Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 SM-T800-Reset needed?

[GalaxyTabS_10_5]

My tablet has been working normally, but recently it started displaying the "Android is starting optimizing app 1 of 1" message with the rotating gears animation.
After a lot of searching I finally stumbled across the 'power\volume.down\home' keys-press method that got me into ODIN.
Which didn't lead to anything but at least I discovered that the same key presses also got me out of ODIN and into a normal startup.
But the the "Android is starting optimizing app 1 of 1" animation still runs on every startup.
I tried removing a bunch of apps that didn't seem essential but nothing has changed.
I'd very much appreciate some advice on how to get my tablet back to normal.
Thanks for reading this

 

[B. Diddy]

Try doing a system cache partition wipe -- follow the steps here for getting to the Recovery Menu (i.e., pressing Power/Home/Vol Up at the same time from a powered off state), and then select Wipe Cache Partition from the recovery options: https://www.att.com/device-support/article/wireless/KM1315156/Samsung/GalaxyTabST807A

 

[GalaxyTabS_10_5]

Try doing a system cache partition wipe -- follow the steps here for getting to the Recovery Menu (i.e., pressing Power/Home/Vol Up at the same time from a powered off state), and then select Wipe Cache Partition from the recovery options: https://www.att.com/device-support/article/wireless/KM1315156/Samsung/GalaxyTabST807A

Thanks, I'll try it today
EDIT: Just checked the link and the instructions are for the Tab S SM-T807A, not the SM-T800. Coincidentally, my wife has an SM-T807A, which has no problems. The main difference between the two models is that the 807A has space for a SIM card as well as the memory card, so it can be a phone. Hers is preloaded with AT&T (which we don't have in New Zealand) settings and starts up showing the blue and white ball logo. I'm wondering if their reset includes the AT&T settings. Anyway, I'll try it and see what occurs.

 

[mustang7757]

If it's staying stuck in optimizing apps your most likely going have to factory reset in recovery but before that look in recovery if it has the option to optimize apps and select that also

 

[GalaxyTabS_10_5]

If it's staying stuck in optimizing apps your most likely going have to factory reset in recovery but before that look in recovery if it has the option to optimize apps and select that also

mustang7757: Thanks for the tip!

 

[B. Diddy]

Thanks, I'll try it today
EDIT: Just checked the link and the instructions are for the Tab S SM-T807A, not the SM-T800. Coincidentally, my wife has an SM-T807A, which has no problems. The main difference between the two models is that the 807A has space for a SIM card as well as the memory card, so it can be a phone. Hers is preloaded with AT&T (which we don't have in New Zealand) settings and starts up showing the blue and white ball logo. I'm wondering if their reset includes the AT&T settings. Anyway, I'll try it and see what occurs.

The steps to reach the Recovery Menu will typically be the same across devices from a manufacturer, as long as it's the same or similar generation. There can sometimes be odd differences between carrier variants, but usually not.

 

[GalaxyTabS_10_5]

The steps to reach the Recovery Menu will typically be the same across devices from a manufacturer, as long as it's the same or similar generation. There can sometimes be odd differences between carrier variants, but usually not.

Wonderful, worked perfectly! I used the 'powered-on' option. Once it got to the slowly-pulsing word 'SAMSUNG' it took about ten more minutes before it began to ask me for various settings inputs. All done now
One more thing if someone would be so kind: I had VLC player installed before and it handled movies well. How can I reinstall this app? I only want the tablet for this so I haven't activated WiFi. I can transfer files by cable to the tablet from my pc.

 

[B. Diddy]

You could download the APK from a trusted source like APKMIrror, and then transfer the file to the tablet. You'd have to make sure that the option to install apps from Unknown Sources is turned on (search the system settings for that). https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/videolabs/vlc/

Turning on wi-fi shouldn't trigger any kind of account activation -- is there a reason why you don't want to turn on wi-fi and connect to your home network? Or is it that you don't want to have to sign in with a Google or Samsung account?

 

[GalaxyTabS_10_5]

You could download the APK from a trusted source like APKMIrror, and then transfer the file to the tablet. You'd have to make sure that the option to install apps from Unknown Sources is turned on (search the system settings for that). https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/videolabs/vlc/

Turning on wi-fi shouldn't trigger any kind of account activation -- is there a reason why you don't want to turn on wi-fi and connect to your home network? Or is it that you don't want to have to sign in with a Google or Samsung account?

Thanks for another excellent tip. Why not turn on Wifi? I think having it turned on led to my previous troubles. I'm not skilled enough with the tablet to always be aware of what's occurring when I'm online. So, as I don't need to be connected to the internet via the tablet there's no point in doing it. It's my movie player for bedtime! I'm just now experimenting with an adjustable stand beside the bed to hold the tablet at the right height and angle.
I should have chosen Lazyboy for my handle )

 

[GalaxyTabS_10_5]

I followed your link to the VLC downloads but I'm not sure which variant I need. On offer are:
VLC-Android-3.6.3-arm64-v8a.apk
VLC-Android-3.6.3-armeabi-v7a.apk
VLC-Android-3.6.3-x86.apk
VLC-Android-3.6.3-x86_64.apk
Which one for my SM-T800?

 

[B. Diddy]

x86 would be for Intel-based devices (and probably emulation on an Intel-based PC). "arm64" would be for 64-bit devices, while "armeabi" would be for 32-bit devices. I think the SM-T800 is 32-bit, so the armeabi version would be the one to try.

 

[GalaxyTabS_10_5]

Great, thanks very much.
I thought I should get more info about my SM-T800 before I went ahead with more setups, so, as I didn't want to go online with it (for the reason I gave above) I figured that our SM-T807a would be so similar to the SM-T800 that installing an analytical app on the 807a would yield the info I need. So I downloaded 'Droid Info' onto the 807a and it yielded the following: (sic)
Android Marshmallow 6.0.1 SDK23.
Processor ARMv7 rev.3 (v71)
Chip Samsung EXYNOS 5420, 4 cores
Instruction sets armeabi-v7a, armeabi
Kernel 3.4.39-9294078
Display
2560 x 1600 - 60hz - 320d.p.i

All of which seems to indicate that the VLC version I need is, as you suggested, the armeabi-v7a version, which I then downloaded from here: https://vlc.en.uptodown.com/android/download/1047788640