Is it acceptable to you that a $800 phone dead in 21 months?

[Lei.SHI]

My pixel xl(1st gen) purchased from Google store in Jan 2017, and in bootloop a week ago.
I contact google support, they told me my device out of the 1-yr warranty, and redirect me to UbreakIfix for repair, cost on myself.
I contacted UbreakIfix, get a quote for 300+ to change motherboard.
As of today, the Pixel XL only worth $130 trade-in value, and the condition need to be perfect.
So clearly I won't spend $300 to save a device only worth $130.

About the issue, I had some level of experience with fastboot/adb command:
* tried re-image all latest Google Stock Image of Android 7/8/9 individually with boot-loader unlocked, no luck;
* tried adb sideload ota image of Android 7/8/9 individually, with boot-loader locked/unlocked, no luck;
* tried change active slot to a and b with combination of above two items, no luck;
* checked the recovery logs, the boot-loader did take whatever Android stock image I feed to to it, and I do almost every time can get in to both boot-loader or recovery-mode successfully, and has no limit to run any fastboot/adb commands, but these are all I can do, and still not to get the phone boot into Android OS.
* in a very few times, the static "Google" in the white screen did spinning into a big rainbow "G", but it was frozen right after, and eventually reboot again.

I don't know if it worth spend more time on it, and feel very frustrated about spending my time on this doomed device and dealing with the Giant company as a individual customer.
I am not a picky guy, I accept the device running slow, or buggy sometime, but doesn't accept it dead in 2 years as a premium phone.
What do you think, guys?

By the way, many thanks to XDA forum, I learnt a lot from many brilliant and kind people here.

 

[smokinjoe2122]

It's not acceptable, but it's the norm. Look at buying a new tv - Some mfg warranties are like 90 days labor and 6 months to a year on parts...It's a shame you pay all that money for something that could be a paperweight in a year.

 

[ithehappy]

Acceptable for a phone, or any gadget worth $800 to die in 21 months? LMAO. If this acceptable to some group of people, please redirect them to the best psychic facility available on this planet.

 

[lafester]

Like you said, you can just grab another one for $130. Phones are put through a lot and used every day so it's hard to say. Lots of people have no issues for several years.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Lei.SHI]

Like you said, you can just grab another one for $130. Phones are put through a lot and used every day so it's hard to say. Lots of people have no issues for several years.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

I used my Pixel as a regular way, never root it, never even boot into bootloader before the bootloop issue, always use ota in os to get update. No water spilt, never get drop or hit. In another word, I never "abuse" the phone, and the phone has no accident.

Yeah, whatever, for the phone issue, I'm just having bad luck, like you said, many people have no issues. What I upset about is a $800 phone became a brick within 2 years with a normal usage, and Google not even give this case as an exception to cover it out of warranty.
You may say, or like Google said, then what the warranty stands for, right? I say, if only a few people got this issue, then as a Giant company, should cover since no fault on customer, and it would be a small cost to Google; if a lot of people got this issue, then still Google need to cover, since it becomes a general issue to this phone, which indicates this is a failed model at all.

Please don't think I'm a cheap guy, and trying to take advantage from Google, just trying to think the logical here. BTW, I'm not just complaining Google without putting in effort to solve the issue by myself, I did a little bit research and pickup learning, regard this issue, I'm not alone, many other users have the same issue as well, some of them get it "resolved" by reimage, but the other just has no luck like me.

You don't have to agree with me, I'm a kind of guy would love to discuss with people no matter they have same point view as mine or not.

 

[Phalanx7621]

What is the actual problem with the phone? You can get into the boot loader screen then correct? When you try to install the latest stock factory image from Google with fastboot what happens?

 

[Lei.SHI]

What is the actual problem with the phone? You can get into the boot loader screen then correct? When you try to install the latest stock factory image from Google with fastboot what happens?

Both the boot-loader and recovery-mode functions are normal. after flash in the stock factory image, all the progress logs shows flawless, and phone will reboot itself upon the progress is successfully complete. Instead of going into Android OS, the phone is stuck on a white screen with colorful "GOOGLE" in screen center, after like about 30 seconds, it reboots again, and if you leave the phone there, you will see it sometime just keep rebooting, showing the logo screen, or it goes into recovery-mode, showing "no command" black screen.

 

[premedicated]

Both the boot-loader and recovery-mode functions are normal. after flash in the stock factory image, all the progress logs shows flawless, and phone will reboot itself upon the progress is successfully complete. Instead of going into Android OS, the phone is stuck on a white screen with colorful "GOOGLE" in screen center, after like about 30 seconds, it reboots again, and if you leave the phone there, you will see it sometime just keep rebooting, showing the logo screen, or it goes into recovery-mode, showing "no command" black screen.

I'm having the exact same issue and Phalanx7621 tried helping me out but unfortunately it looks like there's no solution for it.. Just like your issue, everything successfully flashes, but I got a little past the Google logo a couple of times, but no more. My phone wasn't dropped, never wet, nothing at all. Yesterday morning I woke up and the screen was just black and it started boot looping.

Funnily enough, 2 weeks after I paid the phone off. 1 week after Verizon called to let me know they had open enrollment on their insurance plans and I turned it down since, yanno, I don't mistreat my phone.. "Coincidence" I guess..

My post btw https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/possibly-bricked-t3861057#post78033420 if any of that helps you hopefully.

 

[Phalanx7621]

That is the weirdest thing. So everything flashes and it reboots like it's going into the operating system and then just reboots in a boot loop? unless someone else times in its possible is a hardware failure.

 

[premedicated]

Both the boot-loader and recovery-mode functions are normal. after flash in the stock factory image, all the progress logs shows flawless, and phone will reboot itself upon the progress is successfully complete. Instead of going into Android OS, the phone is stuck on a white screen with colorful "GOOGLE" in screen center, after like about 30 seconds, it reboots again, and if you leave the phone there, you will see it sometime just keep rebooting, showing the logo screen, or it goes into recovery-mode, showing "no command" black screen.

That is the weirdest thing. So everything flashes and it reboots like it's going into the operating system and then just reboots in a boot loop? unless someone else times in its possible is a hardware failure.

I've made it far enough in to setup my device, receive and send a text message and then it will completely freeze up for a few seconds and restart. Then it may or may not make it past the Google logo, usually it'll stick on the Google logo or the G before freezing and restarting. But one out of every dozen or two restarts it'll load all the way into the OS before freezing and restarting after a few minutes.

 

[Phalanx7621]

I've made it far enough in to setup my device, receive and send a text message and then it will completely freeze up for a few seconds and restart. Then it may or may not make it past the Google logo, usually it'll stick on the Google logo or the G before freezing and restarting. But one out of every dozen or two restarts it'll load all the way into the OS before freezing and restarting after a few minutes.

Ok so how about downloading TWRP on your PC and flash kernel on your phone, (https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/development/marlin-flash-kernel-1-00-t3788300) put TWRP in the same folder as fastboot on your PC and reboot into boot loader and fastboot boot TWRP.img ( or whatever you named TWRP) . From TWRP, flash Flash kernel, then reboot and see if it boots into Android.

 

[premedicated]

Ok so how about downloading TWRP on your PC and flash kernel on your phone, (https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/development/marlin-flash-kernel-1-00-t3788300) put TWRP in the same folder as fastboot on your PC and reboot into boot loader and fastboot boot TWRP.img ( or whatever you named TWRP) . From TWRP, flash Flash kernel, then reboot and see if it boots into Android.

Sure. Gimme a couple minutes and I'll report back

---------- Post added at 08:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:40 PM ----------

Ok so how about downloading TWRP on your PC and flash kernel on your phone, (https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/development/marlin-flash-kernel-1-00-t3788300) put TWRP in the same folder as fastboot on your PC and reboot into boot loader and fastboot boot TWRP.img ( or whatever you named TWRP) . From TWRP, flash Flash kernel, then reboot and see if it boots into Android.

So it loaded up TWRP, then I remembered that I didn't set a pin after the latest reflash. So I went into software and setup a pin and moved the TWRP files over onto the phone as well as the kernal before it restarted. But now I can't get 'fastboot boot twrp.img' to actually load TWRP on the phone.. Command prompt says "downloading boot.img, booting, finished. And then on the phone it loads up the google logo and then just freezes and restarts.. I'll dink with it some more and see if i can make it work

 

[Phalanx7621]

Yeah you don't want a pin or password in TWRP. Any pin or password would've been erased with the wiping we did via fastboot earlier before we installed the newest factory image.

 

[premedicated]

Yeah you don't want a pin or password in TWRP. Any pin or password would've been erased with the wiping we did via fastboot earlier before we installed the newest factory image.

Alright so I guess I'll wipe everything again, then get far enough into the software to pull TWRP and the Kernel over? Or is there a way I can do all that from fastboot?

 

[Phalanx7621]

Alright so I guess I'll wipe everything again, then get far enough into the software to pull TWRP and the Kernel over? Or is there a way I can do all that from fastboot?

If I were you I would wipe everything with fast boot and flash-all.bat again. See if you can get it to boot up once into Android, then reboot to the bootloader, fastboot boot TWRP.img and from TWRP because it's connected to your PC it will allow you to transfer files. download The flash kernel on your PC and just transfer it over to your phone and flash it, then reboot into Android to see if it works. But be careful whenever you reboot for the first time from TWRP because it will ask you to install TWRP as a system file or something. make sure to always hit do not install because if you swipe it will install it. That can definitely mess things up.

 

[premedicated]

If I were you I would wipe everything with fast boot and flash-all.bat again. See if you can get it to boot up once into Android, then reboot to the bootloader, fastboot boot TWRP.img and from TWRP because it's connected to your PC it will allow you to transfer files. download The flash kernel on your PC and just transfer it over to your phone and flash it, then reboot into Android to see if it works. But be careful whenever you reboot for the first time from TWRP because it will ask you to install TWRP as a system file or something. make sure to always hit do not install because if you swipe it will install it. That can definitely mess things up.

Well, knock on wood, I'm about 10 minutes into it and it seems to still be working.. But earlier it was on for a good bit of time before restarting as well. I'll report back!

 

[Phalanx7621]

Well, knock on wood, I'm about 10 minutes into it and it seems to still be working.. But earlier it was on for a good bit of time before restarting as well. I'll report back!

Excellent ! Ok, so let's install magisk via TWRP. You'll need to boot back into TWRP via fastboot using fastboot boot TWRP.img and then transfer Magisk (https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445) onto your phone. After flashing , reboot and install kernel auditor here https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grarak.kerneladiutor so we can see what's going on with the kernel
Edit:also, you could flash TWRP with this file as well https://dl.twrp.me/marlin/twrp-pixel-installer-marlin-3.2.3-1.zip.html (you flash the zip while in TWRP) to not have to use fastboot to boot into it )

 

[premedicated]

Excellent ! Ok, so let's install magisk via TWRP. You'll need to boot back into TWRP via fastboot using fastboot boot TWRP.img and then transfer Magisk (https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/v17.1/Magisk-v17.1.zip) onto your phone. After flashing , reboot and install kernel auditor here https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grarak.kerneladiutor so we can see what's going on with the kernel
Edit:also, you could flash TWRP with this file as well https://dl.twrp.me/marlin/twrp-pixel-installer-marlin-3.2.3-1.zip.html (you flash the zip while in TWRP) to not have to use fastboot to boot into it )

Done, done and done.

I flashed TWRP through the zip, so it's a more permanent fixture. Magisk is installed as well as the kernel adiutor. What type of data/info am i looking for through the kernel program?

---------- Post added at 11:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 PM ----------

Excellent ! Ok, so let's install magisk via TWRP. You'll need to boot back into TWRP via fastboot using fastboot boot TWRP.img and then transfer Magisk (https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/v17.1/Magisk-v17.1.zip) onto your phone. After flashing , reboot and install kernel auditor here https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grarak.kerneladiutor so we can see what's going on with the kernel
Edit:also, you could flash TWRP with this file as well https://dl.twrp.me/marlin/twrp-pixel-installer-marlin-3.2.3-1.zip.html (you flash the zip while in TWRP) to not have to use fastboot to boot into it )

Apparently i didn't knock on wood hard enough. Was working for a solid 45 minutes to an hour, but then as I was reading through some stuff it froze up and went back into boot looping..

 

[Phalanx7621]

Done, done and done.

I flashed TWRP through the zip, so it's a more permanent fixture. Magisk is installed as well as the kernel adiutor. What type of data/info am i looking for through the kernel program?

---------- Post added at 11:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 PM ----------



Apparently i didn't knock on wood hard enough. Was working for a solid 45 minutes to an hour, but then as I was reading through some stuff it froze up and went back into boot looping..

No! OMG I'm sorry man. I thought we had this problem on its way to being solved. So it's now boot looping again ? Same exact thing as before ?

 

[premedicated]

No! OMG I'm sorry man. I thought we had this problem on its way to being solved. So it's now boot looping again ? Same exact thing as before ?

Well here's the deal.. Right after I posted that it started bootlooping again. It went through about 6 bootloops before I said 'eff it' and then just plugged it into the charger and walked away. I came back to it a little bit ago and according to the Kernel manager, it has an uptime of an hour and 32 minutes. So I grabbed it and was dinking around for a minute with it. Downloaded hulu, no problems. Downloaded netflix, no problems and then I was writing out a text and all of a sudden it froze and rebooted. Bootlooped once, then on the second try it started up. It's been up for about half an hour now.

Are there some sort of .log files with Android that could possibly show exactly what it is that's causing it to restart? Maybe something in the Kernel manager could help?