Android phone needs assistance

[pcemkr]

Hello,

About my cell phone:

Carrier is AT&T

Samsung Alpha

Version 5.0.2

Rooted??-unsure

security= Malwarebytes and Lookout

My phone started running slower a few months ago, around the time there was an obscene abundance of updates being made to many programs & apps. Plus it was noticeably slower between & around the 3:00-5:00 p.m. time frame almost every afternoon. Also, once in a great while the phone gets hot, but it doesn't last (I believe I read that is sometimes a sign of infection, although Malwarebytes hasn't found anything). Things have progressively slowed and morphed as time goes by.

~Google (Chrome) internet slows or freezes up momentarily or (recently) gives a message that it isn't working do I want to report/wait/close (*note: I received a message from Lookout a couple of weeks ago saying that Chrome had a "vulnerability detected" 5 years ago. It appeared on or around the same day their latest update came out. I didn't allow the update to happen due to what I was reading from other users and the major issues they were having after running the update), *suggestions for alternate internet access are welcome*

~messaging sometimes freezes up briefly or wants to close,

~the battery has moments when it drains super fast, it may shut off completely (even though there is enough battery life to keep it going),

~rebooting can take minutes or it will loop in a continuous reboot unless I plug it in during startup (then it comes up just fine).

Somewhere along the way my phone changed a setting to automatically update everything, which I changed back to asking me before doing when I discovered). Also, a few weeks ago, my ringtones weren't playing correctly, although my settings hadn't changed.

I rarely add new apps to my phone and have many many of the preloaded apps that I do not use and would like to either remove or disable if I knew which ones weren't going to immobilize the whole system (they really put a lot of fear around touching those programs...sheesh).

For the most part, the phone works great! I don't need the latest, greatest most gadgety phone out there, I like the simplicity of this one (and have a history of good experience with the Samsung Androids). I do have some cleanup to do with old text messages and getting photos off my phone to free up some space, otherwise it's been a really great phone for me. 

Are you able to assist me with this?

Thank you,

Pcemkr

[mbam_mtbr]

Hi @pcemkr,

A good place to start is by sending an Apps Report so we can see what apps you have on the device.

To send an Apps Report with Malwarebytes for Android use the following instructions.

1. Open the Malwarebytes for Android app.

2. Tap the Menu icon.

3. Tap Your apps.

4. Tap three lines icon in upper right corner.

5. Tap Send to support

Choose an email app to send Apps Report.

Your email app will open with the Apps Report included.

At this point, it would be very helpful to mention you are submitting via recommendation from the Malwareybtes forum.  This allows our support staff to know where to direct it.

By sending the Apps Report, you will create a ticket in our support system.

Private Message (PM) me the email used and/or the ticket number assigned.

Nathan

[pcemkr]

Hi Nathan, 

Both tasks completed as requested! ✔✔ 

Thank you, 

Pcemkr 

[grundle]

I would use only one security app on the phone unless they are known to play well together. I have seen people with several anti-malware apps have similar problems to you. I have so far used MB with Bitdefender on Android devices with no problem, but other mixes I have seen over the years caused serious issues with performance. Also please remove on, then scan the phone with it.

In general I found MB to be very good on Android devices, one person I know had his phone destroyed by malware. Fortunately, MB fixed it. 

Before deciding which one to keep please look online at some recent reviews.