OTA JB update keeps failing -- Any ideas?

**Aaramona Ward** · 12-14-2012, 03:57 PM

After the OTA update is done downloading and starts to install it gets about 1/4 of the way through and the little android guy falls over and dies with a red tummy. The phone then reboots and a dialog box informs me that the update failed. It is doing this everytime. Any ideas?

**Averix** · 12-14-2012, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Aaramona Ward

After the OTA update is done downloading and starts to install it gets about 1/4 of the way through and the little android guy falls over and dies with a red tummy. The phone then reboots and a dialog box informs me that the update failed. It is doing this everytime. Any ideas?

Are you rooted with any frozen or deleted apps? Did you load any other ROM or anything? As cute as the red tummy and falling over Android sounds, I hope I never see it.

**jate322** · 12-14-2012, 06:41 PM

I have the same issue. I am rooted but have not deleted and apps. I made sure none of the apps are frozen. Very annoying.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Android Central Forums

**accordngs** · 12-16-2012, 10:06 PM

Anyone figure this out. I've been trying to update and it keeps failing. Did a factory reset and still fails afterwards. Not sure what is causing it to fail and what I can do to get this update working. Anyone who has some advice is appreciated! Thanks

**moosc** · 12-16-2012, 10:15 PM

Most likely you need to go back to pure stock no root no unlock. There's something u did that when it checks your phone it finds missing. Also try clear cache in Google services framework

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2

**accordngs** · 12-16-2012, 10:55 PM

That's what I thought I was doing when I did the factory reset. Sorry for the newb question, but how can I tell if the phone is rooted or unlocked?

**MikeLip** · 12-17-2012, 05:48 AM

Based on my experience with it - it's not worth the aggravation. You won't notice any changes significant enough to make it worth it.

**accordngs** · 12-17-2012, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by MikeLip

Based on my experience with it - it's not worth the aggravation. You won't notice any changes significant enough to make it worth it.

What do you mean - the update isn't worth it? I personally love the update - it already pushed to my phone. I'm having problems with it on the gf's phone.

If you meant to root/unlock isn't worth it --- I've never done that and don't really intend to. But I did buy my gf's phone off ebay and wonder if the previous owner rooted it. I just don't know how to check for that.

**jdk2** · 12-17-2012, 11:31 AM

Do you have Superuser or SuperSU installed?

**accordngs** · 12-17-2012, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by jdk2

Do you have Superuser or SuperSU installed?

My gf has not installed anything more complicated than bubble shooter games, lol. I don't see any apps installed that I don't recognize. But again, I don't know if after doing a Reset it would delete those apps but leave the root. I have no idea how any of that works. I just don't see why her phone would keep failing on the update install process unless something was done. But what do I know, lol.

**jdk2** · 12-17-2012, 11:59 AM

You may have a custom recovery installed by the previous owner which would prevent the update.

Power off the phone. Once it's off, power it up by holding the volume up, home button and power button simultaneously. If Clockwork Mod or TWRP appear, there's the problem.

**akio** · 12-17-2012, 12:12 PM

I have the same problem. Spent about an hour on the phone with Verizon and Samsung. The lady a Samsung was a joke, so Verizon is sending me a new to me phone.

**accordngs** · 12-17-2012, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by jdk2

You may have a custom recovery installed by the previous owner which would prevent the update.

Power off the phone. Once it's off, power it up by holding the volume up, home button and power button simultaneously. If Clockwork Mod or TWRP appear, there's the problem.

I'll be doing this tonight and checking it out.

Originally Posted by akio288

I have the same problem. Spent about an hour on the phone with Verizon and Samsung. The lady a Samsung was a joke, so Verizon is sending me a new to me phone.

I hope this isn't the issue for me. Is a phone still under warranty when you buy it 2nd hand? Its obviously still less than a year old since it hasn't even been out that long.

**paintdrinkingpete** · 12-17-2012, 12:54 PM

To the OP and others, if you've ever rooted your phone in the past, there's a good chance you also flashed a custom recovery partition during the process. Even if your OS is completely stock and you have no frozen bloatware, etc, you could still experience an issue similar to the OPs.

Check for ClockworkMod or TWRP recovery as "jdk2" states above. If you do have a custom recovery and you absolutely need to get this update via official channels, then you'll want to do a full UN-root procedure to make sure all of your components are stock.

**paintdrinkingpete** · 12-17-2012, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by accordngs

I'll be doing this tonight and checking it out.

I hope this isn't the issue for me. Is a phone still under warranty when you buy it 2nd hand? Its obviously still less than a year old since it hasn't even been out that long.

As long as your phone is running right now, it won't be an issue...you just may have some extra steps involved...

Report findings here, folks will help.

**accordngs** · 12-17-2012, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by paintdrinkingpete

As long as your phone is running right now, it won't be an issue...you just may have some extra steps involved...

Report findings here, folks will help.

Will do. I won't see the gf until late tonight so i will get on here as soon as i can with any info!

thanks guys! these forums are 100x better than any tech support with samsung/verizon.

**akio** · 12-17-2012, 03:35 PM

My phone is stock never been rooted

**MikeLip** · 12-17-2012, 03:35 PM

I mean the update isn't worth any aggravation. If you have an issue that JB will cure that's one thing. If you are updating a perfectly usable phone for the sake of having JB and it's not working? Not worth it.

Originally Posted by accordngs

What do you mean - the update isn't worth it? I personally love the update - it already pushed to my phone. I'm having problems with it on the gf's phone.

If you meant to root/unlock isn't worth it --- I've never done that and don't really intend to. But I did buy my gf's phone off ebay and wonder if the previous owner rooted it. I just don't know how to check for that.

**Aaramona Ward** · 12-17-2012, 09:04 PM

Noob here. How does one easily undo root?

Thanks

Originally Posted by paintdrinkingpete

To the OP and others, if you've ever rooted your phone in the past, there's a good chance you also flashed a custom recovery partition during the process. Even if your OS is completely stock and you have no frozen bloatware, etc, you could still experience an issue similar to the OPs.

Check for ClockworkMod or TWRP recovery as "jdk2" states above. If you do have a custom recovery and you absolutely need to get this update via official channels, then you'll want to do a full UN-root procedure to make sure all of your components are stock.

**KenshoSC** · 12-17-2012, 10:49 PM

I am having the same issues.

I have cleared Google Framework cache and the cache from the reboot screen and nothing works.

I have never rooted and it was a new phone when I got it.

Any progress?

**accordngs** · 12-17-2012, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by paintdrinkingpete

As long as your phone is running right now, it won't be an issue...you just may have some extra steps involved...

Report findings here, folks will help.

Didn't see any signs of root when I loaded it up. Might try searching for the update file, loading onto SD Card and installing that way. Frustrating

**accordngs** · 12-18-2012, 12:48 AM

Tried to do the manual update off the SD Card. Still no go. Did a search and saw some people complaining on the VZW message boards about the same thing with no resolution from verizon other than replacing the phone. Seems like a pain.

**paintdrinkingpete** · 12-18-2012, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Aaramona Ward

Noob here. How does one easily undo root?

Thanks

Keep in mind that I've NEVER actually had to unroot, so I personally can't verify any of this, but here is the post on how to un-root (see bottom of first post starting at "back to stock")...
[Guide] Root/Unroot/Recovery/Unlock Bootloader for the Verizon Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535)

Originally Posted by accordngs

Tried to do the manual update off the SD Card. Still no go. Did a search and saw some people complaining on the VZW message boards about the same thing with no resolution from verizon other than replacing the phone. Seems like a pain.

OK -- this *may* not be the solution for everyone, and does require getting one's hands dirty. If you are really uncomfortable doing these sorts of things AND your phone isn't rooted, then Verizon customer support should help you...although their solution will probably be to get you a new phone. To me, this is pretty straight forward, but I realize that may not be the case for everyone...

See this guide from over on XDA:

By completing ONLY step 1, you will have installed the latest official version of Jelly Bean. As this is an "official" image, it does not require root and is not *technically* a violation of the TOS either (Verizon would not be able to tell if you did it this way vs. the OTA). If you wanted to take it further and complete steps 2 and 3 to root an unlock, that's up to you -- but at that point you would be voiding your warranty.

As it states the only modification made to the stock image being used in this method is that it doesn't wipe the internal data...so it will, in theory, allow you to keep your apps and settings similar to installing an OTA update. Since I, again, have not personally used this method, I will float 2 additional caveats out there...
1. Always be aware that there is chance data could be lost in the process -- make sure your contacts are synced in Google, and backup what you can/want prior to starting.
2. I have found that whether it by OTA updates or manual flashing, a lot of updates are simply more "error free" if you do a factory reset prior. That's a real PITA, so most folks will take their chances and not do a factory reset unless they *have* to (and I understand that), but just thought I'd toss that out there.

For those not familiar with use ODIN, it's a standalone Windows executable that can be used to flash OS images to your device, here's a brief how-to I copied from another post:

Step 1: Make sure you have Samsung device drivers installed.

Step 2: Power device off, then hold the volume down/home/power keys until you see a yellow triangle, then press the volume up key to access "download mode".

Step 3: Open Odin and connect the oem usb cable to pc & device, you should see a "comport #" in upper left hand corner of odin. (This verifies it sees you phone as connected).

Step 4: Make sure auto reboot is checked.

Step 5: Click on the PDA function of odin and select the stock image file you downloaded earlier, select start, should take a minute or two, then odin will say pass/reset.

Step 6: Your device should Reboot.

**Aaramona Ward** · 12-18-2012, 03:02 PM

Thank you kindly. I'll try these out and let everyone know how it goes!

Will installing jb this way trip that counter?

Originally Posted by paintdrinkingpete

Keep in mind that I've NEVER actually had to unroot, so I personally can't verify any of this, but here is the post on how to un-root (see bottom of first post starting at "back to stock")...
[Guide] Root/Unroot/Recovery/Unlock Bootloader for the Verizon Galaxy S3 (SCH-i535)

OK -- this *may* not be the solution for everyone, and does require getting one's hands dirty. If you are really uncomfortable doing these sorts of things AND your phone isn't rooted, then Verizon customer support should help you...although their solution will probably be to get you a new phone. To me, this is pretty straight forward, but I realize that may not be the case for everyone...

See this guide from over on XDA:

By completing ONLY step 1, you will have installed the latest official version of Jelly Bean. As this is an "official" image, it does not require root and is not *technically* a violation of the TOS either (Verizon would not be able to tell if you did it this way vs. the OTA). If you wanted to take it further and complete steps 2 and 3 to root an unlock, that's up to you -- but at that point you would be voiding your warranty.

As it states the only modification made to the stock image being used in this method is that it doesn't wipe the internal data...so it will, in theory, allow you to keep your apps and settings similar to installing an OTA update. Since I, again, have not personally used this method, I will float 2 additional caveats out there...
1. Always be aware that there is chance data could be lost in the process -- make sure your contacts are synced in Google, and backup what you can/want prior to starting.
2. I have found that whether it by OTA updates or manual flashing, a lot of updates are simply more "error free" if you do a factory reset prior. That's a real PITA, so most folks will take their chances and not do a factory reset unless they *have* to (and I understand that), but just thought I'd toss that out there.

For those not familiar with use ODIN, it's a standalone Windows executable that can be used to flash OS images to your device, here's a brief how-to I copied from another post:

**accordngs** · 12-18-2012, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Aaramona Ward

Thank you kindly. I'll try these out and let everyone know how it goes!

Will installing jb this way trip that counter?

Can't wait to hear how this works for you. I am a bit hesitant to do this on the gf's phone. If it was mine I likely would. But since its hers I might just take it in to Verizon and make them replace it.