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  • USB Charging issue for two devices after update

Greetings,

Been working hard to resolve this issue since I work in critical infrastructure networks. Both of my phones, Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a have GrapheneOS installed. However, just in the last week, both phones have stopped taking a charge after the updates ran and I started to get moisture and debris alerts on the USB. My critical work phone's SIM is in an old Samsung Galaxy at the moment due to the issue so I can take calls from work, my personal phone has USB debugging over wifi turned on so I can try to get a shell to remove whatever block in the code is causing this issue.

Unfortunately, none of the fixes out there appear to work - booting to the Bixby window, or exectera. Even forceing System UI to stop, failed to work. If I do get a 'enable USB' option when the moisture message appears, that doesn't work. I've looked over the developer forums and was unable to find adb shell command to disable this feature.

Rice bagging the phones was an option that I explored, that didn't work. I've used electonic cleaning fluide on the USB-C ports, but that did not work. Switching out multiple cables, charging plugs, computering charging, car charging - none of this worked. Since it's both phones, the batteries being bad and both USB-C ports suddenly quitting to take a charge (while giving what appears to be false moisture messages) does not appear to be logical to me and bears evidence that this is an issue surrounding the update.

Is there a known adb command to kill this feature or what do you guys suggest that I haven't already tried?

    I am experiencing the same issue on my pixel 7a

    dmadhatr GrapheneOS doesn't have a "Bixby window", so honestly it's not clear how to decode the provided description of events.

    Those devices are quite old and no longer secure, so it might be best to replace at least one of them.

      Actually it does have Bixby in the screen window on volume up power on.

      Stated, de0u, nothing you wrote contributed to fixing the issue, so not sure why you posted.

      If I choose to use those two models of phones, its supported and that's my business.

      I'm definately no longer financially donating to this project if this is normal type of response one will get - people are having issues caused by the code update, they can address it [removed]

        Also, if the person who posted above with a Pixel 7a is having the same issue, wouldn't it seem logicial to assume the issue isn't the hardware that's been acting normally and then suddenly caused an issue, but an update?

        The point is, is this non-sense can be fixed by simply side loading an adb shell command, that would be great - if not, it's an issue that needs to be addressed.

        I'd appreciate someone on this project with knowledge of this issue to offer some type of resolution, even if it is down the road.

        dmadhatr I'm not going to contribute anything helpful either, but some of your response here is way out of line. If you want to use this forum, you should be respectful of other community members.

        I will have to edit out the most offensive part of your response. Saying something similar again will result in a ban.

          dmadhatr try to get a shell to remove whatever block in the code is causing this issue.

          I don't believe this is possible.

          dmadhatr Bixby window

          I have no idea what this is. I googled it and it appears to be a Samsung thing?

          dmadhatr are having issues caused by the code update

          This is the first I'm hearing of people having these issues, so whatever the cause is, it's not widespread. Apart from you and the other community member here, I've heard no reports of this issue.

          Maybe to you it seems that the only possible explanation is an update, but considering there are others with the same phone model as you who aren't experiencing this issue makes me wonder what it is about your phones that's causing the issue. I'm less inclined to think it's caused by an update though.

                Fine and fair enough - it's your forum @other8026 and understood - not my community and I get it.

                Here is the deal, I'll do this:

                Both of the phones mentioned above will go to the shop, I'll have both USB-C connections replaced on those ports and the batteries. Already spoke to them previously this past week, and they are certified to work on Pixels. This will be done as a sanity check. This will give a good base line for eliminating factors that may be an issue.

                Also, I just purchased the exact Pixel chargers and cables to eliminate that as an issue.

                Plus, I just bought a Pixel 6 (not 6a) that should be here this week - I'll put Graphene on it, run it and let it update.

                If the issue still occurs, I'll post a $1,000 bug bounty to fix this issue, OK? Alot of people are running into this problem, so it would be worth it to get it resolved.

                Thanks for your time.

                  On the Bixby, for clarity, I mean image with 'no command' on the volume up option - not the Samsung Bixby.

                  This is not a common issue. AFAIK these are the only reports of this.

                  Since this is hitting both your devices I wonder if you may have changed something on them both via Developer options or adb which is causing this?

                  Its possible to break unexpected things by making such changes. There have been a number of cases of people having problems over the years.

                  We generally advise against making changes in dev options or via adb due to the security implications and the possibility of causing breakage.

                  Thank you @Carlos-Anso

                  For GrapheneOS, no, I've trusted your organization enough not to haved used the ADB SHELL on any of the two phones listed above. The boot loader was locked after initial install of Graphene OS as well per instructions. They are both stock and received regular updates (for the 4a it's on whatever pushes come from the extended support updates). I am very familiar with side commands in the ADB SHELL. Since I've not had an issue to debloat a GrapheneOS phone, I haven't resorted to pulling out software ever/yet.

                  Again, per creating a fair baseline - I'm unsure if any charging issue may have caused this issue for both phones in the same week - without knowing what logs to gather, I can't provide any additional information for troubleshooting. I won't continue to hyperfocus on the update as the cause since I would like to replace the ports and batteries in both first. The only logical baselines I can offer is to replace the traditional source of known hardware issues for these models of phones, the ports and batteries - and then use the pro-offered Google chargers for these models. One phone charged from a conditioned power supply, the other phone was on it's on standard USA 15 V 125 V outlet (line tested good for informational purposes and is properly wired per the check I did with a Klein Tools GFCI Receptacle Tester). The chargers were vendor provided, I do not know if they subbed any third party parts, just the chargers they came with from the retailer.

                  At this point, until I have better evidence, I will tenatively withdraw my assertation that it may have been an update. After reading through the comments provided by your group on this thread, it only makese sense to reduce known causations for this issue.

                  As stated, the only way I can know for certain is to replace the aforementioned parts, standardize the charging conditions and create a baseline that is fair for troubleshooting.

                  Additionally, the Pixel 6 (ordered and en route) will only charge from the provided charger/cable - if it occurs again on all three devices (the two going into the shop this coming week days), I would like to go further into this issue with the Graphene Forum to isolate causes.

                  Appreciate your response.

                  dmadhatr Both of the phones mentioned above will go to the shop, I'll have both USB-C connections replaced on those ports and the batteries.

                  Hopefully the shop fixes the problem, but since the phones are older models and people are working on them, it becomes harder to say with certainty that the issue is with the OS.

                  dmadhatr If the issue still occurs, I'll post a $1,000 bug bounty to fix this issue, OK? Alot of people are running into this problem, so it would be worth it to get it resolved.

                  I can't speak for the project, but in the past they have said on multiple occasions that they won't do work for bounties. This comment explains why: https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/13298-bug-bounty-program/5

                  Also, I still have yet to hear of other people who are experiencing this problem. So far, it's just two people with three devices. One of those people hasn't elaborated, so it's entirely possible their phone was operating as it should, and was protecting itself from wet or dirty ports/cables.

                      The work phone is a 5a, not a 5 ( 5a still gets full updates), will retire the 4a if you guys are telling me it's insecure - will move the work SIM to the 6 - do you have a roadmap for when you will no longer fully suport that 5a?

                      (Edit, apologize - I understand the confusion now ; the base models 5 and 4 aren't supported looking at your list, but the a models are - should have included that exact model number in the first posts). Still let me know when legacy support gets dropped for the 4a and when it may be best to change out the 5a.

                      • de0u replied to this.

                        dmadhatr Still let me know when legacy support gets dropped for the 4a and when it may be best to change out the 5a.

                        The last full-support release for the 4a was 2023-09-06. As of 2023-09-18 the official statement was "Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL and Pixel 4a are end-of-life and shouldn't be used anymore due to lack of security patches for firmware and drivers. We provide extended support for harm reduction" (emphasis added). The fact that the 4a has received some updates to the upper layers of the software stack does not mean that firmware bugs (likely including remote-code-execution bugs) have been fixed, or even tracked.

                        Firmware support for the 5a may end as soon as August 1. Even assuming GrapheneOS issues some legacy-support updates after August 1, the end of firmware support is arguably a good inflection point for "may be best to replace", as opposed to the point where the device is no longer getting any updates of any kind.

                        Replacing devices that still run fine is frustrating. But as long as there are bad firmware bugs, and as long as device manufacturers stop fixing bad firmware bugs while devices still run fine, users who want reasonable security may be forced to replace devices while they are still running fine.

                          @de0u Apologize for the rough landing, really appreciate the update on the device security map and deeply appreciate the explaination on both devices. I'll plan on getting a Pixel 7 in August to replace the 5a.

                          Unfortunately, this became a moot issue today when speaking to the cell repair company (only one shop here works on Pixels) - port / battery replacement was north of the cost of each individual Pixel 5a and 4a with 2.5 hours to solder for each - so they are just going to be replaced, he was not able to provide more input. Just eaier to buy another phone. Went ahead and ordered another updated Pixel, the Pixel 6 that got here today has Qi, so, USB charging doesn't matter as much - that works fine.

                          I will not be providing more input on this issue.

                          Appreicated.