Custom OS Warning
staceyschu
Newbie

Hi, I have a Samsung Stratoshpere and it hasn't been the greatest phone. Right now it is showing me a warning screen for a Custom OS. For one i have no clue what that is and two, I cannot navigate it away from that screen. I have taken the battery out and tried to restart it but everytime i turn it on that same screen pops up and doesnt go away. I need help!!!!

Thanks.

Labels (1)
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Re: Custom OS Warning
budone
Legend

Have you or someone you know try to fix the poor performing phone?

Can you take a picture of the warning and post please?

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Re: Custom OS Warning
staceyschu
Newbie

it says Warning!

A custom OS can cause critical problems in phone and installed applications.

If you want to download a custom OS, press the volume up key. Otherwise, press the volume down key to cancel.

then shows a yellow triangle with a "!" in it.

but even when i press the volume down key it does nothing.. its been like this since 3:30 am last night

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Re: Custom OS Warning
demmo86rt
Champion - Level 3

Sounds like you somehow got into either the bootloader or recovery. Try pulling the battery, then restarting the phone.

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Re: Custom OS Warning
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Good morning staceyschu,

     Thank you for sharing your wireless concern with the community. The message that you are getting is definitely not common! No need to worry as I'm confident that we can partner together and customize a solution for you! May I ask is there any physical or liquid damage on the device? Also, what was the last action performed on the device before you received this message? The suggestion that demmo86rt gave is a good starting point. what happened after you pulled the battery? If you are getting the same error message then please advise. The next step would be to try a factory reset. Here's a link with the steps below.

http://support.verizonwireless.com/clc/devices/knowledge_base.html?id=47757

     As always, I suggest verifying that you contacts and calendar entries are backed up before performing this reset.This can be done by logging into your Gmail account on a computer. After the reset completes then the device would need to be re-setup. after you re-setup the device using the tutorial then please retest all of your voice and data services. If you are still getting the error message then please advise so we can investigate further.

Thank you...

ArnettH_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: Custom OS Warning
mathdiva28
Newbie

My Samsung Stratosphere is doing the exact same thing as of just a few hours ago. I can hit the down volume button and it will turn on but then it keeps turning off and on and freezing. No new downloads or anything. I'll try the factory reset like suggested here. Just didn't want to think you were the only one experiencing this

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Re: Custom OS Warning
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

I just want to check in with everyone to see how things are going since the factory reset.
I look forward to your reply.

Tamara H.
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: Custom OS Warning
gully360
Newbie

I had got the same message a few times in the past several months and just volumed down and restarted the phone.  This morning I got the message and again restarted it.  Then 5 minutes later it just shut off by itself.  Just another one of the issues I have with this stradosphere.

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Re: Custom OS Warning
techman05usa
Enthusiast - Level 2

Has there been any other updates on this matter. I just noticed the custom lock when I restarted my S3. As far as I know I didn't root my phone or install a custom rom. I do plan to factory reset so I can clear whatever going on. As far as I know the only thing that's happened is that I don't get the tone when I hit the main screen after starting up the phone.

Big thing I installed was isis today.

Edit.. restarted phone and it seems not to be there anymore. I went through my recent installs just to see if any of them mentioned requiring root and none did so I'm not quite sure what brought it up. I hope that something comes up to give me a better idea why this message occurred.

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Re: Custom OS Warning
KB28
Newbie

This has happened a few times over the past year.  It seems random, and it is as if after an app update is downloaded the Android OS flags it as a custom OS.  The first time this happened I actually did click the up volume button, it restarted and nothing seemed different for awhile.  Then I would notice apps got slower the battery drained quickly and occasionally the phone wouldn't respond at all.  Ended up doing a hard factory reset wiping out everything and starting over.  Didn't help.  Verizon checked it out, couldn't figure out the problem and declared it a 'lemon' phone and I was issued a new (although refurbished) Stratosphere.  Things after that were fine for a few weeks, but now I still occasionally get locked up apps or weird responses (going to the texting app, begin to enter a name, the texting app crashes and dumps me back onto the home screen).  Decided to wait out my remaining 10 months on my two years of Verizon indentured servitude and never get another Samsung device again.

BUT... today I also got the "Custom OS" warning again!   This time I did not click the up volume button, I clicked the down volume where the phone promptly froze so I had to pop the cover, remove the batter and restart.

So far:  LG sucks, Samsung sucks so I'll either switch to Motorola or go for an iOS device. My husband swears by Motorola and has never has the issues I've had with both LG and Samsung!

I would be nice if somebody in the Verizon support organization could figure out what causes these problems and work with the manufacturers to fixed/prevent them, instead of just asking repeatedly if the phone was exposed to moisture, or if it was rooted, and then only suggesting to remove the battery restart the phone or do a factory reset.

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