Root [International] HTC One Stuck in Safe Mode

[ChrisH76]

Morning All

After coming home froma run last night in which I was steaming music via Soundcloud and was using the Nike+ App, at the end of my run I had problems pausing the music stream as well as sliding the bar on the Nike+ App too signify the end of my run. After the phone just appeared to freeze for a couple of minutes it closed down all the apps I had open but it had put my phone into safe mode!
No 3rd Party apps are listed in my Apps folder or are listed as widgets. Play store tells me they are all installed though.

As per usual, I've looked throught this plus numerous other forums to search for an answer. I 've tried all of the various combinations listed for restarting of which I have tried at least 10 different ways. Holding down power & + volume etc etc etc........

Have done a factory reset, it's still in safe mode.
Don't know if it's relevant but my volume buttons no longer work either, I haver to adjust sound through settings.

Really have no idea what to do now and it's killing me not having full access to all my 3rd party apps!

I'm on UK 3 network and I'm not rooted.

I really hope you guys can help.

Thanks for listening.

Cheers
Chris

 

[marctronixx]

i would think doing a successful factory reset would return the phone back to factory status. are you certain you did a complete factory reset? what steps did you take to do the factory reset?

if you are using a screen protector or case, remove those from the equation.

Chalk this up to another "glitch" that can't properly be explained or diagnosed well over the internet.

I recommend doing another factory reset. if the phone still acts up, take it in for service. at the least you have a manufacturer warranty.

 

[ChrisH76]

I'm absolutely certain I did a factory reset;

Option-Backup & Reset, Done a backup-Reset Phone-ok.

I dont use a case or screen protetctor.
Will try it again, but I think you may be right, my phone going to have to take a trip back to the wonderful people at HTC who were so helpful(not) in fixing my battery drain issue!!

Re done the factory reset and unfortunately I'm still in safe mode, aaaaggghhhhhhh!!!!!!

Cheers

 

[marctronixx]

At this point if it is still not behaving normally, a trip to the shop is in order.

a factory reset cures 99.98% of all woes.. but that pesky .02% is super super rare in that a reset will not bring the phone back...

anything could have caused this.. its really difficult to fully get a handle over the internet.

 

[PyroSporker]

It sounds like your Volume button is stuck in the up or down position. Which is maybe why you are only booting into Safe Mode? And possibly why you cannot adjust the volume of the device except through menus? However, changing the volume should be undone immediately and changed again by the pressed in button...

A hardware malfunction would persist beyond a software reset.

And, if the button is permanently pressed in or malfunctioning the phone should boot into the bootloader prior to going into Safe Mode... Maybe fast boot bypasses the boot loader because the phone does not fully shut down?

Have you seen the stock bootloader screen yet? It is all white with 3 'Andy' Android mascots riding on skateboards.

Thanks Engadget for photo hosting
On the bootloader screen the volume button are used to navigate the menu, and could be used to test if the button functions or not.

You can also go into your phone dialer, like you are calling someone, and instead Dial *#*#3424#*#* (3424=DIAG) to access HTC's Diagnostic Test. (I can confirm this should work in Safe Mode as well as regular mode)
Press 'Accept' when prompted. Within this menu select 'Button Test'. On screen you should see an arrow next to every physical button, and when the button is pressed the arrow should disappear. Pressing them all completes the test.

Did you have any accessories plugged in (headphones, external battery pack) or Bluetooth paired (earpiece, headphones, etc.) with the phone when the malfunction took place?

Either way you are likely going to end up in your local phone shop, like Marc is saying. You might be able to absolutely confirm that the button/s is/are not functioning if you can get into the bootloader screen or Diagnostic Test.

 

[ChrisH76]

Thanks Pyro, very useful Information.

I have saw that bootlaoder screen, only once mind, but when I saw it I selected Factory Reset but the up/down volume buttons were very laggy and unresponsive"
Managed o get to the Button test and it does confirm that my Volume down button isn't working.
I did have a set of headphones in when I first discovered this issue. This issue witht the headphones not working didn't put the phone in safe mode though as I was still able to listen to Soundcloud whilst I finished my run. It wasn't until I got home and tried to stop Soundcloud and complete the syncing of my run that safe mode suddenly appeaered.

I have rec'da OTA update that is 1.47MB for V5. I'm currently on 4.2.2 v5. software 2.24.771.3. Should I apply this whilst in safe mode?

I also came across this rooting tool that's available for the HTC One. Do you think rooting though this method may fix the issue.
Kingo Android ROOT Offers One-Click Rooting For Several Devices

Or is it the dreaded last option of HTC repairs?

Thanks again

Cheers.

 

[marctronixx]

There is a rooting sub forum and if you want to delve into that, we can move this discussion there.

It is possible rooting may be beneficial, but please make sure you know the PROs and CONs of rooting.

the last option is sending the unit in for service.

 

[ChrisH76]

Thanks

Can you ove to the rooting forum for me please? Have read pretty extensively on rooting but the link I suggested also has one click un-root should the one click rooting process not work
What do you think about doing the update, before rooting?


I really want to try to exhaust all options before sending back as I've already had my phone at HTC for repair and they were as much use a choclate tea pot!""""

Cheers

 

[marctronixx]

rooting can be a fun experience but it cam make things worse , but it seems like you have a good head start on things. member Hadron and Pyro are two really good resources of rooting.

since you are across the pond its daytime for you and nighttime for us here. Hadron is on that side of the world and he may see this and can offer some help.

 

[ChrisH76]

Perfect, thanks Marc.
Fingers crossed your guys can help.

Cheers

 

[Hadron]

I think the question I'd ask before rooting is what you plan to do with root?

If this is a hardware problem, such as a broken/stuck button, then no software modification will fix it. Rooting by itself won't change anything, but it might give you more options for working around a broken button if you choose not to get it fixed. However, as you've seen booting while pressing a button can put you into special modes, and as that happens before Android is started, modifying the android ROM (which is what root does) won't change that behaviour, in which case my guess is that you'll still end up in safe mode.

So it's your phone, but if this is a hardware fault (and if a reset didn't fix it then that's the most likely thing) then I'd personally get it fixed first and worry about root later. To be sure there are no debates about your warranty you'd want to unroot and return to stock before sending it in, so why go to the hassle of rooting only to unroot?

If you do want to root, Scotty has written a detailed guide to our normal rooting methods: http://androidforums.com/international-one-all-things-root/720478-htc-one-root-thread.html. You won't be able to use the exact method I used because if you are on 4.2.2 already then the tool I used (revone) will no longer work, but the HTCDev (official) unlock described in Scotty's thread still does. However, if you do that they will be able to tell that the phone has been modified.

As for the tool you link, it's interesting but the description of what it does isn't very detailed. My guess is that it's probably easier to undo completely than the official unlock, but is a much more limited form of rooting than we'd normally do. I say that because a key tool for rooters is a custom recovery, which let's you modify or replace ROMs and, most importantly, take full system backups, and from what I can find on the tool provider's site I suspect that that tool does not install one, just modifies the current ROM to add root to it.

Bottom line, if that tool works to root it will probably work to unroot, so you could probably use it to investigate whether it actually helps. But no promises, because I've never seen that tool before, and if you were interested in rooting for the reasons most are then I think I'd recommend using other methods instead. I certainly wouldn't root without a plan for what you want to do afterwards, because root by itself won't fix anything, just gives you the option to do other things you couldn't otherwise have done.

Sorry if that all sounds a bit negative. It's just that much as I am a fan of rooting myself, I'm reluctant to recommend it if I suspect the problem is hardware.

 

[PyroSporker]

Just like Hadron said, Rooting won't fix a physical hardware problem just provide a possible workaround. It certainly sounds like hardware issue to me. I'm assuming you've tried carefully cleaning the buttons and ensuring they aren't stuck under the chassis edges? Ensured the plastic pieces are firmly applying to the small button actuators underneath?

(I've really only rooted one device, and after rooting I installed a stock Sense ROM based off a new OTA that would've made rooting later more difficult. Rooting was just my forced path to leave options open for later. I set it and forgot it. )

Are the headphones/speakers powered, or have a built in amplifier? I asked because of the rare but plausible possibility of an electrical short that could have been sent into the device via the headset connection. The headset and volume button actuators are on the same daughterboard within the HTC One. Though an electrical short would have likely just fried the circuits and both buttons likely wouldn't work at all.

I know things are a bit different on the other side of the Atlantic there, but...
Did you purchase the device directly from HTC or through a local retailer/service carrier?
I know that HTC handles warranty claims for many of the localized retailers/carriers, especially outside of the local retailers purchase/return period, but I'd check with wherever you purchased the phone from about possible local repair/refurbish/exchange before succumbing and sending it back to HTC. Many places will just refer you direct to HTC, but if you stick up for yourself you may be able to gain some traction in a live setting rather than calling some call center and shipping the device off for weeks.

 

[ChrisH76]

Gents

I really do appreciate all your comments/suggestions but I think the long and short of it is that it needs to go back to HTC. It's getting collected today, so I'm hopeful of getting it back sometime before 2014..........

I don't trust the helpdesk at HTC (through prior experience) soo i have writen them a detailed report on what it is that's wrong and told them in no uncertain terms what I'm looking for.

I fear this process may go on for some time!!

Once agfain thanks for your help.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Hadron]

You may be lucky. I had one experience last year of HTC repairing a phone with a clearly identifiable problem and it was back and fixed in a week.

Fingers crossed

 

[elysium]

I'm in the same boat with my HTC One.
Is there a way to get Android OS to allow 3rd party apps to operate within safe mode? If there is a work around, I can live with safe mode.