Galaxy S3 won't download anything

Daniel King

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Current Phone Model
Galaxy S3 SPH-L710
Awesomeness. My SPH-L710 won't download from most apps. A short history. I used to have an S3 GT-I9300. Worked fine. I moved from Germany and got the SPH-L710 about 3 months ago from Freedompop as a refurbished phone. I've contacted Freedompop about the issue. They said that they would escalate the issue to a higher tier IT and that they would contact me. They would send me an email saying that my issue was solved without even talking to me, or another email. And they did this until their warranty was out. Fun.

So this phone comes rooted from Freedompop to integrate their messaging app. I don't really have any apps involved to take advantage of that, but if there's something I can do to help fix this issue, I'd be happy to install.

Almost no apps outside of stock Samsung apps or the Play Store will download anything to the phone. Almost all just say that the download failed. When it started, my OTHER S3 didn't have the KitKat update yet. I just figured that it was an issue with the KitKat SD card lock up. That's already "fixed" on my phone without me doing anything, I found out. I have an app to take pictures of receipts. The camera won't work in any app other than the stock Camera app. So it wouldn't save. Gmail won't save attachments onto the phone. I can save them to Google Drive, and then load them from there, but no dice on a download. I Amazon Appstore won't download any apps. Download Failed. Amazon Music won't download music I own. Rhapsody would stream music, but it won't download any files. Download Failed. In WhatsApp, I can't use the camera, upload or download images. Cant download from Google photos app. A few other apps to go along with it, too.

I've tried a factory reset. I've tried wiping the Dalvik cache. I've made sure that the "Downloads" and "Application Installer" apps are not turned off (some people seem to have this problem). Nothing that I've tried so far has fixed it. Is there a tool out there that can scan what's happening as the downloads fail? I'm somewhere between an average user and a power user. I've thought about installing a custom ROM, but i'm not sure if my phone will connect to freedompop network if I do. Maybe that would fix the issue...

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
 
FDR is one of the last things you can try without it being a hardware or a network issue. I'm leaning more toward the latter.

However, I just got one question for you. Does it matter what kind of network you're on (Wi-fi vs Cellular)? I'm only asking this because I didn't see it mentioned anywhere but I'm hoping Freedompop would've asked it already before they got you to a higher tier tech support I'm just confirming all bases are covered.
 
It doesn't matter what kind of network I'm on. I'm mostly at home, but when I try while I'm out and about, the same thing happens.
 
It doesn't matter what kind of network I'm on. I'm mostly at home, but when I try while I'm out and about, the same thing happens.

Hmmm...after doing a quick Google Search I found this. Do you have an SD card in your S3? If so, take it out and download again and see if you get the same message.
 
I've tried that one, too. I have been fighting with this one for months now. Normally, I just troll these sites. But this time, I had to ask a question. I took out the SD card, rebooted and still had the same issues.
 
I've tried that one, too. I have been fighting with this one for months now. Normally, I just troll these sites. But this time, I had to ask a question. I took out the SD card, rebooted and still had the same issues.

Boy you must have for it to be this annoying for ya. What's really weird is the fact that it let you do a factory reset or else I would say it is something to do with the internal memory which is a problem I had with my tablet just recently....sheesh I'm at a loss after that. After all you've done and the limited time I spent with ya, it may be hardware or network (which I originally thought anyways). I just couldn't pinpoint where since it is just downloads and it's not like you are having trouble accessing the Internet nor or you having trouble clearing partitions or erasing items on the phone...The only other thing I can recommend is something similar to a 'factory image flash' equivalent which if I remember right you do through Kies or ODIN and put all brand new software on it to make sure it isn't an issue with the underlying software itself instead of just clearing the content and settings (which is what an FDR does). Although you did mention installing a custom ROM which...kinda does the same thing but putting custom software instead of just the software the device came with. It's worth a shot if you're comfortable with the process.

EDIT: I just realized you did ask a question in the OP that I failed to see. No, as far as I'm aware of there is no tool or app that does any scanning to check on downloads and download fails. For the GS3 the only tool is ODIN as far as I'm aware of.
 
Thanks Thunderbolt. I'm thinking that there's something in the OS that has been changed inadvertently. And it must be in the install. Like I said, it comes from Freedompop already rooted. They have CyanogenMod on it as well. And with the KitKat thing already fixed, I think that the real problem comes from FP trying to lock down certain features. For instance, they have the "Hotspot" feature disabled, so that you have to pay them $4/mo in order to provide hotspot services. They have also tied their Message apps and the stock dialer together. I don't know why it seems to be affecting only my phone, but I can't get it out of my head that it's something to do with that set up. I see on the FP forums that a few people have successfully done a custom ROM. I'm thinking about flashing a custom ROM and seeing if that fixes the problem. Now...what ROM to use? Decisions.

Thanks again for the snappy replies. Hope you have an awesome Christmas.

Dan
 
Ok...would love to try and help you fix this issue. What service are you currently using?? And where are you located?? You need to reflash the device using sprints or FreedomPops software image for the device. I can tell you how to accomplish this as well.
 
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I have the same device with same name. I am using freedompop service
 
Here's what fixed it for me, in case anyone else is interested.

I hooked the phone up to the Samsung Kies with a USB cable. Kies identified that I had a firmware update, and asked if I wanted to update. I did that. It "rebranded" the phone to a "Sprint" phone, instead of a Freedompop phone. I had to download and reinstall Freedompop Messaging, and Freedompop Voicemail. After installing Freedompop Messaging, restart the phone, and log in. Easy peasy after that.

It runs, now, just like it should have. My biggest issue was that Freedompop hadn't issued any new firmware images, so all they would tell me to do was to do a factory reset. It wouldn't fix the issue because it was the same firmware as the issue.

No real problems since then. If Freedompop finds, though, that your phone is no longer branded as a Freedompop device, they won't offer you CS, though. But you just don't have to tell them...
 
Here's what fixed it for me, in case anyone else is interested.

I hooked the phone up to the Samsung Kies with a USB cable. Kies identified that I had a firmware update, and asked if I wanted to update. I did that. It "rebranded" the phone to a "Sprint" phone, instead of a Freedompop phone. I had to download and reinstall Freedompop Messaging, and Freedompop Voicemail. After installing Freedompop Messaging, restart the phone, and log in. Easy peasy after that.

It runs, now, just like it should have. My biggest issue was that Freedompop hadn't issued any new firmware images, so all they would tell me to do was to do a factory reset. It wouldn't fix the issue because it was the same firmware as the issue.

No real problems since then. If Freedompop finds, though, that your phone is no longer branded as a Freedompop device, they won't offer you CS, though. But you just don't have to tell them...

Sweet. Glad you got it working.
 
Thanks for tracking down a solution to the problem. I'm having the same problem with my freedompop samsung galaxy s3.

I tried running kies3 and it just locked up my computer and never returned from trying to update the firmware. Did you experience the same problem when updating the firmware?
 
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