N900 random reboots
 

Hi,

I've done a search and read some previous posts, and cannot work out why my N900 is randomly rebooting.

I have manually restarted my phone and checked the boot count is reset to 0 (apparently if this gets above 50 (each auto-reboot increases the value by 3) the phone is bricked)

I have attempted doing a nokia software updater firmware update and it confirms i'm on the latest firmware (10.2010.19.1) and i've used the app updater and updated all apps. It has happened before i enabled the extras-devel repository, so I doubt the fault lies there.

Since i restarted the device prior to running "cat /proc/bootreason" i can't find out the reason why it rebooted, but i will update this post as soon as it does it again.

I recieved this phone from Optus Australia, and is running a number of apps from both the ovi store and the app manager. The only apps i have installed from the extras-devel repository are unrar and unzip apps, although i did note that it updated a few other apps at the same time, like flashlight, although i noticed the reboots before activating the extras-devel repository.

Anyone else having issues, know what it could be, or does it look like i'm going to have to flash the device?

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Maybe you have to reflash your device.
There are some "how to" posts here.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I had a problem with random reeboots after the first FW update last year, but after I overclocked my phone the random reboots has gone away ;) I do not surgest you to OC your phone, but it somehow fixed it for me (I've got two in one, a faster phone and no random reboots :))... I've had one reboot after I OC'ed my phone and that could be anything and before i had 3-5 a week... IMO i don't think a reflash would help, you would just flash the same kernel on to it again. I think the problem is in the stock kernel cause mine got fixed with Titans enhanced kernel for oc'ing and thats the only thing i've flashed on my N900 (the kernel). I'm now running a kernel from dj_steve with patces from Titan so i can dualboot maemo/nitdroid and OC :D.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

same here... ive had this problem before, tried flashing both rootfs and emmc but none help until i OC my phone using tintans kernel.. so far havent got any reboots eversince:D

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I think someone said that random reboots was fixed after one of the firmware updates and so if you are using the most recent version and still having random reboots you have a faulty device.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I installed Titans kernel last night, along with the queen beecon, and noticed it has rebooted once since then, as the queen beecon icons don't load up correctly if it does that, so i had to manually shut the phone down and restart it.

I've also noticed that some icons dissapear off the desktop randomly, and have to be re-added to the desktop. even had it happen to the foreca weather and ap news widgets.

I'll keep an eye on it and see how it goes.

Options are
1) identify the fault + fix it
2) reflash the phone and see if that fixes it or
3) return phone for warranty repair/replacement

Re: N900 random reboots
 

It was fixed for the poeple who had that problem after the first FW update, but others like me got random reboots out of that update. So it's not correct to say that I have a faulty device, hence my device worked perfectly before the first update. I just got lucky that someone like Titan decided to make an enhanced kernel and that fixed my random reboots, not Nokia with any of the FW updates :D

Re: N900 random reboots
 

i have titans kernel and my device still reboots occasionaly.

latest firmware too.
ive accepted that this is just a nokia phones feature. Has happened to every n series device i have owned.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Ok, I've reflashed the phone with the latest firmware, installed the maemo 5 update, installed a number of apps, and have NOT enabled the extras-dev repo. I even installed titan kernel as advised above.

I then noticed it restarting itself again, the bootreason was sw_rst, and the dmesg log looks a little more interesting this time. It seems to continually be "disabling unused clock" for different variables, before it says "Bootup reason: sw_rst" and from that point onwards it looks normal

"cat dmesg" output has been attached as "log2.txt"
"cat /var/lib/dsme/stats/*" as been attached as "dsmestats.txt"

Any help is appreciated - otherwise i might return the phone for warranty repair and hope to get a new one

Re: N900 random reboots
 

nokia symbian certainly rebooted on me every few weeks, but the n900 has only rebooted once in 7 months for me. very very stable underlying OS.

I dont install experimental apps though

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Enabling smartreflex might cause random reboot for some device. Some said overclocking solved the random reboot problem as it has smartreflex turned off by default.

You may run the following to see if smartreflex was turned on for some reasons:

1 is on and 0 is off.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Thanks 9000, but both of them are "0" (off)

Since reflashing and reinstalling titans kernel, it seems to have reduced the amount of times it has spontaneously rebooted. It has only done it once since doing that.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Hi

I have the same problem as lordfury007.

After such a random reboot "sw_rst" is written in the file /proc/bootreason.

I first thought that it is because of software I've installed over the Extras-Devel or Extras-Testing repo, but after flashing the phone I'm now still experiencing the same problem.

The files mentioned by 9000 are both set to 0.

So might there be any chance to fix this annoying problem or do I have to return my device to Nokia for repairing?

Thanks in advance!

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Try to install Crash Reporter
http://wiki.maemo.org/Documentation/...crash-reporter

In case of system reboots or application crashes it gathers information about it, displays causing application and allows sending report (and core file) to Maemo servers.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

so you guys want to help your phone with loosing your warranty?if your phone have really problems even after full flash i wouldnt recommend to break your warranty with overclocking.that isnt a help guys.....

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I do overclocking and my N900 never spontaneously reboots. I wouldn't see overclocking as a cure for random reboots, and overextreme overclocking or undervolting could definitely cause them.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I wouldn't recomend OC'ing your phone either, for me it just 'cured' my phone from random reboots, it's just an information too consider, an obtion for getting rid off the random reboots (for some people it works) If it don't just flash your rootfs and your back to normal. Further more you don't have to use the OC'ing you can run your cpu at 600 mhz, no cpu overheat.
I don't think Nokia can fix it, if one choose to send it back, cause it's in the stock 'kernel' there's a problem. I got it from a ota update of the FW, not from some app or fidling with my N900 in xterm and poeple say they've flashed there phones and still the problem is there.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Hi,

I faced the problem of random reboots too. Tried everything and even reflashed the device. Even after reflashing had the same problem without any new application installed. Had to get the phone replaced. The new one's working fine.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Hi

Thanks for the answers.

I've taken the advice of tomaszrybak and installed the Crash Reporter. I already uploaded some crash reports too.

Mostly these reboots seem to be the consequence of a crashing app (Although I absolutely don't see why the whole system needs to be rebooted because of one crashing app).
In cases (which happen pretty often) when the n900 cancels the boot process and restarts again, no crash report is created (most likely because the needed daemon was not yet running at that time).

@Kechit
Did you have no problem with replacing the phone? Because I think its not that easy to prove that the device has a malfunction, because its hard to demonstrate something which apparently only happens randomly. How did you describe the problem that they believed you?

Thanks in advance!

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I got my phone back from repair (usb port). Restored my backup I'd made before I sent it off and now get random reboots. Sometimes it'll even reboot in the middle of rebooting.

I'm going to reflash this weekend and see if it keeps doing it. If it does I guess it's back to Nokia.

Real pain in the arse. I was in the middle of a call with the police (bike stolen a few days back) when it decided to reboot, very helpful thank you.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

This is driving me nuts now. Trying to just backup contacts and such so I can reflash and it keeps crashing. May just send it back as is without reflashing.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

You should be able to reflash. You shouldn't have to backup your contacts if as you report it you already have a backup. Sending the N900 back to Nokia won't cause your contacts to be backed up.

So, you should forget backing up your contacts and just reflash.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I have actually added a number of contacts to my contacts list since the backup I did back before I first sent the phone off.

Also I wasn't sure if it was the restore of the backup that caused the random reboots. The first thing I did when I got the phone back was restore everything so don't know if it was random rebooting in factory state.

I finally managed to do a new back up and to be sure I did 4, one for each of the backup sections. I reflashed the phone and haven't restored anything from backup yet. I have enabled testing but not devel and installed a bunch of the Apps I had before. So far so good, no reboots.

I'm going to leave it for tonight and if it's not rebooted by the morning I will restore my communications and contacts. If that doesn't lead to reboots then I think I can live without the Bookmarks, Apps and Settings. Whilst I'm sure the bookmarks aren't at fault I have a sneaky suspicion the Apps or Settings are.

Not that the settings backup was much good, it didn't bother backing up the majority of 3rd party apps so I had to reconfigure most of them myself. Not sure why it doesn't just backup the entire .config directory rather than part of it.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

first, try removing titans kernel than see if it restarts..
if it doesnt then have you overclocked?
maybe undervoltage is the reason..
even happens on ideal at times..
thats why i use stock settings in titan up to 900 and min as 500
and since 500 is used most of the time *idle*, i've tweaked its voltage..
hope this helps

Re: N900 random reboots
 

Not sure if this post is aimed at me but I've always run stock kernel and not over clocked or done any thing to the cpu.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

lol no
its aimed at the originator of the thread..
i didnt read rest of the posts xD

**edit
i jus read ur post
actually its just the apps
try installing them manually
it will remove the unwanted ones and tell u which app is causing the restart

Re: N900 random reboots
 

It was too good to last, phone just Kernel Oopsed.

So far I've:
* Reflashed (both firmware and emmc)
* Installed apps manually (from only extras and testing, not enabled devel)
* Restored my communications and calendar

Time to send the phone back to Nokia

Re: N900 random reboots
 

perhaps
ur call
did u try jus reflashing ur emmc and firmware and leaving it on?
lets see if its the factory stuff thats causing it or something external

Re: N900 random reboots
 

i think its the pyrotate patch..it causes random reboots.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I did, and when I went to restore the backup of my comms and calender it rebooted. At first I thought it was part of the restore as it does a reboot but it did it immediately and when it loaded up I saw it hadn't restored anything.

I then tried the restore again and it worked, but then it seems to be rebooting more and more as I use it. I think the reason it took so long to reboot after I did the reflash (about 18 hours) was because I hardly used the phone as it didn't have any of my contacts, email accounts, IM accounts or calender setup.

I will probably reflash again this weekend just to be sure but I'm pretty convinced it's a hardware issue and I'll be sending it home next week.

Re: N900 random reboots
 

I had a N900 for 6 months without issue... then the micro USB port broke – Vodafone Ireland kindly agreed to fix the issue quickly. Anyway when the phone came back it started to randomly reboot and has been in and out to the ‘hospital’ for the last few months but to no avail – all the hardware checks out.

I have reflashed the device several times but to no avail – just realised last week that I did not do it correctly. When you reflash the eMMC, make sure and remove all power sources from the device momentarily once the eMMC has been reflashed. Then carry on flashing the FIASCO as per the wiki...

Hope this helps some of you out there – since I have done that I have had no random reboots since....

:) Happy Days!