Hi, I downloaded the latest firmware update on Monday (with a few weeks of delay) and without executing the update shortly after the download using Telegram-App my screen got frozen and the whole FP3 didn’t react (but display was still working); so I rebootet the device and from that moment on my display stayed black, but the FP3 bootet correctly, because I had an incoming call - just couldn’t answer it without the black display. I tried to reboot several times, taking out battery for a while, but nothing worked. Contacted inmediately FP support, but no response for now. Seems to be clearly a software/firmware issue. Anybody with same experience who can help me out of this?
What did you download? You are not specific 
The latest OS update is indeed a few weeks old but that is usually provided OTA (Over The Air) and is installed automatically.
Do you have an SD card and is it formatted as an external drive? i.e. under storage can you see the eject icon to the right of the SD card?
The latest OS update was downloaded (but no restart or whatsoever was performed - I’m not sure if it has been installed; I downloaded it later because when it came out I was busy or whatever and skipped the OS update). I don’t use SD card, nor have used ever SD cards within the FP3.
Certainly had some issues before with this FP3, like random restarts (sometimes every few minutes), which were solved with the OS updates before (ends of 2020). Finally, the FP3 was working decently for some months, but now we are back with big trouble…
Still unclear as to what you did whether you actively downloaded the update or if it was pushed to you. i.e. you got a message to download and it automatic. If that is the case it is unusual you haven’t been informed of other versions since 2020. If that is the case then maybe you could state which network you are using that has only offered this one update since 2020??
What version do you think you had in 2020 that you think you downloaded an update to?
There have been a number of updates since 2020
Have you checked your memory? If it was a large download and you only have about 5Gb left the system may have crashed.
You could try and start in safe mode which would avoid installing any apps you have, that will free up resources.
Thank you very much for your answer. I got a reminder to download the update and so I did; regarding free space, I don’t think it’s the problem, but I’m not sure - anyway, I think, if it was a less than 5 Gb free space issue, system should check that and notify to free space before starting the download. I didn’t see that actually the new OS version was installed, I was just checking a Telegram message when suddenly OS crashed and screen froze. After rebooting, as said, I only got black screen, not even the Fairphone logo appears when rebooting. I just tried to get in safe mode, but without seeing anything I don’t know if I really got there, if so, it didn’t change anything, still black screen.
I’m not sure about the former OS version, but I’m sure I performed all updates I got notified to do and never the update process presented any problem - till now.
Regarding network, I don’t have preference for updates via WiFi, have unlimited 4G data anyway, but I think it was downloaded by WiFi at my girl friend’s flat.
I never ever had any issue with former smartphones running with Android; I just got bored of changing the smartphone every now and then because of a broken display and wanted to have a sustainable product, but have to say that my experience with FP3 has been quite annoying, so many OS issues, I’m really regretting the choice.
You are not alone 
Though I should add I am not regretful as I wasn’t surprised by the problems and poor support ~ I thought it was a bit of a joke. However the joke is largely on me as it shows what us first worlders have come to expect ~ what we want, when we want is at a price that suits our budget.
A budgeted life leads to a downhearted experience,
But to push a point it’s not so much above being efficient and getting the best from the environment for the least effort but about making the effort for no personal material gain.
Have you been through these posts?
Have not been through all of the earlier related posts, but haven’t seen anything suiting so far. I could try to unplug and plug in again the display, but I’m sure there was nothing causing any physical stress on the phone (at least not during the last week).
I’m happy with the modular design and also with robustness of the FP3 and I’m not really a demanding user regarding performance. I don’t care paying more for a worse performing product, if it’s respectful with environment and society, but at least it has to perform without frequent OS crashes which unfortunately hasn’t been the case so far (excepting from December 2020 till last week when I haven’t had any severe issues).
Thank you very much for your support!
Wouldn’t that be nice
Issue resolved! Finally I got an answer from support and they told me to dismount display module and remount it again; the strange thing is that I have to leave one screw without tightening (from the left edge slightly to the center seen from behind), else display loses contact again and stays black…
So it’s not an OS issue; I also have seen that the update hasn’t been performed still, I’m doing it right now while writing.
4 Likes
This sounds like a manufacturing problem and as|if the phone is under warranty could be replaced. Ensure support is aware that you may want it replaced at some point if it keeps happening.
4 Likes
Yes, I can confirm that this is not normal. I have had no such issues and I’ve taken off the display a few times.
3 Likes
I guess, as there is no soldering and contact of the display module is done only by pressure, somehow pressure gets unbalanced when tightening that screw in my case. Actually I could see after disassambling that some of the contacts got like scratched where the contact is made my the spikes of the frame module. If the black screen issue occurrs again, I might use some contact spray and I think that the problem then would be finally solved.
The strange thing in my case was that it randomly just happened with the firmware update downloading and there was no physical stress on the phone, so that was what made me think of a firmware issue…
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.