[iamxoot]

Hello, I just joined. The phone in question is an Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 ZB601KL, with current firmware version PKQ1.WW_Phone-16.2017.2009.087-20200826 (stock Pie).

About four days back, I started facing a strange problem where I have no sounds during phone calls. When I dial someone, there is no sound of the ring going through, and then when the other person picks up, again there is no sound heard either by me or the other person. This problem occurs even if I turn on the speaker, or attach wired earphones, or use bluetooth earphones.

Apart from this, I can take a still picture with the camera, but when I try to start video recording, it fails with the message "Could not start media recorder. Can't start video recording." If I try to record a sound with the Sound Recorder, it gives the message "Unable to start recording, please make sure that no other apps are using the microphone." As troubleshooting, I have checked and removed the microphone permission of all other apps apart from the Sound Recorder, but the problem persists

Previously, I had unlocked the bootloader and installed LineageOS 15 (Oreo) and had also rooted using Magisk. Some time back, I flash the stock ROM OREO using TWRP (after editing the updater-script file), then flashed the stock ROM Pie in TWRP, and after a little while, flashed LineageOS 16 Pie. If I remember correctly, I noticed the no sound during calls problem at this time. At this time, I could play a Youtube video / mp3 file with the audio working just fine, and I could record my voice with the Recorder app in LOS. Then I again flash Stock Pie, and then Stock Android 10 but the issue wouldn't go away. At this point, I also noticed that the Camera and Sound recorder were having problems as well (in stock). I then flashed LOS Oreo, and the Camera and Sound Recorder problem vanished, but the no sound during calls remained. I then wiped everything in TWRP, got rid of TWRP by flashing the stock recovery, then flashed the unedited stock Oreo using stock recovery, but the problem remained. I let it update on its own (FOTA) and it downloaded a lot of updates from Oreo to Pie, but the problem still remains. For some reason, it isn't showing the Android 10 version (available on the Asus firmware page) as an available update.

So:

(1) No sound during phone calls, in stock and custom ROMs.

(2) Youtube and other audio files play fine, in stock and custom ROMs, both with phone speakers and earphones.

(3) Cannot record video using the camera, and cannot record audio using Sound Recorder in stock ROM, but this problem doesn't occur in custom ROMs.

At present, I am on stock Pie 087, with stock recovery, and not rooted, but the bootloader is unlocked. When in the stock recovery, I ran a root integrity check which showed 92 new files, 92 lost files, 1 modified file, and boot Normal and Advance check fail.

I have spent a large part of the last three days in trying to solve this problem. Please help, whether it is a solution, or just suggestions, or anything else even remotely connected with this issue which I could use to solve the problem.

[mustang7757]

Hi, welcome to AC!

Flash the stock Rom without twrp, I'm not familiar if it uses a tool.or adb commands but check XDA forums

[iamxoot]

Thanks for the reply. I have already done that - flashed stock recovery through TWRP, rebooted into stock recovery and selected the original firmware file downloaded from the Asus site, but the problem remains. I've also asked for help on XDA, but haven't got any replies.

Can you say what the problem could be, like which component or something like that, so that I can search some more and try to find a solution?

[mustang7757]

Have you tried safe mode ?

[iamxoot]

I've tried that, but it doesn't work.

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Is your microphone working or could it have become corrupted?

[iamxoot]

In custom ROMs, I have used the recorder app to successfully record my voice. In the present stock rom, I used the inbuilt diagnostics tool to check boardmic (there were two of those), and it recorded the voice successfully.

While I have mentioned two issues, of no voice in calls and no video / audio recording in stock, I'll be happy if if only the no sounds in calls issue is resolved.

[mustang7757]

In custom ROMs, I have used the recorder app to successfully record my voice. In the present stock rom, I used the inbuilt diagnostics tool to check boardmic (there were two of those), and it recorded the voice successfully.

While I have mentioned two issues, of no voice in calls and no video / audio recording in stock, I'll be happy if if only the no sounds in calls issue is resolved.

So calls was ok on the custom Rom?

[iamxoot]

There is no sound during calls, both in stock and custom Roms. Video and audio recording fails only in stock Rom, while it works in custom Roms.

[mustang7757]

I think at this point take to repair center have them inspect it , might be hardware issue.

[iamxoot]

I was able to solve the problem by flashing a modified firmware file from the computer while the phone was in fastboot mode. This file contains "flash_AFT.cmd" and other files. I don't how in what other ways it is different from the firmware files on the Asus website. I had thought the firmware given by Asus should solve all problems and bring the phone back to factory state, but it seems that other stuff is also needed. I don't know if linking an XDA thread is allowed here, but if anyone needs the guide, it is the one named "[GUIDE] [UNBRICK] [BACK_TO_STOCK] Flash Stock ROM - Relock Bootloader - Remove TWRP" by AVinaSh_S.

Thanks to all those who replied here. While your comments may not have helped in solving the problem, at least you all responded. In many other places, my thread just sits there, with no replies at all. Thanks a lot!

[mustang7757]

I was able to solve the problem by flashing a modified firmware file from the computer while the phone was in fastboot mode. This file contains "flash_AFT.cmd" and other files. I don't how in what other ways it is different from the firmware files on the Asus website. I had thought the firmware given by Asus should solve all problems and bring the phone back to factory state, but it seems that other stuff is also needed. I don't know if linking an XDA thread is allowed here, but if anyone needs the guide, it is the one named "[GUIDE] [UNBRICK] [BACK_TO_STOCK] Flash Stock ROM - Relock Bootloader - Remove TWRP" by AVinaSh_S.

Thanks to all those who replied here. While your comments may not have helped in solving the problem, at least you all responded. In many other places, my thread just sits there, with no replies at all. Thanks a lot!

Yeah thats strange especially you flashed the stock firmware, but I'm glad you got it going.
Yes you link xda links here , if it gets flagged, me or someone else can go over it make sure it's fine .

[iamxoot]

In that case, the thread is this one:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/g...-twrp.3798420/

Maybe it has something to do with flashing from fastboot instead of recovery... I don't know. It's a huge relief to get it working again.

[mustang7757]

Thanks great
I'll mark this thread solved

[iamxoot]

Yes please.

[mustang7757]

Yes please.

Done , it's in your title, I'm happy to hear you got it fix , hopefully can help others that encounter same problem.