My Eris replacement story

[mlntn]

Sorry for the long story, but I think it's worth being told here.

I bought my Eris two weeks after it came out. With rumors about other Android phones coming out last year on Verizon, I decided to wait a couple weeks. Those rumors never panned out and I'm glad I got an Eris.

I've loved my phone since I got it, but almost immediately after I got it I wanted the next big things. I bought my phone with the expectation that 2.1 would be soon released - as I'm sure some of you did too. I longed for Google Navigation.

Earlier this year, my phone started randomly turning off. I didn't make a big deal out of this. The Eris is my first smart phone, so I didn't know what to expect. I thought it may have been a battery issue - since I'd have to pull the battery to get it to turn back on. It didn't happen often, so I just dealt with it.

I found out about the first leak in the middle of March and I've been addicted to lurking in these forums ever since.

Minutes after installing the first leak, I read about the root that had already come out. I'm a tinkerer; I really wish I had rooted instead of installing the leak. I watched xda and this forum religiously to see if any progress had been made on root for the leaks.

The random power issues continued, only now I was on a leak and couldn't return my phone to Verizon with a leak. I'm too cautious I guess.

I kept installing leaks. I installed all of them as soon as I found out about them. The 2.1 leaks have been great and each has been a great improvement to my experience with my phone, although part of me still misses having root and being able to install whatever rom I want.

My phone's issues with randomly turning off progressively got worse. It will turn off when I answer a call, when I snap the case back on after inserting the SD card, even when it's sitting on a table in sleep mode. Yesterday, it randomly turned off four times - twice when I answered the phone.

I called Verizon to ask them what I could do - I don't have insurance on my phone and I'm well outside of the 30 day return time period. To my surprise, they offered to send me a replacement (reconditioned) phone. The only thing they requested was that I try a factory reset first - which didn't work.

I plan on rooting my new phone when I get it, but I'm concerned that these reconditioned phones may have the HBOOT that's in the leaks. If that's the case, I'll be stuck on 2.1 non-root. Either way, I'll be okay. I like my phone and I think HTC and Google have done a great job with it.

I hope I don't give anyone ideas for returning their phone. Before OTA, I saw a bunch of leakers that wanted to return their phone for stupid reasons and get a 1.5 phone to root it. If you're stuck on a leak, it's your own fault. Make sure you're on the latest leak and deal with it. But if you have a legitimate reason for getting a replacement, it's easier than you might think. Don't wait as long as I did.

I'll let you know how it works out with HBOOT. I'm optimistic, but not confident that I'll be able to root.

 

[bjanow]

.....
I hope I don't give anyone ideas for returning their phone. Before OTA, I saw a bunch of leakers that wanted to return their phone for stupid reasons and get a 1.5 phone to root it. If you're stuck on a leak, it's your own fault. Make sure you're on the latest leak and deal with it.

See, I don't buy that, "stuck on a leak" stuff. This was not an unauthorized leak but one that came from Verizon/HTC. They always said we leakers would get OTA but alas, it's not to be yet. Therefore, I would have no problem returning a phone if you wanted the 2.1 OTA. I also believe that they know what they are doing in sending out replacement phones. I have a feeling they know how to reflash a phone with 1.5 no matter what you have on it, whether it's leak V.3 or root. Point being, let's not get all false moral on us. You're not stealing anything or putting either of the companies out one iota. You pay good money for these phones, good money for the service you expect. You should get what you pay for and desire.
(Flame on.. these boards are getting a little stale)

 

[hallstevenson]

I've tried to think of "reasons" to return my phone for a (hopefully) 1.5 model that I'd root, but can't bring myself to do it... The units they'll have in their refurb stock will likely be 1.5 and "safe" for what you plan to do. I can't see them updating them. What I mentioned in another thread involving people doing swaps is not to let VZW (if you did an exchange in a store) update the phone to 2.1. There's a chance when it's turned on for initial setup that it is it's "turn" to take the OTA update. If you do the setup, you can tell it "no".

As for VZW's "reconditioned" phones, my wife got one (it was an ENV) one time. If it was a returned and repaired item, you could have fooled me !

 

[bjanow]

You can root the 2.1 OTA.

 

[mlntn]

Point being, let's not get all false moral on us. You're not stealing anything or putting either of the companies out one iota. You pay good money for these phones, good money for the service you expect. You should get what you pay for and desire.

I guess I don't share your sense of entitlement. I got what I paid for - the same thing that Verizon advertised. At that point, I can do whatever I want to it and I did. I didn't have a reason to return my phone because I installed a leak, but wanted root.

This is a moot point. I was just preaching my point of view, but others are entitled to their own opinion.

 

[mlntn]

The units they'll have in their refurb stock will likely be 1.5 and "safe" for what you plan to do.

The tier 2 support person I talked to said that most of the reconditioned phones have 2.1. I'm not sure what I'll get.

 

[jreed2560]

I've tried to think of "reasons" to return my phone for a (hopefully) 1.5 model that I'd root, but can't bring myself to do it... The units they'll have in their refurb stock will likely be 1.5 and "safe" for what you plan to do. I can't see them updating them. What I mentioned in another thread involving people doing swaps is not to let VZW (if you did an exchange in a store) update the phone to 2.1. There's a chance when it's turned on for initial setup that it is it's "turn" to take the OTA update. If you do the setup, you can tell it "no".

As for VZW's "reconditioned" phones, my wife got one (it was an ENV) one time. If it was a returned and repaired item, you could have fooled me !

also note that if someone has a phone and returns it withing the first thirty days, that phone can no longer be considered new. This is what some of you warranty replacements are. Just returned phones with nothing wrong with them at all.

 

[mlntn]

You can root the 2.1 OTA.

True, but if the reconditioned phones have 2.1 applied in a manner similar to how the leaks were applied, I may be out of luck. From what I understand, the HBOOT in the leaks is what limits root access, while the HBOOT wasn't upgraded via OTA and is the same as 1.5.

 

[hallstevenson]

You can "use" the 2.1 OTA if you're phone is already rooted. If I can root my phone with 2.1, tell me how.

 

[bjanow]

I guess I don't share your sense of entitlement. I got what I paid for - the same thing that Verizon advertised. At that point, I can do whatever I want to it and I did. I didn't have a reason to return my phone because I installed a leak, but wanted root.

This is a moot point. I was just preaching my point of view, but others are entitled to their own opinion.

Don't get me wrong, your point is well taken and I respect it on a personal level. I just don't feel entitlement is necessarily a bad thing. I know it's been given a negative connotation lately, as in free giveaways, but if you pay for something you are entitled to satisfaction by the mere inherent contract.

 

[hallstevenson]

The tier 2 support person I talked to said that most of the reconditioned phones have 2.1. I'm not sure what I'll get.

I doubt it. I'll bet that Eris phones VZW is getting from HTC today still have 1.5 on them.

 

[mlntn]

Don't get me wrong, your point is well taken and I respect it on a personal level. I just don't feel entitlement is necessarily a bad thing. I know it's been given a negative connotation lately, as in free giveaways, but if you pay for something you are entitled to satisfaction by the mere inherent contract.

I appreciate your view, but I can't agree with it completely. At least we can practice civil discourse - a rarety on the Internet!

 

[BlazeD OnE]

I received a replacement as well, came loaded with 1.5. I presume yours will as well,

and when you boot it up you will be prompt with the update notification for 2.1. I

Manually Updated the 2.1 OTA, then went back to 1.5. As soon as I loaded 1.5,

Boom, there's the notification for 2.1, probably because the system had recognized I

was already on 2.1, then after going back, it gave me the notification.

 

[mlntn]

I doubt it. I'll bet that Eris phones VZW is getting from HTC today still have 1.5 on them.

Well, we all know how that we need to take Verizon's - and their reps' - word with a grain of salt.

 

[jreed2560]

True, but if the reconditioned phones have 2.1 applied in a manner similar to how the leaks were applied, I may be out of luck. From what I understand, the HBOOT in the leaks is what limits root access, while the HBOOT wasn't upgraded via OTA and is the same as 1.5.

the only way a reconditioned phone would have 2.1, is if it already had the official OTA on it. If they received a leaked phone from warranty swap they would likely wipe anything from the leaks off completely and ship it with 1.5

 

[bjanow]

the only way a reconditioned phone would have 2.1, is if it already had the official OTA on it. If they received a leaked phone from warranty swap they would likely wipe anything from the leaks off completely and ship it with 1.5

I totally agree. So if they can do that, why not throw that out there for us leakers? (Because then we would have nothing to talk about other than the battery?)

 

[jreed2560]

I'm sure its justs a program they have to revert everything back to 1.5, but you know idiots would be bricking their phones left and right if they made it available to the public.

 

[mlntn]

the only way a reconditioned phone would have 2.1, is if it already had the official OTA on it. If they received a leaked phone from warranty swap they would likely wipe anything from the leaks off completely and ship it with 1.5

I hope so.

 

[foccer]

So, I have a noob question. I've had my eris since December and recently the speaker went. I have insurance on it and they are going to send me out a new one. I can go pick it up today at fed ex if I want. I got the 2.1 update notification on my old/current phone the other day so decided it would be a good time to try it out and then if I didnt like it, I wouldnt have to update the new one.

So far it seems cool, I've been using it just since this morning. (I did read the airplane mode trick thread and it did read 50%. Re booted and turned on airplane mode, then off again several minutes later. So far time without signal has been 0 and cell standby 20%. )

My question is, should I update the new one, or if it does have 1.5 should I leave it. I havent been on the forum for awhile but it seems as though people are kind of divided on this.

 

[hallstevenson]

...but you know idiots would be bricking their phones left and right if they made it available to the public.

Same reason VZW is pushing this update OTA. Can you imagine trying to get every Eris owner out there to download the update to their PC and copy it to their SD card... "Hello, tech support, I don't have a folder named 'root'" ... and pressing the right button combinations to get it to boot off the SD card ... then choosing the right options ?

Not to mention people would lose all of the apps they downloaded, text messages, contacts (for those who don't use Google), and so on ?

 

[bjanow]

I hope so.

I can almost guarantee it.

 

[thenestor]

Same reason VZW is pushing this update OTA. Can you imagine trying to get every Eris owner out there to download the update to their PC and copy it to their SD card... "Hello, tech support, I don't have a folder named 'root'" ... and pressing the right button combinations to get it to boot off the SD card ... then choosing the right options ?

Not to mention people would lose all of the apps they downloaded, text messages, contacts (for those who don't use Google), and so on ?

Apparently Sprint doesn't think their users are idiots, because the 2.1 update for the Hero was released today, and it's a program that you run on your computer with your phone connected. (It's an RUU, similar to the MR2 download for the Eris back in January.)

 

[BlazeD OnE]

it seems as though Verizon doesn't have as much faith in us as Sprint does. If you know

how to read, and follow directions, and be able to use a computer, there's no reason you

shouldn't be able to run a program like the RUU for the MR2 download.

 

[theEastonator]

Well I might try to replace my leak v3 phone, but that's because I keep having the silent call issue (which apparently is present in the OTA as well and is a hardware issue).

 

[refthemc]

Apparently Sprint doesn't think their users are idiots, because the 2.1 update for the Hero was released today, and it's a program that you run on your computer with your phone connected. (It's an RUU, similar to the MR2 download for the Eris back in January.)

On the other hand you can say that Verizon wanted to make the upgrade more user friendly because they care about their customers.

Just saying...