Desire problems. Losing my mind! Help pls.

[Longfellow78]

Hey,
Firstly thanks to everyone who has replied to my posts to help me with Desire problems. I am on my second handset and I am having so many problems with the phones I'm thinking of just giving up and trying to switch to a Samsung Galaxy S.

I'm on the wretched Orange network and my phone has these problems:

- Non-working FM radio - it is static on every setting, although sometimes Radio 2 works(!) regardless of what headphones are plugged in.

- Alarm not working - It just doesn't go off if left overnight, even when turned on and with 2 alarms set.

- No internet via 3g - It gives no traffic, completely dead regardless of signal strength. It works via GSM and HSDPA.

- Randomly dropping calls.

- Randomly not able to send texts.

- People ring me and it goes randomly straight to answerphone.

- Erratic bluetooth, sometimes it works ok, other times it randomly disconnects from headset or car system.

It seems like almost every problem present on this forum, my phone has at once and it's driving me mad.

Can someone please tell me, are these problems likely to be due to the horrible old ROM version that Orange runs (1.15.61.10)? They won't update it because it is too much work to stuff all of their crapware onto newer versions (solely designed to make you pay for things that are already available free, e.g. maps, ringtones etc). I dread to think how long it will be for Froyo on Orange.

I am scared of updating the firmware incase it doesn't fix my problems and then I may not be able to get a replacement.

Has anyone else used a replacement firmware to get rid of any of the above problems, or should I bite the bullet and go for a Samsung (I know it is cheaper built and doesn't have sense but at least it works right?).

Does anyone know if the new "Black" handset on Orange runs the same firmware or has any updates?

Also, that awesome Clock feature on Desire, with Alarm, Stopwatch, Timer, etc. Is that Android or Desire cos I'd hate to lose it by changing from HTC. Thanks.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I love the Desire and the helpful community here, but I'm so pissed off that this phone costs as much as a desktop PC and it doesn't even perform basic functions properly. It's basically the worst phone I've ever had, despite also being the best if you know what I mean.

Thanks a lot for any advice as I don't know what to do.

 

[batuj]

FM radio thing is fixed at Froyo as far as I hear,

and I think most of your other problems are related with your automatic task killer application, at least I'm sure clock problem is caused by that.

 

[nx1977]

+1

All your issues are covered extensively in threads in the desire forum

 

[Longfellow78]

Thanks for the replies, I wasn't aware of the alarm thing, and I do use a task killer, I will check that out, but I have not seen a radio fix, the problems listed on the forum seem to relate to a crashing radio, mine doesnt crash, it just doesn't get a singal, I hope this is fixed in Froyo.

However in regards to the other problems I have done a lot of research on these forums and XDA, etc and have seen no solution to the dropping calls and 3g reception/internet problem, which is by far the worst problem of all and affects me on a daily basis. I don't see how this could be affected by a task killer, and it happens from boot and soft & hard reset, and before I had a killer installed.

The main thing I want to know is do updated firmwares (and baseband) fix the 3g/internet reception problems. I have not definitively seen anyone say that they had these problems (which are rife) and they were solved by flashing.

Thanks.

 

[Longfellow78]

Uninstalled 3g Watchdog, did soft reset and.... it worked! Got 3g internet....
For about 20 minutes.

Then it promptly stopped working again and 3g is dead. WTF is going on.

 

[DaddyCee]

could this be down to a dodgy sim card perhaps. I would speak to Orange and ask for a replacement. I am on Orange and have had no problems with the Desire handset thus far.

 

[Longfellow78]

Hey Daddy,
I have not tried a new Simcard as yet, perhaps this could be part of the problem. I am waiting for a call back from their tech support people.
Are you on Orange?

 

[Smithyster]

I am on Orange

 

[DCFC79]

Another 1 for orange, no issues so far, been using the phone since last friday

 

[superted187]

and I think most of your other problems are related with your automatic task killer application, at least I'm sure clock problem is caused by that.

I'd second this. Start by totally removing the Auto Task Killer application, and see how you get on for a few days

 

[Longfellow78]

Have realised I don't have an auto task killer installed. I have system panel, but don't really use it. I will try and get another handset and a sim replacement from Orange and see if that solves anything. Otherwise I will flash a generic ROM I think.

 

[gmarkj]

I have the dead 3g issue, particularly on this site.

Don't get the alarm problem though as I use alarm klock.

Haven't tried the fm radio.

I get the dropped or missed calls issue, bit only when using data on gprs. Still can't believe the phone can't handle calls and data!

I'm also on orange, firmware details:
2.1 update 1
Base 32.30.00.28u_4.05.00.11
Build 1.15.61.10 CL155070

I am also worried that other networks have released an update and orange haven't. Has any one spoken to orange about it? Have they given a reason?

 

[Longfellow78]

Hey Gmark,
Yes Orange have given a reason. It is:

"Orange like to provide their customers with extra services and useful Orange apps. Due to this, it takes Orange longer to edit the official HTC ROMS to add useful Orange branding. If we find that this branding is incompatible with the official HTC ROM, we will not release the ROM, but will wait for a new HTC ROM that is compatible with Orange branding".

Translation:

"We are money grabbing bastards who don't give a crap about our customers. All we are interested in is taking your cash in return for a sub-standard product. Due to this policy, we remove useful google apps such as Gtalk, and replace it with our own crap software that our stupid customers have to pay for. We also like to put Orange apps on the phone that offer the same services for free as existing apps, but these can only be accessed by mobile internet, not Wi-Fi in the hope that our customers are stupid enough to pay for them. We also like to pretend these are the official google apps. We also install pointless game demos that cannot be removed, for reasons that we don't really understand and can't justify. Thankyou for choosing Orange. F*ck You."

I hope thats helpful and not too disappointing

p.s. the first quote is actually for real, they won't change their own software to make it work with HTC, they expect the other way round.

 

[nacatomi]

Really is unfortunate for you having so many problems, other than initially battery life I've been very lucky.

I think the calls\data problem when on GPRS has been fixed in an update from what I've read. So if\when Orange push out an update it might help you

After reading all the bad posts about Orange and branding I'm glad the

 

[Jason71]

I am on Orange with an unbranded Desire

I work in an area with Very poor 3G coverage. It constantly changes from G to 3G to H but there is nothing especially different about 3G.

I do get some calls that go straight to voice mail and the occasional dropped call. however my previous handset was a Hero and both issues was 5 times worse. so I have put it down to crappy network + the fact that HTC handsets ( along with most smart phones) are not renowned for the quality of their aerials

are you in a good signal area when it is working? could you borrow someone elses sim to try on another network for comparison.

 

[Longfellow78]

Hey.
Yes all the 3g problems occur regardless of the strength of signal.
I am 100% sure it is a problem with the Orange ROM, and I don't think they will update it until Froyo, which will probably come out a couple of months after the official HTC release (which is sometime in Q3).

I am going to flash and debrand/unlock I think if/when I get a replacement handset - I want to see if I can get a black one that may be a different manufacturing batch, as some people have no problems with orange.

 

[gmarkj]

Thanks longfellow.

Are they serious? That's like saying I've invented a new power source but as you can't charge it anywhere I'm not going to release it!

This is making me very nervous about getting Froyo, and whether or not to root / debrand / flash...

 

[gmarkj]

Thanks longfellow.

Are they serious? That's like saying I've invented a new power source but as you can't charge it anywhere I'm not going to release it!

This is making me very nervous about getting Froyo, and whether or not to root / debrand / flash...

 

[Jason71]

You are not going to like this but I have read in threads like this:

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire/68995-not-receiving-calls-when-browsing-gprs.html

That you cannot recieve a call when GPRS is in use so if (like me ) you are in a weak 3G signal area where GPRS is used for browsing and apps are using it for a data connection in the background then if a call comes in while it is in use then you will not be able to receive it and it will go to voicemail.

 

[nacatomi]

You are not going to like this but I have read in threads like this:

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire/68995-not-receiving-calls-when-browsing-gprs.html

That you cannot recieve a call when GPRS is in use so if (like me ) you are in a weak 3G signal area where GPRS is used for browsing and apps are using it for a data connection in the background then if a call comes in while it is in use then you will not be able to receive it and it will go to voicemail.

Thats also where I got my information from

It's true its a limitation of the technology you can't do both at the same time. But if you are using data in 2g the phone\sms should be able to punch through and the data connection will be dropped or paused. Apparently there might be a bug in the radio that stops it from doing so and the latest version fixes it.

 

[gmarkj]

Nacatomi, my point exactly.

My old Samsung could do this, as could the Nokia before it!

It's depressing that the marvel that is the desire can't!

 

[Longfellow78]

It would be very easy to test the GPRS call/data thing. just go online and call your mobile from another phone...
Personally this happens to me when connected by 3g+ - calls often don't come through. I'm bloody fed up with this phone tbh. Or at least the Crap Orange version of it.

 

[nx1977]

Where are you trying the radio?

Could be the building makeup stopping the signal.