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Help Need Help with Random Reboots

cgwaters

Newbie
Dec 21, 2010
32
2
On another forum, someone suggested that the frequent reboots may be the result of certain installed applications being incompatible with Jelly Bean. What does everyone here think of that theory? I would hope that the OS would be more robust that that. If true, however, and with so many dozens of installed applications, how could someone realistically identify the culprit(s)?

It's probably just because I have so many applications installed but I notice that after *every* time my GN reboots, at least one application update will have auto-installed. (It's always a different app.) Is that significant? Could the pending installs be somehow causing the frequent reboots? Prior to my GN, I used an HTC Incredible--running Eclair and then Froyo, I think. In any case, with that device/OS, there was some kind of a limited pool for applications; once that threshold was reached, frequent reboots were an acknowledged problem. Could something similar be at work with the GN and/or Jelly Bean?
 
D'oh! I just realized the original poster didn't mention whether his device is experiencing frequent spontaneous reboots.

Although occasional sluggishness is a problem, the near daily unexpected reboots are what I'm trying to resolve.

Perhaps I should start a new thread, re-posting my details.
 
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Please note the following reply on the VZW Why Does My Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Jelly Bean Randomly Reboot? thread:

Sounds like you got a corrupt OTA download, specifically an issue with the kernel loading correctly. What is happening is basically this: The software that controls and governs your processor is gunked up with bad code because it didn't write correctly on the initial install, so it will run inconsistently and can't always manage the workload that it is receiving. When that happens, it basically overloads the processor and causes certain fail-safes built into Android to kick in and tell the phone to reboot before it damages itself. It also affects memory management, and is probably causing other issues that may not be obvious to you as the user. Other signs are extremely poor battery life, force-closing on apps, and random reception issues/degrades.

Go to the store, have them back up your data, and fully wipe/reinstall the OTA image (they have the software tools and the training to do so - or *should*, at least). Should fix the issue.

Downloading files OTA is always a risk...those 1's and 0's can get mixed up once in a while. A factory reset wouldn't work because you don't overwrite your kernel or the ROM that was installed, you just wipe user data. If user data being cleared didn't reset the issue, it's not an app - it's the operating system or a component thereof.

I've never heard of a corrupt OTA causing frequent and random reboots...nor that performing a factory data reset could be a waste of time in trying to resolve the problem. What do you think?
 
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Sometimes downloads don't download every single bit, which could lead to the corruption in the ota. It happens a lot with ROM flashers which is why we check the md5s against the devs to see if it is a complete download. These easiest solution to fix this corruption would be to flash the factory image that Google provides which will wipe the device clean and put a fresh install of everything.
 
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Sometimes downloads don't download every single bit, which could lead to the corruption in the ota. It happens a lot with ROM flashers which is why we check the md5s against the devs to see if it is a complete download. These easiest solution to fix this corruption would be to flash the factory image that Google provides which will wipe the device clean and put a fresh install of everything.

Thanks for the reply. I have a Verizon/LTE device -- so I (don't believe I) can flash the factory image that Google provides, can I? Is this something I need to take to my local VZW store -- and hope they know what they're doing?
 
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Thanks for the reply. I have a Verizon/LTE device -- so I (don't believe I) can flash the factory image that Google provides, can I? Is this something I need to take to my local VZW store -- and hope they know what they're doing?

Yes, you can download the 4.1.1 factory image from google. The easiest way if you don't feel comfortable doing it manually through the command line is through Wug's Nexus Toolkit. If you haven't yet, download and install that. After that, follow it's tutorial to install the ADB/Fastboot drivers. Once both drivers are installed correctly, you can use the option to return to stock/unroot and that will reflash a factory image.
 
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Nope, there is no such restrictions. In fact, the Verizon Gnex is the most unrestricted device Verizon has launched in the last year. All you need is the drivers installed correctly, the correct factory image, which the toolkit will provide, and about 10-15 minutes of time. Toolkit will take care of everything.

Thanks, again. After daily (and sometimes multiple times per day) reboots, my phone has been stable since Saturday--so I haven't taken any action yet. I'm using the device as extensively as I ever have, including continuing to receive numerous application updates. Perhaps the threat of a factory data reset or re-flashing/re-setting of the ROM is making the device have second thoughts about rebooting. ;)

Here's another reply on the VZW thread:

I've done some research into the matter, and as best as I could tell, this issue is caused by apps that are not fully compatible with Jelly Bean. For example, the app Volume+ (which I had) did not work with JB and in fact would cause the phone to reboot. Note that this may not be the only cause for the phone rebooting. If anyone knows of any other apps that cause their phone with JB to reboot, please share.​

I asked about this at the beginning of the thread. Has anyone here experienced random reboots that were caused by incompatible applications? If so, how did you identify the offending application(s)?
 
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Here's another reply on the VZW thread:
I've done some research into the matter, and as best as I could tell, this issue is caused by apps that are not fully compatible with Jelly Bean. For example, the app Volume+ (which I had) did not work with JB and in fact would cause the phone to reboot. Note that this may not be the only cause for the phone rebooting. If anyone knows of any other apps that cause their phone with JB to reboot, please share.

had no issues with my old version of Volume+
 
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I knew it was too good to be true; my GN has started to spontaneously reboot again! So now I'm contemplating using Wug's Nexus Toolkit to re-install the factory image, as recommended earlier in the thread.

I would still appreciate knowing whether the problem could actually be an ill-behaved app. And after every reboot, the device is still immediately downloading and installing one or more updated apps -- which again makes me doubt that the problem has to do with the factory image.

Very frustrating!
 
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I'm having the rebooting issue too... I'm actually in the middle of a factory reset to see if that fixes the problem.

This isn't the only time it happens, but I notice a lot of the time after I plug in/unplug the phone to the AC charger (one that came with Nexus) it will reboot.

Since I'm factory resetting the phone anyway, I'm going to root it tonight. If the problem isn't solved soon, I'll go in for a replacement... but I'm tempted to try and get an SIII out of them instead of a replacement Nexus.
 
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I had an increase in random reboots recently. I brought my phone into the Verizon store. They replaced under extended warranty without a problem. Shipped me a new unit overnight.

How long had you had your original phone? I purchased mine the day it was released -- which is quickly coming up on one year. Just wondering whether my window to get a replacement is closing.
 
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I am also experiencing random reboots lately and they come in 2 varieties.
One is just a straight forward reboot.
The other is a fake reboot. I see the nexus X on the screen and it looks like its booting up. But after a minute or two it takes me right back to my home page instead of the lock SIM screen.

A few times it happened during app updates so I'm suspicious of the play store app.
Once it happened (fake reboot) while I was using powerAmp but I use poweramp a lot and it happened just once.
 
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Ok, this is getting ridiculous. I'm having at least 6 reboots a day lately. As I mentioned before, it seems to happen when I remove it from a charger, or when I turn the screen on or off suddenly. I did a factory restore and it didn't help. This never happened before the last update.

If it is an app, perhaps we should do some comparison. Here are some I have installed that may be causing the problem:

Go Launcher/Dialer/SMS/Contacts
Tasker
LightFlow
Lookout
Amazon App Store
 
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