What to do if your Wifi/Bluetooth fails causing reboots

[mattaw2001]

Here is an attempt to provide a definitive answer to what to do if your phone has the Bluetooth/Wifi hardware failure.
Note that some of the links don't seem to work with the xda-developer app or the Atrix built in browser. Please blame motorola, not me

Symptoms:
1) If your phone was set to try to use Wifi by default on boot:
Your phone boots into the OS but shortly afterwards freezes and reboots - and again and again.
2) If your phone boots with Wifi turned off:
Your phone boots into the OS and a few seconds after you enable the Wifi in settings or via a widget it shows "Error" and sometimes the phone reboots shortly afterwards. Bluetooth simply fails to work.

If you have warranty return it for a repair. If not the best you can get is to disable the Wifi and Bluetooth so the phone doesn't reboot and can be used with mobile data. Instructions for both are below:

Be sure it is the Bluetooth / Wifi hardware failure:
1) Are you running a custom ROM? - if yes go to 1.1, if no goto 2.
1.1) Reboot into recovery and make a backup.
1.2) Remove your SD card.
1.3) Reflash using RSD to stock - remember to get the right one for the right country!
Get RSD and drivers here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1136261
Search for your stock firmware using google
Use RSD to install the stock firmware file which will replace the bootloader, recovery and radio - takes about 20 minutes.
Goto 2.

2) Reboot into Stock Android Recovery and reset to factory defaults
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/60620

2.1) Reboot to Android and try enabling wifi from settings - if it reports "Error" after a few seconds and your phone may reboot shortly afterwards it is the hardware fault. Proceed to 3.

3) Check your remaining warranty here:
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/prod_answer_detail/a_id/82507/p/30,6720,7898
Bottom left - enter your IMEI.
Warranty left goto 3.1 else goto 4.
3.1) Return to Motorola for repair - be sure you flashed back to stock first using instructions in 1.3

4) Unpalatable options are all that is left. Either pay or do without Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Have money and the desire to fix your Atrix ($110 in the USA)? Goto 4.1 else 5
4.1) Consider paying Motorola to repair the phone anyway. Schedule a repair here https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/prod_answer_detail/a_id/82507/p/30,6720,7898

5) This is a complex process. Google is your friend. Unlock your phone using the instructions below. Note you have no warranty to lose (see 3)!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1136261
5.1) Install romracers CWM custom recovery using moto-fastboot (or Android fastboot):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1204500
5.2) Did you take a backup earlier? If yes go to 5.3. If no goto 6.
5.3) Reboot into CWM recovery and restore your backup. Note if you are stuck in a bootloop this will be ok in a bit. Goto 7.

6) Install your favourite ROM using CWM recovery from a SDCARD or by moto-fastboot. Goto 7.

7) Reboot into CWM recovery
7.1) Plug your phone into your PC (you might have to wait for the driver to enumerate the phone first)
7.2) Find or install adb on your computer (hint - it comes with the Android SDK and platform tools from earlier):
adb shell
mount /system
cd /system/lib/modules
mv dhd.ko dhd.ko2
reboot

8) When you install a new ROM or kernel goto 7. Every time.

This little setup moves the driver linux needs to try to talk to the wifi/bluetooth chip which has failed so it can't find it. If it can't find it then it doesn't try to talk to the dead Broadcom Bluetooth Wifi chip that prevents the reboot cycle happening.

The fix was pioneered by:
mvniekerk
http://forum.xda-developers.com/member.php?u=2353874

So go thank him!

In the hopes this helps,

Matthew

 

[chrism.brunner]

Good job. Well said.

 

[mattaw2001]

Considering how many posts I have seen after posting this solution perhaps it could be sticky?

I promise to maintain it.

Matthew

Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app

 

[thejamoz]

Hmmm

I think I have done that correctly and flashed the 2.8 Neutrino GT. There was no reboot up to now. But I want to ask if there is a fix for WIFI 'ERROR' and BLUETOOTH error without 'ERROR' message?

Guys please. I can try anything I don't want to lose my phone Warranty is over. How can I find the Broadcom BCM4329 wireless and bluetooth chipset for atrix? So I can find a technician to change it with mine.

 

[mattaw2001]

If you have the failure there isn't much to be done.

Ifixit has a teardown but the chip is a very small ball grid type thing which will be very hard to fix.

What are your symptoms precisely?

Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app

 

[thejamoz]

If you have the failure there isn't much to be done.

Ifixit has a teardown but the chip is a very small ball grid type thing which will be very hard to fix.

What are your symptoms precisely?

Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app

When I click on 'Turn on Wifi' button, It says 'Turning on Wifi' for 10 seconds and then 'Error' message comes up under the Wifi button and when I click on 'turn on bluetooth' it says 'turning on' but does not turn on. Same as wifi but without the 'error' message.

How can I fix this? I can't use wifi and bluetooth!

 

[mattaw2001]

Nothing to be done. There is some discussion as to why but a chip in your phone made by broadcom which handles both wifi and Bluetooth has failed.

Short of replacing it requiring sophisticated soldering tools you are stuck. See the $110 Motorola warranty repair.

Sorry,

Matthew

Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app

 

[little_man_3666]

Im stuck.

I have applied the fix to NottachTrix4G rom. I still have the random reboots. I really need help.

 

[mattaw2001]

Do you get the wifi error message or not?

Secondly does this happen with the normal, stock Motorola rom?

Matthew

Sent from my MB860 using xda app-developers app

 

[little_man_3666]

When i check wifi does show error. I have not tried the stock moto rom yet.

 

[mattaw2001]

The best thing to do is return to stock and do a factory reset

Carry out a full backup first (nandroid or using CWM recovery).
The best thing to do is return the atrix to stock and then do a factory rest.
If the problem persists then it is a hardware problem and you can now return it under warranty without them knowing (see the thread for instructions).

Otherwise you seem rather stuck. Perhaps buy an atrix with a smashed screen and transfer the motherboard?

Matthew

 

[retomanic]

Noattachtrix rom was good, but not good enough.

I have applied the fix to NottachTrix4G rom. I still have the random reboots. I really need help.

I ended up using RomGb instead and that fix the bootloop after using NottachTrix4G Rom.

 

[Jim_R]

This happened to me Saturday November 17, 2012. Rebooting did not help. Did my searches and found this thread - and was bummed to read that it is due to a hardware issue. Fortunately, I persisted. With the WiFi widget endlessly spinning, I tried the Bluetooth, which would just fail and go to an off state. I elected to do a force close on any running applications one by one, testing Bluetooth after each. I found that BlueTooth and WiFi functionality would come back after force closing some apps. I stupidly left WiFi on and rebooted the phone - this put me in an endless reboot cycle. In the midst of one I managed to enable car dock mode which I have configured to disable WiFi and this got me out of the loop. I found my issue, which has the same symptoms as the above, was caused by a recent update to WeatherBug Elite. I uninstalled the program, and am back to normal operation. Hope this helps others.

Update - it appears my problems continue. Although I can now access BT & WiFi, the problem will re-occur. Force closing Weather version 2.2.2 usually will clear the issue, but I have had a good working WiFi sessions halt to Error. Still gotta think it's software rather than hardware.

 

[GuestD0365]

Thanks I thought it was the ROM until I found this thread

 

[Jim_R]

Well, I was wrong. The issue is hardware not software. In my case pressing the volume down button would change the behavior sometimes, like get bluetooth to work, press volume down it stops or vice versa. Time for a replacement.

 

[bubba1993]

I mount the system successfully but when I type cd /system/lib/modules I get it cant find the directory, Please help. I need to do this to stop reboot!!

 

[peoplenamed]

Definitely Software

I have atrix 4g. Running MROM 2013 2 13. I have the error on WIFI and NO Bluetooth. No reboot, but I rarely use the wifi enough to leave it on(conserve the batt). This is a software issue as far as I can tell as well.. I can fix it by killing the mrom service in "manage applications". If I get a chance I will look further but this seems like enough of a fix to not care.. MROM is pretty great besides this issue.(which appears to happen on multiple roms. My guess would be that it started with CM, but only because that is what the roms are based off of that get the problem.

 

[jaunis]

I mount the system successfully but when I type cd /system/lib/modules I get it cant find the directory, Please help. I need to do this to stop reboot!!

Having the same issue. Wifi died after the phone fell off my hands. I had the CM10 ROM by ephinter and everything worked great except the wifi (no reboots). Then I had the AMAZING idea of installing a new ROM and the reboot loop started. EIther with any stock or custom ROM it continues to happen. Tried everything without success.

Have anyone tried disabling wifi in the settings.sqlite and see what happens?

 

[bubba1993]

jaunis I found out why mine was doing the boot loop and it is funny but very weird. I wiped the phone and put my cm7 back on there and forgot to activate my gmail account or any account for that case. Now I have been running it with no problems for 40 hours. But of course still no wifi. I am fine with that. but at least I am not dealing with the reboots.

 

[ptdexter]

I have an unlocked AT&T Atrix 4G with a custom ROM (Cyan 9.x & ICS 4.x). I started having WiFi issues where the device would reboot anytime I tried to enable the WiFi. This all started at least 6mo after installing the custom rom so I dont think its software related. To try and fix the issue I tried doing a data wipe factory reset, at this point I couldn't get past the welcome screen because WiFi didn't work and I dont have a SIM in the phone (my kid has been using it for games). So from here I decided to try and flash the phone back to stock using RSD Lite;

Be sure it is the Bluetooth / Wifi hardware failure:
1) Are you running a custom ROM? - if yes go to 1.1, if no goto 2.
1.1) Reboot into recovery and make a backup.
1.2) Remove your SD card.
1.3) Reflash using RSD to stock - remember to get the right one for the right country!
Get RSD and drivers here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1136261
Search for your stock firmware using google
Use RSD to install the stock firmware file which will replace the bootloader, recovery and radio - takes about 20 minutes.
Goto 2.
2) Reboot into Stock Android Recovery and reset to factory defaults
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/60620

I downloaded the AT&T 2.3.4 / 4.5.91 Service SBF which looks like this in RSDLite: 1ff-olympus-user-2.3.4-4.5.91-110625-release-keys-signed-att-us-gas_na_olpsgbattspe_p011.sbf

I started the flash and left my phone for 15m or so to do its thing. When I came back my phone was boot looping (shown in a video here: http://youtu.be/V9wtBNEWRPQ ).

I can't do a factory reset from Stock Android Recovery (step 2 above), I can't get the menu for it. Now what do I do? Did I grab the wrong SBF file? Currently the only place I can grab SBF files at is here: http://www.das8nt.com/sbffiles.html