• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

FTM boot loop

c0080900v

Newbie
Jan 3, 2012
45
7
So, after a minor water leak my ZTE has been constantly boot looping to FTM. I've already Googled around, but I believe the minor water damage(s) affected/borked my volume and power buttons, those buttons usually and sometimes work and don't function properly sometimes...

I've already tried volume down and power buttons together, as well as volume up and and power buttons together, and also just the power button, all during reboot attempts. It usually takes me a few tries to successfully boot instead of into FTM again like usual... Today it's taken me various countless reboot attempts since this morning up to this evening, it only booted once to the Metro PCS screen and it got stuck there, it's been countless FTM boot loop reboots after that..... Also, as I said, sometimes my buttons function properly, and sometimes they don't, so it's tricky for me to tell if my volume buttons are stuck or not when I reboot... Also, volume up and power buttons together just lead me to an empty black screen if that's supposed to boot me into recovery mode, I believe it's because of my badly cracked and damaged lcd/screen

Is there any way to fix/resolve it?
 
  • Like
Reactions: mightnotmakeitsyke
After two weeks its not looking good. When water dries up on a circuit board, it oxidizes (white powder looking stuff), spreads out and starts shorting out nearby components. I think your phone's vol up/down keys are shorting out.

It can possibly be fixed, but that involves cracking the phone open and using alcohol and cotton swabs to clean the oxidation. A bit involved....
 
Upvote 0
Forgot to mention that water damage destroys ribbon cables with thin gold plating rather quickly. Volume buttons are sometimes routed to the circuit board via ribbon cables, some are directly attached. I've fixed a lot of water damaged devices but unfortunately I've never opened up a Zmax. Opening the rear up and using rice will stop the damage from spreading, but will not fix what's already corroded from oxidation. So kinda will help, but won't.

Water in a warm dark environment, like a sealed phone will not dry up quickly in theory... So the rice *may* help.

If you have long fingernails, try wedging a thumbnail under the back cover starting on a corner. Guitar pick, butter knife will work too, but may nick the cover... Once under, slide thumbnail slowly around the perimeter of the case and see if it starts to open. DON'T completely remove the cover! You may damage fingerprint sensor. Just cracked open slightly is all you need for water vapor to escape. YouTube may also have a disassembly video that can help.

Your call lol... I'd say 50/50 chance it works, if you're brave enough :)

Good luck!
 
Upvote 0
Forgot to mention that water damage destroys ribbon cables with thin gold plating rather quickly. Volume buttons are sometimes routed to the circuit board via ribbon cables, some are directly attached. I've fixed a lot of water damaged devices but unfortunately I've never opened up a Zmax. Opening the rear up and using rice will stop the damage from spreading, but will not fix what's already corroded from oxidation. So kinda will help, but won't.

Water in a warm dark environment, like a sealed phone will not dry up quickly in theory... So the rice *may* help.

If you have long fingernails, try wedging a thumbnail under the back cover starting on a corner. Guitar pick, butter knife will work too, but may nick the cover... Once under, slide thumbnail slowly around the perimeter of the case and see if it starts to open. DON'T completely remove the cover! You may damage fingerprint sensor. Just cracked open slightly is all you need for water vapor to escape. YouTube may also have a disassembly video that can help.

Your call lol... I'd say 50/50 chance it works, if you're brave enough :)

Good luck!
Okay so I have the exact same problem but mine is rather new and not cracked at all. Like there has been no damage done to the phone except what happened today, like an hour ago. I had it in my pouch on my hoodie while I was hiking, and my water bottle had been in there as well. Like I said this was an hour ago, is there any thing that could help me? if I put it in rice would it not be water damaged? Like it seriously is just switching from the FTM screen, to the ZTE screen to the Metro PCS screen. Its annoying and I'm trying to send out e-vites for a party this weekend.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones