Sudden reboots on Nexus 4 - Facebook app to blame?

[marathondroid]

Hello. I bought a new Google Nexus 4 with all apps updated and the Android OS at 4.2.2 about two weeks ago and while I love the phone, it has been giving me fits with sudden reboots, multiple times a day.

I have tried to pinpoint where this might be occurring. I haven't installed any rogue apps, as far as I can tell. Many of the crashes seem to be occurring in Facebook chat, within the app itself. I removed the additional Facebook messenger app as an experiment to see if that somehow was causing the crash. The reboots continued in the Facebook app.

Has anyone else had this sort of problem? The Nexus 4 goes into sudden "powering off" mode without so much as a prompt once I am several messages into a text chat.


Thanks!

 

[Ry]

Hello. I bought a new Google Nexus 4 with all apps updated and the Android OS at 4.2.2 about two weeks ago and while I love the phone, it has been giving me fits with sudden reboots, multiple times a day.

I have tried to pinpoint where this might be occurring. I haven't installed any rogue apps, as far as I can tell. Many of the crashes seem to be occurring in Facebook chat, within the app itself. I removed the additional Facebook messenger app as an experiment to see if that somehow was causing the crash. The reboots continued in the Facebook app.

Has anyone else had this sort of problem? The Nexus 4 goes into sudden "powering off" mode without so much as a prompt once I am several messages into a text chat.


Thanks!

Have you tried uninstalling Facebook?

 

[greydarrah]

I blame facebook for everything...especially for making people feel like they have more friends than they actually have. Remove the app and try talking to someone you know...in person...get together...go for a walk...go fishing...make love...it's fun!

 

[RumoredNow]

LOL... I'm as rabidly anti-FB as they come, but let's see if we can help a new member with some serious advice...

According to this: Android 4.2 random reboots: What's going on? | Computerworld Blogs it might be your FB accessing Google Location Services. Try turning off "Use Location" settings in the various FB Apps you have on board...

 

[marathondroid]

Yes, it is the first thing that I switch off. The reboots are continuing even after the location services are turned off, in fact all location services are turned off in the Nexus 4 settings.

I also find that Google Chrome is causing sudden reboots as well.

 

[marathondroid]

I also see mention of the Lock Screen widget as a culprit behind crashes on Android 4.2. Was this "fixed" for Android 4.2.2?

Can I remove widgets altogether from the system or are they integral to its functioning?

 

[Ry]

Yes, it is the first thing that I switch off. The reboots are continuing even after the location services are turned off, in fact all location services are turned off in the Nexus 4 settings.

I also find that Google Chrome is causing sudden reboots as well.

Uninstall Facebook for day.

 

[marathondroid]

Done. I will see if that has any effect. I do have an RMA return scheduled on this device.

 

[RumoredNow]

I also see mention of the Lock Screen widget as a culprit behind crashes on Android 4.2. Was this "fixed" for Android 4.2.2?

Can I remove widgets altogether from the system or are they integral to its functioning?

Lock screen widgets aren't necessary... Remove away.

Yes, it is the first thing that I switch off. The reboots are continuing even after the location services are turned off, in fact all location services are turned off in the Nexus 4 settings.

I also find that Google Chrome is causing sudden reboots as well.

You may want to consider a factory reset on the phone before your stored data gets too far advanced. It sounds like you are not OEM unlocked and/or rooted so you will have a hard time getting back to where you are at App-data-wise. This problem will only increase with time.

While you are at a reset, you might want to consider doing the unlock thing. If you want, try the Nexus Root Toolkit by WugFresh. Google will lead you right to it. It will help you unlock/root/flash the phone. It will also let you install a downloaded ROM. Get a fresh copy here: https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#occam run an md5 sum check on it and install it from your computer in case your onboard ROM is corrupted.

Here is a handy freeware tool if you are on windows for an md5 sumchecker: md5sum checker.rar

By getting a fresh ROM and checking the md5 value you can rule out any of the bugs that have already been fixed...

Drastic, but it might be worth a shot if you are comfortable modding your phone.

 

[marathondroid]

How do I remove widgets? Do I just drag them to the top of the screen?
Are you sure removing widgets won't damage the Android OS?

Not really comfortable modding the phone. It is going back to Google on RMA return on Monday. But I will certainly try your suggestions with the new one.
It is an unlocked phone, I can take it to whichever carrier I want on a month to month contract with TMobile now.

 

[RumoredNow]

How do I remove widgets? Do I just drag them to the top of the screen?
Are you sure removing widgets won't damage the Android OS?

Yep, just hold then drag to the remove spot. You can't remove the default Google widget.

Removing them from the lockscreen does not damage anything in the OS. It's part of the customization options allowed.

https://support.google.com/nexus/4/answer/2781801?hl=en

Not really comfortable modding the phone. It is going back to Google on RMA return on Monday. But I will certainly try your suggestions with the new one.
It is an unlocked phone, I can take it to whichever carrier I want on a month to month contract with TMobile now.

Yeah... I saw you posted a scheduled return while I was writing my last post...

The phone is carrier unlocked. That is different from the OEM unlock needed to root the phone. If you're not comfortable with modding the phone then never mind what I wrote previously. You wouldn't want to mod the phone before a return anyway as it would possibly void your warranty.

 

[marathondroid]

I removed the Facebook app and figured for an hour, everything was okay, that this was the culprit. However, when I opened up Chrome to check on regional fuel prices at m.gasbuddy.com (Gasbuddy), the phone immediately went into sudden shutdown. So the problem is deeper than just the Facebook app. I wish it could work like the blue screen of death for windows and at least give the user a reason/app name for what is defaulting.

 

[gone down south]

Try a factory reset, that'll put everything back it's original state. If the problem persists then it's likely hardware not software.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[marathondroid]

Try a factory reset, that'll put everything back it's original state. If the problem persists then it's likely hardware not software.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

I did the factory reset a few days ago, the problems continued. It must be a hardware problem - I can't imagine Google Nexus brand surviving if everyone's phone was acting in this way. I turned the phone on and went past the lock screen with my 4 digit code, it immediately shut down!

 

[marathondroid]

The nexus 4 device is now requiring 4 to 5 attempts to reboot after one sudden crash. This is really a case of bad hardware, looking forward to sending it back to Google for an electronic autopsy. Will they tell me what they found was wrong with the returned phone if I press them on it? Or is that proprietary?