I cannot access safe mode for factory reset. Help?

rikelek

New member
May 25, 2014
4
0
0
Hello!

I have a Sony Ericsson Play that I've been using for 2,5 years without issues, until two weeks ago.

It got slower and slower to start up the screen when something happened (someone calling, me pressing the home button etc.) until the point when I'd not be able to answer the call because the screen would not activate in time.

After one of several reboots, it would no longer start. When I hold down the power button, it would shortly vibrate as usual to confirm that it is starting to boot up but after that nothing more happens. Trying to shut off/start up the phone after this point yields no results, only by pulling the battery and trying to start again can I get it to react again, although just the same thing happens. Short vibration then nothing more.

I have tried safe mode, of course, but it doesn't react to that either.
If I connect the phone to the computer as it is booting up, I hear the computer making the sound for connecting and disconnecting a USB device over and over in intervals of maybe 15-20 seconds.

It seems as if the phone is stuck in some kind of rebooting loop, but even before it reaches the point where safe mode can be accessed for a factory reset.

TL;DR version:
Phone shows no sign of life except vibrating when power button is held, after that it seems to get stuck trying to boot without ever even activating the screen. Does not react to safe mode.
Charge lights work and the computer recognizes the device, but the phone gets disconnected and connected over and over again as it tries to boot.


I've looked around quite a bit and not found anyone else with a similar problem and was hoping you could help me.
Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Re: Cannot access safe mode for factory reset

Welcome to Android Central! Have you tried a new battery? Your current one might be dying. A quick and dirty test is to take the battery out, place it on a table, and try to spin it. If it spins freely, it's bulging in the middle, which is bad. But even if it doesn't spin, it's worth trying a new battery.
 
Re: Cannot access safe mode for factory reset

Thank you for the lightning-fast response : )

I see! I'm going to try find a battery ASAP, I'll let you know how it works.
 
Re: Cannot access safe mode for factory reset

Hello again!
I just recieved my new battery and tried it out, though sadly, the phone behaves the same way.
It just shortly vibrates, then it seems to fruitlessly try to start itself up over and over again. I still can't even see a splash screen or anything.

Any other idea what it could be? I'm very happy for your help!
 
Re: Cannot access safe mode for factory reset

Sorry that didn't work. Do you have a microSD card inserted? If it's become corrupted, that can cause problems as well. Unmount it (in Settings>Storage​), remove it, then reboot.
 
Re: Cannot access safe mode for factory reset

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but since I can't access the phone in any way (not by computer either), how can I unmount it?
Of course, I have already tried starting the phone with the SD card simply removed, but no dice.
 
Re: Cannot access safe mode for factory reset

Oh sorry, I forgot that it doesn't even start!

Posted via Android Central App.
Please excuse any typos or autocorrect derps.
 
I'm having the same problem in that I can't even reboot into my Droid 3 safe mode before it goes into a rebooting loop. I've tried holding the OK button & then powering on but I don't get far enough in the rebooting process to get into safe mode so I can try to remove/uninstall whatever app it may be that's causing this problem. This post is the only thing I can seem to find online that is the same as what I'm experiencing.
Can anyone help or has anything worked for the original poster? Thanks for your time!
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
958,518
Messages
6,976,895
Members
3,164,076
Latest member
GLK20