Virus? Multiple issues that follow several different phones

[skosha]

I really prefer Android phones over iphones but am pretty much being forced to use an iphone due to some sort of demonic virus that seems to plague every android phone I have ever owned.

I started with a Motorola Droid II with Verizon about a year and a half ago and it worked great at first. Then slowly things started going wrong. I can't remember the first issue I ever had but I have had various repeating issues which I am about to describe that have followed several replacement phones. I have had 3 Motorola Droid IIs, 2 Motorola Droid IIIs, an HTC Droid, all with Verizon, and now a Samsung Glide with AT&T. Every android I get works great at first and then several of the following issues start to creep in.

- Internet, facebook, etc. starts working intermittently. Recently Google started denying my requests saying I appear to be sending automated queries. I noticed on my Glide when my internet first started going out a few weeks ago that my homepage had been changed to some random search engine I didn't recognize.
- Text messaging goes on the fritz...by this is mean the keyboard will start getting stuck on CAPS (both physical and touchscreen) or certain letters will individually stop working or perform various other random commands. Keyboard will work fine in browser and other programs.
-Phone starts having issues charging. Will stop charging off and on. Sometimes will stop charging for hours at a time. Recently my Samsung Glide started saying the battery was disconnected.
-Google voice search stops giving local search results. For example, commands like "call McDonalds" which would normally give a list of local McDonalds to call will show a list of various McDonalds around the country.
-Phone starts shutting itself off or resetting. Once or twice a day and then often becomes several times an hour.
- Emails, texts, etc. will be delayed, often days.

Verizon tech support spent hours with me, which only resulted in them continuously swapping out my phone until finally giving up and allowing me to terminate my service with a fee.

I went with an ATT iphone 4 but not being able to use Siri and missing the customization that Androids have I bought this Samsung Glide and thought all my problems were gone while it worked great for a few weeks. Then the issues started happening. I now have a completely wiped phone, not even backed up to any contacts, with no SD card in, no gmail account attached, and my phone just continuously turns itself off several times an hour among the other issues listed above.

My initial hunch was a virus of some sort. So I tried wiping my phones, using no SD card, not logging into facebook, using new gmail accounts, etc. Nothing seems to work. I think that whatever is causing my problem must be attached to one of these, but even though I wipe my phone and don't use any of these amenities the virus or whatever this is remains. I have googled all of my problems and spent hours looking for someone who is having a similar issue and nobody seems to be experiencing this.

I have noticed that when I factory reset my current phone I get a script on the screen that says
can't access to '/system/csc/ATT/system and it resets within 30 seconds, not seeming to fully reset.

Im not very computer or android knowledgeable. I sold cell phones in the past but it was before androids and iphones. I have tried to follow the instruction on how to get a screen shot to show you the entire message I get during reset and I was unsuccessful. I'm really hoping that someone has the patience to work with me so that I can figure out where this problem is originating from.

I have a lot of music that I have downloaded to my SD card and maybe there is something on there causing it, but having my music on my phone is one of the main reasons I have it, so I need to isolate the issue. I also thought maybe my facebook had some sort of virus attached but this is also important to me as I have years of picture on there and wouldn't want to have to start over. I deleted pretty much all my app permissions and blocked tons of requests from games, etc trying to clear out any possible facebook virus.

To make it all seem a little crazier...it almost seems my computer is affected too as my background picture randomly goes blank, I have problems holding an internet connection, and have had problems getting antivirus programs to run in the past. I have formatted my computer but the internet and background problem is reoccurring already. I also have my same music files on my computer and access facebook. How do I figure out where this is coming from and stop it?!

I feel like I am plagued by the most terrible invasive virus, but from what I understand, this isn't possible and I must be crazy, so please, please help me!!

Stacey

 

[Hadron]

Hi Stacey, and welcome to AF

That is really odd.

The problems with your PC and phone cannot be connected. Android and Windows have nothing in common, so that has to be coincidence.

There are also no true Android viruses. Malware exists for all platforms, but you have to install it. And if you are not rooted (which seems to be the case) there's no way it can survive a factory reset. So the question is, what's the common factor? Is it really the same symptoms in each case (eg caps sticking when texting), or are these a collection of symptoms you've seen at different times? And once you have seen the problems a reset makes no difference, or the problems go then reappear later?

You say you have tried without FB or your card. So to be clear, you did a wipe, then ran with no card and no FB login and the problems recurred? If so I think you can eliminate your FB and media as causes.

 

[skosha]

No, I am not rooted. The problems I listed have occurred on every phone, if not more than one. The google voice search, internet, and facebook problems have occurred on every phone. The other problems have varied throughout the phones but have occurred on more than one phone. For example, the CAPS being stuck on or certain keys not working I have seen on 4 different phones now. The charging issue is almost every phone. Most recently, I took out my SD card, factory reset my phone, did not link it to a google account or download backed up contacts, and did not log into facebook. I continue to receive the message can't access to '/system/csc/ATT/system with each factory reset and the process seems to go too fast for a full reset to occur.

I have been over and over in my head what the common denominator is and cannot find a solution. Resets seems to work at first, then the phone gets worse and worse until its so frustrating to use I give up! On my most recent phone (Samsung Glide), with my first issue being internet and facebook going in and out, resetting my Access Point Names to default worked for an immediate fix, but then it would have to be reset every hour or so and then that stopped working. It was at this point I realized my google search home page was changed to some other search provider. I changed it back. Now internet and facebook works sometimes and not others. Then my e on my keyboard stopped working. Then the keyboard started doing crazy commands like searching through emails instead of typing the letters I would press during a text message. Then google voice search stopped providing local results. Google web searches said I am sending automated queries. Then the phone started shutting itself off. I wiped it with my SD still in and the resetting continued. The phone was connecting and disconnecting during charging and then told me that the battery was disconnected....seconds later it had an almost fully battery. I wiped it again without the SD card and continue to receive the message from google about automated queries and the resetting continues.

 

[ExtremeNerd]

This is something I have never, ever heard of in android land. Sure, all phones have bugs, but the issues shouldn't follow you. The OS isn't designed that way. All of the phones you mentioned are running different "flavors" of android. As much as I hate to say it, the common denominator is you.

When most people receive a new phone, there is a standard set of apps they install. Many users have them backed up on a SD card to quickly restore. Others download them from the market. My assumption is you have an undesirable app that continues to be installed on your phone. You could either have downloaded and sideloaded an app from a pirated source, or you have found a bad app in the market.

Long story short, there is nothing specific I can do to help, because this is not a standard scenario. I would advise you to avoid some of the less than mainstream apps on your next install. Malware can NOT get on your device without you initiating.

 

[EarlyMon]

I would have the power at your house checked out.

At the minimum, start with one of these -

http://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Receptacle-Outlet-Ground-Tester/dp/B0012DHVQ0

You can probably find one at your local hardware store, they're not expensive.

 

[skosha]

I realize this sounds crazy but if what you are saying is the case, how can it explain that I just once again wiped my phone..factory data reset...and have a completely clear phone with no SD card, no apps downloaded, no gmail account, etc. and I enter a search entry into google and it denies my request saying my phone is sending automated queries. What on earth does that even mean? I can't even find anyone else on the internet that has that specific issue with google on their phone at all. There HAS to be something that is not wiping off my phone from my SD card being in it before or some other connection to my facebook or something. It could be an app that I have downloaded when I first got my phone...even though I keep it to pretty basic games and known apps, but I have used a music downloader program on each phone. The point is, now that it's happened and is affecting my phone, how do I get it to go away with a wipe? I wish someone had a program that could read your phone and report back what the heck it is doing. This is the most frustrating thing and I have been dealing with it for over a year now.

I just keep hearing that its not possible, but it's happening. I'm not some crazy person...I promise!

Should I load my SD card on my computer and try to run virus scan on that? Is there any known facebook virus that could be affecting me? Is "can't access to '/system/csc/ATT/system" normal script during a reset? What is flashing and could this get my phone to reset properly?

Please don't give up on me yet!

 

[skosha]

Regarding the power, it has been happening in the apt I used to live in, the house I moved into after that, and now I just moved last week into a new house so that can't be the denominator. I also thought that at one point.

Thank you for suggestions!

 

[EarlyMon]

It could certainly be the demoninator. One bad electrician in the city is all that it takes.

Your power supplies could be damaged by miswiring.

I never plug in anything sensitive anywhere without checking power first. It's surprising how many places are wired wrong.

PS - music downloader? As in, paid music for free from the internet? One of the bigger malware infection vectors?

 

[skosha]

I don't see how this can relate to all the issues I am having. Maybe, if by some weird chance all these places were wired wrong, how would it explain my device sending automated queries resulting in google blocking my use? Regarding it being the result of a bad charger, my phone will only charge on the one cord that was sent with the phone. My boyfriend charges in all the same places with all the same cords with no problems for the last year. Mine wont charge at all on my boyfriends cord or the other ones I have. I mean maybe bad wiring or a bad cord could've caused charging and battery issues, but how could it explain all the other repeating problems I am having?

Regarding music downloader, yes, I realize it is bad. Shame on me. But the point is there is nothing on my phone now, at all, and I have experienced today alone several resets, points of the day where my facebook app was blank and none of the buttons worked, and google is telling me im sending automated queries...which I beg someone to tell me how that is possible.

Please, any advice, speculation or otherwise, is so appreciated.

 

[lunatic59]

Stacy, We have to look at this methodically.

If these recurring problems are identical on different phones of different manufacture and hosted by different carriers, then what's the common denominator?

I'm wondering if somehow your phone number were being spoofed which would wreak havoc on your ability to sync with the networks and could be the reason for the message you are getting from Google.

I'm also a bit confused about the error message when you try to reset. You have said you've performed a factory reset, but it happened too fast with that error, which leads me to think you may not have actually completed a true reset.

 

[skosha]

I'm not sure what you mean by not completing a full reset. I use the factory data reset option in my settings under privacy.

I have seriously spent so many hours trying to think of what I have forgotten to consider and I have always come down to the only common denominator being my phone number but I thought that was just silly to even mention. Now that you say the spoof thing I am very curious as to how this could happen, and is there anyway to find out if this is the problem? I kept the same number when I transferred to AT&T and do remember having issues connecting to the internet and facebook even with my iphone that I had before switiching to this Glide, but no physical issues like I have had with droids so I wrote it off as a bad signal. Can you tell me anymore about spoofing and where to go from here?

Thanks!!

 

[lunatic59]

I'm not sure what you mean by not completing a full reset. I use the factory data reset option in my settings under privacy.

Let me ask you this. After the reset, does it take you back to the Welcome screen where it asks you to register or enter your gmail account?

I have seriously spent so many hours trying to think of what I have forgotten to consider and I have always come down to the only common denominator being my phone number but I thought that was just silly to even mention. Now that you say the spoof thing I am very curious as to how this could happen, and is there anyway to find out if this is the problem? I kept the same number when I transferred to AT&T and do remember having issues connecting to the internet and facebook even with my iphone that I had before switiching to this Glide, but no physical issues like I have had with droids so I wrote it off as a bad signal. Can you tell me anymore about spoofing and where to go from here?

Thanks!!

The behavior you describe is so atypical that I can only think the phone number/account is where your problems may lie. The easiest way to check this is to put a different sim into your phone and see if it works properly. If so, then go to the AT&T store and explain the situation and tell them you'd like a new number.

 

[skosha]

I just remembered another major problem that happened on almost all of my verizon droids but has not yet happened to my AT&T phone. When I would place or receive a call there were countless times when the call would connect and the timer would start counting as if it were a successful call but there would be no audio heard on either end. Restarting my phone was the only way I could get the audio to work once this started happening. It happened with probably 5 of my droid phones and would happen several times a day.

 

[skosha]

Yes, it takes me back to the welcome screen where it asks me to enter a gmail account. It doesn't make me call to connect to AT&T service like the initial setup did, if I remember correctly.

Since my phone number really isn't that important i'm thinking I will go ahead and call support and request a new number now. I want to make sure I don't loose my phone numbers...should I use the same gmail account? Thanks for the advice!

 

[lunatic59]

Yes, it takes me back to the welcome screen where it asks me to enter a gmail account. It doesn't make me call to connect to AT&T service like the initial setup did, if I remember correctly.

Since my phone number really isn't that important i'm thinking I will go ahead and call support and request a new number now. I want to make sure I don't loose my phone numbers...should I use the same gmail account? Thanks for the advice!

I would use the same gmail account, but change the password before you log in again from the phone, just in case.

 

[skosha]

Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[skosha]

Well the call center is closed, so I went online...found the option to do it...decided to pay the $36 bs fee, and got this

Confirmation
What's this?

We have received your request to change your wireless phone number.
We can't change your current wireless number at this time. Your existing wireless number and functions will remain active. Please review the error message and retry your number change at a later time.
There is no error message to follow. I will call in the morning....

 

[datahead]

Some of the problems you describe sounds like something I have experienced with a few phones and using different non stock wall / car chargers. If you are using chargers other than the with that came with the specific phone, you might be pumping the wrong volts / amps to it, like the screen keyboard issues for instance. I have had this happen to me a few times, but once I saw that the chargers were screwing with the phone I discontinued their use and would stick to the ones that came with the phone. And if that's the case and you continued the use for extended periods of time, you may have done permanent damage.

 

[skosha]

unbelievable....I spent 40 minutes getting my phone number changed this morning. They had issues and had to contact higher tech support and delete my AT&T address book feature in order to get the switch to occur. Once it was completed I called my boyfriends phone after a power cycle and confirmed that a new number was active.

Then, just to be extra safe, I got on my computer and went to my gmail account. I exported my contacts only and imported them into a new gmail account that I just created. I did a factory reset on the phone again (still got the same error script). As I was waiting for the new account to sync with my phone it powered off and wouldn't power back on. I pull the battery and SIM (I have no SD card in) and after a minute put them back in. I pulled in my charger (even though I have around 30% still remaining before the power off) and all I can get the phone to do is go to the black screen where it says SAMSUNG. It showed the battery charging a few times, and now nothing. The phone is dead.

 

[lunatic59]

Okay, to me that says that one of your chargers damaged your phone or the USB connector is faulty by either a broken or intermittent connection. I would suspect that a power spike/overload or the repeated connecting and disconnecting while plugged in has somehow damaged the file system. Since this has been an ongoing problem, I'd see if AT&T will replace it for you under warranty.

They'll most likely swap it out with a refurb, but it will be fully tested before you get it. I've had so have a phone replaced by AT&T and they were very propmt in getting it to me. They actually shipped it FedEx the same day and provided a return label for the old, damaged phone. They will need a credit card for the transaction in case you don't return the old phone in time, but as long as you do, there is no charge.

 

[EarlyMon]

And if the pc was damaged by a bad wall supply, no telling what it's done through its USB ports since.

 

[skosha]

they are sending me a new phone. It turns on randomly and works for a few minutes then either shuts off or tells me my battery is disconnected again and again. I get what you're saying about the charger connecting and disconnecting or some power surge causing damage that would explain my power issues, but I don't get how that would cause my internet to say my device is sending automated queries (does anyone know what this means anyways) or cause my facebook app to continuously be blank.

All I can do now (unless anyone has any other ideas for me to try) is to get the new phone, load my new gmail account and nothing else...no SD card, etc, and buy all new chargers (not to mention move to a city in lala land where all the power supplies are tested and safe) and hope and pray that my demonic tormentor disappears. This is an awesome service I pay $120 a month for!

 

[skosha]

OK I got the replacement device. I am afraid to use the charger that I got with the phone (bought on ebay). It is a Pantech Input: 100-240V 50/60Hz 0.3A Output: 5.0V 1A Model # PTA-5010MUTUS

Can you tell me if this is safe to use on a Samsung Glide SGH-I927

Thank you

 

[lunatic59]

As long as the output voltages are correct and the connector isn't damaged, that should be fine to use. Have you tried it with other phones? Know anyone with a voltmeter to check it for you if you suspect it of being faulty?

 

[skosha]

[FONT=arial, helvetica][FONT=arial, helvetica][FONT=arial, helvetica]Input : AC 100V-240V, 200mA, 47-63Hz
Output : DC 4.5V-9.5V, Max 800mA
This is what it shows online for the correct charger for my phone.


Input: 100-240V 50/60Hz 0.3A Output: 5.0V 1A
This is what I have been using



I don't know anyone with a voltmeter. Do you think it would be safe to use this? I have noticed that the charger fits tigher into my new phone and doesn't want to fall out and disconnect as easy, but I have yet to plug it into the wall. I'm so paranoid now!

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