Note 8 vibrating while charging

[PaulaO]

I used my Google Fu but didn't find a solid answer.

Note 8 SM-N950U
software version N950USQS7DTA5
hardware version REV1.0

Today the phone had 79%. I plugged it in to charge. It now vibrates while being charged. I tolerated the buzz for as long as I could and it went to 81%.

Symptoms:

• Plug phone in, vibrates in pulses, not a solid vibrate.
• The pulses do not seem to have a discernible pattern, like it was giving out a troubleshoot code
• Volume/vibrating icon flips between sound and vibrate
• I cannot turn off vibrate, mute, or turn on volume
• Using volume keys will up it for a second then returns to 0
• Phone is not hot while charging
• Phone is charging

Things I have tried with no change:

• Used 3 different cables
• used wireless
• case off
• reboot
• rocked power button (one place said it might be stuck)

BUT in safe mode, the vibrating does not happen. That hints it is an app but nothing is different today that wasn't there last night. I checked the time stamps via Google Play. I did uninstall 2 apps that might have updated during the night (depending on what time I actually unplugged it and went to bed). Did a reboot, but, nope, same issue.

So I'm at a loss here. The phone is eligible for updating but I just got my partner a new phone at Xmas and not sure we can be paying off 2 phones at once.

 

[B. Diddy]

No visible notifications on the screen when it vibrates?

Try also wiping the cache partition: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...te8/wipe-cache-partition-samsung-galaxy-note8

 

[PaulaO]

Just did the wipe cache. No effect.

No notification. No weather alerts. No texts or calls that got stuck. I've done several antivirus checks with two different apps.

Just the pulsing buzz. I tried to take a video of it with my tablet but it shakes too much.

I'm wondering if it is the battery. But why would it be fine in safe mode? Less being drawn maybe?

 

[mustang7757]

Put it safe mode see if still doing it , I'm not a fan of antivirus on phones .

 

[PaulaO]

I already did the safe mode. The buzzing stopped. According to Google Play, two apps may have been updated from when I unplugged it last night to where I plugged it back in this morning. I uninstalled both and rebooted. No difference.

I'll do the safe mode again in a few minutes.

 

[mustang7757]

I already did the safe mode. The buzzing stopped. According to Google Play, two apps may have been updated from when I unplugged it last night to where I plugged it back in this morning. I uninstalled both and rebooted. No difference.

I'll do the safe mode again in a few minutes.

Try some more apps , one of them is causing this , also uninstall the antivirus for now

 

[PaulaO]

Oooookay.

I had installed Malwarebytes about a half hour ago. I uninstalled it, along with Webroot, Webroot Wifi (a VPN app) and the next two apps that were updated.

Buzzing stopped. Reinstalled one (Highway Weather) of the apps. Rebooted, no buzz. Reinstall the 2nd (Skype), no buzz.

Reinstalled Webroot. No buzz.

Which means the WiFi app was somehow borking the phone. I'm installing the VPN again.

Aaaand no buzz. WTH? Going to uninstall the weather app and the VPN again. I didn't use the VPN and I'm not going to travel again for a while.

 

[mustang7757]

Oooookay.

I had installed Malwarebytes about a half hour ago. I uninstalled it, along with Webroot, Webroot Wifi (a VPN app) and the next two apps that were updated.

Buzzing stopped. Reinstalled one (Highway Weather) of the apps. Rebooted, no buzz. Reinstall the 2nd (Skype), no buzz.

Reinstalled Webroot. No buzz.

Which means the WiFi app was somehow borking the phone. I'm installing the VPN again.

Aaaand no buzz. WTH? Going to uninstall the weather app and the VPN again. I didn't use the VPN and I'm not going to travel again for a while.

Great , found the problem app

 

[B. Diddy]

Were you actively using the VPN when it was buzzing?

 

[PaulaO]

Were you actively using the VPN when it was buzzing?

No, I was not. I've only used it once or twice. I was trying to decide if VPN on my desktop.