XZ2 bootloop after android P update (Model H8276)

[Knnstr]

I just got notice of the android P update (52.0.A.3.27) from my carrier on Bell for my H8276 model. After the download and restart, my phone would bootloop 5-6 times and would roll back the update to the existing Oreo that is on the phone. The phone says the phone failed to update. Screenshot attached.

Any idea what's going on and is this happening to other Canadian XZ2's out there? 

Timeline of events

2018/10/16 (eastern timezone)

11:30PM - Performed Android P (52.0.A.3.27) from my Canadian carrier Bell

11:50PM - Flash complete and device asks to restart 

11:55PM - During boot, the Sony logo flashes multiple times about 5-6 seconds inbetween each other and then boots successfully but back into its previous update (Android O)

2018/10/17

12:25AM - Started Xperia companion and was prompted to update (software version after update is 2.2.5.0)

12:40AM - Software repair completed with Xperia Companion and the phone will not boot at all. Behavior same as before the Sony logo displays multiple times between 5-6 increments except this time the phone displays "Your device is corrupt. It can't be trusted and will not boot. Your device will be powered off in 5 seconds" and the device will shut off. 

1:00AM - Re-performed the software repair again on xperia companion and the same behavior is observed.  The phone will never boot into system and displays the device is corrupt.

9:35AM - Performed re-flash to an old FTF (51.1.A.11.26_R12A) and the phone works and phone is back in service.  *Software update notification is constantly displayed, and going through the same update via phone has the same behavior as the very beginning of this thread. 

12:00PM - Called Bell Mobility to explain the situation and they asked me to call Sony for support

12:10PM - Used the online chat at Sony support and the agent was adamant that I try Software repair again, but with the device off...... (I think everyone on here already know it does the same thing whether the phone is on or off, it triggers the phone to be on flash mode.)  But anyway, I did it and the same results. 

12:36PM - As of now I'm without support from my Bell or Sony. Next step is call Sony again.  

1:30PM  - I found a very interesting behavior.  If the Sim Tray is removed the phone restarts and boots into Android P without a problem.  But if I have the sim tray plugged in, with or without a SIM the bootloop happens.  Please note: if I reflash back to Android O, the device boots without a problem with and/or without SIM in.  Looks like a compatibility issue between my carrier/model(H8276) & the Sony Android P software 52.0.A.3.27.

2018/10/21 

As advised by Sony phone support (they were excellent, @john- thanks for the help) I sent the phone in to the local service centre to have the software looked at.

2018/10/30

Got an email from the local service centre saying that my phone had water damage and "deemed beyond economic repair". I wonder if they even looked at the actual issue that the phone was facing and not look for hardware problems to write off my device.  My device works perfectly fine in Oreo. 

I've re-escalated the case to Sony phone support, because in the end, I want the phone to be able to get security updates as that is important to me. 

[RuneJ]

I did not miss that it worked in Oreo, but chose to look away from it, as the tray is a just a bit of plastic that holds the sim and SD card.

-You have to admit that it is strange that the phone should be sensitive to a plastic part with no components on it for a particular software-release?:smileysmileywink:

There have to be something else causing this.

[Knnstr]

My point is regarding startup processes with our devices.  Whenever the Sim tray is inserted it probably does a correlation check between my device model to the Pie software's device whitelist. I'm suspecting my H8267 model is just not configured to be compatible with this Pie release (like all the Pie betas in the past) despite it getting rolled out.

Note: the tray invokes an actuator hardware wise that let's the phone know if it needs to be restarted when a new Sim is inserted. 

[RuneJ]

A sim tray without a sim-card in it should not trigger any check against a white-list for anything should it? 

[Knnstr]

Thats the question @Runej. Based on findings, the sim tray does trigger a different event process on boot. 

[RuneJ]

Just to clarify:

So without the sim-tray out of the phone, the phone boots fine in Pie and all works? (except no cell-service due to no sim).

If this is the case, I would agree that this points to a strange error in software related to sim-card reader in that particular phone.

Best way forward is then have the issue looked at from Sony Service.

[Knnstr]

Update as of today have been posted on the first post. 

About 2 weeks ago Phone support sent me a shipping label to send my in-warranty device to my local service centre. Today I got an email from the service centre that said my device is "deemed beyond economic repair".  

I get that service centres have to use generic standard operating procedures when troubleshooting the thousands of devices they get on a monthly basis... but opening up a phone that has software issues and detecting traces of liquid on an IP68 rated phone then write off the device as irrepairable?  The problem and troubleshooting steps taken on this device has been meticulously documented here (Sony has this thread as reference) and its a shame as it looks to have all gone to waste. 

I've re-escalated the case to Sony phone support and awaiting their call back.  Will update further later on once there is closure to this problem. 

[kolton5543]

I realize this is an old thread and no becoming a dated phone but it could still be relevent. I had a very similar issue with mine and have gotten it to finally boot properly.

I just bought a used XZ2 h8276 from ebay. It came as a factory reset with oreo installed. I installed my sim and moved over some data. Everything was working as it should so I started running updates. Immediately after installing the Android P update it bootlooped. It would start up and show the sony logo for about 5 seconds  and then do it all over again. I found ONLY when the sim is installed it would bootloop. With the sim removed it would boot perfect every time. The difference in our symptoms is I can still boot with the sim tray installed with or without SD card. As long as the sim card wasnt in there it would boot fine. I tried a few more updates then a factory reset and a couple of painstakenly slow xperia companion software repairs. Nothing worked.

Then I looked into booting safemode or recovery mode. Some site I found mentioned holding the power button continuously during botting to start up recovery mode. I started with a factory reset with Android P installed. Shut down the phone and inserted the sim and SD card. I turned it on and continued holding the power button expecting recovery mode and then to my surprise it made it past the Sony logo and the Xperia logo came up. At that point I released the power button and it finished booting and everything was working as it should. Thats it. I did a few regular reboots just to make sure it was official and it seems to be true. 

I don't know if it will fix your problem. It may as well just been coincidence but I figure it was atleast worth mentioning. I'm about to start running more updates now and get everything set up. If it gives me any issues, I'll report back.

[Knnstr]

Thank you for sharing!

About 2 weeks after my last post I've since moved on from Sony phones.