Can Anyone Help Decipher This Please

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Chrisssie

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#112573 13-Dec-2012 07:35

I have (or had) a Samsung Galaxy 3s ... a few days ago it froze on the startup screen, and despite taking the battery out and trying the volume+power+home reset thingy it stayed in a frozen state ... i returned it to Three's technical department for repair and they are now insisting *there is evidence of unauthorised repair activity* and refusing to do anything further with the phone as they say it invalidates my warrenty ... However i have not had any repair done on the phone so am at a loss as to understand how they can make that claim ... there is a pic on my account page of Three that i dont understand and wondered if anyone could decipher it for me ... the phone is only 6 months old

Tried to upload pic but couldnt for some reason ... but this is what it says:

Custom Binary: Downlaod
Current Binary: Samsung
System Status: Custom

jtbthatsme

937 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#731750 13-Dec-2012 08:01

Was this bought from a normail NZ store or was it from an importers and unlocked for you to use in NZ??? Possibly this is the case and for some reason they're saying that as the phone is unlocked or even possibly rooted it's voided the warranty. Which would then be correct for them to say this if they passed it on to a genuine repair agent other than doing this themselves.

Now if you bought the phone in the same state other than general usage (as in not rooting the phone yourself or doing anything else to void the warranty) then you should pursue getting a replacement from the store you bought it from as even online stores that import here are bound by the CGA which I am not 100% sure on this would still cover you if the store sold you the phone in a voided warranty state just a genuine repair agent would not cover you with Samsungs repair agent and would not cover you for replacement from Samsung but it would not change that the store is legally bound to do so if they sold the phone like that.

Of course in saying that proving it could be another issue.

Good luck.

nicnzl

172 posts

Master Geek

#731752 13-Dec-2012 08:01

Someone else on here had a similar problem. Start by going through this thread: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=97&topicid=111571

Edit: Sorry for the lack of BBcode, it's because I'm new around here and not allowed to post links

kiwitrc

4123 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#731769 13-Dec-2012 08:49

jtbthatsme: Was this bought from a normail NZ store or was it from an importers and unlocked for you to use in NZ??? Possibly this is the case and for some reason they're saying that as the phone is unlocked or even possibly rooted it's voided the warranty. Which would then be correct for them to say this if they passed it on to a genuine repair agent other than doing this themselves.

Now if you bought the phone in the same state other than general usage (as in not rooting the phone yourself or doing anything else to void the warranty) then you should pursue getting a replacement from the store you bought it from as even online stores that import here are bound by the CGA which I am not 100% sure on this would still cover you if the store sold you the phone in a voided warranty state just a genuine repair agent would not cover you with Samsungs repair agent and would not cover you for replacement from Samsung but it would not change that the store is legally bound to do so if they sold the phone like that.

Of course in saying that proving it could be another issue.

Good luck.

Chrisssie is UK based, not NZ.

Chrisssie

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#731776 13-Dec-2012 09:13

Am UK based ... But i honestly havent had anyone look at it .... its only 6 months old and until the screen freeze incident i had had no problems and was more than happy ... i love this phone, but i am fighting the Three repair geeks blind coz i really dont know how to argue the case with them that noones been near it, thats why i was hoping someone could explain the technical jargon in the op as this seems to be there foundation for saying someone has already looked at it ...

Goosey

2829 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#731782 13-Dec-2012 09:19

Chrissie, where did you buy your phone from?

Chrisssie

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#731789 13-Dec-2012 09:24

Its on contract from Three ...

keewee01

1737 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#731797 13-Dec-2012 09:36

Definitely read the thread that is shown in nicnzl's response

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uglyb0b

335 posts

Ultimate Geek

#731982 13-Dec-2012 12:32

To answer your question about deciphering what the message on the screen means -

The system status saying custom means the flash counter has been tripped to indicate a rom being manually flashed on the device (manually as in using Odin rather than Kies or OTA)

The current binary showing Samsung means that the current firmware on the device is official Samsung firmware. However the fact that the system status is showing custom is why they are declining the warranty. Essentially it means that the firmware has been tampered with in some way.

If you have not done anything to it and no one else has done anything to it, it could be a genuine fault showing a "false positive" so to speak. I don't know if this is even possible but I read about that idea in another thread which may be the one that was linked earlier (haven't checked).

Edit - yes it is the same thread that was linked.

jonb

1771 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#732486 14-Dec-2012 11:25

I would read through that thread,
and try and find more evidence that this problem - the phone
incorrectly showing a custom firmware after it's stopped working - has
also affected other people, and then go back to them.

I found these similar stories after a quick search:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2022690

http://forums.androidcentral.com/general-help-how/228958-galaxy-s3-modified-status-coming-even-without-rooting-ever.html

http://www.samsunggalaxys3forum.com/forum/samsung-galaxy-s3-help/8638-stuck-initial-screen.html

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?s=4433b3107430440b2419ff77d160613c&t=1891519

Have you tried contacting Three (or Samsung UK) over Twitter or Facebook? sometimes that method can be more productive..

Chrisssie

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#733055 16-Dec-2012 09:25

jonb: I would read through that thread,
and try and find more evidence that this problem - the phone
incorrectly showing a custom firmware after it's stopped working - has
also affected other people, and then go back to them.

I found these similar stories after a quick search:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2022690

http://forums.androidcentral.com/general-help-how/228958-galaxy-s3-modified-status-coming-even-without-rooting-ever.html

http://www.samsunggalaxys3forum.com/forum/samsung-galaxy-s3-help/8638-stuck-initial-screen.html

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?s=4433b3107430440b2419ff77d160613c&t=1891519

Have you tried contacting Three (or Samsung UK) over Twitter or Facebook? sometimes that method can be more productive..

Thanks for the links ... am still battling with Three over this, and the more evidence that i can throw at them that i am not the only one who has had this problem the better ... good tip about the Twitter/Facebook i will try that!

Chrisssie

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#733057 16-Dec-2012 09:30

Originally Posted by luisffz
Hi. I have the GT-I9300, and it is stuck on the first thing that appears, it only says:

Samsung
Galaxy S III
GT-I9300

in white letters on a black background.

I've tried taking the battery out for a while and nothing. I press the on/off button for 5 or 10 seconds and it turns off for a minute, then it goes back to the initial screen..

I've had the phone for 6 months and this is the first trouble I've had with it.

If someone could please help me I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

have you flash the phone lately, this is a result of an unfinished flashing or modification, or bootlooping..

I have just read this on one of the links that were posted, that is exactly how my problem started!

jonb

1771 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#735584 20-Dec-2012 15:35

Another link which might be useful to garner more evidence:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1993044&page=51

(From another similar story http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=97&topicid=112785&page_no=1#735469
- but remember to always repeat that you have not changed the firmware
to a custom firmware, as you say you have never done, nor even know how
to do it)