Help Return / back soft key not working

[psommerfeld]

I've seen threads posted on this topic before, but I thought I'd ask now to see if anyone has come up with a solution (other than returning the phone):

Since getting my phone in Dec '10 maybe 5% of the time pressing the soft return key followed by the home button would result in a screenshot, and not actually returning one level.

However since last week, this now happens 95% of the time.

Any ideas?

I installed What's App and it's started happening since then. I guess I'll try uninstalling What's App and see, but mostly people think it's a HW issue.

Android 2.2

 

[snapper.fishes]

It's suposed to take a screen shot if you press the home and return key quickly. What do you mean?

 

[Kentucky]

I've had mine for about 6 months and it just started doing this. The return key doesn't light up and won't work, then when you hit the home key it takes a screen shot. Frustrating as it basically locks up the phone. My friend's phone just started doing the same thing. I hope someone comes up with a solution soon....

 

[billybob852]

I've had mine for about 6 months and it just started doing this. The return key doesn't light up and won't work, then when you hit the home key it takes a screen shot. Frustrating as it basically locks up the phone. My friend's phone just started doing the same thing. I hope someone comes up with a solution soon....

From your phones keypad...

1. Type *#*#2663#*#*
2. Select 'Touch key FW update'
3. Restart phone

 

[R4nd0mJ0k3r]

I've seen threads posted on this topic before, but I thought I'd ask now to see if anyone has come up with a solution (other than returning the phone):

Since getting my phone in Dec '10 maybe 5% of the time pressing the soft return key followed by the home button would result in a screenshot, and not actually returning one level.

However since last week, this now happens 95% of the time.

Any ideas?

I installed What's App and it's started happening since then. I guess I'll try uninstalling What's App and see, but mostly people think it's a HW issue.

Android 2.2

What'sApp is cancer... it killed my phone to the point were, even after uninstalling it, I had to do a factory reset... I know loads of people have it and trust it, but all I have is my experience, and it taught me to stay away from What'sApp!!

- R4nd0mJ0k3r

 

[psommerfeld]

I'm really convinced this is caused by bad apps ...

Upon phone reboot, I can press Applications icon followed by return soft key 10 times in a row without issue.

However if I have a pending Whats App message the return key gets seriously messed up and the same test fails 90% of the time, either by not working at all, or returning very slowly.

Whats App must be somehow causing missed or delayed keyboard interrupt or something.

Once I read the pending Whats App message, the return key works properly again.

So there's lots of people saying this is a hardware issue and unsolvable but I would say examine your apps very carefully.

Hope this helps someone ...

BTW if you get this problem, on my phone I "just" tap the power button to lock the phone, tap again to unlock, and then hit the Home hard button to get out of wherever I'm stuck. This won't fix the soft return key problem though. Sure beats rebooting your phone and taking 10 screenshots.

My next question would, when the phone is working properly, how do I take screenshots???

 

[psommerfeld]

From your phones keypad...

1. Type *#*#2663#*#*
2. Select 'Touch key FW update'
3. Restart phone

And this does what?

 

[crazydazed]

I have put the latest updates on my phone and the issue seems to be less prevelant. So this might be an app issue. Definitely could be poor thread coding as it always seems like the phone is processing something before making the return key available. However, I have noticed something else. This might be the simplest solution and I have not tested it extensively to know if it is true or not. I seem to have the issue most when there is clearly a lot of dirt and oil on top of the return key. I wonder if this gunk is messing with the return key. Whenever I clean my screen well, this issue does seem to fix.

 

[psommerfeld]

I have put the latest updates on my phone and the issue seems to be less prevelant. So this might be an app issue. Definitely could be poor thread coding as it always seems like the phone is processing something before making the return key available. However, I have noticed something else. This might be the simplest solution and I have not tested it extensively to know if it is true or not. I seem to have the issue most when there is clearly a lot of dirt and oil on top of the return key. I wonder if this gunk is messing with the return key. Whenever I clean my screen well, this issue does seem to fix.

Interesting theory, but I think it's wrong because:
1. The soft menu key never fails, and you would think it would have just as much dirt.
2. Even when in the failure mode, the return soft key does show a response the first time it goes into failure: It becomes unlit, and stays unlit. So it is responding to the physical touch.

 

[dinoirl]

And this does what?

Worked for me

 

[Webbie]

I just Did that myself since i was having the same issue, soon has i did that now my softkeys are not working.