Incident: Asus Transformer Prime Android 4.0 Update Serial Number Error

Published Date: 2012-01-17

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident with the update to Ice Cream Sandwich for Asus Transformer Prime happened in January 2012 [9533].
System 1. Asus Transformer Prime tablets 2. Android 4.0 update 3. Ice Cream Sandwich firmware 4. Screen lockup or corruption issue post-update
Responsible Organization 1. Asus - The software failure incident with the update to Ice Cream Sandwich for the Asus Transformer Prime was caused by issues related to the firmware update process and subsequent problems encountered by users [9533].
Impacted Organization 1. Owners of the new Asus Transformer Prime tablets were impacted by the software failure incident [9533].
Software Causes 1. The software causes of the failure incident included a serial number error preventing the update from installing on the Asus Transformer Prime after the Android 4.0 update [9533]. 2. Another software cause was a screen lockup or corruption problem encountered by some Prime owners after the Ice Cream Sandwich update [9533].
Non-software Causes 1. The tablets were displaying a serial number error, preventing the update from installing [9533]. 2. Some Prime owners who successfully updated their tablets to ICS were encountering screen lockup or corruption problems after the update [9533].
Impacts 1. Some owners of the Asus Transformer Prime experienced a serial number error preventing the Android 4.0 update from installing, leading to frustration and inconvenience [9533]. 2. Owners who successfully updated their tablets to Ice Cream Sandwich encountered screen lockup or corruption issues, causing further usability problems [9533].
Preventions 1. Thorough testing before releasing the update could have prevented the software failure incident [9533]. 2. Implementing a more robust quality assurance process to catch issues like the serial number error and screen lockup problem before the update rollout could have helped prevent the incident [9533].
Fixes 1. Performing a factory reset and letting the Asus Transformer Prime stay active with a Wi-Fi connection for 15 minutes to sync with Asus' servers may help resolve the issue [9533]. 2. Trying a manual update if the automatic update does not work could potentially fix the problem [9533]. 3. Contacting Asus with the serial numbers of the affected tablets for a potential fix to test [9533].
References 1. XDA Developers forum [9533] 2. Asus technical-marketing manager, Gary Key [9533] 3. Asus Facebook page [9533] 4. CNET [9533]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident has happened again at one_organization: The incident with the software update causing issues for Asus Transformer Prime owners is a recurring problem within Asus. The article mentions that even after successfully updating to Ice Cream Sandwich, some Prime owners are encountering screen lockup or corruption problems. Asus technical-marketing manager, Gary Key, acknowledged this issue and mentioned that Asus is developing a final fix based on two possible causes. He also stated that the company will start contacting Prime users who have reported the problem [9533]. (b) The software failure incident has happened again at multiple_organization: There is no information in the provided article indicating that a similar incident has happened at other organizations or with their products and services.
Phase (Design/Operation) design (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article [9533]. The update to Ice Cream Sandwich for the Asus Transformer Prime resulted in issues such as a serial number error preventing the update from installing and a screen lockup or corruption problem after the update. These issues were identified as problems with the firmware update process and the development of the Ice Cream Sandwich update by Asus. The technical-marketing manager, Gary Key, acknowledged these design-related failures and mentioned that Asus was working on fixes for these issues introduced during the system development and update process.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the Asus Transformer Prime's update to Ice Cream Sandwich was primarily within the system. The failure was caused by issues such as a serial number error preventing the update from installing, as well as screen lockup or corruption problems after the update completion. These issues were identified by Asus, and the company was actively working on fixes for them [9533].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The update to Ice Cream Sandwich for the Asus Transformer Prime resulted in a serial number error preventing the update from installing, which was identified as a non-human factor introduced during the update process [9533]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - Some Asus Transformer Prime owners who successfully updated their tablets to Ice Cream Sandwich encountered a screen lockup or corruption problem after the update, which was identified as a human factor introduced during the update process [9533].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident related to hardware: - The article mentions that some owners of the Asus Transformer Prime are experiencing a serial number error preventing the update from installing [9533]. - There is also a screen lockup or corruption problem reported after the Ice Cream Sandwich update, which is a hardware-related issue [9533]. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - The main issue with the software failure incident is the failure of the tablet to automatically or manually update to the latest firmware, which carries Ice Cream Sandwich [9533]. - Additionally, the screen lockup or corruption problem after the Ice Cream Sandwich update is also a software-related issue [9533].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the articles is non-malicious. The failure was related to the Android 4.0 update for the Asus Transformer Prime. Users were experiencing issues such as a serial number error preventing the update from installing, as well as screen lockup or corruption problems after the update. Asus was actively working on fixes for these issues and providing workarounds for affected users. There is no indication in the articles that the failure was due to malicious intent [9533].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The software failure incident related to the update to Ice Cream Sandwich on the Asus Transformer Prime seems to involve poor_decisions. The incident was caused by a serial number error preventing the update from installing, as well as a screen lockup or corruption problem after the update completed. Asus was aware of these issues and was working on fixes, indicating that the problems were likely due to poor decisions in the update process or software development [9533].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as Asus released an update to Ice Cream Sandwich for the Asus Transformer Prime, but some owners experienced issues such as a serial number error preventing the update from installing and screen lockup or corruption problems after the update. Asus' technical-marketing manager, Gary Key, acknowledged these issues and mentioned that the company is working on fixes for these problems. This indicates that the software failure incidents were partially due to development incompetence [9533]. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also present in the article. Despite Asus' efforts to release the update to Ice Cream Sandwich, some owners of the Asus Transformer Prime faced issues like the serial number error and screen lockup or corruption problems after the update. These issues were not intentional but occurred accidentally during the update process, leading to user complaints and the need for fixes from Asus [9533].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident related to the update to Ice Cream Sandwich on the Asus Transformer Prime seems to have a temporary duration. The article mentions that Asus is aware of the issues and is actively working on fixes for the problems encountered by users. They are in the process of developing final fixes for the screen lockup or corruption problem after the update and are reaching out to affected users to test potential fixes [9533]. This indicates that the software failure is not permanent but rather temporary and actively being addressed by the company.
Behaviour crash, omission, other (a) crash: The software failure incident mentioned in the articles involves a crash. Users of the Asus Transformer Prime reported issues with the Android 4.0 update, including a screen lockup or corruption problem after the update, indicating a failure where the system loses state and does not perform its intended functions [9533]. (b) omission: The incident also involves omission as some owners of the Prime experienced a serial number error preventing the update from installing, and others encountered issues even after successfully updating to Ice Cream Sandwich, suggesting the system omitted to perform its intended functions at instances [9533]. (c) timing: There is no specific mention of a timing-related failure in the articles. (d) value: The incident does not directly relate to a value-related failure. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit a byzantine behavior. (f) other: The other behavior observed in the incident is that the system required a manual update or a factory reset with specific instructions to sync with Asus' servers, indicating a specific workaround to address the issues faced by users [9533].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence delay, theoretical_consequence The consequence of the software failure incident described in the articles is primarily related to delays and potential harm to users' devices: (e) delay: The software failure incident caused delays for users as they were unable to update their Asus Transformer Prime tablets to the latest firmware, Ice Cream Sandwich. Users had to wait for a fix from Asus to address the serial number error and screen lockup issues, impacting their ability to use the updated software promptly [9533]. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed regarding the software failure incident, such as the delay in the update process for the original Transformer tablet owners waiting for the Android 4.0 update. Asus was planning the update for early February but wanted to ensure a smoother transition after the issues faced by Prime users [9533].
Domain information (a) The failed system in the incident was related to the information industry. The software failure incident involved the update to Ice Cream Sandwich for the Asus Transformer Prime, which was causing issues for users trying to install the Android 4.0 update [9533]. The update was intended to provide new features and improvements related to information processing and communication on the tablet.

Sources

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