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iPhone 3gs switched off frequently...any idea on refurbished set

M

michealjohn

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 8, 2010
46
0
I have iPhone 3gs with iOS 4.2.1 installed (NOT JAIL BREAK SET, RUNNING WITH OFFICIAL APPLE iOS, NOT REFURBISHED SET) and in recent days its giving problem.
It will be completing its 1 year soon..
Suddenly it is getting switched off frequently even though phone has cahrge of 50% some times even when it is 92-95%
I need to switch it on again and it is taking some time.
Not only particular application, it is switching off while checking mails, opening any games or any other applications.
Those applications are worked fine and its warranty about to expire soon ---20 - 25 days.
I have also tried to remove all the unwanted applications....still same issue...
Also it is taking much time to charge it to 100%...any battery issue?
Before the warranty expires, I have an option to replace it...our service provider will replace it with refurbished set..
can I go for that option..any suggestion/advice in this reagrd will be very helpful..
 
As a final option I am going to restore it to the factory settings.
Is it best to set up as a new phone/restore from backup after the restored to factory settings?
 
michealjohn said:
As a final option I am going to restore it to the factory settings.
Is it best to set up as a new phone/restore from backup after the restored to factory settings?
Click to expand...
Have you tried "hard" reset?
If you are going to restore it, use the "Restore As New" feature in iTunes, not the restore feature in the phone itself.
 
I haven't done the hard reset. I have restored to factory settings and activated then restored from the backup.
I have a question, restore it to factory setting through iTunes wi bring back os to 3GS original version right...os3...but after restore it is showing the ios4.1.2 version.
If after restore setting up as a new phone will delete all the backup data right...
How can we keep backup of those files?normally wherecan find the backup folders?
 
michealjohn said:
I haven't done the hard reset. I have restored to factory settings and activated then restored from the backup.
I have a question, restore it to factory setting through iTunes wi bring back os to 3GS original version right...os3...but after restore it is showing the ios4.1.2 version.
If after restore setting up as a new phone will delete all the backup data right...
How can we keep backup of those files?normally wherecan find the backup folders?
Click to expand...
If you "restore as new", all your date will be deleted.
 
Oops...
Yesterday night I have done the restore to factor setting, activated and then restore the old data from backup..

Today morning..now..again it is getting switched off automatically...it is not resolved..

Below are noticed:
1. Some times it takes much time for loading any applications/web page thru safari and at that time it is getting switched off.

2. My phone has now 54% of battery and it is having this issue..

3. After automatically switched off, sometimes not able to turn it on without charging it even if it has more than 50% of battery.

4. If it is swiched off for 1 time...opening any other applications/even during incoming calls it is getting turn off automatically..


Is it anything with battery...hardware..any software/firmware issue...?

Ok, as adviced by JamesMB, I will hard reset it and set up as a new phone. Can I able to backup the data any where in my PC?
 
michealjohn said:
Ok, as adviced by JamesMB, I will hard reset it and set up as a new phone. Can I able to backup the data any where in my PC?
Click to expand...
No use in doing a hard reset now..... "RESTORE AS NEW" using iTUNES.
If you have been syncing with iTunes, isn't your data already backed up on your computer? Where do you sync your contacts?
I doubt that the restore is gonna fix it. I think that you are going to find that you have a hardware problem.
 
my contacts are in sync with yahoo contacts and not issue for contacts...
anyway I need to synch my audio/video/app realted data..

My 1 year warranty is going end at 10 Mar 2011...before that I need to check it out the issue...
If you think if it is a hardware issue, can I go for refurbished set as a replcement provided by starhub...usually for any defects in the iPhone and if it is under warranty period they are replacing it with the refurbished set...is it worth? please advice.. mean while I will try to restore it again to factort setting and after activated, I will try to set it up as new phone...
 
I have done with restoration and set up with a new phone and synched all my contatcs, calendar and apps.

Upto now, it is not switching off automatically. I have opened up maximum of all applications to test it...I think it requires more monitoring...

meanwhile can anyone suggest on the replacement for it with refurbished set is worth?
 
I was going to start a new thread, but thought I'd try jumping into this one. I'm having a similar problem with my iPhone 3GS with OS 4.2.1 - even on a full charge, my phone shuts off randomly and with increasing frequency.

When I try to restart it, I have to do the soft reboot (holding down sleep & home until the Apple logo appears). About 75% of the time when I do that, the phone gives me the "low battery" warning screen. When I plug the phone into a power source, after a couple of minutes it turns back on and shows a nearly full battery.

I bought the phone new the week it was released, and I'm wondering if this is a symptom of a dying battery, or if it indicates a bigger hardware problem. I've repeatedly restored the phone, reset it back to the factory settings, nothing seems to make a difference.

EDIT: There's another thread on the message board describing my same problem. Between this forum & iFixit, I'm pretty sure the problem is battery failure. Ordered a replacement battery and will see how that works out.
 
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I am also having the same problem with my 3GS, shutting down under battery all of a sudden when the battery indicator is under 70% or so... seems like a lot of people are having this problem,(Apple Forums) no definite solution yet, but some people had success by replacing the battery....
 
this usually happens when you over charge it and the battery is messed up. Even if it displays like you still have not drained all your batter or its 40% it just shuts down like an empty battery has.
 
Well, the "replace the battery" theory seems like a good one.

Unfortunately, my skills at replacing the battery are not as good as I thought they were. I don't think I reseated the logic board correctly and now my 3Gs is a brick. Still, valiant effort and a dead battery seems like the most likely culprit.
 
hilaryaustin said:
this usually happens when you over charge it and the battery is messed up. Even if it displays like you still have not drained all your batter or its 40% it just shuts down like an empty battery has.
Click to expand...

Not quite, because after I start it up, it runs fine without any problem as long as i don't run a lot of apps.
 
I restored 3X and restored from NEW rather than from backup. The reason for your glitch or whatever, is probably software related; and if you restore from a backup, you get the same glitch with the same software. If you are using the same computer with iTunes loaded, there is no way you can lose your contacts, apps, music, videos and pics. I just got a new iPhone 4 replacement for my iPhone 4 that was crashing everyday, and restored to NEW and now "0" crashing. Call Apple Support or setup an appointment with Apple Store Genius Bar...Good Luck :cool:
 
same here...

I've got EXACTLY the same symptoms as michealjohn does.

It all started after I dropped the phone a couple of days ago. I dropped from around 50cm and on a thin carpet, so it couldn't be a big shock. I'm guessing it MUST be a hardware issue since then was when the problem started.

Does any of you connect this problem with a shock the device received?

EDIT: I'm currently developing a game for the iPhone and I had a Development Provisioning Profile installed on the device. These profiles expire every 3 months. The day the I dropped the phone was the day my profile expired. The device switched-off on falling down so I automatically connected the fall (and switch-off) with the following random switch-offs that day and the following days. The cause was the expiration of the profile though...
Uninstalling the app that I'm developing/testing (the app did not run anyway, as the profile expired) solved the problem. It all came to me after talking to a friend, that told me that he's dropped his iPhone about 10 times on hard floor and it never had any problems and that my problem must be caused by some software-related issue and he suggested I uninstall any suspicious apps...
I'm sooo happy that the iPhone is ok!
 
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