# My cell phone is blinking a strange message

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cell-phone-is-blinking-a-strange-message/371544>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 5, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cell-phone-is-blinking-a-strange-message/371544 "2006-09-05T19:12:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cell-phone-is-blinking-a-strange-message/371544/1 "2006-09-05T19:12:37Z")

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DATA ABORT  
0x000c4b68  
reg [4] _that number changes everytime it blinks_ =  
0x0102ebc8 _that number changes too_

\*italics are my comments

What do I do to fix it? or is it a dead phone? Can I at least get the phone numbers out of there?

Kathy

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cell-phone-is-blinking-a-strange-message/371544/2 "2006-09-05T19:24:01Z")

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> [@cadolphin](#):
>
> DATA ABORT  
> 0x000c4b68  
> reg [4] _that number changes everytime it blinks_ =  
> 0x0102ebc8 _that number changes too_
> 
> \*italics are my comments
> 
> What do I do to fix it? or is it a dead phone? Can I at least get the phone numbers out of there?
> 
> Kathy

Take it back to where ever you bought it from, they can probably read the codes and tell you what’s wrong.  
Of course we can try to help, but we’ll need the brand and model.

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**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cell-phone-is-blinking-a-strange-message/371544/3 "2006-09-05T19:28:08Z")

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You can try turning it off, removing the battery (yes it makes a difference) and then re-installing the battery and turning it back on. I have found this will clear many cell gremlins.  
Either that or drop the phone and run, it’s about to blow! 😃

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cell-phone-is-blinking-a-strange-message/371544/4 "2006-09-05T19:28:21Z")

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Try taking the battery out for a minute, put it back in and turn the phone on.

With any luck, that will clear away whatever madness has possessed its mind.

With regards to getting numbers out of it - that would depend on whether or not it’s got a SIM card, Bluetooth or “somethng else” which could vary from needing a special cable that the phone store would have, on down to needing paper and pencil to copy them.

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**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cell-phone-is-blinking-a-strange-message/371544/5 "2006-09-05T19:32:42Z")

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Rick wins the simil post race.  
::: Does happy dance:::