A story of a rooted phone, sent for repairs.

shkev

New member
Aug 15, 2012
2
4
0
Dear Readers,

I am about to tell you my story of myself a current Galaxy Note user and the unfortunate episode when my phone had problems. I have been a long time user of xda, but a first time poster of this wonderful forum.

First of all I want to tell you I currently reside in Australia, Sydney and I am a Vodafone customer. I have been using this phone for about 6 months without any problems whatsoever, until a couple of weeks ago my phone started to inconsistently charge. At first I thought it was a cable issue, so I isolated the problem with a different cable and it didn't work. Fear and doubt crept into my mind for the next couple of days, if I should return the phone to Vodafone for repairs because as you may have guessed, my phone is rooted with a custom rom called, "AllianceROM_N7000_ICS_v2.1" with the wonderful "SpeedMod Kernel".

I searched through google and I found out that I wasn't the only person to have this problem with this charging issue. From further research I also found out that some people have claimed that sending a rooted phone into repairs will void your phones warranty, and some other people say that it won't void your warranty. Rather confused with this conflicting information, what other better way to confirm this issue than to call up Samsungs service centre. When I asked, the gentlemen on the other end just simply answered, "Yes".

So with this new information, I finally decided to unroot my phone and installed a stock official rom called N7000BDULR5_N7000BVAULR4_VAU. But before I did all this, from further research through XDA's forums I found out that I needed to reset my Binary count with Triangle Away by Chainfire. But with the issue of the phone not charging properly, it did not help with the issue of unrooting the phone, because the battery was constantly flat. After painstaking hours I finally unrooted my phone.

As I came home after handing my phone into Vodafone, a thought crept into my mind. Will they void my warranty, if I did not have the bloatware in which Vodafone has pre-installed into the phone? Because the stock rom in which I installed did not carry the bloatware.

Through the following week of praying that they will not void my warranty because of this issue, I got a message from Vodafone to pick up my phone. I called Vodafone customer repair centre and they told me that they have fixed the issue by replacing the micro usb connector which the pins was dislodged and also the UNIT-SUB PBA- which is the motherboard. Vodafone told me that this is a rare case in which the both of these hardware issues occur in the Galaxy note. Phew..

As of right now I am charging my phone without any problems so far. I will keep you guys updated if I have any other further issues with the repairs done on my phone.
 

fatsuzie

Senior Member
Dec 21, 2010
173
69
0
I'm in Malaysia and I had the similar problem with you as well.
Initially I sent in my phone with the stock ROM but I forgot to reset the binary count and the 3rd party service center voided my warranty.
I took back my phone and installed "triangle away" by chainfire which reset my custom binary count and this time I sent it in to Samsung for a warranty claim and after the next day. They called me to collect my phone and my mother board + micro usb was replaced.

I did a little research myself and I've came to this conclusion and incompatible external battery packs messed up the system as I never had an issue with my phone charging till I bought myself a cheap external batter pack charger which then i guess messed up my board.

conclusion for me:
invest in a proper external batter pack which is compatible with the N7000 battery. :)
 

SuperMane

Member
Dec 6, 2011
48
2
0
Congrats on getting your phone repaired without getting caught. Same thing had happened to me when I gave my phone to ssc. I had unrooted and used triangle away but unfortunately forgot to uninstall it. My phone was repaired and it still had triangle away in it. I guess they don't look into the phone that closely.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
 

TopOfNewYork

Senior Member
Dec 20, 2009
220
57
0
New York
without getting caught.
the hardware is faulty, the pins don't last, apparently it's even a known issue at Samsung.. This repair has nothing to do with firmware. The phone boots, it runs, it can have different firmwares flashed to it, the issue is purely a hardware issue and so the warranty should cover the repair even with the custom binary... i dont like the loophole use by the warranty center when, as with this guy, the user clearly hasn't damaged the device... That would just be wrong.


Paranoid V. 5 | Hydracore 4.3 OC
GT-N7000
 

shkev

New member
Aug 15, 2012
2
4
0
the hardware is faulty, the pins don't last, apparently it's even a known issue at Samsung.. This repair has nothing to do with firmware. The phone boots, it runs, it can have different firmwares flashed to it, the issue is purely a hardware issue and so the warranty should cover the repair even with the custom binary... i dont like the loophole use by the warranty center when, as with this guy, the user clearly hasn't damaged the device... That would just be wrong.


Paranoid V. 5 | Hydracore 4.3 OC
GT-N7000
Dear Mr TopOfNewYork,

You maybe correct about the correlation with software Vs hardware issue that may render your phone having problems. But no legal terms and conditions will release the manufacturer of any legal liabilities with the products being offered to the public. (In Australia it is called the Australian Consumer Law 2010, Please check with your local countries consumer protectionism law.)

On another note, the phone has a random automatic reboot issue at random times, and as of now wont even boot to Touchwiz UI. The only way I can use the phone is to directly charge the phone, while using it. I have had the phone for two days from the date of it was returned to me, and I have complained (in a logical, non violent yelling manner) to Vodafone and they have agreed to send me a new Samsung Galaxy S3 16gb White.

I am absolutely satisfied to receive a new phone, and will update the situation about the new phone on the S3 forum.

Thank you for reading and have a happy and prosperous year.
 

Alexanderbooth

Senior Member
Apr 5, 2011
438
38
0
I sent my phone to samsung while it was still rooted and had a custom rom on it, they mustnt even check if its a hardware fault cause i had it back within 5 days with a new screen.
 

Udonitron

Senior Member
Apr 15, 2010
628
26
0
Victoria
I sent my phone to samsung while it was still rooted and had a custom rom on it, they mustnt even check if its a hardware fault cause i had it back within 5 days with a new screen.
Well I just sent my Note 2 in and it took the service center 2 weeks to enter my phone...during that time Samsung cancelled my claim because the service centre in Quebec didn't enter it in time.
I called Samsung and they called the center and set them straight and now I just got a reply that my phone, while rooted, has never had a custom ROM on it and never had anything but stock...I rooted it only to kill the rogers bloatware that I could not uninstall.

I just got a reply and they told me the repair will cost $672 to repair the screen due to it being rooted....wtf
Reason it was sent in was in woke up, unplugged my phone from charging and noticed a stuck red dead pixel on the screen...wasn't there the night before....so how does root on a stock phone cause an hardware issue....time to call and complain to Samsung.

This is unreal....
 

howard bamber

Senior Member
Jun 4, 2012
1,409
183
0
Southport
I too had the problem! First I thought it was lint, etc, so I prodded etc. It would charge for5 min then stop.
In the end I got a new daughter board for£10 with the USB socket, new mix and antenna. Took less than ten mins to fit. It's been like new since.
I've the same issue on my Kindle HD, but that's another tale........
Box 13.
 

morabass

Member
Apr 12, 2010
5
1
0
I unrooted my phone before giving it to the "Samsung" repair shop, which in my town is just a dodgy phone shop with a big Samsung sticker on the window. I got it back the next day with an untested bad ROM update so the keyboard just typed nonsense.

In the end I spent ages fixing the damage they caused and never got to the bottom of the original issue.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
 

Pat.

Senior Member
Oct 9, 2012
563
102
0
I had a rooted N7000 go into Samsung service with a hardware & a software issue & both issues were sorted under warranty for free & no mention of it being rooted, (it came back unrooted).

Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app
 

Gambolputty

Member
Mar 21, 2013
21
4
0
Łódź
I had unrooted device with blue hotpixel, these dumbasses first tear it down, then realized the receipt is not enough for proof so they want an invoice from seller stating where he got phones from. And because seller was a retard he didn't send me it in time, they reassembled the phone and sent it back (leaving a hair between frame and screen - proves that it was disassembled) :eek: I wonder for what they got grade A from Samsung...

From the same private service center, once they tried to prove that non-rooted and untouched phone was flashed (it was aftermath of failed Kies/Odin update), intervention in Samsung Poland helped, they sent a new phone.

In any case of imbeciles at service senter, contact Samsung, their people usually have more knowledge and are willing to help
 

Pat.

Senior Member
Oct 9, 2012
563
102
0
I had unrooted device with blue hotpixel, these dumbasses first tear it down, then realized the receipt is not enough for proof so they want an invoice from seller stating where he got phones from. And because seller was a retard he didn't send me it in time, they reassembled the phone and sent it back (leaving a hair between frame and screen - proves that it was disassembled) :eek: I wonder for what they got grade A from Samsung...

From the same private service center, once they tried to prove that non-rooted and untouched phone was flashed (it was aftermath of failed Kies/Odin update), intervention in Samsung Poland helped, they sent a new phone.

In any case of imbeciles at service senter, contact Samsung, their people usually have more knowledge and are willing to help
Phones are under warranty by the date of manufactur ... you don't need reciepts or anything, it doesn't matter if its been sold to ten different people with no reciepts its still under Samsung Warranty.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app
 

Gambolputty

Member
Mar 21, 2013
21
4
0
Łódź
Unfortunately not in Poland, they still require at least receipt, but new internal procedures of service center require shop's invoice, especially since they see phone was bought in service/second hand shop (still it was brand new, untouched etc.), maybe they're just too dum dum to handle their internal stuff or are afraid it was serviced somewhere else, I must speak with Sammy about this
 

YLNdroid

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2012
440
52
0
I unrooted my phone before giving it to the "Samsung" repair shop, which in my town is just a dodgy phone shop with a big Samsung sticker on the window.
Personally, I would strongly suggest to find authorised local service centres from the Samsung website of one's respective country/region. Alternatively, one could either call or send an e-mail to the customer support of one's respective country/region to enquire about the details of authorised local service centres.

For illustrative purpose, I would find the Samsung website for my country/region from, http://www.samsung.com/uk/function/ipredirection/ipredirectionLocalList.do, and I would then proceed to find authorised local service centres by using the Find Service Locations found under the Support menu.
:good:
 

Pat.

Senior Member
Oct 9, 2012
563
102
0
Samsung here in Canada asked for a copy of my receipt to be faxed within 5 days or the claim would be void.


OK, I've been looking at a few countries warranty wording & yes it does say "Original purchase reciept" required for repairs so strange as it sounds they abide by different rules depending where you live.
I've not been asked for anything other than my personal details & address for collection. Yes that's right Samsung (I'm in UK) arrange to collect the phone & then deliver it back afterwards without any proof of purchase or reciepts. I have friends who have done the same & several of these phones including mine were bought secondhand but still in warranty (2yrs on some phones).
 

lesp4ul

Senior Member
Feb 1, 2011
1,968
540
0
Paranoid Room
I want to share my warranty claim experience too (indonesia):

1. Galaxy S3, broken camera hardware. Clear binary, Flashed stock JB, sent to SSC. Asked for original purchase receipt, didn't have it. So i asked her to check the phone by serial number, warranty granted, fixed in 3 days and whooaa got extra 3 month warranty. I bought it when S3 launching event at June 12, extended to 31 sept 2013 :D

2. Broke my Galaxy Nexus usb ports pin so usb cord can't plug properly and sometimes not detected in PC. I was too lazy to flash stock.. So with unlocked bootloader & Paranoid Android rom installed i went to same SSC, haha asked again for receipt and i didn't have it also. Granted, and got it fixed less than 1 hour :p

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2