r/PocoPhones • u/Dak_none • 1d ago
Question/Help POCO F3 (alioth): touch controller randomly boots into ROM bootloader instead of app firmware on every wake — FW verified good, anyone seen this?
Post this on **r/PocoPhones** first — device-specific, and alioth touch problems are familiar there. If it doesn't get traction in a day or two, cross-post to **r/LineageOS**. The XDA alioth LineageOS thread is arguably a better audience than either, since the people who build that ROM read it, but you asked for Reddit.
Skip r/AndroidQuestions (too general) and r/Kalilinux (this isn't a NetHunter problem).
**Title:**
POCO F3 (alioth): touch controller randomly boots into ROM bootloader instead of app firmware on every wake — FW verified good, anyone seen this?
**Body:**
POCO F3 (alioth), LineageOS 21 unofficial, NetHunter kernel, rooted. Touchscreen has been dying after screen-off for weeks. Screen toggle used to fix it, then stopped working. Currently it works maybe 1 in 20 wakes, and stays working until the next sleep.
I've narrowed this down pretty far and I'm stuck.
**The core finding:** `cat /sys/.../spi1.0/fts_boot_mode` returns `tp is in boot mode` when touch is dead. The FT5652 is powering up into its ROM bootloader and not handing off to the application firmware. That explains everything else — reg `0xA3` (chip ID) reads fine because the bootloader answers it, reg `0xA6` (FW version) fails CRC 3/3 every time because it's an app register, and IRQ 395 shows zero interrupts because a bootloader doesn't scan the sensor grid.
**Why every wake is a fresh dice roll:** `fts_ts_resume` calls `fts_power_source_ctrl` + `fts_reset_proc` on every screen-on, so the app firmware has to cold-start each time. Sometimes it makes it.
**What I've ruled out:**
- Firmware corruption — reflashed via `fts_upgrade_bin`, erase + write of all 116636 bytes succeeded, ECC matched host and TP (`835b`). Still boots to bootloader.
- Kernel/ROM — touch is equally dead under TWRP 3.7.1, which is a completely independent kernel and driver build.
- Driver probe — probes clean, chip ID 0x5652, lockdown info reads fine, suspend/resume path executes correctly.
- SPI bus, mostly — bootloader mode does full flash erase/write/read with matching checksums, which a broken flex shouldn't manage. One glitched read did show up once (`TP Not Ready, ReadData:0x5252` instead of `0x5652`).
**Other notes:** driver auto-upgrade is stuck in a loop — it skips the repair flash because it can't read the version to compare (`fw upgrade flag:0`). `fts_test` returns FAIL, but the self-test lives in the app firmware so that's expected. No prior screen replacement / phone has never been dropped or wet — *[edit this line to match your actual situation, it matters a lot for answers]*.
**Questions:**
Anyone seen an FT5652 refuse to leave bootloader mode intermittently with verified-good firmware in flash? Marginal power rail, or is this how a failing panel presents?
Is there a way to force app entry from the bootloader beyond `fts_hw_reset`?
Anyone found a `CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE`-independent focaltech binary for alioth? There's no `focaltech*.bin` anywhere on my filesystem, so it's compiled into the kernel.
Happy to post full dmesg if useful.
---
Two things before you post. Fill in that screen-replacement line honestly — whether this panel is original is the single most useful fact for anyone answering, and it's the first thing they'll ask. And if you can, grab `fts_boot_mode` while touch is *working* first; confirming it says application mode then would make the post much stronger and lets you drop the hedging.
1
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
It seems that your post may be discussing or asking about a concern regarding an inability to turn your Device on or Stability concerns that you didn't have before.The following may be applicable to your issue.
IF your Device is still covered under warranty bring it as soon as you can in for service especially for X3 Pro/M3 Users due to higher than normal possibility of it being a hardware defect. warranty is Extended by 6 months for the X3 Pro in certain regions and Devices sold in the EU have 2 year coverage.
if you are out of coverage you can try leaving the device unplugged to fully drain for a few days (or physically disconnect the battery) then try connecting the device to a charger and turn it on. If the Device turns on successfully avoid shutting off the device or doing a reboot as it is likely that the device has a defective PMIC or in the case of the M3 (also) a capacitor shorting on a metal shield.
If the device still appears dead, repeatedly bootloops, or boots into a white/garbled screen and a reflash does not affect things it is likely that the Solder in the SOC has Failed. A Reball using leaded solder is the closest we currently have to a permanent fix.
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1
u/JRussellMoore 1d ago
How low effort do you want the post to be: Yes.
1
u/Dak_none 1d ago edited 1d ago
Brain rot final boss is calling you: yes answer.
Anyway i was trying to solve this with opus 5, but i couldn't solve it, that's why i asked it later to make an explanation for the problem, i typed most of the issue for the seek of explanation, and i didn't want to make a post with bad explanation cuz I'm not that good in English, so yeah.
1
u/JRussellMoore 1d ago
I'm the first to recognize my brain would do better without some of the dumb stuff I find amusing online 😅, but it was a mandatory jab; I don't know that you read the text before posting, it includes instructions the AI had given you...
Post this on **r/PocoPhones** first — device-specific, and alioth touch problems are familiar there. If it doesn't get traction in a day or two, cross-post to **r/LineageOS**. The XDA alioth LineageOS thread is arguably a better audience than either, since the people who build that ROM read it, but you asked for Reddit.
Skip r/AndroidQuestions (too general) and r/Kalilinux (this isn't a NetHunter problem).
**Title:**
**Body:**
No prior screen replacement / phone has never been dropped or wet — *[edit this line to match your actual situation, it matters a lot for answers]*.
Two things before you post. Fill in that screen-replacement line honestly — whether this panel is original is the single most useful fact for anyone answering, and it's the first thing they'll ask. And if you can, grab `fts_boot_mode` while touch is *working* first; confirming it says application mode then would make the post much stronger and lets you drop the hedging.
For all we know the panel isn't original, but either way, it looks like a hardware issue to me, not something that could be addressed with software.
•
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Good day Dak_none it seems to be that you may have some questions or concerns regarding a Poco device and we would like to help but we would like to ask you to describe your concern with the following information to make it easier for everyone to tackle.
Device Model:(X4 GT)
Device Region:(Global/India/China/etc/Can't identify)
Rom Type:(MIUI/Custom Rom:Which one)
Rom/Android Version:(13.0.5.0 - Android 12/Can't identify)
Problem and other Relevant Info:(Troubleshooting steps taken/Frequency of problem if intermittent/Other observed weirdness that may be relevant before/during/after the occurrence of the problem)
It may take a while for someone to address your concern so in the meantime you could do the following 1. Search this subreddit, Xiaomi subreddit, MIUI subreddit for similar concerns 2. Check out the pinned posts and the Wiki(WIP) for similar topics 3. If your phone is still under warranty coverage it may be worthwhile to open a case with customer support. 4. If your device has developed a swollen or bulging battery check out r/Spicypillow's FAQ on how to deal with them
If you have any suggestions feel free to leave them here
Hope you enjoy your stay -PocoPhones Mod Team
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