Random restarts with Note 4 with ALL Android 6.x updates

[GREMCS30]

My note 4 ran wonderfully before the Marshmallow/6.x update but has been a nightmare ever since. I have experienced unexplained reboots several times per week. I have also experienced worse battery life and the screen sometimes getting stuck and not auto-rotating. The Marshmallow 6.0.2 upgrade is awful and has ruined my phone.  I have all the latest updates installed and I purchased a new battery since that was one of the solutions I saw posted elsewhere and it has not helped at all. I often reach in my pocket to take out my phone to find it has rebooted for no reason.

To the Verizon support team please help me resolve this issue, though the hardware is Samsung,  Verizon is ultimately responsible for rolling out the software update that caused these issues. I have no wish to upgrade my device, I just want it to work well like it did before all the Android 6.x updates. VERIZON please help!!!

[tikibar1]

Have you tried a system cache clear?

How to clear the system cache for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – Android Forum - AndroidPIT

[GREMCS30]

Thanks for the suggestion, I tried this but no luck, Hvae had at least 4 random restarts since I did the system cache clear.

[bethsheartsong]

i have also done this plus a few other little battery saving tweaks.  I turn off my fully charged NOTE 4 for 36 hours and it won't start up, just begins the endless cycle of restarting. If there's enough power to keep restarting for 10 -15 minutes, why can't it just STAY on for a few minutes so I can look under the hood to see what has sucked the life out of it. 

Or, is this just a poor battery design that failed after only 18 months of use. Usually I can keep phones for 3 years or more with minimal battery degradation. Maybe the "super" battery charger is hard on the device?

[DELRIO38]

I'm experiencing the same issue with my note 4 after it did some kind of software update around 4 months ago. From what I've read some say its a software update that caused it or  a hardware issue. The cpu motherboard is not waking up or overheating and it hangs and then the phone restarts. I recommend you go to the app store and get the wake lock app by darken and set it to partial wakelock until verizon or Samsung fix this issue. It will minimize the number of times it restarts but it will drain your battery a lot of quicker.  I'm waiting on this issue getting fixed asap!

[vzw_customer_support]

We understand the important of having a working phone Delrio38. Having a phone that restarts itself can be very frustrating. When did you start experiencing issues with your device? Has there been any changes to the device when this started? What software version do you have? For directions on how to view the software version on your device click, http://vz.to/2mvOxZn

Thank You,

MichelleS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[GREMCS30]

Michelle, I am the original poster of the problem in this thread. I continue to experience the problem as posted. To answer your questions:

1. I started experiencing the issue almost immediately after upgrade to android 6.0.1 in early 2016. Before that I never had a random crash and battery performance was significantly better.

2. The change that started the issue was the install of Android 6.0.1

3. I have android 6.0.1 with security patch level for Feb 2017

I have been living with this issue for about a year now. I wish someone from verizon would take ownership of this issue. I have seen this issue or similar reported in many places including this forum.

[diagoro]

Completely agree with OP. Another MAJOR issue my phone has had since the noted updates.

I recently started using my Samsung Gear Fit 2 again. Nothing like setting it to work before a workout......only to come back 90 minutes later and notice that my phone rebooted and never recorded a second of workout data.

Or waking up at 5am to find that the phone rebooted sometime overnight. The screen was on all night, on the log in screen, and the batter is at 20%!

Guess we'll get the same answers as I did with my prior discussion. Either buy insurance and get covered, or "sorry, there's nothing we can do since you're out of warranty". How about the option to deny these updates if I'm out of warranty??? Either that, or properly vet your software, and stop blaming Samsung/blaming Verizon, just fess up and take care of your customers!!!!

[katrinan_vzw]

diagoro, that is frustrating to have you phone constantly reboot, especially when you record workouts. Let's look into correcting this. What steps have you taking so far in the troubleshooting process?

gjmchea, thank for supplying those responses. It's important that we get this fix, so you can have a reliable phone. Let's run a device health check on your device. Please click here for steps: View Device Health Check - My Verizon app - Android | Verizon Wireless  Please reply with the results.

[GREMCS30]

I ran the device health check and all items are green except 2:

1. VZ support and protection

2. Applications with more access

These items are both yellow.

The past few weeks have been almost intolerable with my phone. As diagoro mentioned above I also use my phone regularly for fitness tracking, I use the app calle Map My Run from UnderArmour. Nearly 1 in 4 times I will start the app and tracking my run and at some point during my run usually after 3 miles or so I reach to my phone to check my progress only to find that my phone has rebooted itself!!!

Today I saw the most beautiful double rainbow of my life and reached to my phone to take a picture for sharing. When trying to take a picture the phone restarted itself not once but twice when trying to take a picture.

I need a phone that I can use to do normal things that any other phone can do. Since the upgrade to Android 6.0.1 this has been the worst phone I have ever owned!!!

I cannot put up with these problems much longer and need a resolution to this problem. To the verizon reps on this thread what is the quickest way to get  a resolution to this problem? Can I bring my phone in to a Verizon store to get his resolved?

[GREMCS30]

Phone just crashed again today taking pictures. When the phone crashes taking pictures I cannot even reboot with the power button. I have to physically remove the battery in order to restart the phone!

[vzw_customer_support]

I understand your concern with the phone rebooting. I would be as well if I am trying to use the basic functions of my phone and was unable to. Please go to Settings > Storage > what is listed as available device memory?

TionnaB_VZW

Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[GREMCS30]

Internal device storage is 20 used out of 32 GB

SD card storage is 21 used out of 29 GB. So there is still plenty of storage space.

[vzw_customer_support]

Thank you for the confirmation of the storage, GREMCS30.  Have you had any further trouble with the phone rebooting when taking pictures? Please clear the cache of the camera. Settings> Applications > Application Manager > Camera. Reboot the phone once this has been done and try taking a picture again.

TionnaB_VZW

Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[GREMCS30]

I have cleared the camera cache and will let you know if the phone crashes again while taking pictures. Please be aware though that as mentioned in my other messages and my original post my phone is not just crashing when taking pictures. It is restarting when I am tracking my runs with a running app and most often reboots for absolutely no reason at all. I just reach in to my pocket and find that the phone has rebooted itself and I need to enter my password to use the phone.

I really would appreciate a solution that will solve all these issues, not just the camera. And as I asked before since I have been having these problems for almost a year is there any higher level of support I can contact to get the issues resolved more quickly?

[GREMCS30]

I am posting now just about 10 minutes later. I cleared the cache for my camera app and rebooted. I immediately took a picture and CRASH!! After these camera crashes I cannot even just reboot the phone. I have to take off my phone case, remove the back cover, remove the battery, put the battery back in, put the back cover back on and only then can I restart my phone.

Do you have any idea how inconvenient and embarassing it is to not be able to take a simple picture with your phone? This was all fine before Verizon's 6.0.1 rollout!! Can you please help me resolve this problem so I can have a reliable, dependable phone again. I have been living with these issues for almost a year!!!!!

[diagoro]

GREMCS30​     Per my experience, unless you have insurance, Verizon wont do a thing for you in the end.

I went through numerous reps, escalated, but it was ultimately "either you have insurance, or you can do an early renew and get a new phone". In other words, Verizon wont stand behind the bugs/issues that were caused by the updates. We're all on our own.....unless of course, you decide to pay for the exorbitant insurance.

Have you tried a full reformat? It will likely not fix all your issues, but is about the only real step you can take on your own.

[vzw_customer_support]

GREMCS30, we understand how this can be a concern and want you to be able to use your device. Your best bet would be to do some troubleshooting to determine what is causing the issue. For a faster response, please meet us on Facebook at, Facebook.com/Verizon or by following and sending a DM to @VZWSupport. Since this started, have you tried a Factory Reset on the device?

JavierMD_VZW  Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport If my response answered your question please click the Correct Answer button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!

[JCHoefer]

I have the EXACT same issues!  Started about 10 days ago for me.  Locks up in my pocket (battery reset needed), randomly reboots, 15-30 second mini-lockups in apps, goes into alternate boot modes.  Thought maybe the battery was bad, so I replaced it.

No Dice.

Removed the SD Card (in case it was a bad sector)

No Dice.

Safe Mode.

No Dice.

Factory Reset.

NO DICE!

Now I'm scrambling to find an alternate solution for people to reach me for work and on-call.

[Dwillian · Accepted solution]

I was having similar problems with lag, freeze, random reboots. I reflashed the phone's firmware using Verizon's Software Upgrade/Repair tool, but that did not fix the problem. I took it to the Samsung Experience center at my local Best Buy and the Samsung representative did a "deep factory reimage" and that did not fix the phone. I also bought a brand new Anker replacement battery, but that did not fix the problem.

Finally, in desperation, I contacted Samsung support (at 1-800-SAMSUNG) and they said there was probably a hardware issue and it needed to be sent in for diagnosis and repair. They sent me a UPS label (after putting a hold on my credit card for $70.31). I sent the phone in and I just now received a message that the phone had been fixed. Their note said the solution was as follows: REPLACED PBA - REPLACED COMPONENT - REPLACED LCD - REPLACED COSMETIC. I'm not really sure what all that means, but it sounds like there was more than one hardware issue with my phone.

I'm supposed to receive the repaired phone in two days (on 4/20/2017). I will post back to let everyone know if they truly fixed the phone. If they did then I will be ecstatic that Samsung was willing to repair a 2 year 3 month old phone that is long past the end of warranty for only $70.31.

[Dwillian]

I received my repaired phone about 1 week ago. The phone looks and works like new. Samsung replaced the motherboard, the home button, the LCD screen, another printed circuit board (not sure what it does), the mid-frame, and the mid-frame surround (due to some cosmetic damage around the USB charging port). All of these repairs were done by Samsung for only $70.31. This is excellent customer service for a 2+ year old phone that is long out of warranty.

If you are having problems with lag, freeze, overheating, random reboots and nothing you've tried has fixed the problem (i.e., clear cache, factory reset, reflash current or earlier firmware, replace battery) then you likely have a hardware problem. I would highly recommend you contact Samsung Customer Service at 1-800-SAMSUNG. Apparently Samsung resumed fixing out-of-warranty phones on 2/1/2017  (see Out of Warranty Repairs - Samsung Community - 65062 ).