Root [Verizon] I panicked... need some advice

[dlion16]

my rooted stock vzw s3 died. i'd been having intermittent probs like no notification of missed calls, text messages that never got to me... i was planning to reflash the stock root. went to bed with 37% battery, woke up it was dead. after an hour on the charger it was still dead.

i had just found out that my wife's brother has lymphoma, i was shook, so i called vzw, they tried to help me, but we couldn't get it going. the guy said he'd seen the same thing before. he sent me a replacement. i have until friday to return the original. btw, the replacement had an "updated" sticker.

now it occurs to me that they will know i was rooted and charge me full price for the replacement.

i realize that i should have tried to pull the battery, tried to use odin...

my question is: should i pull the battery and sim card from the working one and try to see if the orig will boot, or if odin sees it; if it does then flash stock before i return it? the replacement is much smoother than the orig.

if i was able to get it going, and i then put the battery and sim back in the replacement, what will happen?

or, should i not worry and just send it back?

thoughts?

 

[Rolo42]

First, see my avatar!
<----


I would try the new battery on the broken phone. Power on in download mode (VOL DN+HOME+POWER); if it works, flash a Samsung ROM with ODIN. Try with and without external power.

If it doesn't power on at all, it's either fried or a bad power button, I would suppose. If it can't power on, techs won't know its contents and will likely swap out the bad board (is it all one board?) and ODIN the current firmware without looking.

Even if they were to figure it out (diags maybe), unless they see you've overclocked/over/undervolted, legally they can't welch on warranty work. Note, however, that won't stop them from trying but that's what the BBB, FTC, and FCC (you know me!) is for.

Note that your updated new phone has VRALG1 firmware. If you flash ROMs that contain older kernel and modem firmware, be sure to have G1 versions to reflash if you want to keep them.


(If the avatar makes no sense, read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.)

 

[dlion16]

thanks, will do.

 

[icerado]

thanks, will do.

sim card will have nothing to do with it, and likely your battery is not fried. Unless you had some sort of storm the evening it was plugged in. Until you get your phone try plugging the phone in with the battery still in and try turning it on *it may take a few tries* but even with a dead battery the phone usually pulls a charge through kinda like a car can be jumped with a dead battery.

Now when you get your new phone if you are still having problems I suggest you rethink sending it back and consider fixing the problem because as dumb as verizon store employees are I doubt the ones in tech have the same education level. This is a FLAGSHIP phone they just launched and purposely locked the bootloader because of these problems. If you send it back without touching anything I can almost assure you, you will be paying full price...and at this point...why not get a developer version?

 

[WhoDoo Voodoo]

I would order a new battery and a charging dock OVERNIGHT. Fix it, then send it back.

my rooted stock vzw s3 died. i'd been having intermittent probs like no notification of missed calls, text messages that never got to me... i was planning to reflash the stock root. went to bed with 37% battery, woke up it was dead. after an hour on the charger it was still dead.

i had just found out that my wife's brother has lymphoma, i was shook, so i called vzw, they tried to help me, but we couldn't get it going. the guy said he'd seen the same thing before. he sent me a replacement. i have until friday to return the original. btw, the replacement had an "updated" sticker.

now it occurs to me that they will know i was rooted and charge me full price for the replacement.

i realize that i should have tried to pull the battery, tried to use odin...

my question is: should i pull the battery and sim card from the working one and try to see if the orig will boot, or if odin sees it; if it does then flash stock before i return it? the replacement is much smoother than the orig.

if i was able to get it going, and i then put the battery and sim back in the replacement, what will happen?

or, should i not worry and just send it back?

thoughts?

 

[Rolo42]

likely your battery is not fried.

Batteries, even new ones, can fail. Never, ever make assumptions when troubleshooting.

why not get a developer version?

There are 600 reasons not to: $599 + 1 for nobody developing for it since 99.9% of them will be locked versions

 

[Metfanant]

There are 600 reasons not to: $599 + 1 for nobody developing for it since 99.9% of them will be locked versions

the developer version won't need much in terms of special development...since it will be unlocked...

but...considering the strides made with custom ROMs/Kernels thus far with the locked phone...the developer version is fairly useless...we can flash custom roms (even AOSP) and kernels as things sit right now...its not as pretty, but there is no performance/battery problems associated with it so we are just about on a level playing field with the rest of the carriers...

 

[icerado]

the developer version won't need much in terms of special development...since it will be unlocked...

but...considering the strides made with custom ROMs/Kernels thus far with the locked phone...the developer version is fairly useless...we can flash custom roms (even AOSP) and kernels as things sit right now...its not as pretty, but there is no performance/battery problems associated with it so we are just about on a level playing field with the rest of the carriers...

well, the fact of the matter is the droidx never got the kind of development or vast amount of roms like my g1 had. I'm not saying its worth buying a developer version but if you are spending 600 then why not get the one that can load a rom from basically any carrier. the battery may be the problem but you can still hold a charge without a working battery was my point. I've been rooting androids since before you even knew it existed, so I'd like to think I know a bit about troubleshooting them. I'll eat my words if its the battery

 

[dlion16]

the original battery is fine, when i put it in the new phone it started right up, so it must be a hardware issue.

later today i'm going to put the battery back in the old one and try again to get it to start. if it starts i'm going to flash the samsung stock before i send it back. if it won't start, i'll just send it back. thanks for your help.

 

[UNDERT0W]

Trying charging it with different usb hookups and use a outlet not your computer to charge it. I have had this same problem happen to my rooted and custom kindle fire. When the battery drains all the way to where it wont turn on it for some reason wont take a charge. I have used old usb chargers to give it enough of a charge to get it to turn on and once you have it on it will charge up normally. Its called something like a "factory wire" or whatever but basically it can jump start your device, some old usb chargers can do the samething. just plug it in with different USB chargers give it a sec and try powering on normal if it doesn't work try a different charger. I was worried I would never get my kindle back on but it works. don't try getting into recovery or download mode till you can get the device on and taking a charger.
Also if all you did was root your phone and not install a custom rom, kernel, or anything you should be fine with sending it back. They cant do anything to you about the warrenty if all you did was root it (especially if you never got the "custom" and unlock symbol on any of your boots).

 

[Metfanant]

well, the fact of the matter is the droidx never got the kind of development or vast amount of roms like my g1 had.

the DroidX also never had the ability to flash custom kernels like we have on our phones...the DX had to rely on the very messy 2nd Init process to run stuff like CM...the VZW S3 does not have that problem...

I'm not saying its worth buying a developer version but if you are spending 600 then why not get the one that can load a rom from basically any carrier.

if you're going to pay retail then yes, id agree the developer version is the way to go...but for people that are planning on upgrading...then i don't think the phone is worth the extra $350-$400

the battery may be the problem but you can still hold a charge without a working battery was my point. I've been rooting androids since before you even knew it existed, so I'd like to think I know a bit about troubleshooting them. I'll eat my words if its the battery

1. i never said it was the battery
2. do you want some kind of cookie for rooting androids since before i knew it existed? (even though that isn't true)

 

[icerado]

2. do you want some kind of cookie for rooting androids since before i knew it existed? (even though that isn't true)

ahhhhhhh I feel terrible now, because the 2nd half of my quote was for our fellow member who likely hasn't had the same experience we both have with android. I am just not on here enough to check on the mistakes that I make. I know you've been around for awhile I have been on the forums for what looks like the same amount of time as you. Accept my humble apology and consider that a comment for our more naive poster.