Note 2 Automatically Opens Website Archives

Welcome to the 53^rd part in our series of troubleshooting articles dedicated to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. This phone which was launched in 2012 is still quite popular nowadays despite it showing its age. On the hardware side, it is still quite capable and is even more impressive than most midrange models out in the market today. Initially released running on Android Jelly Bean, the software of this phone has now been updated to KitKat however it appears that development for the Lollipop update has not started yet.

In this latest installment of the series we will tackle some of the latest emails our readers have sent regarding the issues they are facing with this phone.

If you own a Galaxy Note 2 or any other Android device for that matter then feel free to send us an email at [email protected]. We will be more than happy to assist you with any concern that you may have with your device. This is a free service we are offering with no strings attached. We however ask that when you do send us an email ty to be as detailed as possible so that an accurate assessment can be made and the correct solution can be given.

If you would like to browse the previous parts in this series then check out this link.

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Note 2 Dotted Lines On Display

Problem: Hello.. i am using a note 2 and my phone is having dotted lines all over it.. it was not dropped by me.. but i am not sure because when i took my phone after 4 hours it was having this problem.. i had this problem before but it was normal after some days but this time its not going away.. i am sending a picture of the dotted lines.. please help.. please reply soon..

Solution: This looks like an issue with the display hardware. It could be with the LCD screen or the display controller on the motherboard. You should however check if this is a software related issue first by performing a factory reset. Make sure to back up your phone data before proceeding.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

Try to observe if the issue still occurs. If it doesn’t then it may just be caused by a glitch in the software. If it still occurs then this may already be hardware related. You should bring your phone to an authorized service center for checking.

Note 2 Does Not Download From The Internet

Problem: Hi! I have a problem with my note 2, when i download from the internet it says, “starting download…” but the download doesn’t appear at the notifications, then i checked at the downloads it doesn’t appear also. Please help me, thank you.

Solution: The first thing that you should do is to make sure that your phone is connected to a stable Internet source. If you can’t download a file using your current Wi-Fi connection then try connecting to a different Wi-Fi source and see if that helps. You should also try using your mobile data connection to check if the problem still persists.

If the download still fails then your next step is to check if a third party app installed in your phone is causing the issue. To verify this, you should start your phone in Safe Mode.

Turn off the Galaxy Note 2 by pressing the Power button (positioned in the right edge of the device). Tap Power Off from the choices that will appear followed by OK.
Once the device successfully shuts down, press the Power button again, but this time, keep your finger pressed on it together with the Volume Down button.
Let go of the Power button when you see the Samsung Galaxy Note II logo but do not let go of the Volume Down key yet.
After that, you will see a status message telling you that your Galaxy Note 2 is now in Safe Mode. Let go of the Volume Down key and tap the OK button.

Try downloading a file from the Internet. If the download is successful then the issue may be caused by a third party app. Find out what that app is and uninstall it.

If you are still having downloading issues even when the phone is in Safe mode then proceed with wiping the cache partition of your phone.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, let go of the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume Down key to highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
Press the Power key to select and wipe the cache.
With ‘reboot system now’ highlighted, press the Power key to restart the device.

Note 2 Forgets Profile

Problem: Hello My Note 2 seems to forget my profile. No matter how many times I set it up, it erases my profile shortly after. Can you help? Thanks.

Solution: Try restarting your phone then setup your profile. If it still gets deleted then this may be caused by a software glitch. You need to back up your phone data then do a factory reset.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

Note 2 Notification Light Turns On Even If Phone Is Off

Problem: Hi Droidguy. Im sorry if this problem has been answered already, but I could’nt find it on the troubleshoot page. My problem is that whenever I turn off my phone, like shut it down using the shut down function, the blue notification light it lit. It is not blinking, its constantly lit. I do have a battery problem on my phone, and a new battery is on the way. Can this problem be caused by a faulty battery? And also, my headphone Jack is also broken. Does this have something with this to do? Thanks in advance!

Solution: There’s a possibility that this could be a battery problem. However, if your notification light is on then your phone has not fully turned off yet.

What you should do is to determine if this is a software related problem by performing a mater reset. Make sure to back up your phone data before proceeding.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

If the problem still persists then we may be looking at a hardware related problem. Try replacing the battery and if that does not work you should bring your phone to an authorized service center and have it checked.

Note 2 Automatically Turns Off

Problem: My phone got really hot in my car and now it won’t stay on. It will charge to 100% but when unplugged it automatically turns off.

Solution: In most cases like this it is usually the battery that has a problem. Try getting a new battery and use it on your phone.

Note 2 Motherboard Swap Issue

Problem: Hello, I have several Note 2’s and I was trying to replace the motherboard from one phone to another. Everything seems to work except I keep getting an error message saying “unfortunately Samsung keyboard has stopped” the error message does not come up when I put the old motherboard back in just the new ones. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Solution: If everything else works fine on the new motherboard then problem may just be software related. You should start with clearing the cache and data of the Samsung keyboard app and see if this resolves the issue.

From the home screen, tap the Apps icon.
Tap Settings.
On the More tab, tap Application manager.
Tap the All tab.
Scroll to and tap the desired application.
Tap Clear cache.
Tap Clear data.
The application cache and data is now cleared.

If the problem persists then proceed with wiping the cache partition of the phone.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, let go of the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume Down key to highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
Press the Power key to select and wipe the cache.
With ‘reboot system now’ highlighted, press the Power key to restart the device.

Note 2 Software Issues

Problem: So i mistakenly bid won a used sprint galaxy note 2 i has SOFTWARE ISSUES is this fixable??? Do u have any solutions u could give me over email or should i give up now and call it a loss please be honest iv already recommended u to a hand full of people.

Solution: What issues does the phone have? If there are quite a few then you should do a master reset first then check the phone again.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

If the same issues still occur then this may already be a hardware related problem. You can have your phone checked at an authorized service to determine the exact nature of the problem.

Note 2 Can’t Make / Receive Calls

Problem: My Samsung. Galaxy Note 2 won’t call out or recieve calls. I’m on Verizon prepaid so i spent 45 dollars on a phone i can’t use

Solution: Does your phone have a signal? If not then you may be in an area that does not have good coverage. Try checking your phone in other places and see if the signal will appear. If you get a signal then try making a call.

If your phone has a signal but the problem still persists then turn off your phone then turn it back on after a few seconds. This re-establishes the connection between your phone and your network which usually works in this case.

If you are still having a problem making a call or sending a text message then contact Verizon regarding this as there may be issues with your prepaid account.

Note 2 System Software Not Updating

Problem: I have a Samsung galaxy note 2 SCH-I606. Baseband i605VRAMC3. Its a Verizon phone but has been flashed for service thru selectel wireless. My android version is 4.1.2 & it’s not allowing me to update to 4.4.2 version. When I check for update it keeps bringing up a window stating “service unavailable. To check for software update go to settings > about phone when service is available” why doesn’t my phone allow me to update to 4.4.2 version I605VRUFND7? I HOPE U CAN HELP. THANKS

Solution: You should try updating your phone using the Kies software. You need to back up your phone data first. Next, you need to download the Kies software form the Samsung website then install it in your computer.

Start Samsung Kies
Connect your device to your PC or laptop using the supplied USB cable.
Ensure that Kies recognizes your device by looking in the upper section of the left-bar navigation menu.
Once Kies recognizes the device you will see a pop-up. Click Update.
Read through the Caution pop-up and, if you agree, click to populate the “I have read all of the above information” checkbox.
Read the Allow saving of information statement and select Allow saving or Proceed without saving and then click Start upgrade.
Kies will begin downloading firmware upgrade components from Samsung servers. This will take a few minutes depending on the speed of your Internet connection.
After a few minutes, Kies will then begin transferring the firmware binary to the device. Do not disconnect the cable connected to the PC.
During the upgrade process, you will see the Android logo on your devices screen.
When the update process has completed, click OK.
You can now disconnect your device from the PC. Once the device has rebooted it will be ready to use.

Note 2 Not Detected By Computer

Problem: Hey, from time to time i hear static when i connect a headset to the note 2 so i’m trying to update to see if its a bug in the software or its a hardware problem, the note 2 however after downloading the files and the actual update s to begin it says the computer cannot detect the phone, its so frustrating. need help please !!!!

Solution: Try restarting you phone and the computer then check if the phone can be detected. If the problem persists try using another USB cord. You should also make sure to plug the phone straight to your computer USB port and not pass through a USB hub.

If your phone is still not detected then try to use a different computer.

Note 2 Turns Off Even If 100% Charged

Problem: My galaxy note 2 phone says it is 100% charged. If I unplug it from the charging cord it goes dead and will sometimes reboot on it’s own. Before it goes dead the cellular service shuts off and I see the circle with the bar through it. The battery is not loose. I did a factory reboot and cleaned off all the apps. It wasn’t dropped. I ordered a new battery so I hope that is it? Do you have any other ideas? Thanks.

Solution: It’s very likely that this may be a battery issue. Just wait for the new battery to arrive then use it.

Note 2 Limited Notes Section In Contacts

Problem: Good morning! The notes section of contacts on my Note 2 is truncated to about 947 characters and then it will takes no more. The same is true for the 3 and 4 and all the S-series too. I have had this problem with all of my Samsung phones since the S3. For most people this may be too esoteric, but it is a problem for me (and a few others who have foisted similar complaints on several of the Android blogs over the recent years). This it is NOT an Android problem , as I have tried to duplicate this limitation on other Android and Apple brands. Interestingly, the Nexus 6 has no such limitation at all and the LG 3 truncates after about 34 screens-worth of text, so there has to be a line of code somewhere that limits the number of characters. However, I attend meetings frequently and I truly love using the S pen; so, switching to anything else is just unappealing. I had the serendipitus experience of meeting one of Samsung’s VPs at a New Year’s party this year, but except for discussing our mutual experiences in Austin, Texas, he had nothing usuful to say. Back in the old days, when my HTC X7500 was new, I was able to expand the number of characters of that field in the Windows Mobile code; so, there has got to be a way to fix this problem. Any suggestions?

P.S. The aftermarket phone contact apps are not what I am looking for, but I am desparate to solve this problem, as the Note series is absolutely the best phone for all that I do.

P.S.S. I have read the rumor that LG is comming out with a Note-like phone in the near future, but I have delayed gratification since I got the Note 2 and that’s long enough. Any help you can throw my way will be greatly appreciated!

Solution: This is clearly a limitation in the software design of the phone. It’s going to be difficult to edit the software and change the way it accommodates the number of characters in the notes section of the contacts unless you know how to tinker around with its ROM.

One other suggestion I could provide is to test out the other popular custom ROMs designed for your phone and see if this issue is not present. This will however introduce other drawbacks which may not be present with your current phone software.

Note 2 Can’t Flash CM ROM

Problem: I have a samsung galaxy note 2. I rooted it and have installed cm11. It worked perfectly. Then I installed DN4. It was also okay, but I wanted cm back. Then I could not install cm 11 and none of the cm roms. Not even the original rom or any other. It just installs DN4 normally. Help me please because I am seek of using the DN4.

Solution: Try following the instructions outlines in this website https://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Install_CM_for_n7100.

Note 2 Automatically Opens Website

Problem: Hi team, I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. For the past few days whenever I unlock the phone I am being redirected to the following website which again takes me to the play store app ending up in SIMULATOR REAL DEATH RACING app page. The website is https://apps.2048-games.com. I already un installed all the apps whichever I installed from last couple of months. But still I’m facing this issue. Please help.

Solution: This issue is usually caused by a third party app installed in your phone (most likely a free app with lots of ads). You should find out what app this is and uninstall it. Another option which is effective is to go ahead and perform a master reset. Make sure to back up your phone data before proceeding.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

Note 2 No Sim Detected

Problem: Hello and good day to you, I have a note 2 and I activated the phone then 30mins later (no sim detected) so I bought another SIM card tray same problem still. I have been looking to see anything wrong, but It seemed to have happen after an update about my Message settings.

Solution: Try to check if there is any dirt or lint present in the SIM tray and clean it if you spot any. Make sure that you are inserting the SIM card correctly and that it doesn’t wiggle around.

You should also try to insert another SIM in your phone to verify if your SIM is the problem.

If this issue started right after a software update then I suggest you perform a master reset. Make sure to back up your phone data before proceeding.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

Note 2 Opens Different Sites When Launching Browser

Problem: Hi this problem is really troubling me. When i open the internet on my cell many different websites launch up saying the version i am using is outdated and tell me to install some god damn launcher and i can’t stop this but helplessly look at it. Please help.

Solution: This issue is caused by a third party app installed in our phone, most likely a free app that has several ad pop-ups. The best thing to do in this case is to back up your phone data and do a factory reset.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

Note 2 Calls Go To Voicemail

Problem: Hey droid guy, I am running the samsung galaxy note 2 and. It randomly will not take calls it sends them straight to voicemail with my phone on and running . also randomly I will not receive text messages when they are sent I have checked the date stamp it says recipient sent at 9:53 a.m. and I received it at 11:30 AM now I have talked to my service provider and they say all my services are working properly. I already tried wiping the cache partition, and tried *#21# work for a day or two then back to not working properly. I am very familiar with Android and I love the Galaxy Note but I’m very skeptical now on buying another note please help me I have tried everything you are my last hope also my buddy has the same phone and he is experiencing the same issues thank you for listening please get back to me ASAP thank you PS my main concern is the calls but I’d like to fix the text problem as well

Solution: Try to determine if this issue is caused by a third party app by starting your phone in Safe Mode.

Turn off the Galaxy Note 2 by pressing the Power button (positioned in the right edge of the device). Tap Power Off from the choices that will appear followed by OK.
Once the device successfully shuts down, press the Power button again, but this time, keep your finger pressed on it together with the Volume Down button.
Let go of the Power button when you see the Samsung Galaxy Note II logo but do not let go of the Volume Down key yet.
After that, you will see a status message telling you that your Galaxy Note 2 is now in Safe Mode. Let go of the Volume Down key and tap the OK button.

Have someone call your phone. If your phone rings then the issue may be caused by a third party app installed in your phone. Find out what app is causing this issue and uninstall it.

One last troubleshooting step you can perform if the above step fails is to do a factory reset. Make sure to back up your data before proceeding.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key.
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, release the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight ‘delete all user data.’
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 turn the restart the device.

If the problem still persists after the factory reset then this may already be a hardware related problem. I suggest you bring your phone to an authorized service center for checking.

Note 2 Does Not Turn On After Screen Replacement

Problem: Hi I recently tried to replace the screen on my note 2 for Sprint I did connected every wire connection changed the screen and now it won’t turn on I reconnected every wire twice and nothing if u can please help me with this.

Solution: Check the battery and make sure it has sufficient charge. It’s better if you connect the phone wall charger while turning your phone off.

If your phone still does not turn on then you may have missed something during the screen replacement. Retrace the steps you took and make sure that each part is properly connected.

Note 2 Not Typing Letters

Problem: Hi there, I got my Sansung Note 2 in August 2013. This is a fantastic phone, how ever whe typing it starts to miss letters. You can see my “when” does not have the “n”. It happens with different letters but not all the time. There are a space where the letter should have been. Can you please advise me what to do. Kind Regards

Solution: This may be caused by a corrupt temporary data. Wiping the cache partition of your phone usually resolves this type of issue.

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the following three buttons at the same time: Volume Up key, Home key, Power key
When ‘GALAXY Note II’ appears on the screen, let go of the Power key but continue to press and hold the Volume Up key and the Home key.
When the Android System Recovery screen appears, release the Volume Up and Home keys.
Press the Volume Down key to highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
Press the Power key to select and wipe the cache.
With ‘reboot system now’ highlighted, press the Power key to restart the device.

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