Root [Sprint] [resolved]Sprint customer service issues & Root issues

[JAJameson2010]

That I have with Sprint leaves me shaking my head. I actively realize that I have a really low tolerance for stupid. I often need to take deep breaths before I respond so I'm not extremely rude.

Do they really do that poor of a job educating/screening their reps? Would it be rude to ask how long each person has been working for Sprint before I even launch into my question? LOL

For the last week I've been dropping calls instead of smoothly moving to the next cell phone tower. Call drops, then a millisecond later I have full bars. Rinse and repeat for the entire phone call

So I got someone on the phone who took the information down and went to research for 20 minutes. A tower near me was just updated last week, so the rep advised to do a data update. Never noticed the call back number I gave her was my cell phone, or that I was calling her on the cell phone.

I explained to her I do not have another phone to use until around 10pm tonight when the BF gets home. Then I asked if she was talking about a PRL and Profile update? I know how to do that and do not require assistance.

"No we need to do a DATA UPDATE" The rep stresses to me.

Rep tells me they can give me the steps then call back to make sure I was able to successfully update everything. Great! Wonderful outside of the box thinking. I get my pen and paper

1. Click into apps
2. Click settings
3. System update
4. Update PRL

At this point I start seeing red a little bit and said "So it IS a PRL UPDATE"

"Oh yes we are going to update the PRL"

I would have hung up then, but I know from experience the morons call you back!

On a side not I think I'm not fully activated on the Sprint network. *2 routes me to Verizon, where my call cannot be completed as dialed. When I reboot the phone it always prompts for a hands free activation. This means more conversations with people later tonight from, Sprint. Calling a company that you employ should not fill you with dread.

I can't be the only one this happens to?

 

[ScandaLeX]

I think every Sprint customer has been thru this a time or two; some more than others. It's been my experience to not phone Sprint after 6 pm if I don't want to be connected to a call center located in east jabip. It's not going to be good for me & worse for them b/c I have a very hard time dealing with stupid.

On another note- keep in mind if you're experiencing "activation issues" it won't help you at all to call from the very phone you're having issues with. Did you port your number over from Verizon?

 

[JAJameson2010]

I ported over from Verizon 4 years and around 5 phones ago! LOL I have yet to have one single person that I have interacted with at this company have half their brain cells.

I'm going to wait until the BF gets home and use his cell to call in. I will probably get someone I can barely understand

I wonder if the Chat Cust Service would be better? I sure wish other carriers had affordable unlimited data plans! LOL I'm stuck here. Glad to know I'm not alone with my experiences of stupid

 

[JAJameson2010]

LOL and now the reason my phone won't activate is that it's rooted. It doesn't matter that is been rooted since I first got it. Apparently rooting is like water damage. It may work at first but it will slowly kill your phone.

Do I really have to unroot to fix this?

 

[Rxpert83]

Sounds to me like you flashed a Verizon prl

Have you?


You have to realize these people shake their heads at the public they have to deal with everyday.

They have you start with a prl/profile update because that's literally all it takes when you don't have customers who know the ins and outs of cell phones like we do

I hate jumping through the hoops too, but its what you have to do to get to upper management.

I think I still have customer Retentions number laying around if you want results fast ...

 

[JAJameson2010]

That phone number would be wonderful!

Sitting here punching through the vru thing again now.

I'm pretty darn careful about what I flash after bricking the BFs phone with a international ROM. LOL

Is there a way to flash a sprint prl? Somewhere?

 

[DonB]

First what Rom are you on, also you can flash a Sprint PRL, but I assume you made a Nandroid once you rooted your device, you can do a Nandroid now and restore your stock Nandroid, and do your PRL and Profile update.

If you don't have a Nandroid, then you will have to flash a stock Rom, also, when you call Sprint don't waist your time with customer service, tell the rep you want to talk to account services, and that you want to close your account, they will transfer you right away to that dept, they have much more knowledge and authority.

Want the retention department? That’s 888-273-9460 at least it use to be if they didn't change it. I would still call the regular Sprint number and demand account services, or choose the prompt to cancel your service, once they respond ask if you are with account services. Also no need to mention to them you are rooted.

 

[JAJameson2010]

Thanks! Apparently the error code means an internal error so it is a rooted issue?

So now I'm flashing a stock ROM right now... I first rooted so long ago I don't even have that backup anymore.

I figure I will go back to stock, reboot, update everything, then Root again, and flash the Jelly Bomb Rom. Time needs to slow down so I get some sleep tonight! LOL

Sure hope this fixes it.

 

[DonB]

Make sure once you flash the stock Rom, that you do a Nandroid and keep it on your PC for safe keeping incase you need it again down the road. Report back, also you can simply flash a Stock Rom like Whomp and that will do the same effect without having to re root, [ROM][Team WHOMP!]Whompasaurus Rom V4.2-Are we there yet?[AROMA]

Thanks! Apparently the error code means an internal error so it is a rooted issue?

So now I'm flashing a stock ROM right now... I first rooted so long ago I don't even have that backup anymore.

I figure I will go back to stock, reboot, update everything, then Root again, and flash the Jelly Bomb Rom. Time needs to slow down so I get some sleep tonight! LOL

Sure hope this fixes it.

 

[JAJameson2010]

I think I need to root for my titanium backup thing to work...? Actually the Whomp Rom I think started all of this back at the end of April. I updated that and everything went downhill from there. Something went screwy.

Now I can't seem to flash the stock Rom without it failing... Maybe I need to start drinking at this point

now I really broke it!

It's telling me

Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again

 

[DonB]

I am going to suggest we move this to the Sprint Note II ATR if you are OK with the so we call all square you away, don't start drinking yet

Looks like you might of loss root and loss your recovery

Do you still have the SU app, anyways lets get this moved to the ATR section for more eyes and support help

I think I need to root for my titanium backup thing to work...? Actually the Whomp Rom I think started all of this back at the end of April. I updated that and everything went downhill from there. Something went screwy.

Now I can't seem to flash the stock Rom without it failing... Maybe I need to start drinking at this point

now I really broke it!

It's telling me

Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again

 

[JAJameson2010]

I am going to suggest we move this to the Sprint Note II ATR if you are OK with the so we call all square you away, don't start drinking yet

Looks like you might of loss root and loss your recovery

Do you still have the SU app, anyways lets get this moved to the ATR section for more eyes and support help

Thanks for moving this! It morphed into more horror and I was going to post in this thread this morning.

Awww you even changed my thread title! Thanks so much!!!!

 

[JAJameson2010]

So trying to go back to Stock really broke the phone!

I was trying to flash the stock ROM through Odin last night and it kept erroring out. Now when I try to turn it on or when I try to boot into recovery I get "Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again." I can boot into download mode, so I think it's soft bricked. There has to be some way to fix this...

I *might* have impulsed purchased a used Note 2 on ebay last night and they person *might* be overnighting it to me since I seemed pitiful enough. So I have time to get this one working correctly.

I'm just out of ideas... I now when I hard bricked the GS3 I mailed it to some place in TX. Is that my only option here? Help please!

I was using this guide last night

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=33558212&postcount=1

 

[Rxpert83]

Did you check the md5 of the file your trying to restore in odin?

I actually had this same thing happen last night, and changing the usb chord and having auto reboot and f reset time unchecked worked

 

[JAJameson2010]

Auto reboot was checked last night. I'll make sure I uncheck that box tonight. I tried multiple usb ports, 4 different cords (some I even ripped out of the packaging)

I'm not sure how to check the md5... Could you pretty please dumb that down for me? LOL

 

[Rxpert83]

Auto reboot was checked last night. I'll make sure I uncheck that box tonight. I tried multiple usb ports, 4 different cords (some I even ripped out of the packaging)

I'm not sure how to check the md5... Could you pretty please dumb that down for me? LOL

Give me a few minutes to get to a computer :thumbup:

 

[JAJameson2010]

Thanks! No rush since I can't work on this until after work anyways

 

[Rxpert83]

Thanks! No rush since I can't work on this until after work anyways

No problem, I was on my commute to work so I just had to get to a place where I could type


Checking an MD5 is a good way to verify that the file you downloaded was the EXACT same one that the developer uploaded to the server. It'll make sure nothing got lost or garbled along the way. This can happen either in the process of downloading it, or from moving it from the computer over to your phone via USB.

Theres actually a decent write up on XDA detailing how to use the program I use, so I'll point you to that here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1939007

You can also check the MD5 for files once they are on your phone by using a file explorer app such as ES file explorer or Root explorer. Navigate to the file on your device, long press it, and select properties. Depending on the app it'll either automatically calculate the md5 or you'll have to tell it to.


Once you have the MD5 for your file, simply check it against the one posted by the developer. They'll usually post the MD5 in the OP, otherwise its usually on the filehosting site. It'll be a string of random numbers and letters.

Example (from the XDA thread I linked above):
e8d262b569b912c82b7a43168441831b

 

[JAJameson2010]

I never even knew this existed! Maybe something did get screwy while I downloaded it last night. I'll make sure to download a fresh Stock Tar tonight and check the MD5. Thanks for the tip! Maybe I will be able to get this phone back up and running...

 

[DonB]

I never even knew this existed! Maybe something did get screwy while I downloaded it last night. I'll make sure to download a fresh Stock Tar tonight and check the MD5. Thanks for the tip! Maybe I will be able to get this phone back up and running...

You should be able to, you just need not get ahead of yourself and we need to have a check list for you, once your ready, if I am around or I am sure others will be, we will do our best to get you square away, remember if unsure of something, don't do it until you ask and get a definite response.

If you absolutely want to go back to stock unrooted, and root again afterwards, you can try this, it is very detailed, I would also post over at XDA and they have a good crew there so if we are not around, someone will square you away fast. More eyes better response time

[ROM][RESTORE][5-12-13]Back to unrooted stock with auto flash count reset(MC2 FIXED!)

 

[JAJameson2010]

You should be able to, you just need not get ahead of yourself and we need to have a check list for you, once your ready, if I am around or I am sure others will be, we will do our best to get you square away, remember if unsure of something, don't do it until you ask and get a definite response.

If you absolutely want to go back to stock unrooted, and root again afterwards, you can try this, it is very detailed, I would also post over at XDA and they have a good crew there so if we are not around, someone will square you away fast. More eyes better response time

[ROM][RESTORE][5-12-13]Back to unrooted stock with auto flash count reset(MC2 FIXED!)

Thanks! I posted over at XDA this morning. I'm going to work on this tonight after work. Maybe I can get it to come back to life. Will check the MD5 of any file I end up using and look at all the different unrooting methods.

 

[DonB]

You will have faith, we will get this resolved, cheers

 

[JAJameson2010]

I have a plan of action... Wondering if I should try to get this done on my lunchbreak. If everything works it'll go quick. The odds of everything working is not on my side.

Going to Flash the Billard412_TWRP_Odin one through the PDA in Odin.

Then hopefully will be able to boot into recovery and flash the MC2_Stock

Then Flash the Root.zip to hopefully keep my root.

Then say lots of prayer and reboot!

Gosh I hope this works! Since this will have TWRP on my phone instead of the CWM, does that change the ROMS I am able to flash?

 

[DonB]

No it will not but will change the ones that you have a Nandroid of with CWM, if you do have any, but you can always put CWM on afterwards, so that is not biggie. FTR I prefer TWRP anyways.

I have a plan of action... Wondering if I should try to get this done on my lunchbreak. If everything works it'll go quick. The odds of everything working is not on my side.

Going to Flash the Billard412_TWRP_Odin one through the PDA in Odin.

Then hopefully will be able to boot into recovery and flash the MC2_Stock

Then Flash the Root.zip to hopefully keep my root.

Then say lots of prayer and reboot!

Gosh I hope this works! Since this will have TWRP on my phone instead of the CWM, does that change the ROMS I am able to flash?

 

[JAJameson2010]

It worked It worked It worked It worked It worked It worked It worked It worked! You have no idea how happy I am right now!

So now I'm unrooted and back in the stock ROM. I'm going to update my profile/prl/system/firmware then root later on tonight and probably flash the Jelly Bomb ROM

I promise to do a back up and save it at home on my computer. No actually I'm going to email the file to myself! Never loose it then.

Thank you so much for all the hand holding! I probably should have checked the MD5 of the WHOOMP ROM back in April. I bet that was screwy and caused everything to go bad.