How the 950 XL made me lose my mind

[mattdistro]

UPDATE 2: New 950 XL in my hands! Thanks to Dominique and Tim at the Microsoft Store! Also thanks to the rep I talked to on the phone as well, sorry I forgot your name!

UPDATE: See post #24

Step one: Be me on vacation in July 2015. Drop 1520.3 on side of mountain and shatter it into a billion pieces. No new flagship coming anytime soon. Have backup Lumia 640, maybe I'll use that.

Step two: buy 640 XL, decide it's too slow, buy another 1520 (ATT version without Qi), decide I shall suffer until November.

Step three: Pre-order 950 XL as soon as possible, get the phone on Nov 24th. Love it, cherish it, take on it's last name as my own.

Step Four: Try to use camera one day 2 weeks later, find out it's not working. Hmm, a reboot will fix this, still not working. Hmm, a factory reset? Still no luck.

Step Five: take an hour drive to the closest Microsoft Store. Confirm what I already know, it's a hardware issue. Store can't give me a replacement since they have none in stock. Told to submit a repair request online.

Step Six: Call other store within reasonable driving distance. Never get to talk to someone actually in the store. Takes three tries to get a rep willing to help. Store #2 has no 950 XLs in stock.

Step Seven: Submit online repair request. Receive email immediately stating:

We are experiencing some system difficulties in completing your repair request. As soon as the issue is sorted out, the relevant information will be sent to you via email.

Step Eight: Wait 5 hours, get curious and call customer care. Told request was received and to wait 3-5 hours.

Step Nine: wait 24 hours. Still no email. Reach out on twitter to @LumiaHelp. run through all the troubleshooting steps again even though I made it clear in the beginning store said it was bad. No help, just told to resubmit my request again.

Step Ten: Talk to customer care again. Slightly more helpful this time. Say request has failed for some reason. That it will be escalated to the proper department and that they will contact me in 48 to 96 hours. Know from past experience when someone says this, it almost never happens.

Step Eleven: Sit here fondling my $650 camera-less phone wondering if it'll ever get fixed. Hide under my desk at work and weep softly.

 

[Phoibos]

I cross my fingers for you!

 

[Joe920]

Try to use camera one day 2 weeks later, find out it's not working. Hmm, a reboot will fix this, still not working.

Can you describe what happens? Do other camera apps work, e.g. ProShot?

 

[djeire84]

Step one: Be me on vacation in July 2015. Drop 1520.3 on side of mountain and shatter it into a billion pieces. No new flagship coming anytime soon. Have backup Lumia 640, maybe I'll use that.

Step two: buy 640 XL, decide it's too slow, buy another 1520 (ATT version without Qi), decide I shall suffer until November.

Step three: Pre-order 950 XL as soon as possible, get the phone on Nov 24th. Love it, cherish it, take on it's last name as my own.

Step Four: Try to use camera one day 2 weeks later, find out it's not working. Hmm, a reboot will fix this, still not working. Hmm, a factory reset? Still no luck.

Step Five: take an hour drive to the closest Microsoft Store. Confirm what I already know, it's a hardware issue. Store can't give me a replacement since they have none in stock. Told to submit a repair request online.

Step Six: Call other store within reasonable driving distance. Never get to talk to someone actually in the store. Takes three tries to get a rep willing to help. Store #2 has no 950 XLs in stock.

Step Seven: Submit online repair request. Receive email immediately stating:

We are experiencing some system difficulties in completing your repair request. As soon as the issue is sorted out, the relevant information will be sent to you via email.

Step Eight: Wait 5 hours, get curious and call customer care. Told request was received and to wait 3-5 hours.

Step Nine: wait 24 hours. Still no email. Reach out on twitter to @LumiaHelp. run through all the troubleshooting steps again even though I made it clear in the beginning store said it was bad. No help, just told to resubmit my request again.

Step Ten: Talk to customer care again. Slightly more helpful this time. Say request has failed for some reason. That it will be escalated to the proper department and that they will contact me in 48 to 96 hours. Know from past experience when someone says this, it almost never happens.

Step Eleven: Sit here fondling my $650 camera-less phone wondering if it'll ever get fixed. Hide under my desk at work and weep softly.

Have you tried resetting your phone with the windows phone recovery tool via usb?

I have found this is much better then using the generic about.. Reset phone option.

 

[mattdistro]

Can you describe what happens? Do other camera apps work, e.g. ProShot?

Here's the error from Windows Camera



Other camera apps just lock up when trying to access the camera

 

[mattdistro]

Have you tried resetting your phone with the windows phone recovery tool via usb?

I have found this is much better then using the generic about.. Reset phone option.

Been there, done that.

 

[Joe920]

Here's the error from Windows Camera. Other camera apps just lock up when trying to access the camera

Ugh, that sucks. It's a long shot, but in the off chance that something is going wrong with the save location, maybe change where photo's are saved. "Settings > System > Storage > New pictures will save to.." I fear it won't help because it's not trying to save anything when you launch the camera, but who knows. Other random option, take out the battery for a few minutes. Yet another random thought: disable Windows Hello, which I think also uses the camera.

 

[djeire84]

Been there, done that.

Have you tried soft resetting your phone (power button and volume down together until vibrate then release).

 

[mattdistro]

Have you tried soft resetting your phone (power button and volume down together until vibrate then release).

Yep, did that at the MS store

 

[Musicman247]

Here's the error from Windows Camera

View attachment 118528

Other camera apps just lock up when trying to access the camera

I got that error on my 925 once, after I dropped it. The camera had come disconnected slightly. Had to open the back and re-sit the connector. I'm guessing you haven't dropped or roughly handled your phone?

 

[mattdistro]

I got that error on my 925 once, after I dropped it. The camera had come disconnected slightly. Had to open the back and re-sit the connector. I'm guessing you haven't dropped or roughly handled your phone?

Haven't dropped it, but I've wondered myself if this is what happened. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try taking it apart to see.

 

[jmajid]

i remember my wifes N9 had this very same error - worded the same also...
it was a hardware issue with connections to the camera...

 

[Jack Neill]

Step one: Be me on vacation in July 2015. Drop 1520.3 on side of mountain and shatter it into a billion pieces. No new flagship coming anytime soon. Have backup Lumia 640, maybe I'll use that.

Step two: buy 640 XL, decide it's too slow, buy another 1520 (ATT version without Qi), decide I shall suffer until November.

Step three: Pre-order 950 XL as soon as possible, get the phone on Nov 24th. Love it, cherish it, take on it's last name as my own.

Step Four: Try to use camera one day 2 weeks later, find out it's not working. Hmm, a reboot will fix this, still not working. Hmm, a factory reset? Still no luck.

Step Five: take an hour drive to the closest Microsoft Store. Confirm what I already know, it's a hardware issue. Store can't give me a replacement since they have none in stock. Told to submit a repair request online.

Step Six: Call other store within reasonable driving distance. Never get to talk to someone actually in the store. Takes three tries to get a rep willing to help. Store #2 has no 950 XLs in stock.

Step Seven: Submit online repair request. Receive email immediately stating:

We are experiencing some system difficulties in completing your repair request. As soon as the issue is sorted out, the relevant information will be sent to you via email.

Step Eight: Wait 5 hours, get curious and call customer care. Told request was received and to wait 3-5 hours.

Step Nine: wait 24 hours. Still no email. Reach out on twitter to @LumiaHelp. run through all the troubleshooting steps again even though I made it clear in the beginning store said it was bad. No help, just told to resubmit my request again.

Step Ten: Talk to customer care again. Slightly more helpful this time. Say request has failed for some reason. That it will be escalated to the proper department and that they will contact me in 48 to 96 hours. Know from past experience when someone says this, it almost never happens.

Step Eleven: Sit here fondling my $650 camera-less phone wondering if it'll ever get fixed. Hide under my desk at work and weep softly.

Have you tried beating it senseless on a desk? That's worked for me on multiple devices...

 

[anguilla1980]

Have you tried resetting your phone with the windows phone recovery tool via usb?

I have found this is much better then using the generic about.. Reset phone option.

Off topic slightly, but may I ask how so exactly? I've always thought a hard reset or may even two was as good as it gets. If I could benefit from actually re-flashing more....

 

[cracgor]

Have you tried beating it senseless on a desk? That's worked for me on multiple devices...

If that does not work, I might suggest throwing it into a wall. It will provide immediate catharsis.

 

[Jazmac]

Seriously? Just take it back. Either that or melt into a puddle of butter.

 

[ven07]

Haven't dropped it, but I've wondered myself if this is what happened. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try taking it apart to see.

Not sure if I have the balls to take apart a $650 phone, but if it's under warranty and you have the tools... Why not?

*casually leaves link here while whistling (take me out to the ball game)* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jt-bWC3ZiA

 

[Ten Four]

My two cents--don't even think about taking apart a phone under warranty. Where did you get it from? Did you purchase direct from Microsoft? See if you can get a human on the phone and raise Holy H**** until you get to speak to a manager or someone who will tell you what you need to know. But, here's the trick, do it politely! Don't insult the people on the phone. Just be very firm and tell them you are not waiting any longer. If this is not resolved immediately you are reporting this to the Better Business Bureau and the state's attorney general's consumer protection office.

 

[JettleMania]

My two cents--don't even think about taking apart a phone under warranty. Where did you get it from? Did you purchase direct from Microsoft? See if you can get a human on the phone and raise Holy H**** until you get to speak to a manager or someone who will tell you what you need to know. But, here's the trick, do it politely! Don't insult the people on the phone. Just be very firm and tell them you are not waiting any longer. If this is not resolved immediately you are reporting this to the Better Business Bureau and the state's attorney general's consumer protection office.

I like the approach (and I feel badly for Matt) but out of stock is, well... out of stock. That said, the store ought to be able to prioritize a replacement. Stuff happens; store employees/management just need to deal with it professionally. Unfortunately, I've found "calling the store" rarely connects you with someone IN THE STORE--it's maddening--and MicrosoftStore.Com tends to be an... unfulfilling experience (to be polite).

Best wishes for a happy end to this nightmare. I've grown to really enjoy my 950xl (after 10586.29!)

 

[worldspy99]

I am going to guess that the flex cable connecting the camera module to the motherboard is either bad or never even clicked into place correctly to begin with...