Greetings,
I'm not experienced with android devices, so i thought i'd ask here first before trying to do anything.
Since a few months ago some weird things started happening to my X8 - random display glitches and blackouts at completely random intervals (sometimes one or even two a day, sometimes it can last two or more weeks w/o an incident, i haven't figured out any relation yet).
Glitches manifest in distorted view on screen - shifted up/down/sideways - or colored graphics artefacts - up to completely bizarre patterns of random-colored pixels covering the whole screen. Weirdly enough, pushing power button as if to lock the screen usually alleviates the issue, sometimes i need to do it few times to remove completely, but it works. Touchscreen works fine, but i need to tap the "right" spot on the screen, not where it's displayed on the screen ("right" as in where the element is when the screen is not glitching).
The other issue (may be related) i'm having with the phone is random screen "blackouts" - the screen goes completely black and the power button cycling doesn't help - but the phone still reacts to screen input (i.e. i can unlock the screen by dragging the slider, launch app, start/stop music playback and so on). I can see the backlight on, so it's definitely screen/gfx hardware issue, not backlight. If i try to reboot the phone, it hangs on either shutdown or boot up. Removing the battery, placing it back and booting the phone up doesn't help - it vibrates as usual, i see the backlight go up, but screen stays black and i can't interact with the phone even if i leave it there for a few minutes (which is more than enough for it to boot up - it usually takes ~30 seconds till full boot). Also the backlight won't go off. It usually helps to boot normally if i hit the phone with a palm on the back side and/or leave it alone for a while. This issue is much more rare (only had it three times), but it puts the phone out of service for a while, so it's an issue for me.
Now, the device info:
Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 E15i
015 baseband
10W44
Unlocked bootloader
Alfs8 kernel (2.6.29.6-Alfs v08a 24/03/2012)
GingerDX v026 ROM
No cpu tweaks done, cpu governor "ONDEMAND", cpu speeds 122-600.
The glitches started when i was still using the older version, GindgerDX v013 with locked bootloader, i have done factory reset and flashed a new version with new kernel (and unlocked the loader along the way), but apparently it did not help fix the issues.
I can't provide and screenshots/photos of the issue because the only camera i have access to at most times when it happens is my phone one and, obviously, i can't use that in this case
The question is: can i still try to fix it by myself (i can do it if it doesn't involve disassembling the phone completely - i don't have the screwdrivers required) by software tweaks or other techniques or should i reflash stock kernel/rom, apply for warranty and hope they find the defect and fix it? I really do like the phone. Or, maybe, you have encountered anything resembling these issues and may shed some light on what's happening.
Appreciate any input in trying to figure out and fix this.
Thank you if you have read all this even if you can't help me, cheers!
1st problem could be 'Screen Cut' issue which is solved using kernel without FPS Cap...
2nd problem usually happens on my phone with miniCM9 3.0.2 but shows splash and boot animation...
Can you see the splash screen and the bootanimation? Because my friends' Xperia Ray has the issue on official firmware... so it could be hardware damage...
Try unlocking the screen then press the power button then press it again...
and also try flashing the stock firmware... If it doesn't work... I think you should live with it...
Sounds like a hardware problem to me. Reflash stock kernel and ROM and full wipe and then flash a different ROM and see it it still happens. If it does I think it is advisable to send it to Sony for repair.
Sent from my E15i using Tapatalk 2
Thanks for your replies, i'll try reflashing the stock rom and see if it still happens.
@Lily48: no, no splashcreen or boot animation, just black screen and visible backlight.
I have the same problem and I checked it many times and my conclusion is....ITS A HARDWARE PROBLEM NOT SOFTWARE..
KASHYAP9 said:
I have the same problem and I checked it many times and my conclusion is....ITS A HARDWARE PROBLEM NOT SOFTWARE..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, notify me if you find a solution, thanks
Sorry for double post, but this is important update:
My phone died this morning with the permanent black screen syndrome. Until i rebooted i could use it to receive phone calls or even listen to music (i knew where to touch to activate the features). However it would not boot sompletely after restart, even if i leave it for ~hour. Connecting to flashtool showed that it does boot to a certain stage, but no GUI (for user interaction with haptic feedback) available - the flashtool does show that device connected with usb debugging enabled.
I reflashed the stock ROM, now it's apparently stuck in some sort of bootloop - it keeps on connecting and disconnecting. But the screen is still black, with backlight. If i remove the battery, replace it and just connect to pc w/o trying to boot on, it acts normally as if trying to charge - backlight activates for a few seconds if i touch a key and green led is lit, but still the screen is black.
I will RMA it tomorrow, thanks for help, hopefully i'll get a new one, or they'll repair this one so it does not glitch on me again. Anyway it was/is a good phone, i absolutely love it.
Wish me luck =]
Aessaya said:
Sorry for double post, but this is important update:
My phone died this morning with the permanent black screen syndrome. Until i rebooted i could use it to receive phone calls or even listen to music (i knew where to touch to activate the features). However it would not boot sompletely after restart, even if i leave it for ~hour. Connecting to flashtool showed that it does boot to a certain stage, but no GUI (for user interaction with haptic feedback) available - the flashtool does show that device connected with usb debugging enabled.
I reflashed the stock ROM, now it's apparently stuck in some sort of bootloop - it keeps on connecting and disconnecting. But the screen is still black, with backlight. If i remove the battery, replace it and just connect to pc w/o trying to boot on, it acts normally as if trying to charge - backlight activates for a few seconds if i touch a key and green led is lit, but still the screen is black.
I will RMA it tomorrow, thanks for help, hopefully i'll get a new one, or they'll repair this one so it does not glitch on me again. Anyway it was/is a good phone, i absolutely love it.
Wish me luck =]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a hardware problem and Sony Service Center is the last option you have.. if your X8 is in warranty period.
I did the same and they replaced its display with new one.
Hello, reporting back in:
Just got my X8 back, it really was a hardware problem. They changed the screen now it works as good as new =]
Thanks everyone for support
Hi guys,
The following problem has taken me litterally DAYS of reading XDA, trying everything I could, but still no solution. Googling and searching this forum didn't help either, and it's totally weird.
It's a Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000, on which were installed, almost two years ago, the ClockWorkMod recovery, Darky's ROM, Froyo, and everything was fine for months. Then, one day, out of nowhere, it switched off, without notice. Impossible to switch it on again! I remembered having seen some strange battery behavior few days before, like falling from 80% to 30% with no reason, so I thought of a battery issue. I plugged it for a full night. In the morning, I was able to boot it, but not easily, and all apps were crashing: during boot, or when launched manually. Yes, all I tried were crashing! Then, the phone became fully not bootable: press the power button, the screen shows "Samsung GT-I9000", then switches off...
I ordered a new battery: same result.
A guy from a phone repair store told me to plug the phone, and keep the power button down for 2 minutes: after this, I could reboot the phone, and thus, wipe data (factory reset). But it didn't help.
After "playing" a bit with it, I realized that the problem is:
the phone won't boot if an external source of power is not connected (as said above, white text shows, then the phone "dies")
if started with power cord/usb, the phone will work fine, all the time
if started with power cord/usb, and the external power source removed once the phone is booted, the phone will work fine, UNTIL the screen goes black for power saving mode or by pressing pwoer button, after which, within seconds, you can't open the phone anymore. I mean: if you press the start/power button immediately after the screen goes black, the screen goes on again, and the phone is ok. If you wait for few seconds, it's over, you can't do anything, and have to reboot the phone. This said, the phone doesn't vibrate, so I suppose it's not really off. But then... what is this state??
I really tried my best: updated to GB2.3.6, bricked my phone trying to re-install the CWM and having a bootloop, installed and used Odin and Heimdall, reverted to stock kernel, etc, etc, etc.
I feel sorry to bother you guys, I was really convinced that with the incredibly huge amount of data, how-tos, explanations, etc. I would manage to get rid of this, but this problem, though I don't really think it's hardware (but maybe it is?) stayed across so many kernels, roms, etc. that it's killing me!
For the record:
Model number: GT-I9000
Micro-software (?): 2.3.6
Baseband: I9000XXJW4
Kernel: 2.6.35.7-I9000XWJW7-CL1125830 [email protected] #2 (problem was the same with [email protected] #2)
Version number: GINGERBREAD.XXJW4
Any help would be greatly appreciated, considering that a wireless phone that needs to be wired is a little bit of an issue... :laugh:
Thanks in advance !
Marc_B_ said:
Hi guys,
The following problem has taken me litterally DAYS of reading XDA, trying everything I could, but still no solution. Googling and searching this forum didn't help either, and it's totally weird.
It's a Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000, on which were installed, almost two years ago, the ClockWorkMod recovery, Darky's ROM, Froyo, and everything was fine for months. Then, one day, out of nowhere, it switched off, without notice. Impossible to switch it on again! I remembered having seen some strange battery behavior few days before, like falling from 80% to 30% with no reason, so I thought of a battery issue. I plugged it for a full night. In the morning, I was able to boot it, but not easily, and all apps were crashing: during boot, or when launched manually. Yes, all I tried were crashing! Then, the phone became fully not bootable: press the power button, the screen shows "Samsung GT-I9000", then switches off...
I ordered a new battery: same result.
A guy from a phone repair store told me to plug the phone, and keep the power button down for 2 minutes: after this, I could reboot the phone, and thus, wipe data (factory reset). But it didn't help.
After "playing" a bit with it, I realized that the problem is:
the phone won't boot if an external source of power is not connected (as said above, white text shows, then the phone "dies")
if started with power cord/usb, the phone will work fine, all the time
if started with power cord/usb, and the external power source removed once the phone is booted, the phone will work fine, UNTIL the screen goes black for power saving mode or by pressing pwoer button, after which, within seconds, you can't open the phone anymore. I mean: if you press the start/power button immediately after the screen goes black, the screen goes on again, and the phone is ok. If you wait for few seconds, it's over, you can't do anything, and have to reboot the phone. This said, the phone doesn't vibrate, so I suppose it's not really off. But then... what is this state??
I really tried my best: updated to GB2.3.6, bricked my phone trying to re-install the CWM and having a bootloop, installed and used Odin and Heimdall, reverted to stock kernel, etc, etc, etc.
I feel sorry to bother you guys, I was really convinced that with the incredibly huge amount of data, how-tos, explanations, etc. I would manage to get rid of this, but this problem, though I don't really think it's hardware (but maybe it is?) stayed across so many kernels, roms, etc. that it's killing me!
For the record:
Model number: GT-I9000
Micro-software (?): 2.3.6
Baseband: I9000XXJW4
Kernel: 2.6.35.7-I9000XWJW7-CL1125830 [email protected] #2 (problem was the same with [email protected] #2)
Version number: GINGERBREAD.XXJW4
Any help would be greatly appreciated, considering that a wireless phone that needs to be wired is a little bit of an issue... :laugh:
Thanks in advance !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a very strange problem... let's try something, remove the battery, sim card and sd card and hold the power button for 1-2 minutes, btw when the screen is off, is really the phone off or just the screen? did you try to make a call to your phone when the screen is off?
timberman4444 said:
That's a very strange problem... let's try something, remove the battery, sim card and sd card and hold the power button for 1-2 minutes, btw when the screen is off, is really the phone off or just the screen? did you try to make a call to your phone when the screen is off?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi timberman thanks for the answer!
You're very right: I totally forgot to say that what initially allowed me to restart my phone "regularly" was this procedure of pressing the power button for 2 minutes (hint given by a man from a repair shop). Before this, I couldn't (kind of a bootloop).
It's a very good question! I don't think the phone is really off in fact, because there isn't this vibration saying the phone turned off... Let me try to call it!
F..k! I was redirected right away to the voicemail... so... phone was off
I'm starting to think it's an harware issue... I reinstalled lots of ROMs, kernel, etc. Same ****...
Any idea?
Marc_B_ said:
Hi timberman thanks for the answer!
You're very right: I totally forgot to say that what initially allowed me to restart my phone "regularly" was this procedure of pressing the power button for 2 minutes (hint given by a man from a repair shop). Before this, I couldn't (kind of a bootloop).
It's a very good question! I don't think the phone is really off in fact, because there isn't this vibration saying the phone turned off... Let me try to call it!
F..k! I was redirected right away to the voicemail... so... phone was off
I'm starting to think it's an harware issue... I reinstalled lots of ROMs, kernel, etc. Same ****...
Any idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi mark, i'm totally out of ideas for your problem... anyway, maybe you read mi answer wrong, in your post you say that the guy in the repair shop tell yo to press the power button with THE PHONE PLUGGED IN, but what i say is press the power button 2 minutes WITHOUT BATTERY, btw i keep thinking about this.. if any idea comes to my mind i tell you.
Hi again, try to play a song and turn the screen off to see what happens.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda app-developers app
timberman4444 said:
Hi mark, i'm totally out of ideas for your problem... anyway, maybe you read mi answer wrong, in your post you say that the guy in the repair shop tell yo to press the power button with THE PHONE PLUGGED IN, but what i say is press the power button 2 minutes WITHOUT BATTERY, btw i keep thinking about this.. if any idea comes to my mind i tell you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! Answering is already nice
I tried the button pressed for 2 minutes without battery: didn't change anything.
I tried playing a sound: MAN, YOU'RE A GENIUS!!! Launching the music, then forcing the screen off with power button lets the music play, and OF COURSE, I can reactivate the screen by pressing the home button. The screen goes off normally again after few seconds, but the music is still playing, etc. So, as long as the music goes, the bug doesn't happen!
Other hints:
For some time already, when I was removing the phone from my ear after a call, quite often, the screen was staying off, and I had to press a lot of buttons to have it on again, and be able to close the call
The moment where it crashes when booting without power is the very INSTANT where the initial white text (Samsung Galaxy S) goes brighter. So, if you unplug the power cord just after this, the boot ends normally. In summary, something happens at boot just after screen brightness changes which is the same thing happening when the screen goes off for power saving. All this, only when no external power is plugged.
Hehe, we (you) are making progress
Marc_B_ said:
Hi! Answering is already nice
I tried the button pressed for 2 minutes without battery: didn't change anything.
I tried playing a sound: MAN, YOU'RE A GENIUS!!! Launching the music, then forcing the screen off with power button lets the music play, and OF COURSE, I can reactivate the screen by pressing the home button. The screen goes off normally again after few seconds, but the music is still playing, etc. So, as long as the music goes, the bug doesn't happen!
Other hints:
For some time already, when I was removing the phone from my ear after a call, quite often, the screen was staying off, and I had to press a lot of buttons to have it on again, and be able to close the call
The moment where it crashes when booting without power is the very INSTANT where the initial white text (Samsung Galaxy S) goes brighter. So, if you unplug the power cord just after this, the boot ends normally. In summary, something happens at boot just after screen brightness changes which is the same thing happening when the screen goes off for power saving. All this, only when no external power is plugged.
Hehe, we (you) are making progress
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi again, it seems like your phone is unable to exit the deep sleep mode or something like that so, let`s try another thing, in ICS or JB there´s an option in the developer option settings that unfortunately is not present in gingerbread roms, so, you can try to switch to a ICS/JB rom and go to settings-developer options and disable the "PM sleep mode" let`s see what happens then
timberman4444 said:
Hi again, it seems like your phone is unable to exit the deep sleep mode or something like that so, let`s try another thing, in ICS or JB there´s an option in the developer option settings that unfortunately is not present in gingerbread roms, so, you can try to switch to a ICS/JB rom and go to settings-developer options and disable the "PM sleep mode" let`s see what happens then
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried to install ICS, with a GREAT tutorial found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1494493 Sadly, the phone reboots after installing the ICS kernel, and then doesn't work anymore, I had to reinstall the Gingerbread (I tried twice).
Last news: I let the phone play music (sound muted!!) for about 12 or 18h: all was fine! So I decided to pause the music, and see what happens. Boom ((c) Steve Jobs)!! The screen went black, and phone was "dead". I was expecting this, so no panick, I put back my SIM card, my SD card, and tried to reboot, with power cord plugged: it boots until the screen shows the small loader animation, then the empty battery image, but then goes black again, instead of showing the charging battery!! Download mode is still available, so I'll try to reflash the kernel, say.
It's like if each time screen was put black, phone was dying.
I can't stress enough how I appreciate your help: even if we can't save my phone, it's very pleasant to be able to TRY things. Thanks man!! :good:
Update: I reinstalled all... and it's not, even with power cord in, going further than the "Samsung Galaxy S" white text. The moment this picture disappears from screen, phone is dead. For good this time ?
Marc_B_ said:
I tried to install ICS, with a GREAT tutorial found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1494493 Sadly, the phone reboots after installing the ICS kernel, and then doesn't work anymore, I had to reinstall the Gingerbread (I tried twice).
Last news: I let the phone play music (sound muted!!) for about 12 or 18h: all was fine! So I decided to pause the music, and see what happens. Boom ((c) Steve Jobs)!! The screen went black, and phone was "dead". I was expecting this, so no panick, I put back my SIM card, my SD card, and tried to reboot, with power cord plugged: it boots until the screen shows the small loader animation, then the empty battery image, but then goes black again, instead of showing the charging battery!! Download mode is still available, so I'll try to reflash the kernel, say.
It's like if each time screen was put black, phone was dying.
I can't stress enough how I appreciate your help: even if we can't save my phone, it's very pleasant to be able to TRY things. Thanks man!! :good:
Update: I reinstalled all... and it's not, even with power cord in, going further than the "Samsung Galaxy S" white text. The moment this picture disappears from screen, phone is dead. For good this time ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you tried to install the rom on the recovery instead of odin?
timberman4444 said:
you tried to install the rom on the recovery instead of odin?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! No, I didn't, I used Odin. But now, I can't try anything anymore The only "results" I can get from this phone are:
- enter download mode and update from Odin (maybe from Heimdall, too, but I didn't check)
- reboot until the first moment the screen goes black, after which, the phone becomes fully unresponsive
Marc_B_ said:
Hi! No, I didn't, I used Odin. But now, I can't try anything anymore The only "results" I can get from this phone are:
- enter download mode and update from Odin (maybe from Heimdall, too, but I didn't check)
- reboot until the first moment the screen goes black, after which, the phone becomes fully unresponsive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so, you can`t install any rom at the moment?
timberman4444 said:
so, you can`t install any rom at the moment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can! I can install any kernel, or ROM, trhough Odin, but I can't boot at all... Except if someone has a magical trick, I would say it smells like coffin...
Marc_B_ said:
I can! I can install any kernel, or ROM, trhough Odin, but I can't boot at all... Except if someone has a magical trick, I would say it smells like coffin...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty bad signals there.. i think you should go to a repair shop or buy another device
timberman4444 said:
Pretty bad signals there.. i think you should go to a repair shop or buy another device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly, yes... thanks for helping however !