Dilemma with returned phone

[jack22182]

I have to return a Fascinate to the depot some time next week (see my End of the line for Samsung here thread for details).

The phone won't boot, accordingly, I can't wipe it before I ship it out.

I have every reason to believe that all of my configuration and personal information is intact in the phone. If the depot can get it to boot, they will in essence have my phone in their hands, un-sanitized, if you will.

How would you handle this situation?

Here's what I'm thinking:

• New GMail/Google master password
• New passwords on the POP accounts that were configured in K-9
• New passwords on the Exchange account that was configured in stock Email
• New passwords on all web pages I routinely visited from the Browser where I stored the username and password (like here, etc.)
• New Dropbox password
• etc...

I'm seriously uncomfortable with sending this phone unwiped. I'm hoping that the depot can be trusted to do the deed if they are able to get the phone to work again and not snoop around before doing so.

Jack

 

[srkmagnus]

What do you mean by it not booting? Does it start and freeze at the logo and boot endlessly? Does it not turn on?

Hopefully we can help you more.

Sent from my wildheroc using Tapatalk

 

[srkmagnus]

forums.androidcentral.com/verizon-f...tom-roms-w-root-clockwork-updated-3-25-a.html

There is a link for ODIN. Read, read, read before you do anything. Make sure it's what you want. The above is also assuming the phone boots.
Sent from my wildheroc using Tapatalk

 

[jack22182]

What do you mean by it not booting? Does it start and freeze at the logo and boot endlessly? Does it not turn on?

Hopefully we can help you more.

Sent from my wildheroc using Tapatalk

All of the details are here:

End of the line for Samsung here

But, briefly, when the power button is pressed, the "Phone is just about to start charging the battery" icon appears (a picture of a battery in the middle of the screen with a spinner in the middle) and remains there, motionless, until the power button is released. The white "SAMSUNG" never appears.

 

[jack22182]

forums.androidcentral.com/verizon-f...tom-roms-w-root-clockwork-updated-3-25-a.html

There is a link for ODIN. Read, read, read before you do anything. Make sure it's what you want. The above is also assuming the phone boots.
Sent from my wildheroc using Tapatalk

Tried ODIN but the phone won't go into download mode (and it won't boot).

More details on the issue are here:

End of the line for Samsung here

The main issue now is sending back an unwiped phone. It gives me the heebie jeebies. I can't boot it so I can't do a wipe. If the depot is able to resolve the boot issue, they will have access to all of my stuff.

Tier 2 also had me try to get to recovery with the three finger salute, and no go there either.

 

[JimiMack]

Try this... a hard reset.

Samsung Fascinate: Hard Reset | Technipages

 

[jack22182]

Try this... a hard reset.

Samsung Fascinate: Hard Reset | Technipages

Thanks for the tip, but this is essentially the "three finger salute" to put the phone into recovery mode, which is one of the things that the Tier 2 support people had me try to no avail.

Indeed it would be nice to get the phone to boot to recovery, I could wipe from there easily, and maybe even get the phone to boot completely, but, recovery mode is not accessible using the normal three button method.

 

[srkmagnus]

All you can do at this point is change all the passwords like you've done and remove the sd card. I'm sure you'll be fine; though I see your hesitation.

Sent from my wildheroc using Tapatalk

 

[dlcullen]

too bad you can't just "lose" the phone, huh?! that would do it!!!

 

[Lttlwing16]

Jack,

just read through your end of the line thread, and as this is your fourth fassy, didn't know if it's worth mentioning, but there was a user a while back who had this identical issue with the phone not booting after car charging, couldn't get past the battery charge screen, etc,etc.

I believe he ended up finding that his usb port had condensation in it. He cleaned it out, recharged and it booted. Don't know if that's worth anything to you, as I didn't get any indication that your phone got wet, but sometimes running the A/C in the car can do funny things if it's super cold and the device is hot.

you might have a look at that, and if your lucky it will boot so you can at least wipe it/factory reset it.

 

[Lttlwing16]

Tried ODIN but the phone won't go into download mode (and it won't boot).

Not trying to step on your toes here, but you did try to boot to download mode with the battery pulled, while holding the down volume....I'm sure you did, just want to confirm.

 

[jack22182]

Not trying to step on your toes here, but you did try to boot to download mode with the battery pulled, while holding the down volume....I'm sure you did, just want to confirm.

No problem, I appreciate the help. That's essentially how I was doing it, and, I tried it with the battery installed too just for grins.

While playing with it and trying just about everything, I did manage to stumble into stock recovery somehow, and that was just what I needed to wipe the phone, so there is a happy ending. After wiping I was able to get back into recovery after many attempts, and from there I could actually boot the phone into runtime and verify that it was at factory state. After that, I could not get it to boot, and I could not get back into recovery even after many tries again. The phone was definitely toast.

The Incredible 2 arrived Monday morning and WOW what a difference. I really like it a lot. Everything works the way it is supposed to.

 

[jack22182]

Jack,

just read through your end of the line thread, and as this is your fourth fassy, didn't know if it's worth mentioning, but there was a user a while back who had this identical issue with the phone not booting after car charging, couldn't get past the battery charge screen, etc,etc.

I believe he ended up finding that his usb port had condensation in it. He cleaned it out, recharged and it booted. Don't know if that's worth anything to you, as I didn't get any indication that your phone got wet, but sometimes running the A/C in the car can do funny things if it's super cold and the device is hot.

you might have a look at that, and if your lucky it will boot so you can at least wipe it/factory reset it.

Thanks for the tip, that's good to know. I searched quite a bit for other posts with the same symptoms but could not find anything.

I don't think there were any condensation issues last Thursday. I had been using the phone all day, and earlier had it plugged into the car charger to keep it somewhat charged while I was driving from meeting to meeting. At some point it did get to full charge state in the car. After that I continued to use it throughout the day, and when I was going to bed I tried to put it on charge on the nightstand, and that's when I noticed that the charge icon was not showing. I did a normal power off shutdown, pulled the battery, replaced it, and tried to start the phone again. The rest is history.

The Incredible 2 arrived on Monday, and before shipping the Fascinate back I decided to try to get into recovery one more time. After many attempts I managed to get into recovery, and from there I was able to wipe the phone, and afterwards, many attempts later I was able to access recovery again, and from there, reboot the phone and verify that the wipe did take. After that I could not get to recovery again and I could not boot the phone, so I think it is toast.

I'm really liking the Incredible 2, A LOT!

Thanks again for all of the suggestions, I appreciate it.

Jack