Develop Bugs

[Q] Weird touchscreen behaviour (only works when keyboard is flipped out?)

Hi everyone,
I've had my Desire Z for little over 2 years now and two months ago (was running CM7.2 at the time) I started getting a weird issue where my touchscreen would only be responsive when the keyboard was slid out (so the opposite problem of what quite a few other people have reported where the touchscreen becomes unresponsive when the keyboard is out). The status LED would also stay off whenever the keyboard was closed, and the keyboard backlight didn't come on anymore at all. Also, I had to make sure that the keyboard was slid out during boot, if the phone booted without the keyboard out the screen would not become responsive at all until after another reboot. My earpiece speaker stopped working around the same time so I was wondering whether it was just an issue with the flex cable becoming a bit loose, but the touchscreen would consistently start working again when I flipped the keyboard out, and also the physical scroll button on the top bit would always work, so I was still hoping it would be some weird software issue.
I then upgraded to Flinny's (amazing) Andromadus ROM (build 22, complete data+dalvik wipe) after which the keyboard backlight started working again, but the rest remained pretty much the same. Since then the touchscreen issues have been getting worse, so that I sometimes have to flip the keyboard in and out again a few times, or turn the screen on or off with the power button several times before it becomes responsive again, but then it tends to work fine until I lock the screen again, with no noticeable dead spots anywhere on the screen. I've had days where it worked all day without problems (except having to flip out the keyboard, that's been a constant for the past two months), and then today I haven't been able to get the screen to do anything at all even after dozens of reboots.
I've already bought a new digitizer and am all ready to put it in (I'll have to replace the broken earpiece anyway), but was wondering whether anyone has any thoughts on whether it could still be a software issue after all, or if anyone has experienced anything similar? The thing with having to flip the keyboard out to get not only the touchscreen but also the status LED to work is just so weird and makes me doubt that it's a pure broken digitizer or lose flex cable issue, so I'm wondering whether it would be better to first try reverting to a stock ROM before taking on the messy sticky glue stuff (I should be fine but still, never done it before)?
Many thanks!

From what you describe my best guess would be the main flex cable is what needs to be replaced. Flash a touch based recovery and see if you have the issue there as well, if so its very unlikely that its anything but a hardware fault
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the heads-up, I've been playing around a bit more with software and I do manage to get the screen working again occasionally, typically after the second boot into a newly flashed ROM or restoring a backup, and only until one or two reboots later when it becomes completely unresponsive again. I've tried CM 7.2.0 as well as Flinny's Andromadus 10, and it is only complete flashing that does the trick, cache wipe or factory reset alone does nothing. The two occasions where the touchscreen worked were still limited to when the keyboard was flipped out, and it also had to be flipped out during boot, otherwise nothing would work. I've learned to navigate my way around the phone by just using the hardware navigation button, but I'll have a close look at the flex cable when I take it apart to replace the earpiece speaker tonight...

Hello,
so I took my dear phone apart yesterday to replace the broken earpiece - everything went fine but after reassembly the replacement earpiece isn't working either, which leads me to think that all those little broken bits might actually be related to some contacts being a bit lose, all in the same region. Should've thought about that earlier really since the earpiece and the LED (only works when keyboard flipped out) are both in that top region that the digitiser data presumable also has to run through before passing through the flex cable.
In any case, I also took a picture of the flex cable which is slightly bent but doesn't seem straightforwardly damaged (see attachment, that thing on the right is *not* a rip). Think it's worth trying to replace it anyway?
What was truly bizarre is that after the first boot following reassembly the touchscreen worked quite consistently for the entire evening - I thought I might've fixed a lose contact by un- and replugging the digitiser cable, but then the screen went nonreactive again at some point. I wonder if the working screen was again actually related to some software reset caused by the battery being taken out for so long? In the meantime the actual screen and trackball are still working away perfectly. Bizarre.

Just to let people know the solution to the mystery: the increasingly odd behaviour was actually caused by an initially small rip in the flex ribbon cable that got bigger and bigger - it's actually half-visible in the picture I uploaded above, only that the rip is where the cable comes out from underneath the case, and not where it's wrinkled!
Just in case it could be useful for anyone, here's the (top half of phone) components in the order in which they failed on me, which I guess corresponds to the order of the respective data lines in the ribbon cable (from the top of the phone towards the center):
environment brightness sensor (I thought that the sensor had been broken for almost a year, but as soon as I rebooted with the new flex cable I noticed how my phone stopped shining into my face at full brightness - if your brightness sensor gets stuck reporting the same (low) value this means your flex cable is on its way out!)
earpiece speaker
status led
touchscreen
screen (non-alignment with edge of screen, visual artefacts)
screen (fade to black/power interrupt)

obstacle3 said:
Just to let people know the solution to the mystery: the increasingly odd behaviour was actually caused by an initially small rip in the flex ribbon cable that got bigger and bigger - it's actually half-visible in the picture I uploaded above, only that the rip is where the cable comes out from underneath the case, and not where it's wrinkled!
Just in case it could be useful for anyone, here's the (top half of phone) components in the order in which they failed on me, which I guess corresponds to the order of the respective data lines in the ribbon cable (from the top of the phone towards the center):
environment brightness sensor (I thought that the sensor had been broken for almost a year, but as soon as I rebooted with the new flex cable I noticed how my phone stopped shining into my face at full brightness - if your brightness sensor gets stuck reporting the same (low) value this means your flex cable is on its way out!)
earpiece speaker
status led
touchscreen
screen (non-alignment with edge of screen, visual artefacts)
screen (fade to black/power interrupt)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll for sure keep that in mind. Mine is still going strong for the time being, but it's good to know some warning signs if I need to replace parts or if it's time to get a new phone

fireball0093 said:
I'll for sure keep that in mind. Mine is still going strong for the time being, but it's good to know some warning signs if I need to replace parts or if it's time to get a new phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Replacement parts all the way, the repair was 15$ and it feels as good as new! Well, it could do with a new battery but that's just another 5..
Just realised that the proximity sensor should actually be added to the very top of the list - just noticed that faint red light when taking a phone call, don't remember seeing that in almost a year :]

obstacle3 said:
Replacement parts all the way, the repair was 15$ and it feels as good as new! Well, it could do with a new battery but that's just another 5..
Just realised that the proximity sensor should actually be added to the very top of the list - just noticed that faint red light when taking a phone call, don't remember seeing that in almost a year :]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not a bad cost at all. I know I'm going to have to replace my keyboard in probably 2 months or so (maybe sooner) because some buttons are starting to not work. Other than that fact my phone is currently still going strong for being going on a 3 and a half year old phone

Nexus 7 Touchscreen Suddenly Does Not Respond

Hi Folks,
We've had a 2013 Nexus 7 for 1.5 years and it's been a great device. Always on stock Android OS. so we get OTAs periodically.
While away, the Nexus battery ran down because my daughter had kept it on before we left. We wirelessly charged it again - i.e., the USB port has been broken for the past year - and booted it up.
Despite seeing the usual animated lock screen and hearing notifications in the background, the touch screen was not responding to input.
I tried powering down/up, then got the "Google" logo and a hang.
On a weird idea from a different forum, I powered down, opened the back and reseated the thinner connector which travels over the battery, then rebooted. It worked!
But, the touchscreen is still not responding on the lock screen.
EDIT: Tried a wipe/factory reset from recovery, but the touchscreen is still not responding
Ideas welcome, please.
- wader

Called ASUS and they think it's a hardware fault, for which they estimated a $300+ repair.
Seems I'll need to consider a new purchase or replacement touchscreen on my own. Ugh.
- wader

ooofest said:
Called ASUS and they think it's a hardware fault, for which they estimated a $300+ repair.
Seems I'll need to consider a new purchase or replacement touchscreen on my own. Ugh.
- wader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First time I've heard that the touchscreen would die without warnings. I'd bet it wouldn't be the hardware and based thereon, would suggest that you back up the tab, wipe it clean and flash a custom rom as close to the stock thing as possible, like CleanRom and see what it does. Before you do that, you might want to reseat the touchscreen cables - two-pronged connected to the daughter board at the bottom of the tab. Make sure you disconnect the battery prior to disconnecting any cables.

graphdarnell said:
First time I've heard that the touchscreen would die without warnings. I'd bet it wouldn't be the hardware and based thereon, would suggest that you back up the tab, wipe it clean and flash a custom rom as close to the stock thing as possible, like CleanRom and see what it does. Before you do that, you might want to reseat the touchscreen cables - two-pronged connected to the daughter board at the bottom of the tab. Make sure you disconnect the battery prior to disconnecting any cables.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I was already on stock and wiped it clean, which unfortunately made no difference.
There is a 2" crack in the glass in the upper left corner, which is new. This makes me believe that my daughter trapped the tablet under some heavy things (without a cover) during a recent trip - normally, this tablet has been drop-proof, so this is a wild notion. I already tried re-seating the ribbon cables, etc.
I did find a like-new replacement nearby on Craigslist for a decent price, so went that route for a quick "fix." Meanwhile, I've ordered a replacement display to see if I can get it working again via a h/w upgrade - will experiment and see what's up.
- wader

ooofest said:
Well, I was already on stock and wiped it clean, which unfortunately made no difference.
There is a 2" crack in the glass in the upper left corner, which is new. This makes me believe that my daughter trapped the tablet under some heavy things (without a cover) during a recent trip - normally, this tablet has been drop-proof, so this is a wild notion. I already tried re-seating the ribbon cables, etc.
I did find a like-new replacement nearby on Craigslist for a decent price, so went that route for a quick "fix." Meanwhile, I've ordered a replacement display to see if I can get it working again via a h/w upgrade - will experiment and see what's up.
- wader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A crack in the upper left corner shouldn't affect the whole touchscreen since the cables are located at its lower right corner. When I suggested that you reinstall a rom, I was thinking of the touch firmware being possibly corrupted. Re-flashing a new rom would install it anew; wiping it clean with the current one won't. I've not experienced this with this model, but it did happen to my other Asus models in the past. Leaning heavily on a new touchscreen might be disappointing when the glitch turns out to be software-related. But again, it's your decision. Good luck anyway.

graphdarnell said:
A crack in the upper left corner shouldn't affect the whole touchscreen since the cables are located at its lower right corner. When I suggested that you reinstall a rom, I was thinking of the touch firmware being possibly corrupted. Re-flashing a new rom would install it anew; wiping it clean with the current one won't. I've not experienced this with this model, but it did happen to my other Asus models in the past. Leaning heavily on a new touchscreen might be disappointing when the glitch turns out to be software-related. But again, it's your decision. Good luck anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understood what you suggested, but the touchscreen subsystem suddenly flaking out seemed as much of a longshot as the new crack or generalized crushing pressure hurting the display/ribbon cable connection. IMHO. I'm guessing one area of h/w - cable, screen, etc. - has been compromised.
Upon more deep inspection (this time with my glasses on), there is a looong crack across the entire bottom right corner and a chip near the bottom right-middle. So, my guess that she crushed the device on her trip may not be too far off.
Plus, this stock device has had a faulty USB connector for the past year, so I have no direct means to get another ROM on there, etc. with just h/w buttons.
The replacement is in excellent condition, so this older tablet is now for experimentation, more than anything.
- wader

Screen Rotation Not Working

I was having this problem before a little and I would just do a simple reboot. However, this morning my clumsy niece dropped my tablet on the floor Now the rotation is not working at all.
I've seen videos which lead me to believe that the issue is due to a loose ME571k cable. I have tried fastening it. I inadvertently took it out and reconnected it. I've tried to fasten it the best I can. The touch screen works. However, orientation is dead.
There was a program mentioned called "Test My Android" and none of the sensor calibrators show any sign of life.
This is driving me crazy. I don't know what to do. Maybe it is loose and I just have to keep on messing with it but it's stressful.
Any advice?

ev1lchris said:
Maybe it is loose...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is - for sure. The 'rotation' sensor is a tiny chip which is unlikely to be damaged by a drop.
re-seat the cable on both ends
spray the contacts of the cable with Electronic Cleaner if possible
apply a layer of thick tape over the cable's motherboard connector, so the back cover will deliver extra pressure on it
Let us know...

Hello, I followed the steps of next video and my screen rotation has fixed
https://youtu.be/cOnccu6Nbl0
Hope it helps you!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

It seems no matter how many times or how snugly I set the cable in that the screen rotation still does not work.
I'm using an app for rotation now. It works but it drives me crazy.

bad wifi reception due to faulty hardware

Hello community,
due to a water incident I had to replace some hardware parts as microphone and finger print sensor.
The navigation proximity buttons do also not work, but I did not replace them.
After this replacement, the phone worked 3 months fine....then I replaced the main camera because it didnt focus anymore.
Since the camera replacement I have very bad wifi reception. When I am right next to the rooter, it is working but unstable. Thats why I suspect an antenna/hardware problem or another hardware issue. I did replace the black coax cable (also a used cable) next to the battery already, but this did not resolve the problem.
On the software side I did a complete reset. Actually twice because I had to unlock the bootloader and then did a reset. Also not resolving the problem.
- I am now wondering, weather there are more or different wifi antennas in the onplus 3 except the black coax cable.
- Does anyone have experience about the sensitivity of those coax cables? The replacement cable I have is also from a used phone and has some usage marks.
- Anyone another Idea, where the problem can be?
Thanks for any suggestions!

gino.rockt said:
Hello community,
due to a water incident I had to replace some hardware parts as microphone and finger print sensor.
The navigation proximity buttons do also not work, but I did not replace them.
After this replacement, the phone worked 3 months fine....then I replaced the main camera because it didnt focus anymore.
Since the camera replacement I have very bad wifi reception. When I am right next to the rooter, it is working but unstable. Thats why I suspect an antenna/hardware problem or another hardware issue. I did replace the black coax cable (also a used cable) next to the battery already, but this did not resolve the problem.
On the software side I did a complete reset. Actually twice because I had to unlock the bootloader and then did a reset. Also not resolving the problem.
- I am now wondering, weather there are more or different wifi antennas in the onplus 3 except the black coax cable.
- Does anyone have experience about the sensitivity of those coax cables? The replacement cable I have is also from a used phone and has some usage marks.
- Anyone another Idea, where the problem can be?
Thanks for any suggestions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem can be the constant opening up of the phone and meddling with it.

gino.rockt said:
Hello community,
due to a water incident I had to replace some hardware parts as microphone and finger print sensor.
The navigation proximity buttons do also not work, but I did not replace them.
After this replacement, the phone worked 3 months fine....then I replaced the main camera because it didnt focus anymore.
Since the camera replacement I have very bad wifi reception. When I am right next to the rooter, it is working but unstable. Thats why I suspect an antenna/hardware problem or another hardware issue. I did replace the black coax cable (also a used cable) next to the battery already, but this did not resolve the problem.
On the software side I did a complete reset. Actually twice because I had to unlock the bootloader and then did a reset. Also not resolving the problem.
- I am now wondering, weather there are more or different wifi antennas in the onplus 3 except the black coax cable.
- Does anyone have experience about the sensitivity of those coax cables? The replacement cable I have is also from a used phone and has some usage marks.
- Anyone another Idea, where the problem can be?
Thanks for any suggestions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem with my oneplus 3, i too had to change my back camera because it didn't focus, which after many attempt didn't work and i ended up using a magnet right next to the camera.
I purchased a coax black cable but it didn't solve anything.
I also have switched between a numerous amount of rom and i can tell it's hardware.
So it's either the main board that suffered from the chirurgical operation we had to do or the back's antenna that are faulty, i don't think removing the camera would make any difference.
My wifi reception is really bad and i can't get a decent bandwidth even right next to the wifi...
I'll have to re-open it to change the amoled that just broked so i'll keep you updated.

Changing the back of the phone can make any difference?
Thanks!

Ghost touching

My Pixel C has suddenly been stricken with “ghost touching.” This even happens in recovery - TWRP. This kinda tells me it’s a hardware issue. Would you agree?
I reformatted the drive and reinstalled the latest Lineage 17.1 ROM/GAPPS and Magisk. Same result.
Does anyone have any ideas what to try next?

ulrich91 said:
My Pixel C has suddenly been stricken with “ghost touching.” This even happens in recovery - TWRP. This kinda tells me it’s a hardware issue. Would you agree?
I reformatted the drive and reinstalled the latest Lineage 17.1 ROM/GAPPS and Magisk. Same result.
Does anyone have any ideas what to try next?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hardware issue is possible. I had a swollen battery a few months ago, which caused a lot of issues and was left unnoticed until recently.
A while ago my tablet started to lose touches (that touches might be "released" prematurely, causing some unexpected misses of holding notes in rhythm games I've been playing) as well as having strange colors near the borders of the screen. Later the tablet's magnets become unable to hold it firmly in place against the keyboard and only then did I notice that the screen has mostly popped out (the adhesive holding the screen is completely visible), so I immediately knew what was going on.
After replacing the battery the issues with the screen (colors and touches) went away mostly.
EDIT: Hardware issues aside, it's also possible to cause reproducible ghost touches during charging, if the charger/cable quality has become bad (unstable). This happens not only on this tablet. It can happen on any device. In such cases, replacing the charger/cable with a good quality one would fix it.

Thanks for the info LSS4181.
I think I found the issue. If I turn down the screen brightness the ghost touches go away. This is repeatable. If I raise the brightness it starts again.