Dear @VZWSupport - there are better ways to cure Android FF1 update USB problems than a factory reset

Yesterday at lunch when I was getting ready to play NTN Buzztime trivia, I got a message on my Samsung Stratosphere phone saying that an Android update was available. Once I confirmed that the message was a legitimate OS upgrade, I went ahead and started the procedure.

I subsequently found out that this upgrade was announced in August and has slowly been rolling out to Stratosphere users.

After the upgrade, I noticed occasional error messages on my phone that said

Sorry…Process com.android.settings stopped unexpectedly. Try again

but thought nothing of them...until the time came to transfer my recently purchased MP3 file ("Once in a Lifetime" by Wolfsheim) to my phone. When I got the error message again, I belatedly realized what that process was.

Among other things, it was the process that enabled the USB connection between my netbook and my phone.

Ouch.

I tried manually going through the Settings menu to the USB item...and got the same message.

Then I began wondering if other Samsung Stratosphere users on Verizon Wireless were encountering the same problem.

It turns out that they were.

Stratosphere FF1 update
This question is Not Answered.

cdepalma Sep 2, 2012 3:54 PM
Was prompted by my phone Friday that there an update for my phone. So I let it run. Since then I have lost my USB connection capability. When I plug-in my cord or connect through the settings, I get:

“Sorry…Process com.android.setting stopped unexpectedly. Try again”

The only way I can download/upload between is to remove my SD card and load it directly to my computer. If anybody has the same or any other problems, please post.

Hey VZW... how about a solution!!!???

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And that was just the first post in the thread. Other people were encountering the same problem - enough to make one wonder if Verizon Wireless had totally tested this update before sending it out.

So far, this particular thread has only had one comment from a Verizon Wireless cmployee. The employee was positive and helpful, but I'm not all that enthused about the suggested solution.

ChaunceyM_VZW Sep 6, 2012 7:41 AM (in response to Scoobdad)
Hello community members! What an interesting situation you all have going on after the update. Often times after a software update is completed a factory reset becomes necessary. I know completing this step can be a bit painful, but it resolves so many minor problems that pop up after the update. Please select the link for instructions: http://tinyurl.com/cnw949x
Let me know if this resolves your USB problems. Have a great day.

ChaunceyM_VZWSupport

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Of course, Verizon Wireless itself provides this comment about factory resets:

Performing a hard reset will remove ALL data including the Google account, system data, application data, application settings, and downloaded applications. Only perform this reset if absolutely necessary.

Frankly, if I have to execute a factory reset after updating my device...I'm not going to update my device. And others in the thread agreed.

Luckily, there were less nuclear options in the thread, and one of them worked for me. Basically, what I had to do was to make sure that my phone was not plugged in, go into my Settings, go to Applications, go to Development, and then temporarily enable USB Debugging. After that I plugged my phone into the USB cable, turned USB debugging off, waited a bit...and then was able to mount the phone on my computer as a USB storage device. As I write this I have no idea whether I'll still get these messages in the future, but at least I have a workaround.

If you'd like to see a step-by-step process on enabling USB debugging, see IT Jungles.

Now I can listen to Wolfsheim on my phone...and I'm wondering whether Verizon Wireless is going to release a new update, or just tell people to perform a factory reset.