HTC Thunderbolt Random Shutdown

dmwesq
Enthusiast - Level 3

My Thunderbolt is shutting itself off every few minutes, even in Safe mode. I installed ICS the day it came out, and the phone has been fine for months. The other day I got a message that about 15 apps needed updating, quite a few requiring permission to not let phone sleep. I believe that is when the issues started. I have read various threads online and many talk about bad app if the phone is OK in safe mode, but since mine shuts off then as well I'm stumped. There certainly seems no easy way top cure this, and I am certainly hoping I don't have to uninstall every third party app on the phone - what a headache that would be. Anyone have thoughts on how to remedy this?

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38 Replies
budone
Legend

I would backup any important info Contacts, pix, etc and do a factory reset.

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pochemunyet
Newbie

My HTC Thunderbolt has randomly shut down for at least three years. I've replace it probably five times, but it continues. Sometimes it is fine for a few weeks. I have no outside apps installed. The other day, the phone rang and when I looked at it, it shut down. Shuts down in my pocket, while charging, while just sitting on the desk, just whenever it feels like it. Randomly.

Then it says that the Sim card is activating, that I have to wait two minutes. Of course, it is not activating, nothing happens...

What a piece of crap.

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no_to_HTC
Newbie

its interesting that all blogs about this issue are DISconnected! There are 1000s of people complaining.

i solved the shut down problem by turning OFF the "search for cell  service" feature on my thunderbolt.  so much for using the device for a  cell phone. this is the 4th phone i got from best buy. Verizon, HTC and  Best Buy ALL pretend that they have never had a complaint about this.  i'm done with all 3 companies!

This is definately an ICS issue no one will own up to it!

The problem with the device i haven't solved is that the device is froze while plugged into the charger.

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dmwesq
Enthusiast - Level 3

I'm not sure who or how this question was marked as answered - because it certainly IS NOT! I wiped out all my third party apps, did a factory reset, and the phone still shuts off at various times with no warning. The battery shows close to fully charged one second and then the phone goes dead. Could have been on for 2 minutes or 2 hours. Doesn't shut off at all when plugged in, but other than that it has turned into a total crapshoot.

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

@dmwesq,

Having a working phone is definitely important so I understand your frustration! But no worries because I'm here to help!

Is the phone rebooting or completely powering off? Does it turn back on right away or do you have to plug to the charge for it to turn on? Has there been any damage to the device? Have you tried using a different battery?

How long have you had this device? If the phone is under warranty it may be replaced at no cost as long as there is no damage.

JohnB_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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no_to_HTC
Newbie

The problem with the phone and the last 3 replacements I've and hundreds of

other owners are having is the ice cream sandwich update from HTC. I can

almost guarantee it will stay on if you put gingerbread back on it. Putting

it in airplane mode has fixed it shutting off and screwing up the battery.

That makes it great flashlight. Oh yes, and I can use my wireless

connection at home to surf the web.

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pochemunyet
Newbie

No, you are wrong. This problem has continued through five replacement Thunderbolts since over two years ago. It has nothing to do with any updates, nor any third-party apps, which I never installed. I've used three different batteries.

Verizon has absolutely no idea what the problem is. I pay so friggin' much every friggin' month for this friggin' piece of garbage.

Last week I got another replacement phone; the Rezound. It seems that Verizon ran out of the crap Thunderbolts, so I got an "upgrade" for free.

Not impressed with the Rezound, either, but at least it hasn't shut down randomly.

Yet.

Verizon sucks.

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dmwesq
Enthusiast - Level 3

John,

I would reply on the forum but every time I sign onto my account and then go to forums it asks me to register. When I put in my username and password in the registration screen it tells me my username and email address are already in use - of course they are - by Me! But there is no way to get past the registration screen so I frequently can't access the forums.

As for the phone, it powers off completely. It will restart and then shut off immediately unless I plug it in. Now it seems it will work plugged in but won't hold much of a charge. Could it be a battery issue? Maybe, but I don't have another battery to try and since I plan on upgrading the phone through my employer in the next few weeks I am not inclined to spend any money on a new battery. I have the phone about 2 years and no damage to the phone.

Since the phone is vital to my work as a police supervisor I can't play around, so I have a loaner phone from work until I get my new phone.

Dan

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no_to_HTC
Newbie

I found that if you put the phone in airplane mode the phone no longer turns

off and screws up the battery. This seems to be the result of the "ice

cream sandwich" update that replaced the "gingerbread" operating system.

HTC is the responsible party that apparently is not taking responsibility

for fixing their program. I feel they want us thunderbolt owner to throw

our $600 phone in the junk drawer and buy the HTC One.

The device can still surf the web if you have wireless access and the

camera, flashlight and calculator are awesome. However, until HTC fixes ice

cream sandwich it will never be a phone again.

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

dmwesq, we want accessing the forums to be easy breezy for you. You can log into your My Verizon account online to access this forum with ease http://bit.ly/xB4iTc

The detailed issues that you've described with your HTC Thunderbolt device appear to be as a result of a software issue. Have you downloaded a few 3rd party applications to your device? Some application software can affect the performance of your device. I recommend that you uninstall a few applications and then power your device off/on to soft reset it. Keep us posted.

LasinaH_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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dmwesq
Enthusiast - Level 3

Well easy breezy would be nice, but I have logged in many times, and the only link to the forums I can find is still in the support menu at the top of the page, and I still ca't get past the registration screen that pops up.

As for the phone, I had already taken off all third party apps, done a factory reset and yet still have random shutdowns. All these mythical generic fixes Verizon reps throw out do not come close to resolving this issue. So I borrowed a phone from work, transferred my sim card to the Samsung phone, and voila - no shutdown of phone.

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no_to_HTC
Newbie

Try airplane mode. When my thunderbolt is not looking for cell service the

phone does not turn off. I'm on my 4th thunderbolt for this reason.

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dmwesq
Enthusiast - Level 3

Why on earth would anyone want to use airplane mode as a way of resolving issues like random shutoff. I am a big fan of actually being able to use my phone as a phone.

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no_to_HTC
Newbie

My problems started in may 2013. Read between the lines.

Edited for discussion of moderation as required by the Terms of Service.

Message was edited by: Admin Moderator

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Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Strangely enough, my Tbolt hasn't experienced a random shutdown since getting the ICS update(s) and I haven't bothered factory resetting the device yet.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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dmwesq
Enthusiast - Level 3

Ann154, I am happy that your phone works and you have not experienced the frustration many others have. Obviously, not every phone exhibits this problem, but there are enough that do and one would hope one of the corporate giants involved would acknowledge the problem. Then they could move forward and try to resolve it. But so long as they keep denying the issue there is little hope for resolving it - can't wait until my new phone arrives in a week or so!

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Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

dmwesq wrote:

Ann154, I am happy that your phone works and you have not experienced the frustration many others have. Obviously, not every phone exhibits this problem, but there are enough that do and one would hope one of the corporate giants involved would acknowledge the problem. Then they could move forward and try to resolve it. But so long as they keep denying the issue there is little hope for resolving it - can't wait until my new phone arrives in a week or so!

I had the reboot bug from an earlier update on the Tbolt. So I understand the importance getting bug squashed. Most of the users that come to the forum are ones with issues. There hundreds if not thousands of users out there that don't have problems with their Tbolt or don't realize they have an issue and just deal with it.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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no_to_HTC
Newbie

Ann

When and how did you get the ICS updated?

Sheila

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Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

I'm not sure exactly when my Tbolt was last updated, but I'm pretty sure it is the latest version. I'm running the following version.

Android version 4.0.4

Software number 02.605.10 710RD

Kernel version 3.0.16-g65bd5ca htc-kernel@u1800-build-144 #1 PREEMPT

Baseband version 2.03.00.0201r, 0.02.02.1211r

Build number 7.02.605.10 CL567366 release-keys

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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no_to_HTC
Newbie

My software num is different s mine start with a 7. Was this a typo on your

part or does software actually start with a 02?

These are my numbers:

Software 7.02.605.10 71 ORD

PRI Version 141_002 1.64_002

PRL Ver 15256

ERI V 5

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