Droid X-tra: Droid X Update 2 Android 2.2 Screen Freezes on "M" Fixed

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android_system_recovery-01.jpgThe Droid X is one of the best Android an' Droid phones around now.  It's got a big easy-to-read screen, all the Google you could ever want and, before the update to Android 2.2, it was very reliable.  The update, however, caused a few problems that we were not able to repair.

Android Froyo 2.2 has a lot of features that warrant upgrade, and a list of these follows.  It includes 22 enhancements, including faster web browsing, apps loaded to the microSD and MIcrosoft Exchange fixes.

The update to Android 2.2 was pushed out over-the-air (OTA) on September 22.  It took about 20 minutes(see step by step directions.)  After the installation on the Droid X, I  had to pull the battery, and the microSD card when the screen froze, showed the Motorola "M" and the deep Droid sound bellowed.

Update 10/14/10 - Motorola acknowledged "issues" and problems with the Droid X update to Android 2.2 Froyo.  Motorola is working on fixes to several added glitches including the stuck "M."

When data is sent over-the-air, there is a small possibility that the data can be corrupted and require a factory reset.

When I recently turned on the Droid X with the Android 2.2 update, the Motorola "M" appeared again, and the phone did not turn on or boot.  I called Verizon support and was told to remove the microSD and battery and then to hold down both the on button and the "home" button" for a factory reset.

The friendly Verizon rep told us that that sometimes works.  He escalated the call and told us to call a special Motorola phone number.  The Motorola rep told us to remove the battery and the microSD card for ten minutes and then to put the battery back in, turn on the Droid X without the microSD installed, and perform a factory reset (also called a hard reset) by holding down the on button and home key.

Then a triangle with an exclamation point showed on the screen, and I pressed the search key to get a menu.  Operating the menu was tricky because you use the volume keys to move the cursor and the camera key to activate the reset. 

Here are the exact steps to perform a factory (or hard) reset:

  • Press and hold the Home key+Power button simultaneuously.
  • From the Recovery screen (exclamation point with an Android figure), press the Search key.
  • Use the Volume keys (up/down) to highlight and the Camera key to select.
  • Touch Yes—delete all user data; then touch Ok.
  • Allow the factory reset process to complete (approximately 1 minute).
  • Ensure reboot system now is highlighted; then touch Ok.

While waiting, the Motorola rep told me that very few customers had this particular issue with the Droid X.  He had only done the process about three times.

Finally, after several tries and about an hour of troubleshooting and returning to the original factory settings, the Droid X came back to life!

I re-entered my Google account information.  All the contacts stored in Google appeared in the contact list on the Droid X.  Any downloaded software still has to be reinstalled.

It reminded me of the “old days” when personal computers were new, and I was on the phone for hours due to one little software glitch to get my computer running.  The good news is that I have a landline, and I was able to call support.  I also have cable Internet service and can go to the web for instructions.  Fortunately for me, I am not dependent on one device for everything.

I am not going to rant, pointing my finger at Verizon or Motorola or Google and call them all kinds of derrogatory names.  Today smartphones, especially Androids and iPhones, are more like computers than phones.  We expect them to tell us where friends are, distill information from several social networks, give us updates on news/weather, and tell us where to go when we are lost—for us to be perfect.  The Droid X was programmed by people who are not perfect.  The redeeming quality of human beings, however, is that we can forgive ourselves and others for not being perfect.

List of Android 2.2 Droid X Enhancements:

  • Improved web browsing with pre-installed Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for Android.
  • Easily switch between the 8 most recent applications.
  • Enhanced browser performance for faster loading of JavaScript heavy pages.
  • Rotating your screen 270 degrees to work in apps—either to the left or to the right when moving from portrait to landscape mode.
  • Automatically updated Android Market apps always exist with the latest versions of your downloaded applications.
  • Option to store applications in your device’s memory or on a storage card for better capacity.
  • Option to use preloaded VZ Navigator application.
  • Get visual and audible directions to a destination, locate businesses and other places in an area, get a map of a location, bookmark favorites and recent searches, and share locations with others.  Overall improvements for Google Maps performance.
  • Improved connectivity to Exchange server and Exchange ActiveSync email notifications.
  • Easily edit MMS messages after attaching video files.
  • Manage message history from Contact application.
  • Transition from Wi-Fi and 3G without losing data connection.
  • Improved 3G Mobile Hotspot application.
  • Visual Voice Mail updates include simplified setup, improved notifications and updated display features.
  • Easily listen to voice mail via Bluetooth when using the Visual Voice Mail application.
  • Manage contacts with updated Backup Assistant.

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