24 parts and more than two hundred problems answered, we’re still receiving tons of emails from Galaxy S3 owners daily. I do admit, some of those problems were caused by either hardware or software issue but majority of the issues from our readers resulted from sheer lack of proper knowledge and not really problems per se; slight tweaks with the settings here and there and they’re resolved.
If you have issues with your phone and doesn’t know how to fix them or can’t solutions online, do not hesitate to contact us via mailbag@thedroidguy.com but please be detailed as much as possible so we could provide appropriate information on how to fix them. I guarantee I read all emails we receive but I can’t promise to respond to all of them. I also strongly suggest you go read previous parts of this series. I already prepared Samsung Galaxy S3 Problems Index so it would easier for you to find every single problem we’ve addressed, so far. We also have a Facebook page that we also use to cater the needs of our readers.
Galaxy S3 battery drains unusually fast, screen flashes showing colored lines
Q: Hello, I saw some of your posts on the Drippler but haven’t seen something related to my concern. I have Samsung S3 and it recently started to drain battery very fast. After few minutes of the use, it gives a message that it is empty and switches off. After rebooting it, it shows again that that battery is let’s say 80% or whatever it used to be before. But then it shows coloured lines on the screen and flashes on the screen. It reboots again and can’t start. It loses network and wifi at the same time as well. I have another battery that I tried. It gives the same issues. Could you please advise what might be a problem? – Bo
A: Hi Bo. The internet is saturated with laments from smartphone users, especially those who considers Samsung’s Galaxy S3, about their battery draining faster than usual. There are also tons of literature in the web giving tips and offering explanations about Galaxy S3′s weakest point, which is its battery. Your case though appears to be out of the ordinary and it seems to me a good indicator of a hardware gone bad. I don’t think the usual dose of advice in keeping battery life last longer would apply here.
Battery draining after a few minutes can either be a battery problem itself, or something that’s caused by the phone software. Either way, it’s best to try to isolate your issue by having your phone reset to factory defaults. The latter would ensure that no software glitches are causing the problem.
Another point you raised (and which made me think this is probably a phone defect) is the observation of flashes and colored lines on the screen. A simple battery drain issue will definitely not cause a glitch like this on your screen. Your phone’s battery draining faster than usual is most probably just a symptom of a deeper hardware problem, which, unfortunately cannot be resolved here. You may want to have your phone checked by the retailer’s technicians or by Samsung.
Should you decide not to reset your phone to factory defaults, try tweaking your apps so you can check if this is being caused by too apps hogging the phone’s resource at the same time.
You can review any running apps under “Settings” then “Battery”. Details of each app can be viewed by tapping each of them. You can stop an app from running by tapping of “Force stop”. Do note that some apps are integral to your device and the “Force stop” option may be greyed out, which means that it cannot be stopped.
If any of these steps won’t work, ensure that your phone gets a proper checkup. If all else fails, get a replacement.
S3 freezes on Samsung logo
Q: Many thanks for the helpful &very active web site. My problem is the stuck with Samsung logo. Followed your instruction carefully to wipe the cache; even factory reset. I have done this for many times but after I press to reboot the phone start & again samsung logo stuck there. Many thanks – Alnagheeb
A: Hi Alnagheeb. I’m sorry to know that you are still having the same problem after following our solutions. In general, whenever a device freezes it usually points to a software issue. Sometimes, opening multiple apps at once can overwhelm the system’s memory causing it to lag or to stop responding at all. I suggest that you try the steps below:
When closing apps, use the back key and not the home button to force the operating system to them one by one.
A factory reset almost always resolves software issues. I understand you’ve tried it before but as a general rule, this step applies to any mobile phones as well.
Make sure that your handset is running the latest firmware available so it gets security patches and fixes identified by Android.
Should the problem persist, a surefire way is to get a replacement unit or have someone check the phone.
Samsung Galaxy S3 won’t power on
Q: I have a Samsung Galaxy S III and it was recently locked to T-mobile network but I unlocked it, it is really slow at charging and today it turned off when fully charged and I cannot turn it back on. It has something called (hyper drive) and I have non idea how to remove that. – Audrey
A: Hi Audrey. It looks like you are one of the few ones who got a little unlucky after hacking your little hacking adventures and now got a bricked phone in your hand.
The best way to try to save your device is by using a stock firmware so you will delete the bad partitions on the device. Corrupt partitions cause failure to boot or bootloops.
The most important thing to note though is to identify whether your phone has been Hard-bricked or Soft-bricked.
While mobile phones seldom got hard-bricked, there’s still a chance that your phone is in this state right now. This means that it simply ceases to boot normally or does not respond when told to go to download or recovery mode.
Basically, if your phone can go to download mode, it means that it is only in a soft-brick mode.
Here are the signs of a soft-bricked phone:
Phone can’t power on but goes to download mode/recovery mode (you can google the right key combinations for these modes). The phone is still responding to the right combinations in this case, which is an encouraging sign.
Galaxy S3 restarts properly but remains stuck at logo, then after sometime restarts again and again. This usually occurs when you flash or hack something bad.
A soft-bricked phone can be fixed by following the guide below. If you think your phone is hard-bricked after all, you can skip the guide.
Guide in resetting Samsung Galaxy S3
Press and hold the ‘Power’ button for 10 seconds. This normally brings your phone back to its normal settings and resolves problems. However, if the problems continue, you may want to consider wiping your phone clean that is, deleting everything on it.
Assuming that you can now start your phone, you should go to “Settings”
Choose “Privacy”
Select “Reset Phone”
Tap “Erase Everything”
This leaves your phone is a fresh factory state.
Now, if your phone does not respond at all to button combinations, you may have a hard-bricked phone. This means that your device cannot be fixed on your level. There are some few cases that downloading USB Jig so you enter Download mode helps, though not guaranteed.
The best solution in this case is to find a local technician that might be able to JTAG your device. It’s basically a complicated process of reviving your phone using specialized hardware and software. If you have average knowledge in electronics, you can use Google to buy it and try it yourself, although I would say you let the pros do it for you.
Can’t connect my Samsung S3 to PC
Q: Hello Droidguy, I’m really hoping you can help me. I’ve been looking all over the internet for this but I can’t seem to find an answer. I don’t even know if I’m putting in the right questions here. What I’m trying to do is to browse the pictures in my phone to my Windows Vista laptop which I rarely use. I like to see them in a bigger screen not just on my Galaxy Tab and S3 phone.
I know I have to connect them via USB cord but my computer seems to be doing nothing after doing so. Am I supposed to see my devices under My Computer? A friend suggests that it should be there but after using several USB cables to connect both phone and tab, I am still to see my pictures! Please help. I want to see my grandson’s pictures in a bigger screen and even on TV if possible…hahaha. Is there something that I miss here? Please help me. Appreciate your help very much. — Rachel
A: Hi Rachel. The simple answer to your question is to install the proper drivers of your devices. Doing so can either be as easy as running a disc on your computer, or as difficult as your first calculus lesson. Many factors can cause the complexity of drivers installation like running the now outdated Windows XP operating system, health status of your USB ports and cables, and conflicting softwares on your computer.
First, please do the following steps:
Disconnect your phone from your computer
Remove/uninstall drivers you may have installed on your PC if there are any
Reboot/restart your computer
After doing the steps above, you can pick any of the two methods below to install any drivers for Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
Method 1 (Installation using drivers setup file)
Download the file that contains the drivers by clicking this link. The filename should be SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones.exe.
Click install the file that contains the drivers and follow the entire installation process
Restart your PC
Method 1 should work 99% of the time but should you encounter problems, please follow the steps below.
Method 2 (Installation though Kies)
Go to the official Samsung website and download Kies. You can click this link:http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/SW/201304/20130429233319624/KiesSetup.exe
Follow the entire Kies installation process. It may take a few minutes and may ask for your permission to download a set of files. Make sure to download them.
After the installation, open Kies.
The screen will show the Troubleshoot connection error link. Click on it and follow the instructions.
Any of these methods should have resolved your drivers issue by now. Always check that your device is connecting in MTP mode.
However, if your devices will not connect to your PC, you can try these tricks:
Try connecting your device to a different USB port on the PC
Use another USB cable. I would suggest you use the original USB cable that came with the device but any other USB cord will do.
Restart the computer.
Try another PC to further narrow down the issue if needed.
S3 Wi-Fi not working
Q: I once tried rooting my Samsung Galaxy S3 but soon regretted of doing so and had it re-flashed to its stock state. The problem is the Wi-Fi connection is either no longer functioning or keeps dropping. All my other devices at home are connecting just fine so it’s obviously not my Wi-Fi connection. My S3 will sometimes let me connect to my home Wi-Fi without problems and letting me enter the password. It also saves the settings but it never allows me to connect or browse the web. The Wi-Fi symbol is also missing on the notification bar although I know it’s on. Please help. — Jose
A: Hi Jose. I know how frustrating this problem can be. If you’ve scoured the internet or googled your problem before, you’ll notice that there are many guides that suggest fixes.
I think the cause of your problem here is the WiFi sleep policy which terminates your connection in a specific time. There’s a chance that details from the router like username and password may not be the same.
I would recommend that you try the two simple steps below:
Install the app called Wi-Fi Analyser so you will know if the issue is with your router or the device itself.
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced and ensure that “Always” is set to on under the Keep Wi-Fi on option.
Unlocked Galaxy S3 getting poor signal reception
Q: I have an unlocked GS3 and its full of problems. I thought it was the SIM card so I went to a store and get it replaced with a new microSIM. I should have known better because it still did not fix it–the mobile is still not getting good signal and it does get it, it usually drops after a few minutes. Can you resolve this? – Phil
A: Hi Phil. Network coverage is never equal and it can vary by location, the health of the phone’s internal antennae, and your network carrier’s service.
Please try the following resolution steps to resolve this issue:
Try to go out in the open, minimizing covers like walls. Usually, if you are located in an enclosed space, a radio signal may be deflected significantly causing poor reception.
Ensure that the SIM car is properly inserted. You can turn off the device and reinsert the SIM. SIM cards with a different size than the SIM tray should not be used.
Call your service provider and check with them if there are any network maintenance causing the problem.
Contact Samsung so they too can check if your phone has hardware defect.
Galaxy SIII won’t pair with car stereo after 4.3 update
Q: Hi Droidguy, I loved Galaxy S3 until about a week ago when it started to fail pairing with my car stereo after I downloaded 4.3 update. I followed the instructions of the stereo and the phone to download phonebook and call logs. Afterwards, the phone displays a message that car multimedia would like to access the messages and the message list. I hit accept but unfortunately that’s when the problem starts. It now gives me a report that Bluetooth has stopped working or something. This is true when I also connect my bluetooth headset to my phone. The cycle repeats itself after re-pairing the devices. That’s where I stand today. Any suggestions? – Ian
A: Bluetooth connection problems have been plaguing Galaxy S3 phones since 4.3 was released. Based on the complaints in the web, it’s apparent that the phone struggles to pair with Bluetooth 4.0 or devices running Smart Ready apps and accessories. Some people thinks that the Galaxy S3 caching system has become incompatible with the higher version of bluetooth after the update. Some suggests removing the pairing then rebooting the smartphone afterwards, and try repair if it fails. Still others it’s a good idea to clear the data by doing a factory reset. If you want to do this, make sure to backup your game settings, videos, photos, messages, and app data.
Another option would be to try doing a soft reset to clear temporary files that may be clogging the system.
You can follow the steps below to do a soft reset:
Press and hold the Power button, tap Power off, then tap OK to turn off your phone
Remove the battery and wait for 30 seconds before reinserting it
Press and hold the Power button to turn the phone back on
Check your device if it pairs perfectly
Samsung S3 Mini not responding anymore
Q: I recently tried rooting my new Samsung Mini (GT-i8190) but it stopped responding altogether afterwards. It reboots fine and I think it can go to download mode because I can hold down the home and volume down buttons and the volume up button and it shows something on the screen (that’s what I read somewhere tells me is supposed to happen). The problem is it doesn’t go beyond the loading screen. It’s stuck and won’t respond afterwards. I have to remove the batteries to eventually shut it down or reboot it. Do I need to go back to the store and get a replacement or can I still fixed this. I don’t want the warranty will be honored because I already rooted it. Help. — Tim
A: Hi Tim. First of all, let me tell you that there is hope in your case. It looks like your phone has been soft-bricked, which means that there is still a way to reflash it to bring it back to its factory state.
Be warned though that reflashing also means deleting the internal storage of your phone so you can kiss those files, videos, movies, photos, etc goodbye. Should you decide to continue though, please follow the guide below:
On your computer, make sure that you install all the necessary Samsung USB drivers. You can check the last part of this post for the download links.
Go to download mode on your phone by pressing and holding home, volume down, and the power button. To proceed, you need to press the volume up button.
Use Odin by running it in Administrator mode.
With a USB cable, connect your phone to your PC. After Odin detects the phone, the ID: COMx box will become blue showing the COM port number denoted by x. If this doesn’t happen, it means that either Kies is enabled in your computer. Turn Kies off or uninstall it from device manager then replug the USB cable to a different port.
Look for HOME.tar in the stock ROM after unzipping it.
Click on PDA button on Odin and go to HOME.tar.
Ensure that Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time check boxes are checked, as well as Re-partition.
To start flashing the ROM, click on Start. Make sure not to unplug the device or interrupt the process of flashing so keep in mind to fully charge the battery before doing any of the steps.
Finally, you will see a PASS on Odin once the device is done rebooting. Note that the first boot may take some time.
If your device will continue to reboot, also called bootloop, you must restart it in downloading mode, then open Odin, click on PDA, and go to param_i8190.tar then click Start.
However, if Odin will show that there is no pit partition or Re-Partition operation fails, use PIT file. Click on PIT file then browse it. Also, keep in mind that Auto Reboot, F. Reset Time, and Re-partition boxes must be checked.
Here are the download links that you need:
Stock ROM (http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=GT-I8190)
USB drivers for Samsung Galaxy S3 mini (http://downloadandroidfiles.org/download-samsung_usb_driver_for_moblie_phones_v1_4_6_0-exe/)
PIT file (http://unbrick.itcse.com/uploads/Galaxy%20S3%20mini%20I8190_PIT_file.7z)
Odin file (http://unbrick.itcse.com/uploads/Odin307%20Galaxy%20S3%20mini%20I8190.zip)
param_I8190.tar (http://unbrick.itcse.com/uploads/PARAM_I8190_2.zip)
GS3 cannot get an IP address when connecting to my home Wi-Fi
Q: Hi I have a wireless network at home but my new Samsung S3 is not connecting to it. It just keeps on saying “obtaining IP address” then does nothing. My iPhone and laptop are all connecting just fine and I have a relatively new router. What should I do? — Jasper
A: Hi Jasper. Wi-Fi connectivity problems are usually caused either by an ongoing Internet service provider issue (which is clearly not the case), router signal issues, or by a phone problem.
Please follow the steps below:
Go to Wi-Fi settings
Tap and hold Wi-Fi connection
Select Forget this network
Tap your Wi-Fi network to connect
If the above steps does not work, you may need to refresh Google Services Framework. To do this, follow these steps:
Go back to Wi-Fi settings.
Forget the network.
Go back to Home screen
Go to Settings
Select Applications / Apps->Manage apps
Select Manage Applications
Select All
Select Network Locations
Select Clear Data
Go back to ALL and select Google Services Framework
Select Clear Data.
Turn your device off and back on.
Should any of the steps won’t resolve the issue, I would suggest that you change the IP settings, specifically by getting the static IP to work. There are two options to change the IP settings in your phone. Please see the instructions below:
Option 1
Open Wi-Fi settings
Tap menu button
Select advance
Select “Use static IP and enter the values provided:
IP address : 192.168.1.253
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
DNS1: 8.8.4.4
DNS2: 4.4.4.4
If the issue continues, change the DNS2 to 8.8.8.8.
Option 2
Download Wi-Fi Fixer app from Google Play and install it
Run the app and see if it will fix the problem
Option 3
Reboot your mobile and dial *#*#526#*#*. This should reset the driver of your Wi-Fi adapter.
Emails remain after deleting them from email app
Q: Why do my emails are still there after I’ve deleted them? This is not happening on my computer only on my phone. Do I need to have my phone replaced? This has become annoying over time. Please help me. — Mark
A. Hi Mark. There has been no explanation from Samsung whatsoever about this problem and it looks like there has been no update to address this issue. However, the good news is that there are workarounds to this problem. Also, this issue does not suggest an issue with your phone at all. Usually, it’s the syncing services of the app you’re using that may also cause an issue like this. Let’s start by doing the steps:
Delete data and cache of the email app. This step ensures that the settings of the app as well as the downloaded emails are purged from your device. Be warned though that there’s a chance that your messages may be deleted from the server as well so make sure to back up important emails.
Go to Settings
Go to More tab
Select Application Manager
Tap All Tab
Select Email
Select Clear Cache
Select Clear Data
Re-install the email app and set-up your email again. After clearing the cache and data, your phone should not have trouble setting up the email.
Engage with us
Feel free to send us your questions, suggestions and problems you’ve encountered while using your Android phone. We support every Android that is available in the market today. And don’t worry, we won’t charge you a single penny for your emails. Email us via mailbag@thedroidguy.com any time. We read every email but can’t guarantee a response. Lastly, if we were able to help you, please help us spread the word by sharing our posts with your friends or visit our Troubleshooting Page. Thanks.
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