Help 2.1 Problems - Issues - Quirks

[rivercat123]

I have a problem every day when I boot up the phone for the first time it takes forever to get a data connection. I am less than 1/4 mile from a tower and have 5 bars (-89 dbm).

 

[Palomino]

Good God There are a lot pf post on this thing. No way I'm going to read them all, I am just to lazy to do that.

My Problems...
-Pandora freezes
-Yes true laggy landscape typing mode but the response of the.. damn what that word again....switching from landscape to potrait thing, is much more responsive.
-Calls take forever to answer and sometimes just hang up the call, a lot of lag...
-Making a call is hell as well takes so long...
-I like that Home button feature which takes all the 7 sections and zooms them out, but its pointless if it only works when you have to be on the middle screen in order to do so...
-Im missing the old gmail logo, but that just me

Thats it on my preformance so far.

Questions...
-Why is ther another navigaion app on it?
-why isnt there a turn on and off gps shortcut button?
-Is the origanl SMS app better now than handcent SMS app?

 

[Hero_User 2010]

I was able to reset my phone back to factory settings, reinstall the 2.1 update from Sprint and finally get my phone working as it should with none of the lagginess/rebooting with various apps, etc. problems (aside from the software issues that are 'programmed' into the new OS (e.g., blue tooth probs, etc...) If anyone is willing to try, I'll post the protocol I used to get my phone working like it used to work when 1.5 was installed. Note, this will not revert phone to 1.5, will still be 2.1 regardless of reset. It just make my phone work the way it was intended to work following the new update to 2.1. Hope this helps anyone out at least as much as it did for me.
Here it goes:


1. First, I made sure all my contacts/calendars, etc. were backed up on the GMail website by syncing with google's servers. I then proceeded to turn off my phone.

2. I then removed the battery cover and took out my microSD card from the slot within the phone.

3. Then, I performed a reset of my phone back to factory settings (wipes all data from the phone, including apps, contacts, everything). The follwing instructions show how to perform this reset.

Key Stroke Method

1. Power the device OFF.
2. Press and hold the HOME and Back Arrow buttons. While holding these buttons, press the End Call button once.
   Release the Home and Back Arrow buttons and press the Trackball to execute the Hard Reset.
3. The device will reboot once the process is complete.

4. After completing the reset of the device, the phone restarts itself. You will be taken to the initial setup screen of the Android OS. Depending if you've already updated the OS from 1.5 or not, you will either see the 1.5 setup steps (e.g., you did not update the phone yet), or the 2.1 setup steps (e.g., you already updated the phone before). I skipped any of the setup process, as this will not be necessary since the information will be wiped again anyway. After the intial setup boots up (e.g., the phone is fully booted up), I then connected the device via USB to my computer.

5. Assuming you've already installed the latest version of HTC Sync and downloaded the 2.1 RUU update from Sprint already, I then proceeded to run the 2.1 RUU update from Sprint. If you haven't done any of the above assumptions listed in this step, you can follow the instructions given by Sprint http://www6.sprint.com/downloads/htc/pdfs/htc_hero_update_2.1.pdf

6. After completing the update from step 5, the phone will automatically reset itself. You can insert your microSD card during the reboot, or you can do so later, whatever works for you.

7. Following the reinsertion of the microSD card, the phone will again go into the intial 2.1 setup steps. At this point, I completed all the steps (be sure to setup the gmail/google sync accounts so you can retrieve all of your contacts and calendars that you backed up in step 1).

8. After finishing the initial setup for 2.1, I then allowed the phone to complete loading all of the Sense UI, etc... once done, I restarted the phone one more time, just to be sure it finalized everything in there and to load a fresh start so I can then begin to reinstall all my apps.

This should bring you to a fresh installation of the HTC Hero by Sprint. This SHOULD take care of any software issues, automatic restarts, Sprint Navigator issues, etc... This worked very well for me and I hope that it helps anyone else out there. Good luck and take care guys!!!

PS. If you don't have all of your apps backed up, the very first time (and first time only) that you start up the Market, go to the downloads section. There it should contain a list of all your previously installed apps that you had prior to the update. Be careful though, because once you exit out of the Market after that first start of it, they will disappear. So try to install them all (or the ones you want) first before exiting the Market app.

Good luck to all and thank you Sprint for finally issuing this much needed update!!! Hope to see more updates in the future.

-Androidious (Hero_User 2010)

 

[Whiskeypawz]

Thanks Whiskeypawz. Maybe it is just becoming a lost cause. Sprint and HTC probably do not care anymore since the EVO will be out soon. They will probably just tell us to go buy one of those.

I did finally get a response from Sprint, albeit not much of one.

Thank you for contacting Sprint. I apologize for the inconvenience you
have experienced with the phone.

Due to the complexity of certain technical issues, we would like to
speak with you to troubleshoot and correct the problem. Please call
Sprint Technical Support and follow the prompts for
technical assistance. To enable testing, it is important you call us
from a phone other than the Sprint phone you are having trouble with.

I would like to share with you that we have received a lot of feedback
regarding this from our valuable customers like you. I really appreciate
your feedback in this regard as it is your feedback that enables us to
further improve our services.

Let me assure you that I have forwarded your feedback to the concerned
department for further considerations

We value your business and appreciate the opportunity to address your
concerns. Please reply to this email or visit Sprint.com/mysprint if we
can be of further assistance.

I will contact them later on this afternoon. I'm hoping for some answers but I'm expecting "Sorry, we can't do anything."
It is some consolation to me though, that it's not just Sprint that's having these issues. I have a friend that has the Droid Eris & experiencing many of the same issues we are. It's sounding more like an HTC/Google issue.
Speaking of HTC....I have still not heard anything back from them. It's Monday so maybe I will hear something today. Props to Sprint for answering me over the weekend!

 

[flinginflamez]

Ok i need to know if anyone else is having these issues. SInce upgrading to 2.1 on my hero I havent been able to open any app that uses the network without the phone rebooting itself, this happens around 50 percent of the time and its happened 5 or 6 times in a row after clicking DIFFERENT apps. Taking out the battery and restarting hasnt helped. Also, I keep losing network connections even thought the phone says i still have it. Ive found that turning airplane mode on and then off seems to solve that one temperarily. This has been so frustrating, especially when im on the road and trying to use the navigation or yellowbook for a phone number...any similar issues????

 

[Hero_User 2010]

Ok i need to know if anyone else is having these issues. SInce upgrading to 2.1 on my hero I havent been able to open any app that uses the network without the phone rebooting itself, this happens around 50 percent of the time and its happened 5 or 6 times in a row after clicking DIFFERENT apps. Taking out the battery and restarting hasnt helped. Also, I keep losing network connections even thought the phone says i still have it. Ive found that turning airplane mode on and then off seems to solve that one temperarily. This has been so frustrating, especially when im on the road and trying to use the navigation or yellowbook for a phone number...any similar issues????

Flingingflamez,

I was having similar issues with my Hero following the 2.1 update from Sprint. If you want to try what I did, as listed above, step-by-step, it might be the solution to your problem. It completely cured my Hero of the issues it was having and since doing so, I haven't had any issues yet (fingers crosses). GL and if you do decide to try that out, let us know how it works out for you

 

[sampo]

Yes, change the default Network connections using [How-To] Better battery life, reduce Time Without Signal. - xda-developers

Needs to be done each time the phone reboots

Did this and now I lost all my data connections....warning, make sure you tweek your phone through settings before you start farting around with the programing...

Does anyone have a fix for my no data, XDA hasn't replied to anyone with similar issues

 

[scottmbolt]

Did this and now I lost all my data connections....warning, make sure you tweek your phone through settings before you start farting around with the programing...

Does anyone have a fix for my no data, XDA hasn't replied to anyone with similar issues

I tried this to, and also lost my EVDO connection afterwards. Just reboot the phone, and it should reset the setting that you tweaked. When I rebooted, I got my data connection back.

 

[scottmbolt]

@Hero_User 2010 - Before you did the complete reset and reload of 2.1, did you experience major lag when typing ANYTHING in landscape mode? And is that lag (if you had it in the first place) still present after the complete reload?

 

[MarvinDog]

...
-I like that Home button feature which takes all the 7 sections and zooms them out, but its pointless if it only works when you have to be on the middle screen in order to do so...

It works from any screen. I do it all the time.

-why isnt there a turn on and off gps shortcut button?

There is. Widgets > Settings > GPS

 

[eyebeam]

-I like that Home button feature which takes all the 7 sections and zooms them out, but its pointless if it only works when you have to be on the middle screen in order to do so...

It works from any screen. I do it all the time.

On mine at least, the home button doesn't work to do this from anything but the home screen. However, pinching inward does work on all 7

-why isnt there a turn on and off gps shortcut button?

There is. Widgets > Settings > GPS

There's also a multi widget that lets you adjust GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, Sync, and Brightness all in a 1x4 space. Widgets > Power Control.

-Why is ther another navigaion app on it?

That's just a shortcut to Google Maps Navigation. Some like it better then the Sprint - Tel/Nav one.

 

[DaWeav]

I have 4 major/main issues with the new 2.1 update.

MArket apps still dont auto-update or notify

BUMP!

I would have thought that something this simple should have been resolved in 2.1. It's too bad AppBrain doesn't pick up the ball from Google, HTC, and Sprint and add a feature to 'auto-notify' like the Market app is supposed to do.

 

[dbldown768]

I did finally get a response from Sprint, albeit not much of one.

Thank you for contacting Sprint. I apologize for the inconvenience you
have experienced with the phone.

Due to the complexity of certain technical issues, we would like to
speak with you to troubleshoot and correct the problem. Please call
Sprint Technical Support and follow the prompts for
technical assistance. To enable testing, it is important you call us
from a phone other than the Sprint phone you are having trouble with.

I would like to share with you that we have received a lot of feedback
regarding this from our valuable customers like you. I really appreciate
your feedback in this regard as it is your feedback that enables us to
further improve our services.

Let me assure you that I have forwarded your feedback to the concerned
department for further considerations

We value your business and appreciate the opportunity to address your
concerns. Please reply to this email or visit Sprint.com/mysprint if we
can be of further assistance.

I will contact them later on this afternoon. I'm hoping for some answers but I'm expecting "Sorry, we can't do anything."
It is some consolation to me though, that it's not just Sprint that's having these issues. I have a friend that has the Droid Eris & experiencing many of the same issues we are. It's sounding more like an HTC/Google issue.
Speaking of HTC....I have still not heard anything back from them. It's Monday so maybe I will hear something today. Props to Sprint for answering me over the weekend!

Just thought I'd let you know I already contacted sprint about my bluetooth issues. the girl on the phone wasnt at all very helpful. she said that she had experienced a lot of new issues with her hero as well. She said about the only thing I could do was go to the sprint store to see if they could help. I told her the problem was with my panasonic home link to cell phone and I wasnt about to drag that in. Outside from a factory reset there isnt much they can do. I proceeded to ask her if i was wasting my time contacting sprint on this issues and she basically said yes, that it was up to HTC to fix the problem. she stated that whenever a call is placed about a problem people are having with their phones they are supposed to forward the complaint to HTC.

Good thing for me i decided to root my phone - not sure why but i did. this was the only reason i could go back to 1.5 and still use my home phone with the link to cell feature. I'm not happy that my phone is stuck at 1.5 because of this issue, but it better than not having the link to cell feature as i use my cell phone as my house phone.

 

[Hero_User 2010]

@Hero_User 2010 - Before you did the complete reset and reload of 2.1, did you experience major lag when typing ANYTHING in landscape mode? And is that lag (if you had it in the first place) still present after the complete reload?

Honestly,
It was very laggy prior to the reloading of the software. After doing so, (I just tested just now to make sure I'm not incorrect), but honestly, after the reload, I feel as if it is just as good as it was when I had 1.5. There is still like a 3-4 second pause before swithing to landscape mode keyboard, but other than that, it's just like it used to be (to me).

 

[scottmbolt]

Honestly,
It was very laggy prior to the reloading of the software. After doing so, (I just tested just now to make sure I'm not incorrect), but honestly, after the reload, I feel as if it is just as good as it was when I had 1.5. There is still like a 3-4 second pause before swithing to landscape mode keyboard, but other than that, it's just like it used to be (to me).

Not when switching to the landscape but, but physically typing a messaging using landscape mode.

 

[Hero_User 2010]

Scottmbolt,

Nope, I don't feel like it's any laggier than it was before (in 1.5). It seems to be just fine for me. Every now and then it'll have it's moments where it is thinking in the bg, but it's not a constant lag and isn't any worse than it was in 1.5. Hope that helps ya out.

 

[itsmeok]

If you have a calendar event with any text in the BODY of the event (the BIG box, not the subject or location) when you try to share via vcalendar it will fail to send via email (at least) and will make a 0 byte vcs file and say it cant find attachment etc. if you try to resend from the outbox that it is now stuck in. Repeated multiple times on 2 different heros. Don't get me wrong I love the update! Couldn't even share before.

 

[itsmeok]

- Volume buttons no longer snooze alarms, even if the options are set for the side buttons to snooze the alarm. Must wake up, physically look for small Snooze button on screen and press it (or apparently, the trackball) to snooze an alarm.- I actually like this cause I put mine in a holder and I in-veritably pushed the the volume buttons to get it out and then I couldn't just dismiss cause it was gone and it would keep reminding me.

 

[Whiskeypawz]

Just thought I'd let you know I already contacted sprint about my bluetooth issues. the girl on the phone wasnt at all very helpful. she said that she had experienced a lot of new issues with her hero as well. She said about the only thing I could do was go to the sprint store to see if they could help. I told her the problem was with my panasonic home link to cell phone and I wasnt about to drag that in. Outside from a factory reset there isnt much they can do. I proceeded to ask her if i was wasting my time contacting sprint on this issues and she basically said yes, that it was up to HTC to fix the problem. she stated that whenever a call is placed about a problem people are having with their phones they are supposed to forward the complaint to HTC.

Good thing for me i decided to root my phone - not sure why but i did. this was the only reason i could go back to 1.5 and still use my home phone with the link to cell feature. I'm not happy that my phone is stuck at 1.5 because of this issue, but it better than not having the link to cell feature as i use my cell phone as my house phone.

Well, just as I thought, Sprint's first thought was to do a hard reset. I veto'd that idea since I just got everything back the way I want it. Then they had me push this button & that button & it STILL doesn't ring. (This was the one thing on my list of problems they decided to tackle.) Now they want me to take it to the store. I think that was my cue to hang up the phone bec they're out of answers. I don't know how soon I'll make it to the store.

 

[justincox80]

Ok so I have been waiting for this update for months just like a lot of you have. I was assuming this was going to be an east over the air update... wrong. So ok no prob. I go to HTCs site to download the RUU update. Plug in my phone and it says usb connected..... wait a minute or two for it to connect. Then I get a F@#!ing error. This error 170 USB connection error, saying that my phone is not connected.... WTF! Does anyone have any idea why this is happening or if there is a fix for it??

 

[wallyy]

For the first time yesterday, HTC Sense force closed on me FIVE times. Five times in one day. Not exaggerating (it was probably more). FRUSTRATING!

 

[juggalizyo]

So after reading this it really doesn't seem like the 2.1 update is worth the upgrading too right now or am I wrong.

 

[chuhsi]

So after reading this it really doesn't seem like the 2.1 update is worth the upgrading too right now or am I wrong.

google navigator is pretty sweet

 

[JonB]

+1 on the google nav! It's nice when you travel out of coverage area and it still works! Must load the route into memory or something.

My phone has been doing pretty well the past few days, My girlfriends, not so much. dialer lag was unreal. I could call her phone, she would answer and i would hear her for a sec, then it would be back to ringing on my end again, then i'd get a call waiting from her and would answer that and could finally talk to her, all within a few seconds! did that twice in 1 day! very wierd. Did a hard reset on it and didn't put any apps on it and so far, her phone has been as good as mine.

 

[Alan Ross]

Once again I cannot open any Navigation app without causing the phone to reset. All other apps work fine. But Sprint Navigation, Navigator or Google Maps all result in a Reset.
I pulled the battery, and checked all the settings without success. So I am not opening these programs until I get some answers.

Anybody else having this problem?