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?
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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.
Related
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)
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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
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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 :]
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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
So, initially I began having problems with "ghost touching", then, portions of my screen became unresponsive to touch in addition to the "ghost touching". I did the line drawing test multiple times. At times, it showed a dead space to the right (vertically only, horizontal was ok), other times, it was working fine. I was so focused on checking the right side of the screen, I didn't check the bottom. When I did, it showed an unresponsive area at the bottom as well. Almost as if the screen was off kilter. I did a factory reset through the normal phone menu and from TWRP and the ghost touching has seemed to resolve itself, however, the unresponsive screen is getting worse. Now a full 1/3 of the screen on the right is intermittently unresponsive.
I am hoping there is something I can flash on this phone that might assist the digitizer if it is software related. If not, could it be that the cable is not grounded properly or has possibly become partly unplugged? I know what a pain this phone is to take apart because I had to take my first M8 apart when I accidentally gave it a ride home in a cup of tea. (really tired after working one night, forgot the cup was in the cup holder). Turns out they really don't like that. My current M8 I bought from a private seller, so I have no warranty, no insurance and extremely limited funds at the moment for handling this problem. I've had this replacement phone for several months, so I know the phone wasn't defective when I got it.
I am rooted, running stock ROM, stock kernel and TWRP Recovery v2.7.0.2
Thank you in advance for any help.
I do not know whether this counts as ghost touch or not, but randomly there is a persistent touch on the bottom right corner of my Zenfone 2, ZE551ML. If i Lock the device and unlock it back again, (Through the power button), the issue goes away. It re appears after a while again.
I saw videos of people facing such issues on youtube, but in their cases, the entire touch automatically starts to act up. whereas in my case, this happens only if i start using the phone. And that too on the same area ( Bottom Right, Just over the Recents Button)
I wiped the screen / Scratch guard thoroughly. I even changed my scratch guard. but still the issue stays.
Im on Stock 183 (Not yet updated to 184).
Is this a hardware issue or a software one?
(My warranty just ended yesterday).
I feel this is software, because the touch works normally if i lock the device and then unlock it back.
Just for the record, my device passed the SMMI touch and multi touch test without issues.
Also i enabled the graph option under developer options. And i do not see any touch being registered under normal course.
But then when all the tools are off, randomly the issue just pops up again.
Does anyone have such issues?
Does CM or other Non-stock ROM solve this??
I actually a similar issue a month ago, which I thought was a software thing (completely wiped my phone, then installed latest XOSP) or me losing my mind, and it turns out it was neither.
It came back yesterday, and I learned that there's entirely a chance that the screen connectors are loose. Simply remove the back panel (the one with the screws, you'll need one of those eyeglass-repair screwdrivers) and press down on the connectors to make sure they're 100% snapped in and the issue should stop!
Also, see if Glove mode fixes it, since I know that works for a lot of people.
I had the problem. I just removed back cover and plugged a bit more the connectors that you can see when removing battery cover.
Its been 3 months without the problem.
gREENNNNN said:
I had the problem. I just removed back cover and plugged a bit more the connectors that you can see when removing battery cover.
Its been 3 months without the problem.
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Kavka.V said:
I actually a similar issue a month ago, which I thought was a software thing (completely wiped my phone, then installed latest XOSP) or me losing my mind, and it turns out it was neither.
It came back yesterday, and I learned that there's entirely a chance that the screen connectors are loose. Simply remove the back panel (the one with the screws, you'll need one of those eyeglass-repair screwdrivers) and press down on the connectors to make sure they're 100% snapped in and the issue should stop!
Also, see if Glove mode fixes it, since I know that works for a lot of people.
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Okay so
My issue is because of my flip cover.
I knew this wasn't hardware, coz the issue was only on one small area of the screen.
I did the following:
When there was ghost random touch.
I immediately removed my flip cover, and the issue went off
Did It twice, both times, it worked.
Thanks anyways.
Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using XDA-Developers mobile app
My Nexus 2013 has been experiencing erratic touchscreen behaviour lately.
Here's some videos to indicate what I mean:
Video 1
Video 2
It was running lollipop, which I then upgraded to Marshmallow thinking that would alleviate the problems.
I also cleared the cache and factory restored - no improvement.
I've tried sfhub's touchscreen fixes - also no improvement.
I've also opened it up and tried the ribbon cable fix - no improvement.
The screen only really recognises touches on a small vertical band on the right of the screen. At one point, it only registered touches within the dead zones if I had two fingers on the screen, but then further tests revealed that that was a fluke and then it went back to being erratic.
I was wondering if anyone else had this problem? If so, have you managed to fix it?
Is this more likely a hardware or a software problem?
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks
I would try cutting power to the tablet and cleaning the digitizer connections with alcohol. Then try parrot mod as well
chkenwing said:
The screen only really recognises touches on a small vertical band on the right of the screen.
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This sounds like a hardware issue. But still, certainly worth trying the parrotmod fix. As ethanchow suggested try cleaning the ribbon cable contacts. 91% isopropyl alcohol (and of course give it a second to be sure it's fully dry).
I'm assuming it's an original screen.
Has anyone had an issue with the screen where it is unable to display proper blacks? If I try to display black its more like a darker washed out grey and has ghosting around the edges of the screen.
I only noticed this problem appear after i flashed the ROM to LOS 19.1.
I have since tried to reboot, reflash the rom and flashed a different rom (pixel experience plus) but no changes in either case.
If the tablet is turned off for a while the screen ghosting/burn disappears but comes back very quickly.
Failing all else I'll try to go back to Android 10 but ideally that would be necessary, unless ofc this ends up being hardware which is a bummer but I guess this tablet is pretty old now.
Brad2607 said:
Has anyone had an issue with the screen where it is unable to display proper blacks? If I try to display black its more like a darker washed out grey and has ghosting around the edges of the screen.
I only noticed this problem appear after i flashed the ROM to LOS 19.1.
I have since tried to reboot, reflash the rom and flashed a different rom (pixel experience plus) but no changes in either case.
If the tablet is turned off for a while the screen ghosting/burn disappears but comes back very quickly.
Failing all else I'll try to go back to Android 10 but ideally that would be necessary, unless ofc this ends up being hardware which is a bummer but I guess this tablet is pretty old now.
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My first Pixel C did exactly this. I suspect some kind of damage in the display's ribbon cable is the cause.