Hello Android fans! Welcome to another #GalaxyNote8 troubleshooting article. This post will answer two common questions that many Note8 users encounter. We hope you’ll make use of this article.
Problem #1: Demand for replacement if your Galaxy Note8 randomly restarts after doing all software solutions
I have a Galaxy Note 8 that randomly restarts. I have tried to find out what causes this, and in all these cases, the phones randomly restarts: while charging, in safe mode, after clearing cache partition, after resetting system settings, after uninstalling previously installed apps, even after a factory reset (before restoring backups). I brought it to a Samsung service center where they ‘reprogrammed’ the device saying there was a software defect. Just as I was about to stand up and leave, it restarted randomly again. I left it there and when they asked me to come back, they said they will need a few more days since after replacing the main board and the battery, the problem persisted. I’m not sure if what I read was right, but is there an issue with the note 8’s updated kernel version and the Snapdragon 835? I’d hope for your feedback on this since i’m thinking of demanding for a replacement. — Mark
Solution: Hi Mark. Millions of Note8s that came equipped with Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 work as expected at this time. We don’t know where you read about updated Note8 kernels having random restart issues but it has not come to our attention at all. If what you’re saying is true, we would have received a flood of similar cases by now. We also can’t find any other reliable blogs talking about this issue so we can’t really agree with you.
Your case is most probably isolated. Since you’ve already tried everything that a user can do to fix this issue, we suggest that you go ahead and demand for a replacement instead. This is the rational resolution whether or not the issue is isolated or not anyway.
Problem #2: Galaxy Note8 showing moisture detected error, restarts when using some apps
Occasionally, my phone will reboot when using an app like Facebook, flipboard, or netflix. After the short reboot the moisture in the charging port notification shows. I restart the phone and the notification goes away. No moisture, dirt or corrosion can be found. The phone is only a couple of months old and has not been exposed to moisture. I cleared the cache by your instruction and the problem went away for a bit, but has returned. — Jeff Lazar
Solution: Hi Jeff. If you’re absolutely positive that your Note8 was not wet or exposed to water or liquid, then the moisture detected error must be a false alarm or triggered by a software bug. Many Galaxy devices with water resistance protection encountered this issue last year so it’s possible that yours may have also contracted this bug. To fix the issue, these are the things that you can try:
Check the charging port
This is a bit misleading since there’s not much that you can do to actually know the true condition of the charging port. The most that you want to do is to inspect for obvious defects. Inside the charging port is thin metal bar with a few bars. These bars are actually metal connectors designed to be in contact with the charging cable. Sometimes, one or some of these bars may become damaged or bent causing charging problems or, in some water-resistant Samsung devices, to trigger the moisture detected error. If your Note8 is having trouble charging itself, or if it sometimes fail to charge at all, there may be a charging port issue on it. If you have magnifying tool to allow you closely examine the inside of the charging port, try that and see if there’s any obvious damaged bar.
At times, pocket lint, dirt, or tiny foreign object may find themselves in the port, which in turn may cause charging problems. If you think there’s something in the port that doesn’t belong, try to dislodge it using a can of compressed air. Do not stick anything inside the port as that might do more harm than good.
If you believe that your Note8’s charging port may have been damaged, do not attempt to open the phone to fix. Instead, you want to let a professional do the job for you by bringing the device to Samsung.
Factory reset
If your Note8 does not have any problem with charging, or if there seems to be no obvious damage to the charging port, the next potential solution that you should try is factory reset. This was an effective solution for a lot of users last year. As mentioned above, the problem in the past was caused by a software bug so by returning the operating system settings can help.
To factory reset your Note8:
- Create a backup of your files and other data.
- Turn off the device. This is important. If you can’t turn it off, you’ll never be able to boot to Recovery Mode. If you are not able to shut the device off regularly via the Power button, wait until the phone’s battery is drained. Then, charge the phone for 30 minutes before booting to Recovery Mode.
- Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
- Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
- Press Power button to select.
- Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
- Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
- When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
- Press the Power key to restart the device.
- Check for the problem.
Factory reset should also address the first issue you mention about your Note8 restarting when using some apps.
Revert your OS version
Some users were able to fix moisture detected error by rolling back their Android version. This is hardly ideal and we don’t recommend it. However, if the issue started after you updated the operating system, this might help.
Keep in mind that rolling back to its previous version is not officially supported by Samsung, Google, or by carriers. In order to use an older OS version, you’ll need to flash or install the firmware manually. Flashing is inherently risky and can potentially cause permanent software damage. If you can accept the risks involved, do some research to find the proper flashing guide for your particular phone model.