congratulations: You just received my first "thank" ever. The fact that I have over 300 posts should tell you how highly I actually hold that. I don't thank unless it actually directly helped me in a non-trivial manner. Major props!

 

[turbozombie]

Maybe it's my imagination but running it in safe mood has sped up the phone considerably. Lo and behold, all the stock crap isn't running. This is great! I may have to leave it like this until 2.2 is rooted