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Root Bionic w/ ICS 4.0.4 and Docks (Standard, Nav)

Coronach

Coronach

Well-Known Member
yes, I tried a search, and came up mostly with stuff about Lapdock:

So, I recently smashed the heck out of my old Bionic, got a replacement on Swappa for pretty cheap. It is in great shape (was advertised as like-new and it fits the description). It came with ICS 4.0.4, which is decent (coming from an old stock GB ROM). I promptly rooted it, so I can use Wireless Tether, but I have otherwise left it stock.

My only issue is dock performance. I don't use a lapdock, but I have several standard docks and one Nav dock. The phone doesn't recognize any of them. It rotates into horizontal mode for the lock screen, does not go into the standard Productivity, Bedside or Car mode, and when you unlock it, it is in standard mode. The phone does charge just fine, but the USB audio-out you usually get from the standard dock is gone.

Is this part and parcel of Moto killing the webtop/lapdock arrangement? I was under the impression that those were separate functions. Is there a way to get standard dock function back, or a recommended app to do a similar function? I routinely use the audio function of the standard dock (so much so that I have several docks and have hooked all of them up to speakers and use my phone is my MP3 player). I also may be the only human being that likes the bedside feature and use the phone as an alarm clock.

Thanks,

Mike
 
Oh, forgot phone info:

System: 6.7.246XT875
Android: 4.0.4
Webtop: 3.0.0
Kernel: 3.0.8-g4328f8b
Build: 6.7.2-233_DBN_M4-23
Date: Sep 20 2012
PRL: 15192
ERI: 5
 
Mine works fine on ICS aside from the occasional need to redock the phone as it fails to detect that the phone needs to be in landscape mode. Have you tried connecting the phone to a computer? If a PC isn't able to read it as a drive, there may be a problem with the data connections or circuit. If it reads fine, I might try a factory reset and/or reinstalling ICS completely.

PS, you are not the only one who likes the bedside feature. I don't love it, but that's only because there is enough backlight bleeding through to be uncomfortable to look at sometimes and the "screensaver" feature where the clock fading in and out always seems to occur when I decide to check the time.
 
Gar. I just got this thing set back up the way I like it, I'd rather not do a factory reset again. Besides, when I got it it went through the standard first-time-use routine.

Hmm. Are there any apps to force dock mode in ICS?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2
 
Didn't think I should put it here, as it didn't seem to be a root-specific issue. I didn't notice it until after I rooted, but I don't think I had the phone docked prior to- no, I take it back. I had it in the docks prior to that and it didn't go into dock mode. I didn't try the audio until after rooting, though.

Mike
 
Update. I checked connecting it to a computer, and it connects fine, and mounts fine as a storage device. I thought that it did when I rooted it, but I wanted to doublecheck to make sure.

So, hopefully it is not a USB hardware issue.

Mike
 
Coronach said:
So, I recently smashed the heck out of my old Bionic, got a replacement on Swappa for pretty cheap.
Click to expand...
How bad? Just the screen/LCD? Does it still turn on?

Here's why I ask...
If you really liked your old phone and preferred stock GB; and the main board is still operational in that old phone; you could theoretically swap your old GB phone board into the new housing.

Depending on your level of technical expertise. It is really not that difficult to tear the Bionic down to the point of removing the main board, you just need the correct tools which can be found rather inexpensively online.

It's unfortunate that MOTO has locked everyone into ICS once you upgrade. If it weren't for that damn locked bootloader, you could just flash the new phone back to GB.

Just something to consider...
 
I don't dislike the upgrade that much. The phone is smoother and feels faster, and I have 4g at my house with it when I had 3/4g with data drops all the time before. I'll stick with this one.

I still have the old phone. It runs fine, I just know I'll finish it off pretty soon with a cracked screen if I use it every day. I currently use it as a media player to stream from my NAS.
 
If you are a little mechanically inclined, you could also replace the screen yourself.

Pull up HowTo videos on YouTube.

I did one for my colleague here at work, took about 30 min and cost him around $50 I think (no charge for labor ;) I did it for the experience)
 
On the phone when it is in the dock, there is an app in the task bar called Select Dock Type. do you see it? it may be set to charge only with the remember my preference. I don't see if you did an Factory reset, so it may have settings from the old user still in memory.
 
Do you mean up on the notifications bar? Like where my phone is currently showing the keyboard icon as I type this? There is nothing there when it is in Dock, either nav or standard.

Mike
 
Coronach said:
Do you mean up on the notifications bar? Like where my phone is currently showing the keyboard icon as I type this? There is nothing there when it is in Dock, either nav or standard.

Mike
Click to expand...

Correct, sounds like the app is either missing or frozen.

In settings --> Apps, on the all tab check for an app called either Motorola Dock Helper Service, And Motorola Doc Service (not sure what they might be called if they are frozen, I did not root) if you can find them, make sure they are not frozen, and clear their cashe.

If you cannot find them they may be hiding in the com.motorola. files. Hope this helps.
 
Right, I'll look.

The clarify, I did not do a FDR, but the phone came and launched the first time as if it had either never been set up, or the previous owner had done one. Except for this, I have seen no sign of the phone having been used previously.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2
 
OK, there are apps listed as Motorola Dock Service and Motorola Dock Helper Service. Both show as having 0.00B in all storage locations, both show the Force Stop option as highlighted (able to be pressed), and both show the Disable option as greyed out (along with "Clear Data", "Move to Internal Storage" and "Clear Defaults"). Under Launch by default it says "No defaults set".

It is the same whether the phone is disconnected, charging via a cable, or charging in either type of dock.

Mike
 
Coronach said:
OK, there are apps listed as Motorola Dock Service and Motorola Dock Helper Service. Both show as having 0.00B in all storage locations, both show the Force Stop option as highlighted (able to be pressed), and both show the Disable option as greyed out (along with "Clear Data", "Move to Internal Storage" and "Clear Defaults"). Under Launch by default it says "No defaults set".

It is the same whether the phone is disconnected, charging via a cable, or charging in either type of dock.

Mike
Click to expand...

Ok, well I guess we have ruled out software, I would say take it to a Verizon outlet with the dock(s) to see if they have any idea. It is worth a shot.
 
I appreciate it. I'm correct in saying that the phone determines which dock it is in solely by input from the USB in the dock itself, yes? Is there no way to force it into dock mode?

Mike
 
BTW, I have a total of six docks (two navs, four standards, between me and my wife) and the phone recognizes none of them. All are standard OEM moto docks, and both my old Bionic and my wife's bionic recognize all of them.

Mike
 
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