Weird System Message

[JDubbs]

Hello,

Phone: Galaxy Note 9
Android Version: 10
Software Version: N960USQU9FVG2
Kernel Version: 4.9.186
Rooted: No
Carrier: Verizon

Recently, my phone has randomly been displaying a weird system message in the bottom third of the screen. It is an Android system message bubble that just displays the numbers "304030001"

The interval is seemingly random. Doesn't seem to happen in particular apps but will happen in all of them. There are no sounds, or notifications that accompany it. It is not interactive and I have no idea what it is from. Nothing else seems to be wrong with the phone. Frequency is roughly 10-15 times per day based on the amount of times I observe it. I don't believe it is tied to the installation of any application as when I first saw it, nothing had changed. Nothing else seems

I will try and get a screen shot and post. I'd appreciate any insight into what is causing this.

As a side note: I was able to find this, here: https://docs.zegocloud.com/article/7082

If that is the cause, how do I fix it?

 

[ocnbrze]

have you tried just rebooting the phone? you can also try putting the phone in safe mode and see if it still occurs.

https://www.hardreset.info/devices/samsung/samsung-galaxy-note-9/safe-mode/

 

[JDubbs]

have you tried just rebooting the phone? you can also try putting the phone in safe mode and see if it still occurs.

https://www.hardreset.info/devices/samsung/samsung-galaxy-note-9/safe-mode/

Restarting has no effect. Full power down has no effect. Deep Cycling has no effect.

I have not tried safe mode. I will try that and report back.

 

[AugieTN]

If safe mode doesn't fix it, I would just do a factory reset and start fresh

 

[JDubbs]

If safe mode doesn't fix it, I would just do a factory reset and start fresh

have you tried just rebooting the phone? you can also try putting the phone in safe mode and see if it still occurs.

https://www.hardreset.info/devices/samsung/samsung-galaxy-note-9/safe-mode/

The hour or so I spent in safe mod does seem to fix it, but I obviously can't stay in safe mode forever.

If it does not happen in safe mode but does happen with a normal boot, what should I do to narrow it down further?

 

[olbriar]

Safe mode halts user installed apps. No error message while in safe mode indicates it is something you installed. If you can think of the time frame the error started and correlate that with an app you installed at that time... you might have your culprit. It is usually a task to find the app. AugieTN suggested a factory reset. That will eliminate all user installed apps. You can then reinstall them a few at a time until you get the error again. Either way... not a fun journey unless you have a clue what app was installed just prior to the error. If you decide to go the factory reset be certain to back up or cloud everything on your phone you do not want to lose. Good luck.

 

[Hadron]

The message seems pretty clear: "Zego whiteboard view error: init fail". So the question is what app do you have that might use the Zego collaborative whiteboard SDK?

(No, I'd never heard of Zego whiteboard until I saw this message. But as collaborative whiteboards are a feature of apps like Zoom or Teams, and it makes sense that if you are sharing a whiteboard you would want to discuss what you are sharing, the first place I'd look is any app with video call/conference capabilities.)

 

[JDubbs]

Safe mode halts user installed apps. No error message while in safe mode indicates it is something you installed. If you can think of the time frame the error started and correlate that with an app you installed at that time... you might have your culprit. It is usually a task to find the app. AugieTN suggested a factory reset. That will eliminate all user installed apps. You can then reinstall them a few at a time until you get the error again. Either way... not a fun journey unless you have a clue what app was installed just prior to the error. If you decide to go the factory reset be certain to back up or cloud everything on your phone you do not want to lose. Good luck.

Thank you, is there any way to view an app list and sort it by install date much like a windows program listing in the windows control panel?

The message seems pretty clear: "Zego whiteboard view error: init fail". So the question is what app do you have that might use the Zego collaborative whiteboard SDK?

(No, I'd never heard of Zego whiteboard until I saw this message. But as collaborative whiteboards are a feature of apps like Zoom or Teams, and it makes sense that if you are sharing a whiteboard you would want to discuss what you are sharing, the first place I'd look is any app with video call/conference capabilities.)

Fair point, but the actual error message is slightly different. That Zego Whiteboard view error is the closest I could find. This is a cropped screenshot of what actually comes up.

 

[mikedt]

Something to do with Zego Cloud? Because that's a collaborative tool platform, and has a whiteboard function. That's apparently used by over 4000 clients and their apps. So I guess it is a third-party app that uses it, is malfunctioning.

Voice & Video Chat API for Real-Time Interaction- ZEGOCLOUD

Quickly embed video, voice & chat API/SDK to add video conferencing and interactive live streaming to your mobile and web app.

www.zegocloud.com

 

[JDubbs]

Something to do with Zego Cloud? Because that's a collaborative tool platform, and has a whiteboard function. That's apparently used by over 4000 clients and their apps. So I guess it is a third-party app that uses it, is malfunctioning.

Voice & Video Chat API for Real-Time Interaction- ZEGOCLOUD

Quickly embed video, voice & chat API/SDK to add video conferencing and interactive live streaming to your mobile and web app.

www.zegocloud.com

I don't know that it is the cause. It's just got a similar error string.

Hell, I'm not even sure it's an error. For all I know the phone is hacked.

 

[Hadron]

An error from an app is far, far, far more likely than the phone being hacked.

But if it's not the actual Zego message are you saying that it just consists of this number, or is there anything else?

 

[JDubbs]

An error from an app is far, far, far more likely than the phone being hacked.

But if it's not the actual Zego message are you saying that it just consists of this number, or is there anything el

Correct, The Android system message that pops up contains only the the string of numbers. 304030001. Pic attached. That is all I get.

 

[The_Chief]

I'm sorry but... a Note 9? That's a really old device now, running a really old OS (we're up to Android 14). It may be an installed app (or more than one) that is trying to update to a version no longer compatible with an Android version that far back. If nothing else, you might consider getting an S22 or S23 Ultra (if you can't afford the new S24 Ultra), donating the Note 9 to a shelter for abused women and taking a tax deduction (at least in the US, clients can use the phone to make an emergency call without a SIM card or plan). I thought I'd never get used to the S Pen slot being on the left side of the phone but I've adapted nicely. Newer S2x Ultras have all the features of the Note series, with several years of OS upgrades. Just a thought.

 

[Windroid]

I'm sorry but... a Note 9? That's a really old device now

Five years is really old?

donating the Note 9

I wouldn't recommend that! If your phone breaks, and you've donated your old phone, then you don't have any phone. It's best to keep your old phone.