Nexus 7 will not boot, just screen flicker

Okay. I had the exact same problem and fixed it *permanently*

This is a design fault in the Nexus - the battery is not fixed snugly internally and is allowed to slide back and fourth and so the connections get loose.

1) open up the back of the nexus as described in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8SCcIMlb...

2) you will probably see that the connectors from the battery (large silver rectangular thing) are not secured.

3) push them back in properly, then place a small piece of card to the left of the battery to stop it sliding.

4) put the back, back on.

5) leave it re-charge for a couple of hours.

6) bingo hey presto it works!

Additionally, check out this guide for step-by-step battery removal instructions.

This helpful article solved the problem for me: http://www.droid-life.com/2012/12/27/fix...

I had this issue with several N7's. One of them had it's battery replaced by Asus. But the fix described in the article is a bit easier (even though I don't think it completely solves the problem).

Allan

Hey, I think that this is what happens when it runs out of battery completely. I tried following the steps on the Nexus 7 support to fix this issue but didn't have any luck. What I did do was try using a different charging cable, and it started charging. You might not be able to turn it on right away, but I do believe that you should stop seeing the snow.

Mine works now, and charges fine. But if it runs out of battery completely, I run into this problem again and fix it the same way.

Hi

I read all of your replies above and decided that my issue was similar and can now happily say that my N7 works, so read on...

I have a N7 which is out of warranty. Yesterday it was working fine, put it in my bag when I went out shopping, and when I arrived home, having not used it, the tablet would not boot up!!! Arrrrrhhh! I have a well padded, leather bag and so should have had enough protection not to damage the N7, and the tablet was also in a fully protective case.

The screen was blank/ black and would not respond to any button pressing ......... tried the on/off with the down volume, etc, etc, and nothing. I plugged the pad into the Nexus charging cable and the screen changed to a very low light with large white vertical dashes flashing up and down the screen. I tried at this point to reboot the tablet, but nothing happened.

So I decided to bravely attempt to open up the N7 ( which was very easy ), and see if the connections were loose as many of you had described in the answers above. Upon closer inspection, the connector from the battery to the socket on the motherboard had very slightly worked itself out. Whilst it had not completely come out, it was less than a millimetre out of the socket.

I was able to push the connector back in with my finger nail. Once the back was put on, the tablet booted up like normal.

I hope this helps anyone with the same issue. Try the link below which shows how to take the back of the tablet off and where the connector is ( step 6 on the guide).

Nexus 7 Battery Replacement

Nick Hancock

I had the exact same problem that all of you are describing. I tried a new charger that I use for my phone and the tablet instantly started charging and works fine -David

Had same problem after sitting idle for few weeks, followed some advice from previous posts, tried plugging in Iphone charger for 5mins from nothing as soon i plugged this in I got BAT symbol. I then turned on and powered the Nexus down, I plugged back in the Nexus charger and is charging fine now and seems to be working okay. However I am a little worried after reading these posts of how long this may last before happening again

Another thing you can try here (the battery trick did NOT work for me) is to hold down the power button and the volume down button AND THEN plug in the charger while you've got them held down. For me, this seemed to turn it off and then it charged normally.

First of all thanks to this site where i could find many ways to try to give life to my nexus 7 after it got dead suddenly yesterday. I am using this tablet for nearly a year now n had auto-restart problems on using wi-fi once every 5 days or so in the last mont. But yesterday it didnt restart, got dead suddenly and no response on charging. Before that the battery was 89% or so. Frustrated i searched in google n found this site. I didnt had courage to open the back but tried 2-3 ways as mentioned here. First there was no response whatever i do. The on pressing on button, there was flickering. I got encouraged n then, tab still connected to charger, i long pressed volume down button. Thanks god, boot menu appeared and i selected start menu. Astonishingly it started and showed 1% battery and started charging. When i opened battery usage, there was 78% and then dotted lines to 0%. Anyways, thanks to all of u here. Feeling relaxed now. The charge is 2% now n fully functioning.

i have recieved my AsusN7 32GB to day and have a problem in charging but now ok i well just wait how many hour it well be full,now i have charging power .to activate your tab press hold power and volume + for 15 sec while you plug your charger in your outlet  ,it well boot up to google but it well shut off and says low batery but dont worry it is charging now , when u press power botton it well display batery icon charging ang active charging .

I had to add to this.

I bought a google nexus 7 in 2014 through Staples, although it was manufactured in 2013.

I had the same problem.....plug in charger, after a few seconds there is a short duration slight white flicker on the screen (you'll see this much easier in the dark, trust me), and then back to black and nothing, no charging, nothing.

I tried the battery connector removal/reinstall thing....no help. The connector was not loose and the battery was very secure.

I tried different chargers besides the one that came from Asus, plugging into my computer USB port, holding down the power and volume down after plugging in, while plugging in, switched to power and volume up, etc.

The last thing that I did was to plug into the USB on computer and repeatedly plug in and pull the plug out. Then I noticed that I didn't even get the aforementioned flicker!!! I thought that I made it worse!

Next I plugged it back into the kodak ac to USB supply that I had been using and still no flicker!

Then I pressed in the power switch and there it was.....the beautiful Google displayed.

All of this took a lot of time....if I were to add up all the time, I would say 2-3 hours....yours may take less or more time, of course.

I think that my story to tell is that you have to keep trying different things as were mentioned here (although I think that the connected of power directly to the battery connector would be a last resort, if that, as that is risky) until you get the unit to boot, and then show 0% charged and then shut down, and then show the charging symbol, and eventually charge.

Be persistent with trying different things at different times, etc until you get it!!!

One other thing. I don't think that the battery connector is loose if you get the aforementioned flicker on turn on, so don't pry off the back cover if you don't have to.

I really hope that this helps.

Ok, finally fixed my tablet!!!!

So, turns out I had inadvertently lifted a miniscule clip that was also attached to the battery. So not the battery colored wires, but the ZIF connectors. (to see a clear photo of these see this link Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 Battery Replacement).

At any rate, I was about to remove my battery to "jump start" it, but turns out the tiny flap on the ZIF connectors had been lifted ever so slightly. All along the battery was fine!!!

If in the process of trying to trouble shoot your tablet issues you may have touched any other areas of the battery this could be your problem too. Or, maybe it just popped up on its own. Worth a try...

Had an N7 (2012) that had been sitting around for years; and now that I need it, the battery was totally dead. However, tried the tip on here to repeatedly plug and unplug the charger (left it in each time about 10 seconds); and voila! it’s now charging! Many, many thanks!!!!!!

I was about to send one of my N7's in for repair, when I decided to try to turn it on for the very last time. It suddenly worked again! The other N7 I sent for repair had it's battery replaced. I'm starting to get very worried about the stability of these N7's. Seems like there is a battery issue with some of these devices.

My dad had a nexus 7 with the same issue, screen flicker while plugged in, no other function.

It was the loose battery cable problem.

I solved it for good by shimming the battery in tighter with some double layered heat shrink tubing.

The battery was loose enough to shift around when bumped, and the cable wasn't long enough to accommodate that movement.

I have had my nexus 7 with the same issues-called Asus they made me feel like i had done something that all of a sudden it worked but only for a day or two-then the same issue-have left it idle for a few months hoping but alas still no screen only a flickering light. I DO NOT recommend the Nexus 7. I know several people who have had the same issue-going to get a Kindle fire to replace the Nexus 7. I had a regular kindle still do-almost 2 years old and never once had any problems.

The Off+volume down trick worked for me. Thank you for the tip!

You could try shaking it around a bit and maybe hitting the back, it'll get the battery back in place. Worked for me

Hello All,

Same problem here. The problem starts when every time I wanted to use my nexus, it did not have charge! Never! I always tried to close everything but again the next day, It did not have charge. One time I tried to charge my 0% N7, it was turned off and when I plugged to the charger, it starts turning on, when it turned on, the battery showed up 0% and again it turns off, and again turns on with 0 %!! for more than 100 times it just turn on and turn off and the 0% never charged to even 1%! so I unplugged it and plugged it again. Now I could see some flickers snowing just like 30 years ago TV!!

that was the 4th time I was using my N7 since I have it for 6 month. This is a shame my friends have ipad for 2 years it is just working for them everyday 24 hours just like a new one!! It is a gift from my company so I don't have the receipt!

I had the same problem. The issue is that the cable for the battery is too short, and they left too much extra space around the battery housing opposite the cable. Thus, when the battery shifts away from the direction of the cable, the connection becomes loose, or disconnects entirely. If you pop that sucker open, connect the battery cable to the motherboard securely, and put a piece of cardboard (or whatever you feel works) between the battery and the outside edge of the housing; it will prevent the battery from shifting around the housing and keep the problem from happening again.

After I did this fix, the tablet was running better and faster than when I got it new. I attribute this to a loose cable when it was new, which probably forced the system to run at a lower voltage.

I had the same problem just today. I opened the back and the found the connector to the battery loose. I re-seated it, closed the case and powered the unit on. It worked.

After trying all other suggestions I could still not get into the boot menu. Only flickering. The battery-cable was not loose, but the battery was probably completely empty. After many attempts, I noticed that if I kept the Nexus 7 disconnected for a few minutes. Then connected the charger and press power immediately it would show the Google boot screen. Now you should get into the boot menu if you press the volume down quickly enough. If you weren't fast enough, you have to disconnect and wait a few more minutes before trying again.

See here for instructions after you get into the boot menu: https://support.google.com/googleplay/an...

I tried all these things and none of them worked. I then found a solution . So, if these fixes don't work for you, try this. Take the back off your nexus. Disconnect the battery and then reconnect. Plug the Asus charger into the device and try turning it on. I immediately got the Google logo and it booted up. As there was 0% charger it soon powered off but then the magical battery charger symbol appeared. After charging for a few miss I turned it back on and all works fine.

The following video provide in the above comments no longer exists:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8SCcIMlb...

Hello,

Here is my story.

I bought the Nexus 7 from my co-worker a week ago and she purchased the product online in September, see below:

Google Inc.

Online purchase

$279.42

Sep 3, 2012 9:14 PM

Status

Complete.

Needless to say, the product is no longer covered under warranty and the tablet suddenly stopped working. By stopped working, I mean that - The Nexus 7 turns on, but the images are unable to be displayed.

All that I see are black or white (greyish at times) lighting that appear to be vertical in length. Think about an electronic device that has been dropped and the after math of the screen - but it was not dropped, water damaged, or misused in anyway. It literally stopped working after I was reading Alice in Wonderland on the train this morning. I hit the lock button to check a text on my phone and when I attempted to resume the book I was reading, the screen spazzed out and it has been that way all morning.

I contacted Google support who then transferred me to Asus support. Asus support was not very helpful and I understand why; I am not covered under warranty.

Still, I feel that if there is anything I can try - I'll exhaust all options before simply giving up.

So here's what I've tried:

I've tried powering the device off using instructions on a youtube video on 'how to power off your nexus 7' and I had to be very creative and tapping on the same areas of the screen as what was shown on the video (IE: Power Off > Ok) because I can't see these options and I was successful.

I waited some time and tried powering the device on while holding the volume down key and it made a sound that tells me what I tried successfully (factory reset) the product but the screen still is not showing me anything but lights that prove it's on.

I took it apart (its mine now and google won't fix it so I'm trying everything here) and found that the electric taping was very amateur. I secured a few things here and there and, still, the screen will not display any images.

The only thing I have yet to try is letting it die and hoping for the best.

I want to sell this to a mom and pop computer shop or to back to google so that I am not at a complete loss but I do not believe anyone will buy this with the screen issues.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Hello All,

Recently i ordered Nexus 7 and received the same 3days before from flipkart.

I was happy to receive the same but when i tried to switch it on, it was in dead mode and no response from device. i was weird and then casually i searched solutions on suggestions and the suggestions listed here worked for me..

Its a loose battery connection problem for me.

I just opened back cover to check, there I found battery was slide and out of connectorr slot. I just plugged back and tried to switch to on.

God's magic IT IS WORKING now finely.

This is the only disadvantage from Google and Asus collabration.

Sarath from Arakkonam...

Guys, First of all thanks to all those helpful tips from experienced users out here.

I just got my Nexus 7 2012 wifi model from flipkart today and when I tried to power it on,it was dead.Battery was not even charging and then I opened the back cover and did the things you guys discussed here and after that still I couldnt power it up.Then what I did was that I connected the tablet to my laptop for around 45 minutes and then disconnected it and connected again immediately. By god's grace the charging icon appears and powered it on.But still the battery was not even charged to 1%.Suddenly I connected it to the charger and now everything just works great.Only thing to take care of is to keep that battery close to the inner wall and make sure the battery connector is secured.

I just opened my N7 up and found that the battery had been disconnected from the board, I dropped it so it had slid out from the connector. Connected it up and it booted. It showed this exact same flash when the charger was connected.

ADK

You can purchase a battery at Amazon.