Thunderbolt ICS Update Issues (Ice Cream Sandwich)

zirkenz
Newbie

I need help Verizon Tech Support!!!

My wife and i both have HTC Thunderbolts that updated to ICS despite my defering the update. Since the update i have run into a multitude of problems mostly on my wife's phone. Before i begin i wil give some prior info. Both the phones are set up identical. My wifi access point is an Apple Express. Everything was rock solid before the update accept that my wife's phone would pretty much reboot every night. But no wifi issues.

Wifi Constant Disconnect/Reconnect/Not in Range issues:

The biggest problem my wife is having right now is that the wifi keeps disconnecting. It will keep flipping back and forth between wifi and 4G. So it will stay connected to wifi one sec and the next it is 4g LTE, then reconnect to wifi and disconnect. I have tried forgetting the network and resigining in and rebooting nothing works. No i don't have this problem on my Thunderbolt, just my wife's phone. Her wifi will also says "not in range" sometimes then it will connect and disconnect cycle again after i turn wifi off and on, when i am standing right in front of the access point. Again my Tbolt does not have this issue just hers. Before the update, eveything was rock solid. Her tbolt is the only device on my network having issues which started after the ICS update. This is clearly not an issue with my network or networking equipment as one tbolt works fine the other does not. This is a problem with my wife's phone after the ICS update

Battery Drain

The Tbolts are known for their bad battery life but the battery drains way faster now. My wife's phone drains 50% faster now. On mine i use to get through at least 8 hrs but i to am noticing the battery drain also.

Slow Apps/Data Load/Everything

Both our phones seem slower when opening apps and loading data. Before the update, apps would open and data would load instantaneous. Now it takes several seconds with lots slow reaction, delayed reaction and spinning icons.

"Com.phone. something" keeps quitting intermittently.

When this happens the phone is useless, it will not dial, nothings works, no text, etc. Have to reboot. This happening on both our phones. Today on my phone this thing quit. I rebooted and then got a pop up on my home screen that said someting like "SIM: my phone needs to activate, it will take 2 mins" blah, blah. This kept poping up every few minutes after clearing it. I finally rebooted and so far it has not come back.

I also had some car Bluettoth pairing issues.....

So today after the com.phone quit/crashed and i rebooted. I tried connecting the BT in my car. I kept having issues pairing but it finally did. Everything was moving real slow. So i use the car screen to dial a speed dial number and it would not dial. I tried the keypad on the phone and it didn't dial. Then it connected and dialed. While i was talking, it tried dialing again. I think this might be an issue with everything moving real slow and reacting really slowly.

Please for the love of God, someone contact me and help me fix this.

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23 Replies
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

FYI this is not Verizon Tech Support. It is the Verizon Wireless Community Forum which is a peer to peer forum made up of customers. While there are some members of their social media team roaming the board, a response from a VZW rep isn't guaranteed.

As for your issues, I have the Tbolt with the same ICS update. I actually had occasionally issues with wifi not connecting to the router on the Tbolt before the update. I haven't seen the issue since. However I would also see the issue on my older DROID Eris. I have since determined it is likely the router with the problem. I am planning on replacing the router since it is over five years old. I wouldn't have connection issues with other wifi networks.

Have you tried clearing the cache and temporary files for some of your applications? It seemed to help my Tbolt with the loading of files and apps.

I haven't seen an issue with the dialer or phone app. You could try a different SIM card and see that helps.

I don't use my bluetooth so I don't have suggestions there.

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

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mdram4x4
Champion - Level 1

ist thing to always try

factory reset

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zirkenz
Newbie

I unplugged the access point and rebooted my wife's phone after setting it to forget the network. It seems to be stable now but tomorrow will be the full day test. However on my phone a new problem, i keep getting a pop up on my home screen that says "Backup+Media" quit. Don't even know what process or app is generating that.

I'd consider a fatory reset but there is no way i know of doing a restore. My calendar, contacts, most texts are all google based so that is not an issue but then what of all my apps and the data. I have 121 apps (85% free) and it will take a long time to reinstall those apps plus i don't want to have replay all my games as i have some good scores. I also have pics, custo ringtones and other files. Is there a way to do a backup and restore without <Deleted> (modifying the OS)? My old Treo had software that would let me backup and restore the entire phone so easily. Iphone has that too. So why does android not have such a thing?

<Post edited to comply with the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service.  Discussions about hacking any device shall be removed.>

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

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53dville
Newbie

After ICS update:

Battery life much shorter, even with things like email on manual update only.

Just today, I get a message on lock screen about "activating phone....  Wait 2 minutes...."  See other posts with same issue in this group.

Multiple email problems, with yahoo mail and exchange, had to remove and reinstall both, still intermittent exchange problems.

Phone is fully charged, on wireless, 4g, and wifi.

Just posting here stop confirm issues are not isolated to one person.

M

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tonya3033
Enthusiast - Level 1

Certainly not isolated.  I am hating this update as well.  I really wish Verizon would do something about it!  Despite it's horrible battery, my phone worked just fine!  Now we all have these issues.... Really I see this as nothing more than a way for Verion to force me to upgrade my phone- oh... at a cost of $30 activiation, and lose my unlimited data plan.

The worse feature for me is the texting issue.  It takes an average of 8 minutes to send a picture! Really!!! Just a plain old text is taking 7-10 seconds.  That and my calendar is all messed up to.  I rely heavily on it for all my families appointments and now it won't sync correctly. 

I am mad! and right there with you!

local157
Enthusiast - Level 1

Agreed,I deferred as long as possible,was going to try permanently refusing it,but it snuck in @ 5AM a few days ago.Lost my calendar ,Yahoo mail,other app(s) I haven't even figured out yet,and the best (WORST!) was my 1900 pictures in the gallery were GONE! Fortunately I have ASTRO file manager and found them. In 17 days,my contract is up. Guess what,Verizon? If my speed doesn't improve and I don't see some answers for at least some of the posts in this forum,I will take at least 4 accounts elsewhere.

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speedwater
Newbie

"Slow Apps/Data Load/Everything"

I also have experienced EXTREMELY slow response time to everything I 'try' to do on my phone after the update. I press any button on my phone and it takes over 5 seconds to acknowledge. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g S-e-e-m-s T-o B-e G-o-i-n-g I-n S-l-o-w M-o-t-i-o-n.

Seems like every time I unlock my device the Clock is set to 00:00, although the clock in the task bar is correct. I am guessing ICS introduced an additional conflict with this device switching between antennas that  is causing the latency of the entire OS.

And guess what, it still does the random reboot....FABULOUS!

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mburke567
Newbie

<Duplicate post deleted for cross posting violations per the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service.  See for the original message.>

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

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zirkenz
Newbie

So far the wifi issue on my wife's phone seems to be okay after what i did. The only problem i am noticing as of now is the slow app reaction/data loading and battery drain.

<Comments removed for discussion of moderation per the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service.>

I noticed that there is a new sync item in the sync settings called "Internet". Does anyone know what this is for? I have done a google search and all i have learnt that this is a carrier thing and not an android thing. I'd like to know what it is for.

The other thing i noticed is that before you could add a lot of apps and stuff to a folder now you can only add a certain amount and folder icon is gone and looks like IOS. If i wanted an iPhone, i'd buy an iPhone.  if i could access data at the same time as making a call which the Verizon iPhone does not do, i may consider it.

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

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Lowcarb
Enthusiast - Level 3

In addition to all of the issues listed by the OP I frequently have apps that will not accept any keyboard input to fields.  The keyboard appears to be functioning and the field 'flashes' but no new data will input to the field.  The only fix is to reboot the phone.   This performance is so bad I consider the phone unusable at this point.

tami1029
Enthusiast - Level 2

THIS NEW UPDATE CRASHED MY PHONE. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH HTC AND VERIZON FOR A WEEK. THEY EACH TELL ME IT IS THE OTHERS PROBLEM.  I AM NOT GOING TO PAY MY BILL UNTIL SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING.  I LOST VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGES AND ALL THE ATTACHMENTS.  CANT DOWNLOAD PICS ANYMORE.  CANT OPEN MESSAGES.  CANT GET ON THE NETWORK.  HIT AND MISS.  EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE PHONE, NEW PROBLEMS APPEAR. I HAVE DONE 2 HARD RESETS AND 20 SOFT RESETS.  I AM ON MY 2ND TBOLT. THEY ARE SENDING A 3RD TBOLT. YEA.........

TJ266
Enthusiast - Level 1

I am having the same issues since the ICE CREAM Sandwich pgrade on 2/8/2013.

Phone is non-responsive at times.

- Dialing and selecting a contact is extremely long and can take up to 2 minutes before it actually onnects.

Memory usage is terrible

- I usually get two days on a single ful charger... Now I'm getting about 8 hours.

Email isues...

- When I delete emails,they return th next time I open my email under the unread emails.

This is crazy and Verizon needs to do something about this, and not tell us to get another version of the Thunderbolt phone or another phone all together.

safarigo
Enthusiast - Level 1

am getting most all same symptoms.
mine is always ......loading......

its killing me

kaiser6977
Enthusiast - Level 1

Me too. Can't even use the phone as a phone. This needs to be solved!

Shivmaker
Enthusiast - Level 1

Just called in to Verizon, "higher than normal call volume." Wonder why? I did everything possible on my phone and it is still having problems. The rep said that there are a good amount of people with Thunderbolts that this is happening to... battery drain, keyboard input not showing up at all, 1 minute+ delays before making a call, then two calls being made at the same time. 5-10 second delays+ after switching applications and this is days after I received the ICS update.

They have having HTC send me a new phone with ICS already loaded from the factory. He said that he is not sure why it makes a difference, but it has been working for people. I can't argue with new hardware the first time, but if new phones are exhibiting the same issues then there is something fundamentally wrong.

That said, I do appreciate the customer service reps being so willing to offer a new device when they could pigeon hole complaints into being related to HTC, Android or some app that someone loaded.

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jes1023105
Newbie

I had the same issue with my Thunderbolt.  To fix it power of the phone. Make sure you have 50% or more power.  Then hold down the volume down and power button at same time.  You will come to a white screen go down to factory resetby using the volume down.  Then select it by using the power button.  You will loose all your apps, but it will allow the i.c.s. update to take full effect.  Mine ran a lot better after this.

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uwphotographer
Enthusiast - Level 1

Hi

I had similar problems with the ICS update on the Thunderbolt.  I removed the Android task killer app

and after going through a reboot, ICS is much snappier in terms of performance.  WIFI and other functions are back

to normal too.

I did not do the hard reset that others have recommended.

UnoWhoo
Enthusiast - Level 1

Interesting! My T-bolt ran better WITH the App Killer running. Go figure. While the phone has slowed down tremendously, I think I'll try to live it with it until the end of the month and then move to the Samsung 4S that is coming out then. I just hope I won't be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

The only real problem I have is that the phone will "freeze" from time to time (about once a day) while it is not being used. The pull ring appears, but the entire screen is in black and white and nothing works . . . I can't turn the phone off and reboot. I have to remove the battery and the darned thing seems to freeze at the most inopportune time! 

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Raz5101
Newbie

Thanks for the hint uwphotographer! I've been going insane trying not to throw the phone off a tall building.  I uninstalled the task killer AND my antivirus and now the phone works like new (after a couple restarts of course)!  Also, yesterday my battery lasted 13 hours!  I think it has NEVER done that before... Thanks again!

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sageman800
Enthusiast - Level 1

I had the same issue with my thunderbolt.  I found a post that told me to boot into safe mode... find the tutorial and do it.  (hold down power key and at the second logo screen press the volume down key.... until it boots in safe mode, about 2 minutes)

my phone ran perfectly in safe mode and was afraid to restart it but when i did it still runs great.  Safe mode only allows original software to run at boot.  However, everything is still there and runs once opened.  I haven't figured out which app was the problem yet, if there was one. 

I hope this helps.