Verizon system update hard bricked my Razr

[pddcoo]

Verizon pushed a "system update" to my Razr today (6.something).  Apparently (from another blog), this is a "foundational" upgrade is preparation for ICS around May 21.  Problem is that it bricked the phone so badly that even Verizon couldn't fix it so they are having to replace it.  The Power + volume down button returns to the same black boot loader screen.  Power + volume down, then holing volume up while restarting returns the home screen for 30 seconds, then it powers down then up and the phone returns to the bootloader screen again.  Anyone else experience this?  The black screen of death says:

AP Fastboot Flash mode (S)

0A.6C

T return to normal mode - first press power key to power down

Device is LOCKED. Status Code: 0

Battery OK

Connect USB

Data Cable

Has anyone seen this or solved it?

[B33]

pddcoo wrote:

Verizon pushed a "system update" to my Razr today (6.something).  Apparently (from another blog), this is a "foundational" upgrade is preparation for ICS around May 21.  Problem is that it bricked the phone so badly that even Verizon couldn't fix it so they are having to replace it.  The Power + volume down button returns to the same black boot loader screen.  Power + volume down, then holing volume up while restarting returns the home screen for 30 seconds, then it powers down then up and the phone returns to the bootloader screen again.  Anyone else experience this?  The black screen of death says:

AP Fastboot Flash mode (S)

0A.6C

T return to normal mode - first press power key to power down

Device is LOCKED. Status Code: 0

Battery OK

Connect USB

Data Cable

Has anyone seen this or solved it?

You Don't get Updates from Verizon from a Blog they Come from O.T.A That is unless you went to this so called Blog an Downloaded it your self. As i said Verizon Does Not send any Updates any other Way but O.T.A

An this Link will show this Procedure that Verizon Uses 

http://support.verizonwireless.com/pdf/system_update/droid_razr_maxx_instructions.pdf

[pddcoo]

No. The update was OTA.  The explanation for what this update actually was (a foundation change needed before the ICS upgrade later in the month) came from the Engadget blog.  I ran across the article when I was googling the screen message on the phone to try to find a solution after Verizon Tech cold not solve the problem

[pddcoo]

Not rooted. Had the phone all of thirty days. Worked fine until this update.  Neither tech support on the phone nor the tech at the Verizon (owned) store could solve the problem.  Clearly a defect, so they are sending a replacement.  That leaves me with no phone for a week. Was hoping someone had dealt with this issue and had an answer.

[B33]

Well i prefer Corporate Stores Over (Owned) ones but at least you are getting a New Re-placement..b33

[KContri]

I received the same update yesterday morning and my phone has been frozen on the DROID shut down screen since last night.  I was able to get it to restart with the power/vol reset his morning.  Now, the phone isn't working correctly at all.  Any advice?

[B33]

When you done the Update were U using the phone in any Way:  Did your Razr have a Full Battery when you done the update : And did you have a Good Signal when you Done the Update. These are all Factors you need to Consider when doing the Update. I would say your Best Option Now is to Go to a Corporate Store an have them Flash the Device to Back when it was New an Start over Again Ask for a Manager an let him or her know that your Razr is having a issue since trying the Update.. b33

[pddcoo]

So, yes I do know the difference between a verizon (owned) corporate store and an authorized reseller.  Tech support on the phone recommended I go to the store; but when I got there, the manager said that Tech support should have know better, that they no longer have on site technicians and could do no more than we had done already via phone.  Also I have a network extender in the house, and the An Tu Tu benchmarks for that when I'm using my 4g modem are higher than for my 22mbps Comcast service.  My phone had been on the charger overnight and had just been unplugged when the update notice came.

I suspect the real issue is an interaction between Motorola Smart Actions and the update.  Smart Actions will change settings on the phone dynamically based on GPS, activity, time, etc., and it could be that the update routine does not check and disable Smart Actions during the process.

With respect to KContri, it is fortunate that the phone still reacts to its external buttons.  I had the same partial update issue with an HTC Incredible a few months ago.  It acted erratically.  I did a full factory reset which restored normal functionality. A few hours later the update appeared again and worked without a problem.  Not saying that HTC experience translates into Motorola results, but strongly urge you to try the full factory reset while you still are able. Then make sure that Smart Actions are disabled.  The update likely will appear again an work fine.

If you do go to the store, call first and make sure it's a store that actually can do something for you.  My store was not even able to swap out, so it was a wasted trip.

[B33]

Sorry pddcoo . I kind of figured it would Turn out that way you went to the store for Help and i Suggested it and instead of Getting help from the Manager He or She Blew you Off. This Happens More than it Should an Yes Customer Service is the Ones that Help out the Most, But the Reps an Managers alike train on these Devices Right before they go out to the Public an they in my Mind could of done  A. Flashed  the Phone to bring it Back to New and give you a Fresh start or B. Sent you Home with a New Device Weather it be a Brand New One or a  C.G.A.N unit instead of what they Did..b33  

[bearone21]

"on site tech", the verizon store sales folks are very knowledgeable about how the phones work, the problem is, you're not buying anything & they make nothing off of you by helping.

i'd report the store/mgr to call-in verizon cs.

[B33]

I Agree totally Bearone b33

[pddcoo]

Honestly, she did try, and she called her own tech support, when she couldn't fix it, probably spent 45 minutes on the problem.  I think this is a case where the complexity of updating the phones + the OS + the VZW system was just too much. I'm satisfied that there's nothing that could be done, that I didn't do something massively stupid, and that if I'm not the only one, then at least it's documented for a fix someday.

We have another phone that could be upgraded now, but think I'll wait until newer models with ICS already installed are available and have been out for awhile.

Thanks, everyone!

[bearone21]

excuse me but your comment at 212p said mgr claimed no ts, sounded like no1 helped.

[pddcoo]

Understand the confusion. Actually, this is a longer story than I have relayed.  This store is quite large and used to have a full technical staff with the ability to make hardware repairs as well as software fixes.  For about a year, now, the service dept has been closed, probably because VZW concluded it was cheaper to do phone swaps by mail and train the sales reps enough that they can handle the most common issues. Originally, there were two different check ins, one for sales and one for service.  Now there is only one.  When they call your name, you get whom you get.

Unfortunately, turn over there has been high, so I doubt anyone currently employed remembers the way it used to be.  That's why they couldn't understand TS sending me to the store.  Maybe other stores still have the service dept which is why the original ts told me to go to the store. They even said the store could "put it on a computer" and diagnose the problem or swap it. When I learned the store could do neither, I was not happy especially after the wasted time and the 30 mile round trip.  You would think after all that they at least would have the courtesy not to charge $8 for shipping.  It's not a big amount, but another nickel and dime irritation.  I said as much and the answer was that if I had bought the insurance, I wouldn't have had to pay for the shipping.  Crazy.

[B33]

I like what you Wrote in your Post: For about a year, now, the service dept has been closed, probably because VZW concluded it was cheaper to do phone swaps by mail and train the sales reps enough that they can handle the most common issues. Originally, there were two different check ins, one for sales and one for service. This is were i think Allot of  the Issues are Happening with Verizon an if it Wasn't for the Phones an the Little better phone Service i would Go to U.S. Cellular Because they do have a top Notch Service Re-Pair Center in with the Store. Alltel did the Same Thing for a While an had Techs that diagnose the issues Done Factory Resets or Flashed the Devices and that was there Job.  But you see that part of it don't Sell phones. So i would say that is why they Axed it. They Figure you can set on the Phone for Hours an Hours  Talking to Someone instead of Coming into the Store Diagnosing the Issue an fixing it on the Customer's Device or Sending them home with a new One..

As i stated i Do like Verizon:  I like My Phones an the Plans they are On but There are some Areas they Could Do Better For all of Us!  b33

[armyofmunn]

Three weeks ago that happened to my commando and no one could help either and they had to send me another phone. I had to activate my old phone while I waited for the replacement then activate the new one when I got it. This is no help to you but your not alone with this download they sent out.

[swiftkick]

I had the same thing happen to my RAZR. OTA update showed up at 6 AM EST on Friday, April 27 while my phone was connected to the HD Dock. Makes me wonder about the smart actions pddcoo mentioned above, in my case, maybe those for the dock.

My phone hung up on restart on the screen with the red eye with white lightning on the inside. I soft rebooted several times and each time it hung up on the same screen. Called customer service from my wife's phone and they walked me through a factory reset. The reset worked and I rebooted the phone and got all the way to the 'touch the android' screen. Soon after I touched the icon I would get two errors, each of which required me to force close (button at the bottom of the error notification) to get rid of them.

The two error messages were:

"The process com.motorola.process.system has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again."

and

"The process com.motorola.process.im has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again."

I tried again, and again, and again. Went to a store and the saleswoman ended up getting back on the phone with Verizon tech support. they told me that it sounded like I was having problems and would send me a refurbished phone. I opted for the 15.99 overnight shipping but really wasn't happy with it. I got the same line about the insurance that pddcoo did.

Really, I think I only have a couple of issues with the process: 1) I think expedited shipping for defects should be the standard and fully covered under warranty. 2) Just like as service advisory on a car, it would be nice to see phone advisories listing issues as they pop up and how phone users should deal with them. In this case, an advisory for the OTA update would be posted listing a soft, then factory reset. If neither works, then contact technical service for replacement authorization using advisory number XXX as a reference.

[pddcoo]

I just received the refurb replacement phone, and it has the old software (.173).  It'll be interesting to see if VZW updates it and the same thing happens.  The bigger question is if they sent a replacement phone for this issue, why couldn't they send one that already had the update?  It looks like VZW doesn;t miss a trick when it comes to poor planning.

[pddcoo]

So just when I thought VZW had pulled every dumb trick it could, it got even better.  The replacement phone came, and IN THE SAME BOX VZW  included the wrong SIM card.  I knew this because it was twice the size of the one that came from the old phone (I can't use the old SIM because reverting to an old phone after a smart phone renders the SIM card worthless).  However, the CSM wouldn't take my word for it.  He said we had to go through the activation process anyway, but, oddly, he couldn't get the system to accept that I had a Droid Razr. 

After 15 minutes or so, he solved that problem, then asked  for the SIM card number.  He put that in the system and it came back that the SIM cards is not compatible  (DUH!).  The solution is for me to make the 30 mile round trip to the retail store (again) to get a new SIM card.  Since I paid for expedited shipping and am going to have to spend ANOTHER $10 or so on gas, I asked if he could at least credit back my account.  No, it turns out...but maybe the store will.

No question VZW has the best network; but you can't use it without a ******* phone.  It's really about time to look at jumping ship.

[pddcoo]

Oh, and just to ice the cake, I got an email promotion just now that Verizon has dropped the price of my 30 day old phone by $100.

[gotwatermelon]

Is there any way to recover my pictures and videos on my phone in this condition? I don't have them on an SD card.