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Question

Samsung Note 3 RARE issue, please help!!

Feb 25, 2015 2:54PM PST

So I have never seen anything like this before, please help!

I'm at the store today and all of a sudden by phone just turns off. (It was at 7% when it just went off out of nowhere)

I go home and plug it in the wall and I get the green charging symbol. I just back later and it says your phone is upgrading. So I assume a system update is going on.

When I take it off the charger, that is where the chaos begins. I can only text and make/receive calls. The phone shows 4G at the top, with full signal bars but cannot go online. None of my apps work and when I try to take a picture and then click the gallery, I get a no images/videos available message.

Here is a crazy part: When I restart the phone, on the loading screen appears, a small picture of an unlocked lock appears with the word CUSTOM underneath.

I have NEVER rooted my phone, so I have no idea why this would suddenly appear after this mystery turn off/upgrade. I have also not recently installed any crazy third party apps.

Now here is even a crazier part and why I am stuck in limbo on what to do. When I go to MY FILES to try to see my old pics/vids/files, it says DEVICE STORAGE AVAILABLE- 5 gigs out of 32 gigs. That is what it said before this mystery reboot/update, so obviously it still has all of my files and videos stored somewhere! When I click on files and videos, everything is empty though!

Even stranger when I connect to my PC in an attempt to backup these files and videos-same thing it shows the PHONE ICON and the blue bar almost full. As the PC even shows that all my files are still on the phone. But when I click the phone in my PC it takes me to an empty page with no items!

I called Samsung and AT AND T and they had no idea what to do except suggest a full reset. The problem is I have important files and pics/vids that I need to backup before I do and obviously they are still on the phone.

Can someone please help on a way I can get to my files to back them up on my PC before doing a full reset?

Please help! (phone is Note 3 ATANDT)

Discussion is locked

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Answer
files
Feb 25, 2015 4:19PM PST

are the files on the microsd card or in the phone storage? If on card, remove the card, place it in its adapter and insert it into your computer. If you do not have one, then I would suggest in the future get one and store all of your files and pictures on it so if something happens to the phone again you will not lose anything important.

you can try clearing the cache partition. you will not lose any files.

Turn off the phone and remove the battery, then reinsert
Press and hold the Volume Up key and Home key, then press and hold the Power key
When it vibrates release the Power key
The recovery menu should appear - release the other keys
Navigate using the Volume keys to Wipe all cache (power key to select)
Press the Power key to reboot

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Did not work
Feb 26, 2015 9:06AM PST

No SD card on this phone. I tried what you suggested and nothing changes. Thanks though...anybody else???

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You say you can see files?
Feb 26, 2015 9:09AM PST

Then why not use Dropbox to shuttle them over?

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Reply
Feb 26, 2015 1:13PM PST

I cannot access dropbox because the internet on my phone won't work-All I can do is make calls and text(which is odd because the internet signal bars and 4G logo are full and appear at the top)

And plus no images are selectable or viewable. Just I know they are there because under MY FILES under
Device storage available, it says 5 gigs-just like before this mystery restart. So 25 gigs of storage is taken up by my pics/vids/files I just can't access them. Same thing when I connect to PC, it shows the phone icon under my computer with 25 gigs of files on device, but when I click on it it takes me to a blank page.

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Don't need cellular internet.
Feb 27, 2015 12:02AM PST

I solved one like yours by connecting to a WiFi hotspot to get dropbox, ES File explorer and get the files out.

I'm sure folk want it easier than that so why not drivesavers.com? I hear they are getting into phone data recovery now.
Bob

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es file explorer
Feb 26, 2015 9:20AM PST

when you say your note is connected to the computer, how is it connected? through samsung kies? if not, give that a try. see if you can access your files using es file explorer app. you can get it from the play store. finally have you been getting your apps from the play store or from various locations. If from various locations, you may want to run some type of anti-virus/anti-malware app.

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reply
Feb 26, 2015 1:15PM PST

Yes, when I connect it via USB. I downloaded KIES and it will do anything with my device.

I can't download anything from the Play Store on my phone because the internet does not work on it. Even though I have full signal bars on display and the 4g logo.

Any other ideas guys??