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Regardless of whether it restarted for a few minutes or a few hours.
The root cause of the problem is almost always a hardware issue.
However, if you insist that it is a software issue, you can restore your device using iTunes on your PC. Some software’s bug couldn’t be reset under Settings – General – Reset. Therefore, I strongly suggest a clean restore without putting back the backup files.
This article will discuss how technicians diagnose and address these issues.
Every time the iOS crashed, it will create a report file inside the iOS. Apple called it a panic file.
You can access it under “Setting – Privacy – Analytics & Improvements – Analytics Data”.
The file name is “Panic-Full-year-month-date-time.ips”
NOTE: Not panic-base. It’s panic-full
NOTE 2: If you dont see a panic-full inside here, maybe the problem is unstable voltage or having a short.
NOTE: If you unplug the battery during testing, the date and time will be reset (maybe year 1970). Therefore, it is important to take note of the date when the crash occurs.
The report file is not designed for end-users or outsiders to understand. This article is meant to demonstrate how we typically analyze errors and how this process can aid us in beginning troubleshooting and diagnosis. It’s primarily designed for engineer-level programmers to read. Even Apple technicians may not know how to interpret it because they are a profit-driven company that prefers to sell whole device replacements rather than repairing them. This is why third-party repair services like ours exist.
At our repair center, we fix devices that others won’t. As a result, we have discovered that the Panic file report can be useful to us as professionals. Below are some examples of how we use it to expedite the problem-solving process.
Below is a few examples of how we use them to troubleshoot the problem more quickly.
The above report clearly indicates that one of the sensors in the iPhone is malfunctioning as there has been no successful check-in from it. Since there are more than 10 sensors on the iPhone and it doesn’t specify which sensor is faulty, we need to place the motherboard into a fully functioning housing to test it.
If the issue is resolved, it means that one of the flexes, such as the charger port or power button flex, is causing the problem. In that case, we need to troubleshoot the flexes one by one.
If the problem persists, it means that the motherboard is unable to detect the sensor and a complete diagnosis of the motherboard is necessary. We will begin by examining the FPC connectors.
This one is obvious. It says ‘missing sensor,’ but this time it clearly shows that the mic2 is the problem. ‘mic2’ means microphone #2. iPhones have multiple microphones, so we replace microphone #2 to test again. If it works, then the problem is with the mic2 flex.
If the problem persists, then there may be a connection issue between the motherboard and mic2. The first step is to inspect the FPC connector.
This is considered a serious issue. When the report mentions the kernel, it means that the CPU is the problem. However, some end-users may ask if we can replace the CPU.
The reasons for CPU failure can be numerous, such as power failure, voltage instability, unstable connection from the board, and so on. Only a professional like us can diagnose and fix the issue accordingly. We don’t blindly reball the CPU and create more problems.
Sometimes, even a simple flex can cause the CPU to malfunction.
There are many ways to analyze the panic file, as the repair community is global. Countless technicians have gathered experience and built a database to make our job easier. Some of them are programmers who provide their analysis for a small fee.
If you want to learn more, I only share this with my students. Please check out the “Panic” lesson in the online course for semester one.
Simply unplugging every flex won’t solve the problem on newer iPhone models such as X or newer, as the issue is still persisted even if the part is missing or disconnected.
The iOS is able to detect whether a part is original or not. Therefore, the problem will persist if you have a non-genuine part.
It is essential to consult a professional like us who possess all the necessary parts and tools for testing, including a full set of housing with all original flexes and parts.
Attempting to troubleshoot the issue on your own may result in wasted time and money.
If you’re a beginner who is starting to become a professional iPhone repair technician, I advise you to obtain the housing with original parts for every iPhone model. This way, we can simply put the motherboard into the housing to test.
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A professional motherboard repair is carried in the lab. Not on the street... No on-site service neither. You won't see a doctor doing a surgical operation in the patient's house.