Galaxy Alpha: How to fix most common bugs and problems

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha has been plagued with numerous bugs and issues out of the box, ranging from over-heating problems to a slew of performance issues including poor reception, unexpected battery drains and Wi-Fi connectivity problems.

IBTimes UK explores the top four common problems affecting the Galaxy Alpha handset and the possible remedies for the same.

Wi-Fi Connectivity Issues

Galaxy Alpha is among the handful of Android smartphones including Nexus being afflicted with Wi-Fi connectivity issues, with the exception that it runs on the older KitKat firmware while the famed Nexus devices run on the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware.

Here are some of the potential tweaks and solutions to fix the Wi-Fi issue:

• Turn off the Galaxy Alpha and the Wi-Fi router to which you are trying to connect, and then turn them on again.
• Verify that the Galaxy Alpha is not in power-saving mode, or airplane mode.
• Go to Settings > Wi-Fi > Choose the router > Choose "forget" and restart the connection.
• Go to Settings > Wi-Fi > Choose network > Edit > Advanced options and select a different network.
• Ensure that the MAC filter on your router allows the Galaxy Alpha to be listed.
• Use the Wi-Fi Analyzer app to identify the strongest channel in your location and change the channel accordingly from IP address settings.

Overheating Problems

Numerous incidents of overheating problems have been extensively reported by Galaxy Alpha users via online forums and social networking sites in recent times.

Here are a handful of quick fixes to resolve this issue:

• Hold down the power button on the Galaxy Alpha and choose "Restart" when prompted.
• If the phone's display becomes unresponsive, then simply hold the power button until the phone completely shuts down.
• Go to Settings > Display > Configure low motion settings and turn off Dynamic perspective.
• Ensure that no unwanted apps are running in the background by going to Settings > Applications and force-closing all background apps.
• Verify that the device's software is up to date by going to Settings > Device > Install system updates and tap on Check now.

Rapid Battery Drain Problem

Several Galaxy Alpha users have reportedly complained about unexpected battery drains during normal usage conditions.

If you are among the affected users, here are a few simple workarounds and quick-fixes you could try:

• Use Airplane mode or GSM mode when the phone is not in use. Doing so will turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS so that the phone runs on minimal settings or functionality.
• Turn off 3G and Wi-Fi when not in use: Go to Settings and ensure the appropriate apps are toggled off.
• Reduce the brightness on the phone's display.
• Disable live wallpaper feature as it burns considerable battery charge to reduce battery life. It is advisable to fully shut down games when not in use.
• Update the phone's software by going to Settings > Device > Install system updates and tap on Check now.
• Recalibrate the phone's battery: Drain the battery until the phone fails to turn on, take out the battery and wait for at least five seconds. Reinsert the battery in the phone and after cleaning the connections, charge the battery to 100% while the phone is turned off.

Poor Reception Quality while Making Calls

Poor reception quality with making calls is among the most critical issues affecting Galaxy Alpha users in recent times.

Check out the probable bug-fixes and workarounds that you can try:

• Turn off the phone by pressing and holding down Power button until the phone vibrates and then shuts down. Remove the SIM card along with the battery, and leave the device idle for at least ten seconds. Make sure the battery connectors or pins are clean and that the SIM card is wiped clean, before replacing them back into the phone.
• Hold Power button and choose the "Restart" option.
• Clear your phone's Cache partition (find instructions regarding how, further down).
• If none of these solutions work, either try using a different SIM card, or contact your phone provider for a replacement handset.

General Fixes to Fix Most Problems

If none of the above steps worked for you, then try some of the general fixes to resolve most issues.

Resetting using Hardware Keys on the Phone

• Press and Hold Power button to switch off the Galaxy Alpha
• Hold Home and Volume up button while tapping the Power button until you see the Android icon.
• Use volume down key to select factory reset or wipe data option.
• Then hit the Power button to begin the wipe process.
• When Reboot system message appears,tap the power button
• The phone should reboot automatically.

How to reset using phone options

• Go to Settings > User & Backup
• Select Backup & Reset > Factory Data reset
• Confirm your selection
• Enter the device password when prompted
• The phone should reboot automatically.

How to Clear the Cache Partition

• Tap Power button to turn off the phone.
• Hold down the Power button, Volume up button and Home button until the handset vibrates and then release Power button
• Release the other two buttons when the Recovery screen appears
• Choose wipe cache partition using the volume keys
• Then hit Power button to finalize your selection

How to Boot into Safe Mode

• Tap Power button to turn off the Galaxy Alpha.
• Hit Power key to turn it back on.
• When Samsung logo appears, hold the volume down button
• Select Safe Mode

[Source: Android Authority]