[SOLVED] Weird Phone app behaviour when trying to make a call on custom ROMs GT-I9506

[henryakeley]

Hi, I recently got an S4 and installed Nougat RR custom ROM on it. It was all working mostly fine, but one day I tried to make a phone call and saw this strange behaviour. Once I put in the number and press Dial, the screen goes black and I lose control over the phone - can't evoke the keyboard, cancel the call or do anything else apart from hard reset. Interestingly the call actually is under way - it connects and you can have a conversation.

I don't use the Phone function often, mostly communicate via IM, but it is crucial that it's working, just in case. Therefore I tried few different custom ROMS from the I9506 dev thread- Lineage 15/16 and Cyanogen 13 - the same stuff happens on all of them. It works ok on a stock rom though. I also tried flashing different modem than recommended XXUDOJ2, to no avail.

I'm not very experienced with all this stuff, so not sure, perhaps I'm doing something basic wrong way. Though, my old phone S3 with CM 11 works fine on the same SIM card.

-phone: S4 LTE GT-I9506 according to IMEI
-bought in Europe (Poland) but now I use it in Taiwan

Can provide other details on request. Any help/ideas would be most appreciated.

 

[DiamondJohn]

If you are not concerned with loosing data or taking the time to go to the extreme step, to get a phone back from the dead, the best bet in a lot of peoples mind would be to reset the phone by flashing the original firmware. There are numerous threads here on XDA on how to do that.NB: Custom ROMs are not bug free, but even more likely to have issues than stock.

The hard question now becomes what is the correct firmware for your phone.
Sorry, just noticed you have tried and have no issue going to stock

First thing to remember is that each specific ROM has been built to work with a specific bootloader-modem combination. Using the wrong one could cause issues.

If you have matching ROM/modem/bootloader and still an issue, try a dalvik ad cache wipe and reboot. If you still have issues, get a logcat and post it somewhere on a text hosting site like www.hastebin.com and paste a link to it with your issue in the ROM specific thread. Also, I would suggest Oreo, as its still early days for Pie and most people have probably moved off of Nougat.

 

[henryakeley]

If you still have issues, get a logcat and post it somewhere on a text hosting site like www.hastebin.com and paste a link to it with your issue in the ROM specific thread.

Thanks again for replying DJ, but perhaps I wasn't very clear The phone itself is not dead - it works fine. The issue is with the "Phone" app. Basically, when I try to make a call, the aforementioned weirdness happens - call is underway but screen goes black and I can't access any functions like keypad or cancel. I can Power Off and then the rom reboots and works again (though it always goes into Don't Disturb mode). When I try to make a call again, the same stuff happens.

I tried a stock rom and the Phone app did work. I don't want to use it though because it has all the google stuff and avoiding it is the main reason I use custom roms in the first place.

So far I have tried most of the custom roms the first two pages here. I tried to follow instructions and also to use the appropriate modems/bootloaders (actually, it's always UDOJ2 one). On all of them the Phone app has the same behaviour. Actually, I did sort of manage to get it to work on the latest unofficial RR (7.0.0) - it goes black too, but then screen comes back after some weird keypresses combo...bit sketchy, but workable. But then Line is not working on this rom and I really need this app too, so...

I can try and get the "logcat" from one of your roms (I really liked your RR and used it for some time on this phone) and then post in the appropriate thread...or would you recommend Havoc one instead?

 

[DiamondJohn]

Thanks again for replying DJ, but perhaps I wasn't very clear The phone itself is not dead - it works fine. The issue is with the "Phone" app. Basically, when I try to make a call, the aforementioned weirdness happens - call is underway but screen goes black and I can't access any functions like keypad or cancel. I can Power Off and then the rom reboots and works again (though it always goes into Don't Disturb mode). When I try to make a call again, the same stuff happens.

No, I got it on a second read, and hence the strike out of the first part, on my first go at responding.

A logcat is best for a mostly working phone. Otherwise a last_kmsg; which still may provide some info on your startup/initialisation.

If you can't access the screen, setup and connect via adb before the phone becomes unresponsive.

I can try and get the "logcat" from one of your roms (I really liked your RR and used it for some time on this phone) and then post in the appropriate thread...or would you recommend Havoc one instead?

I would suggest to do it on a LineageOS ROM as it would have less possibly buggy customization. Also, it would possibly have more users, and those threads are created by the guy who builds the base for nearly all ROMs for this device.

You may be better off to try Lineage16 as that thread is more alive, but Los15.1 would be more stable. I personally would try LOS15.1 first, and then if you get no help, flash 16.1 and try your luck on that thread.

Once you get a stable phone, then I personally would recommend HavocOS. It has the most customisations, even more than the old King RR, and hence I've moved from RR to Oreo Havoc; with a short step in between of Oreo crDroid.

Just realised, you said you historically used my RR build, which I assume that back then you did not have the issue. I will assume that it now has the issue? have you tried restoring from an old TWRP backup?

 

[henryakeley]

Just realised, you said you historically used my RR build, which I assume that back then you did not have the issue. I will assume that it now has the issue? have you tried restoring from an old TWRP backup?

No, I susppose the issue was always there, I just did not need to make an actual phone call fro few weeks since i installed your rom. I'm in Asia and all the communications needs here are covered by Line messaging app. Then I went to a phone shop to recharge my credit, they needed to call some service and access the keypad and it all came out then.

I could still use it as a Line device, but in reality do need the working phone app too, for some emergencies when traveling and so on.

Will try to do a logcat from Lineage, thanks for your help. If it comes to nothing might try to pester you again in one of your rom threads

 

[henryakeley]

Issue solved, thanks to DiamondJohn: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=79050487&postcount=980
It's the proximity sensor's fault.