[Galaxy Grand Prime Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Wolfshadow6:
I'm going to Copy and Paste a conversation between a girl who tried to help me and all the stuff I've done so far... any help would be great. Issues started upon download of Pokemon go....

Hi Aubry

This would also be faster to chat this way

Yeah, thanks for the help, btw

No problem

I like to help when I can

So, if you already have that message after the card is removed, it's possible you have malware

It's also possible that will the latest android update, something unexpected happened with your phone

Tech support is 99% troubleshooting

lol, yeah, I know

I'm just not as tech savvy yet, I wanna be..

If the memory card is out and you still get that message, I'm leaning toward the latest update acting up

That would make sense...

I had an update forced on me 2 nights ago, I think. Happened without my consent

So that's why I think it may be likely

Is the battery still out?

No, it won't turn on at all without a battery in

Even connected to power

That's a little odd. That might happen if you have a hardware problem but irrelevant to the current issue

Let's try this..... can you get it to turn off, perhaps by taking out battery? Wait a minute (or a few if you want to be safer) and then immediately upon Power up, go into safe mode by hitting home + volume up + power at the same time, holding for maybe 10 seconds

That may throw it out of the loop and into actually recovering itself

I got into safe mode previously by holding power + down

Should I do that or what you said?

There are several modes :)

lol, k

The combinations are android specific overrides

They're used for different purposes

We want to break the cycle, get out of a loop and begin to recover

You could alternatively do a factory reset, but you lose EVERYTHING that way, so I prefer to exhaust all possible options before recommending that

The main idea is that you have a soft brick, which is recoverable

I already did a factory reset earlier today

That didn't cause any change?

So anyway, now I'm Android System Recovery

It still was having the same issues yeah.. nt as bad at first, but once I put in the mem card, and it started installing my apps and stuff...

Same old BS

Hmmmm

If it's installing apps from the memory card that can be malware

I don't think it was, cause when I did the reset, I took the memory card out to protect my data.

My pictures and stuff

And it stayed out for a while.

Right but malware is code. So if the card itself contains the code, it will continue to install even if it stays out a while

If I'm understanding correctly

It gave me a few hiccups, this has stopped, that has stopped.. but then it worked ok. I was like Oh! It's good! Let's reinstall! ... and back to crap..

If it is malware, the second you put in the infected card, it installs

So if you put the card in the trouble starts, correct?

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding. It's a little harder to fully understand when the device isn't in hand ?

Sooooooo I should save my pictures off the card and reformat?

If you place the card into a computer (presumably with an adapter, if it's microsd), you run possible risk of infection. I would run a virus scan on the card itself, but outside the phone

If you can save the pictures, that's ideal. In the future, consider google backups to the cloud or amazon prime photos

Well, I tok out the card. Then I did a factory reset.... it gave me a FEW of the annoying "this has stopped" or that has stopped, but I don't remember what, now.... It started installing stuff, but some programs it refused to. Clean Master, Pokemon Go.. it gave me error code -504. Then I forced some and it seemed like they were working ok and installing, so I figured maybe I was just DLing too much all at once. So I went back and put in my mem card in, and it froze. rebooted, and **** went to pot again.

I had Google Drive, but it kept filling up my phone's hard drive and prevented me from doing stuff, DLing more.. I had to clear all the data.

Hmmm

I'm lookin up error code

kk

-504 is specific to memory and data collision

Basically, one aplication said "I want to be king of the playground" the firmware said the same thing and they shoved themselves off the playground and both broke their arms

My analogies are bad at 2am

Anyways, when this happens, it's also related to the Google account data having issues with software

Ultimately, the Google services framework needs to be cleared

But how to do that without being able to boot is the problem

I can boot.. kinda.

But it freezes up quick

Right, but the associations and cache will freeze ir

Exactly

Who is your carrier?

Straight Talk

Ah.

That may be trickier

A regular kiosk usually has the software that overrides this to fix the firmware

Like,most of the time, it gets to the "A service of Straight Talk Wireless" and stopps there

Yeah that can't boot fully

You can't get into the settings, right?

(and I am really sorry for my typos, my husband is a slob and his keyboard on this laptop is filled with gunk.)

I can, sometimes~! I can try

If you can get into settings, the cache could be cleared

So just reboot normally?

If you can

But you likely need to be in a recovery mode

Hmm. Would it be best to go into safe mode for this or normal?

The developer resource says:

Go to ”Settings”-> “Applications”-> “Manage Applications” and select “All”

Go to “Google Services Framework”and select “Clear Data & Clear Cache”to remove all the data regarding Google Service Framework.

Go to “Google Play Store”and Select “Clear Data & Clear Cache”to remove all the data regarding Google Play Store.

..one question... will that kill my data in Pokemon Go.

If you could get into recovery mode, which is holding down power + home + DOWN volume, that may work best

No

Go data is all server side

Whew, ok

In theory, it should never be lost

Ok, hang on, gonna try this

(Thank you SO much for all the help)

If the above steps don't work, a second "easy" method is de authenticate you, meaning remove your accounts

The recovery mode gives me the option to wipe the cache a head of time, should I do that too?

Yes

Absolutely

Deleting cache is our goal

Ok, now it's updating andriod.. but stopped cause I'm at 12 percent battery

Oh that's no good

If the battery is too low it might quit

Did it give you the low battery message?

No stayed on

I mean, told me the battery is low but

Ok, in settings

Hang on

Oh great I thought you mean it forced itself off

It HAS done that before, but not right now currently

Go to ”Settings”-> “Applications”-> “Manage Applications” and select “All”

Go to “Google Services Framework”and select “Clear Data & Clear Cache”to remove all the data regarding Google Service Framework.

Go to “Google Play Store”and Select “Clear Data & Clear Cache”to remove all the data regarding Google Play Store.

Ok, so I'm in settngs, applications, but I have Application Manager.

Ok

Might vary depending on version

When I go there it gives me a list

Ok what do you see?

Do you know what phone and android version you are running, by the way?

Android System Webview, ANT Radio Service, AANT+ Plugins Service, AVG Antivirus, BatteryDoctor, my apps.

I might have it memorized in the deep recesses of my brain

That's my device right now

You need google services framework

It may or may not be totally alphabetical

clearing the cache did seem to help though..Ok, so I need Google Play services? I found that

Ok great!

Now.....

Hit clear data and then after clear cache

Those buttons

Ok, so when I tap it it won't show it to me. It goes back to the Applications main menu

When you tap services?

Yeah

That's interesting

Can you try again?

it acts like it wants to, and then gets kicked back out

Sure hold on

Yeah same thing.

Ok try going to Google play store instead in that list

Something is preveting it.

It might be malware or issue with the firmware

Same thing with Google Play... or any app

Google play store is the name of the app

Yeah, I know

I tried it with a few of them randomly too

You should click on that and then attempt to clear that data

Its not letting me access any of them

Ok new plan

Go to “Settings”-> “Accounts”-> “Google” -> Select “Your Account”

Go to “Menu”and Select “Remove Account”, and then “Add Your Account”.

Now “Restart”your mobile device and try to perform update or download.

Ok, so delete my account or services?

If it doesn't say remove, you can delete

that won't delete my gmail and everything right? ?

I sure it won't but just making sure

Well your Gmail will still be on the server assuming you didn't pull it down

I probably sound like the typical idiot here.. yeesh

And delete it on the server

Nah

Then it should be ok

I won't do that, had the account for like 20 years lol

Ah ok

It wants to open it with Chrome or Internet?

Chrome is fine

I hate "internet"

....and now "Unfortunately, Chrome has stopped."

That is unfortunate

Please turn on airplane mode

Airplane on

Ok we are going to wait a minute now

kk

For fun, let's go back into that app list and try clearing that cache again

While airplane is off

Also, if it's late, I can also send you messages later

I'm a 3rd shifter, I'm fine if you are

Yeah I couldn't really sleep

And just tried while Airplane was on, no dice, same BS

Try restarting while in airplane mode

You can hold power

And then restart

Ok

Ok, booted fine

Yay

Now once it's rebooted you can take out of airplane mode and see if the data can now be cleared

Now it won't go into the application list at all

That's sad

Ok time to try something else

On the settings screen, can you find "backup and restore"?

Backup and reset...

Yep that

Ok, in it, now what?

We can try a factory reset from here.

But before you do that

Already did this earlier but sure. XD

Hmm?

Uncheck the boxes that save the app data

So uncheck "Back Up My Data" and "Automatic Restore"?

Yes

You will lose your phone data

That's fine. I know what I need

But at this point, without installing firmware to fix it, it's pretty much the best bet

Is it normal when rebooting the phone it keeps the old apps up and running? I don't remember it doing this previously but it's been doing that lately

Alright.. So factory reset time yes?

I think so

The factory reset should wipe everything

But again, if firmware was badly enough affected you would need more than this

And it might possibly be better to get a new phone, depending on factors considered

But at least the most common solutions were tried

Ok

Welp, got to the tracfone screen... and it's stuck.

What do we mean by stuck?

Frozen?

Whatever is in there, it's in there good

Yeah. It does three boot screens. 1, the Galaxy Grand Prime screen. Then the Pretty Samsung one with the musical tone. Then the Tracfone screen, then it boots. Since these problems started, it will often freeze on the Tracfone one.. cause after a few seconds the screen will dim. And then it boots.. but like, before I took my husband to work.. it was still froze there. I had to pull the battery, cause it wouldn't move. Though, just now it did finally

If it is incapable of factory reset, it's the kernel. That really would have to be handled by the dealer who sold the phone (if under warranty and they feel like replacing it) or doing things that void the warranty anyway

Well, looks like it finally got to boot...

huh.

If it moves, I would say to give it a little more time

That's good news

We are hoping it's not the kernel

....and I selected English, and "Unfortunately, Settings has stopped"...

That might not be a huge problem if it progresses

Settings might be fussy but it can be overlooked for now

Does it look like a factory reset took place?

Like it's new without apps, data, etc?

Same start up and "Welcome!" screen from last time.. but now that I select English it won't go past it. Keeps saying settings stopped.

Oh. That's different than settings stopping on the home screen

Yeah, it's acting like I just bought the phone

If settings are failing to load during language selection and you can't get to the home screen, you can try takin out battery for 10 minutes and then try rebooting and trying again

If it still fails to work after 24 hours (sometimes if you leave it alone long enough it'll work) I'd go to where you bought it with proof of purchase and hope they'll help get a new one

Ok, battery removed. Is it possible it's an overheat issue? Cause when we were playing Pokemo Go Friday night, my phone froze.. and when I booted it the screen went black, and lines went through it, like it lost connection to the MB or something

I've had issue like that with like, DS lites when the ribbon cable gets crunched.. but...

It's possible the hardware overheated, but because it boots, it's not necessarily a gonner

I've taken very good care of this phone, no hard drops or water...

It seems it's definitely a firmware and software issue

If there is a malfunction and it overheats from processing too much at once, that is possible

If the memory can't handle it and it's overloaded

Ok. Cause when that happened it was hot as ****.. and that's when most of these issues really started

I was having the "stopped" messages but only about my SMSs

If it was hot out that is definitely a possibility then

Leave it alone for as long as you can. Maybe all night and up to 24 hours

And those started literally after Pokemon Go.. I would have to stop Pokemon Go cause it would freeze a lot, I don't know if that did anything

But all this happened after I started playing it.

The game may not be good for the phone

Honestly, a lot of the pay as you go phones are not really suitable for mucj processing

I've dealt with a lot of them

They sometimes have trouble with games

I would absolutely submit a bug ticket with Niantic

I soft bricked my phone (and recovered it) because of pokemon having an issue during a specific sequence in game play. It definitely has bugs

I warned friends about it and that other phones may not be recoverable. It really depends on many factors

I've noticed it allowed me to install it on both my tabley (really crappy NextBook from WalMart) and my husband's phone (LG Fuel) and it won't run on either.. I figured, 200 dollar phone, it should be able to handle it....

It ran fine, but now.. and it sucks cause this is how I run my etsy, is this expensive brick

For the record, I have now tried yet a third factory reset. Now my phone won't even get past set-up. Any help would be amazing...