Re: My Galaxy S3 won't turn on
Hello - Well, I've come to the same place as almost all of you, but my phone just came through an "adventure", so I'm not sure how to even isolate the problem. My wife's Verizon Galaxy S3 (SCH535) won't turn on, has the red charging light come on ONLY if I insert the charger after I've taken the battery out then re-inserted, and when I try to turn the unit on, it will buzz as if it's going to start, but never makes it to any splash screen or logo. The screen remains entirely blank (including the 3 virtual buttons at the bottom).
Three days ago, she dropped the phone and shattered the screen. At that point, the screen did not light up, but at least I was seeing the navigation buttons at the bottom light up. I did try to run my fingers across the shattered screen to see if I could engage it, but no go. Plugging in a USB cable to a PC allowed me to see all the File contents (DCIM, Android, etc.). So basically, the power seemed ok, it just needed a new LCD and screen. So we took it to a local repair shop (we are just 3 months away from EOC) to get a new LCD/screen. Did that, went to pick up the phone - all good so far (except they said the proximity sensor wasn't working - which I did NOT have them fix, since it doesn't bother my wife if the screen stays lit during a call -- in fact, that was a positive).
At the store, when picking up the phone, I tested it to make/receive a call successfully, checked email, sent/received a text, and generally confirmed that the 4G data reception was good, and that it was searching for wifi access. All good. Speakers and microphone worked fine. And, the screen looked beautiful. I also wanted to test the camera, and that's when I noticed the battery power was too low to allow taking pictures -- it was at 4%. We never let our battery drain that low. I told the tech at the store, and he immediately connected a charger, and I saw the "charging battery" icon in my notification bar. While he took care of other customers, I waited about 15 minutes to let the phone charge a bit. Well, it was STILL at 4% after 15 minutes, which I thought was weird. At that point (and here's where I may have made a mistake), the tech asked me if I would feel more comfortable leaving the phone overnight and letting them charge it. As you might expect with someone who needs the phone, I declined, thinking that something simple as charging the phone could be accomplished without risk at home. So I signed the receipt, paid for the new LCD/Screen, and left the store. For good measure, in the car, I shut the phone off, but kept the USB charger hooked up, thinking I could get a few %'s charging while I drove home (15 minutes).
After getting home, I was dismayed to see that the battery level was showing 2% now. But, undaunted, I plugged it back into the charger at home (the original Samsung charger that came with the phone), and then tried to turn the phone on. It buzzed....but nothing came on the screen. I held the power key long enough to feel TWO buzzes, but nothing on the screen. At that point, my phone has joined all of your phones in its status - unable to power on. I can't tell if the battery is charging at all - I don't even see the battery icon on the main screen (although at the store, I saw that there was a sliver of green - matching the 2 or 3% it was at). And, like most of you, I get the red "charging" light SOMETIMES, but it seems like it only comes on now after I've lifted the battery out, then reinserted it, with the charger plugged in.
I need to know if the repair shop may have done something to cause this problem. I know they will say "your phone was working fine when you took it". However, it's too coincidental that everything would brick the very next time I tried to use the phone...and that the battery would HAPPEN to become fully discharged (assuming this has happened - I can't tell, I have no other S3 to test it with) the first time I tried to re-charge the phone after the repair. But then again, there's the dropping of the phone -- maybe THAT caused these problems? Supposedly, the repair shop (CPR) did a "25 point diagnostic test" to ensure that everything was working. So is my best course of action to go back to the store, or is it something else? Frankly, without the ability to see the screen (or to even know if the screen is now working), I cannot go the route of using Kies or booting into download mode, and working in that direction. Should I cut my losses and just get a new phone? (unfortunately, the only viable option would be a Galaxy S5, and I think we're done with Samsungs). What do you all think? Take it back to the shop to see what they say? From all indications, they did a good job of replacing the screen .. but then again, is it a good job if, in the process, they either messed up the charging mechanism or didn't make the connections with the board tight enough -- if in fact the screen not turning on is related to something like that.
HELP, please!! Much appreciated.
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