Crazy issue!

[Kieren McDonald]

Very odd issue - phone was fine one minute - texting away...locked it and put in pocket, reached the office, took phone out - it was asking me the startup questions you get when you 1st turn on the phone when new?!? Somehow it reset itself back to "almost" factory settings. I entered all the details, check the SD card to find it had wiped that too!!! After entering my details it then auto downloaded all the apps I previously had from Play Store but not any configuration for any app. When I say almost factory..couple of odd things that weren't:

Browser homepage is set to asda webpage, yet I've never even been to that website via my phone?!
I previously had Nova Launcher and Domo apps configured but the background was still set to a Domo wallpaper I had set before?!
Wireless networks I had previously used were listed as known networks but no credentials were set and it didn't auto connect to my home network?!
There may be more things but that's all I've seen so far that goes against this strange auto reset!!

Once apps had auto downloaded, I then started the tiring activity of reconfiguring them all! One thing so far after enabling Nova Launcher as default launcher, the app selector icon is duplicated and both can be pressed to open the screen?!


I've actually stopped there and not configured rest of apps - I don't want to waste a load of time to find something's not right with the handset and then have to do it all again! Thinking of going to phones4u store tomorrow to go and moan...maybe demand new handset??
If I was to hold on to this handset, then a reset is surely a must before continuing.

I'm intrigued (and annoyed) - has anyone else reported a similar issue and wtf?? Only things I could think as the cause - app or something hijacking my phone?!

I had downloaded a copy of pics a week ago luckily so just anything after that date lost. I've only had the phone for couple of months and I hadn't yet configured any backup app!

Any ideas/magic answer?

Thanks,
Kieren

 

[thecomicbookandme]

Can't help with your problem, sounds pretty bad to me. One thing that might help in future with Nova launcher : go into Nova settings and activate backup. When a problem like this happens you can choose recent Nova settings and bring everything back easily.
PS :Just long press on the extra app icon and you can remove it.
Posted via Android Central App

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! It certainly sounds like your phone had a major glitch, causing a factory data reset. Remember that if you selected the system setting to backup data to your Google account, then when you log back into a new phone or a phone that has been reset, some of that data will be restored (including wifi networks). Remember also that if your browser (whether it's Chrome or the stock browser) is set to sync with your Google account, it will also sync web histories. You said you've never visited the ASDA site on your phone--but have you done so on any other device or computer? Or did you get your phone through ASDA, by chance? You mentioned Phones4U, which I'm not familiar with--could they have possibly sold you a used/refurbished phone originally sold through ASDA?

Considering that this is a pretty major glitch, I would agree with taking it back to where you got it and asking for a replacement.

 

[Kieren McDonald]

Thanks for the replies guys - really am a bit gobsmacked with what has happened TBH.

Yes I purchased the contract & phone in store with phones 4u. I don't believe they have an alliance with Asda and I've never visited this web address via any browser on any device - the default page is set to .asda-mobile.com that wasn't the default page when I 1st got the phone. Also this web address is Asda's mobile service so very strange and I can understand why you are questioning whether they have resold something that was originally from there...but surely not. It is all very odd and cannot pin-point what has gone on here.

It is really odd how it wiped the data off my SD card!

I'll pop to Phones4u today and see what they have to say - I'm guessing they won't have a clue so just a question if it going to be hassle for them to exchange.

I'll take on-board tips for backups.

Thanks

 

[Kieren McDonald]

Quick update - phoned phones4u tech support - as expected, no known issues like this and they just wanted me to do a factory reset.

Interestingly though I think I have found out why the default browser page was set to asda-mobile - the 1st input screen presented when doing a factory reset is to select the SIM service - listed there is ASDA, so I bet if I selected that it would set the default page! When this auto reset occured, it was in my pocket so presumably Asda was selected without me knowing.

Still obviously doesn't explain why the auto reset occured and the clearing of my SD!!!

Well...I will now reconfigure the phone, personalise it again....and of course configure backup!! Hopefully doesn't happen again.