Official ASUS Thread - Random Lockups after ICS update

[Gary Key]

Good Day,

For those users who are suffering from the "Random Lockup or Screen Corruption" problem after the ICS update we are currently finalizing our replication efforts along with a final fix. We have identified two issues that could potentially cause this problem and will start contacting a subset of users who have already reported the problem for further testing and system level information.

Issue -
1. System might randomly lockup or generate a blind screen effect after the ICS update. I have received a few reported cases matching this behavior and we will be in contact with most of you in the near future.
a. If we do not contact you directly, it does not mean we are not working on this problem. I have read all the messages and randomly selected a couple of users for further contact. We will have a fix for this problem shortly.

Sincerely,
Gary

1/18/12 Update - We will continue to contact additional users over the next two days. We are in the process of qualifying a fix now and are awaiting a system return to verify this fix with our partners shortly.

1/19/12 Update - The ICS 9.4.2.11 update being rolled out now addresses the horizontal line and random signal line issues after the initial ICS load. It also addresses poor video playback (especially YouTube), however if you still have the YouTube corruption problem after this update, please uninstall then reinstall Flash from the app market. This patch also addresses the random reboot problem after the ICS update but we still have another patch that is in qualification testing at NVIDIA to fully solve these problems.

1/22/12 Update - I will provide an update tomorrow on our new Customer Service Support program for the Transformer Prime and additional forum support that will be coming in the very near future. In addition, I expect an update from engineering and NVIDIA shortly on the random lockup problem after the ICS update.

1/23/12 Update - Replication testing is still in process and I do not have an update to provide yet. We will provide a customer support hotline and direct email address shortly for users suffering with this problem. In the meantime, we will start another series of direct communication between our service/engineering group and selected users for additional testing.

1/25/12 Update - We are working on two different solutions now and hope to have a fix available in early February. One option to try is to revert back to the last Honeycomb image through the manual update process, set the unit power mode to balanced performance and screen brightness manually to 50%, and then manually update to the latest ICS build using these instructions - http://service.asus.com/TF201_fwupdate. You will need a fully charged battery and have the system plugged into AC power. This worked on a couple of returned units but not on all units. Only try this procedure if you are comfortable with flashing a new ROM image and want to take the time to complete each process.

1/31/12 Update - We are now testing a firmware and driver update. I will provide an update once initial alpha testing is completed.

2/1/12 Update - We received new code from NVIDIA today and are in the process of testing it. If this code is acceptable and provides a solution to the lock/reboot problem after the ICS update, we will release it in beta form for additional testing with users suffering from this problem before implementing it in the next OTA update. I should have an answer in two days if we can release the current patch code.

2/7/12 Update - We received another new code update from NVIDIA for testing today. Hopefully we will be able to release a beta patch or OTA update shortly. I will have an update after testing is completed tomorrow.

2/8/12 Update - We plan on releasing a new OTA update with revised firmware and code to solve the random lockup/reboot problem early next week.

2/8/12 Update - We pushed 9.4.2.13 US early to address the random lock and reboot issues plus you might see general improvements in performance including WiFi and maybe even aGPS.

9.4.2.13 Release Notes -
1. Fix Random Reboot / Lockup Problem (100% success in regression testing with returned units, hopefully the same in the community)
2. Enable Google WideVine video rental in the US
3. General Performance Enhancements
4. New WiFi Firmware (there might be improvements in WiFi performance or lock capabilities, still working on the WiFi/BT dropout fix that will not be assisted by the WiFi/GPS firmware updates) (Edited for clarification)

2/23/12 Update - We will release the .15 Firmware update in the very near future. To date, 100% success with the beta testers whom I thank profusely not to mention a very smart engineer at HQ.

Just a reminder, for those I or engineering did not contact directly yet about this problem, it does not mean we are ignoring your problem. We have read all the messages so please do not be upset if we have not contacted you yet.

3/6/2012 Update:
I am back and will start answering messages.

 

[Spaz007]

Thats great news! Thank You for your help Gary!

 

[Frooty]

Thanks for the update!

We will have a fix for this problem shortly.

So does this mean it is a software problem and will be fixed through an update? I'm still not sure if I want to send in my tablet, but based on the news it kind of sounds like it will be fixed with an OTA update.

 

[redandblack1287]

Based on my VERY little experience with this tablet, it seems that the lockups only occur while I am in high performance mode. The balanced setting gives me no problems as of right now, compared to substantial lockups with high performance. Anyone else have similar results?

 

[xvsacme]

Based on my VERY little experience with this tablet, it seems that the lockups only occur while I am in high performance mode. The balanced setting gives me no problems as of right now, compared to substantial lockups with high performance. Anyone else have similar results?

Most of the people who've responded in the original thread have said that it either happens A.) randomly, B.) when something "high performance" is going on, or C.) "usually" when trying to use the browser. In nearly all cases, the tablet was working just fine in Honeycomb.

Various users have been able to replicate the issue within certain applications, seemingly narrowing it down, though still others have different experiences. There seem to be two common veins of this problem - the very frequent lockup/reboots, often accompanied with freezing on boot, and the more sinister infrequent lockup/reboots.

For more info, check out the doc in my signature or the original (and lengthy) thread here.

 

[PrimeTimeBro]

Good Day,

We have identified two issues that could potentially cause this problem

Two issues? Care to explain? Two potential hardware problems? We know anything and everything no matter what and when your doing something the lockup can happen so I would love to know what you mean by "two issues that could potentially cause this problem"

 

[robstitt]

Unfortunately, I am having the problem with freezing/locking up and subsequent rebooting since I upgraded to ICS (never rooted).

While going to "power saving" mode seems to lengthen the time between freeze-reboots, it does not eliminate them.

I have a few days left before I'll need to return this to the retailer for a refund...and am trying to decide what to do. If it is a simple software/firmware fix, that's great...but if I need a whole new tablet, I guess I might as well return this one for a refund.

Thoughts?

And: Gary, thanks for your help to all of us!

 

[Andreas527]

Good that you are aware of this problem with the freezes and the pad does not respond to touch.

And this is what I like about asus. That they work closely with customers. And bring updates
Coming from a Samsung Galaxy Tab. And there was never any updates or support. Was always left out in the dark.

So those who complain that they do not receive updates should take a look at how things look for other brands.

 

[jordy5]

I've read through a lot of posts and would like to repond with my own analyzing effort

First of all, no issues when I've had HC. After upgrading to ICS, the reboots started immidiatly. I've it on the following (some times):

1. Browser: Random crashes when surfing
2. WakeUp: When putting the screen off and waking it up. On first keypress in a app or(not that much on homescreen) it will lockup and reboot after a few seconds.

I must say in the first couple of days the reboots where constantly happening on above 2 scenarios, after almost a week now, the problem is much less. I do have reboots, but it is definitly not going over and over.

I think it is a combination of ICS and Asus Drivers. It would be weird if it is a hardware problem as there are no issues at all in HC. As the amount of reboots are affecting a lot of users, it puzzles me why Asus isn't able to reproduce it themselves

But ok. Love the tablet, but they will need to resolve these issues. First GPS, then Wifi and now this... I don't think a lot of people can handle more

 

[thejamhole]

I posted this in the other thread about locking up primes, but figured I would post it in here as well. If it's not necessary, please delete it. Anyways, here it goes.

I have one of the newer primes, and ever since the ics update to 4.0.3 it's been randomly rebooting. I also notice i get the android.process.media error quite a bit. At first I thought it was the asus stuff not playing well with ics, so i turned as much of it off as I could. That seemed to calm down the weird graphics glitch where it would freeze then when you'd press the home softkey, the screen would instantly blank unreadable, looks like when you halfway unplug a vga cable or something. Once you reboot, it comes back fine. Now I'm just getting random reboots.

Seems to occur shortly after the android.process.media fc's. I was playing with androidvnc just now and twice it rebooted. Going to try the force gpu rendering first, and if that doesn't work, I'll try to flash the zip. Here's the key info. I also notice when I have wifi off and it's chilling in my bag, it stays just fine. I know by checking the uptime. But as soon as I turn wifi on and start messing with it, it can run from 2 minutes to 2 hours then I get a reboot. Very random. Will report back on the gpu rendering and the zip to see how it goes. Honestly it looks like it's stuttering right before it locks up. Almost like the processor isn't getting the voltage it needs, or bad memory. It's so hard to tell though.

Here's the fyi:

Never rooted
Worked perfectly on Honeycomb
Updated it the day the update came out to 4.0.3, and the camera firmware to tf201-0x9900

Other misc info:

Gps - 6.8.13
Wifi - 6.1.1.17
bluetooth - 9.23
Kernel - 2.6.39.4
Build number - IML74K.US_epad-9.4.2.7-20120106

 

[fingery]

I'm seeing similar symptoms as everyone else but i dont recall seeing reports of the additional 'Upgrading Android' message that i seem to be seeing.

Below is the chain of events over about 6 hours since unboxing the tab.

Took delivery of device, powered on and configured wifi followed by upgrade to ICS 4.0.3 and camera firmware. After upgrade, verified everything was working then did a wipe of user data and cold boot (both done by restarting with volume down and power pressed)

Configured device again with basic settings to get online and used it for approx 1 hour of browsing with stock ICS browser before lockups started. Lockup occurs followed by a reboot about 20 seconds later. Balanced power mode is in use.

Lockups and reboot occuring frequently, probably no more than 10-15 minutes apart. Browser is most frequently in use at the time but I see the same symptoms in other apps.

After perhaps 3 hours of this lockup/reboot cycle the device restarted and stuck at the EEE Pad screen. I then reset using the pinhole. Device then entered a boot loop. It would restart at any time between the dots in a circle and occasionally the login screen but would lockup and reboot before i could unlock. During this reboot cycle i then saw a message saying 'Upgrading Android, Step 1 or 16' which then counted up to 16 and changed to 'Starting applications' but froze and rebooted. This 'upgrading' cycle occured several times. After a significant number of wipes, cold boots and pin hole resets the device now appears to boot although the lockup and reboot cycle continues when in use.

If i can help, pm me for any details you need.

 

[cotr]

Guys, let's wait for Garys response before badgering him. Just wait a little longer. Just hit the seven day mark since the ICS update.

Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App

 

[AndroidPhan]

So basically they don't know a damn thing. And no I won't give him or Asus any more time. As it is they showed that they simply can not handle releasing a product. I'm not giving Any benefit of the doubt because Asus has lied and pushed out a faulty product to all of us. im not Just talking about ics. this is crazy.

 

[imb951]

Just got my first reboots last night on 4.0.3 in performance mode while doing heavy surfing with the stock browser. First the browser instantly disappeared in the middle of what I was doing, then I got a reboot when I tried it again with all the same tabs open. It seems the stock browser has trouble rendering/navigating around the full desktop version of Facebook. It lags like crazy. Could it be the heavy PHP code that Facebook desktop site is written in is making the Tegra 3 flip out/overheat?

I remain hopeful that Gary Key's crew at ASUS can replicate the problem and fix it.

 

[PrimeTimeBro]

Just got my first reboots last night on 4.0.3 in performance mode while doing heavy surfing with the stock browser. First the browser instantly disappeared in the middle of what I was doing, then I got a reboot when I tried it again with all the same tabs open.

I remain hopeful that Gary Key's crew at ASUS can replicate the problem and fix it.

How long did you go thinking you did not have the lockup issue?

 

[imb951]

How long did you go thinking you did not have the lockup issue?

I didn't have a single lockup since upgrading to ICS until last night, however last night I was really putting my Prime through its paces. Bluetooth streaming audio, wifi on, several tabs open in the browser and I was surfing constantly. Like I edited into my previous post, I think the Facebook desktop site and the stock 4.0.3 browser do not get along very well. I don't have my Prime on me now, but when I get home this evening I'll stress test a different browser like Dolphin HD...

 

[richaoj]

All of my lag appears to be in the browser. If I go into about:debug and turn on "Normal Rendering" it improves somewhat. 3rd party browsers such as "ICS Browser Plus" do not experience this issue as much, although it does somewhat.

Lag and freezing is especially noticeable when flash video is involved, although Adobe just released an update --here's hoping that improves something.

 

[cotr]

So basically they don't know a damn thing. And no I won't give him or Asus any more time. As it is they showed that they simply can not handle releasing a product. I'm not giving Any benefit of the doubt because Asus has lied and pushed out a faulty product to all of us. im not Just talking about ics. this is crazy.

1. Return Prime
2. Buy iPad
3. Get off the forum.
4. Everyone else profits without up constantly complaining like a big baby.

Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App

 

[awirtz]

Just got my first reboots last night on 4.0.3 in performance mode while doing heavy surfing with the stock browser. First the browser instantly disappeared in the middle of what I was doing, then I got a reboot when I tried it again with all the same tabs open. It seems the stock browser has trouble rendering/navigating around the full desktop version of Facebook. It lags like crazy. Could it be the heavy PHP code that Facebook desktop site is written in is making the Tegra 3 flip out/overheat?

I remain hopeful that Gary Key's crew at ASUS can replicate the problem and fix it.

Besides the fact, that PHP is server side scripting and has nothing to do with the Prime, I too experience difficulties with the Facebook main page and resulting lock-ups/reboots. I'm really torn between waiting for a fix and driving to the RMA site, which is close by my hometown here in Germany, to hand the Prime in.

The frustrating experience for me is, that I'm not using the browser that often to surf around facebook, but I really rely on gBrowser to read the news on my commute and this also leads to reboots. Do I have to go back to a single newspaper now?

Btw. I've written my Prime's details into the datasheet that flies around here.

 

[PrimeTimeBro]

I didn't have a single lockup since upgrading to ICS until last night, however last night I was really putting my Prime through its paces. Bluetooth streaming audio, wifi on, several tabs open in the browser and I was surfing constantly. Like I edited into my previous post, I think the Facebook desktop site and the stock 4.0.3 browser do not get along very well. I don't have my Prime on me now, but when I get home this evening I'll stress test a different browser like Dolphin HD...

This doesn't sound like the same lockup issue. Did your screen freeze on whatever current screen it was on for 10 seconds and then reboot?