HTC Touch power button broken. Stuck on Droid. What to do? - Touch CDMA Android Development

I dropped my phone yesterday, and the power button doesn't do anything now. It doesn't seem to move much, either. I popped a little of it out using the stylus, and couldn't find any wires so I don't think there's a solution. The button itself seems fine, but I think it got dislodged a bit from whatever mechanism (spring or latch) that tells it to turn on or w/e. Looks impossible to open up the device. (don't see any screws. looks soldered in)
Anyway, the phone itself works. I resetted it and it'll load up Android fine. I just can't get into Android because you need to press the power button to get out of the standby screen.
Is there any way I could
a) assign a new button in Android (say the center button?)
b) fix the button (or if I brought it to a Sprint store would it cost less than the phone? ($60))
c) get rid of Android and go to Windows without using the power button (power+reset code)
Thanks for the help!

mozillameister said:
I dropped my phone yesterday, and the power button doesn't do anything now. It doesn't seem to move much, either. I popped a little of it out using the stylus, and couldn't find any wires so I don't think there's a solution. The button itself seems fine, but I think it got dislodged a bit from whatever mechanism (spring or latch) that tells it to turn on or w/e. Looks impossible to open up the device. (don't see any screws. looks soldered in)
Anyway, the phone itself works. I resetted it and it'll load up Android fine. I just can't get into Android because you need to press the power button to get out of the standby screen.
Is there any way I could
a) assign a new button in Android (say the center button?)
b) fix the button (or if I brought it to a Sprint store would it cost less than the phone? ($60))
c) get rid of Android and go to Windows without using the power button (power+reset code)
Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are 4 Torx screws (1 under the warranty void sticker) essentially at every corner, so if you get a small enough torx screwdriver you can open it up
Here is a guide albeit in Russian, but the pictures are self explanatory
http://www.pdacenter.ru/razborka/razbor_htc_touch/

Is there any way I can reassign the button to the Back button or something? I need a quick fix so I can use the phone now for calling. Its probably built on to the motherboard because there's no wiring from the looks of it. Not sure where to find such a screwdriver, but I'll look into it.

I had a similar problem with my camera (back) button. It was a fairly easy fix. You will need a tiny Torx to get it open. There is a complete teardown thread on this site to help guide it. Once I had the right Torx driver, it took a few minutes. The switches are surface mounted and are held in place with clips. I had to bend the clips back into place and then reflow the solder joints with a soldering iron. I dropped some solder onto the clips to hold them together.
I tried to roll an alternate ROM with different key assignments...the build process is not well documented, IMO. I asked and was basically told to go make friends with a developer.

Related

Someone who took their G1 apart - help me out!

Hello
I've got my greedy hands on G1. Phone was free so I can't loose on that lol. Gal who gave it to me said that all it does for her when she powers it up is going into Hboot screen I applied dreaimg.nbh, got it to boot into rc29 and realized that I had no simcard in it. I powered it off, put sim in it and powered it back on and now I'm looking at Hboot screen again. I can boot into recovery just fine though but selecting reboot from that menu takes me back to rainbow. I can also reboot with 3-finger salute but again, it takes me to Hboot.
I have a feeling that this is a problem with camera button rather then software, did anyone fix this successfuly? Is there a way to physicaly disconnect camera button from main motherboard? Any insight is appreciated.
I'm not a noob, I can troubleshoot software issues but i've never taken this phone apart so I'm clueless.
Thanks in advance.
Ok, so I found this thread and I guess there's no easy way to just disconnect camera button. I still would like to know if anyone recovered from such a problem. Thank you in advance.
I have not taken the G1 apart, but I was a hardware troubleshooter for much of my professional career. My first guess is that the button is stuck not shorted. Always try the simple things first. Look at the button cover, does it protrude from the case slightly, or does it look pressed in. Even if the button cover is not pressed it, it is possible the button itself is stuck. in this case, tap it against a hard surface a few times. Hey it was a free (broken) phone, what have you got to loose. You can probably tap what would seem to be a little too hard without hurting it. If that doesn't work, then you may need to take the phone apart and check the button state. Does it push in, pop back out. If not you may be able to physically pull the button back out. If it does, then it's possible the button is messed up/shorted inside. By the looks of the pictures, the only fix is to unsolder the button.
Those are the steps I would take. Always start simple and work up from there. And always be open to something that seems unrelated that you may find along the path but ends up being the problem.
Hope it helps
scott
Scott
I don't have t5/t6 screwdrivers handy so I did not quite take it apart. I did nowever pry the camera button (plastic part of it) out slightly, enough to see inside. I found that the actual button does work, i.e. it goes in and pops out on it's own. I tried tapping it as well, harder then most people would probably. Still the same problem. Oh well, I have one more trick up my sleeve. When I got the phone it was super cold because it was left in the car overnight (way below freezing temps, those MN winters you know) so may be I can do it again... who knows, like you said, what do I have to loose?
Thank you for your opinion.

Broken power button

Hi,
My power button broke last week and just installed Android, my issue is that I can't get any menus since can't use the power button. Anyways to remap the menu button to the D-pad? Or can I get menus without the power button, I have tried everything. Thanks.
i'm in the same boat. my power button has been flakey for the last few months, but as of yesterday it's on it's last legs. it sometimes takes me 3 or 4 minutes to get my phone unlocked to make a call. i might have to go back to windows!
So I just replaced the housing on my phone. Check and see if its the connecton on the motherboard or the button itself. If its the button, I'd be happy to hook one of y'all up with a new power button from my old housing.
Sent from my Sprint Vogue using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
Gersonian said:
So I just replaced the housing on my phone. Check and see if its the connecton on the motherboard or the button itself. If its the button, I'd be happy to hook one of y'all up with a new power button from my old housing.
Sent from my Sprint Vogue using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
man I'd gladly take your old power button. For the last couple of months, I've been using an eraser and tape for my power button lol
wizziko said:
man I'd gladly take your old power button. For the last couple of months, I've been using an eraser and tape for my power button lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok PM me with your contact info and I will send it along... If you need a link to a disassembly guise for the vogue, let me know.
I was having trouble with my camera button, so "back" was missing. I tore it apart...need a Torx 5...using complete teardown instructions I found on this site. The metal clips came loose and allowed the switch to push into the case. You can see how they should look by comparing to the reset button or camera button that is working. I bent the clips back and dropped some solder on them to hold them in place. Then probed with the phone on...pressing the switch down onto the board and clicking the button and watching for a response. Once I found it, I held it in place and lightly heated the metal leads to reflow the solder joints on the motherboard. I held it down for 30 seconds after removing the iron. Once I reassembled it, everything seems perfect. This seems a much better solution than trying to hack up a custom control scheme. Good luck.

Oh no, power button went out...

Okay, my power button went out, which seems from previous posters that it spells the end of the phone. However I pryed mine out, and am SOMETIMES able to get my power button to respond by sticking a knife in there.
My question is can anyone get my an NBH that remaps my power key (or can I make one myself) to another key? I'm not sure what key would be best, I'm guessing power/back, knowing that I'd no longer have the ability to go back, but I only need the work around until the end of July when I can get a new phone... Thanks.
fldash said:
Okay, my power button went out, which seems from previous posters that it spells the end of the phone. However I pryed mine out, and am SOMETIMES able to get my power button to respond by sticking a knife in there.
My question is can anyone get my an NBH that remaps my power key (or can I make one myself) to another key? I'm not sure what key would be best, I'm guessing power/back, knowing that I'd no longer have the ability to go back, but I only need the work around until the end of July when I can get a new phone... Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if only there was a Zimage of the super old keymap around
Do you mean a button on the top of the phone?
I got a Polaris (so maby this is not helpful).
But if you got some knowledge with hardware and got calm hands you maby can open your phone.
I had the same problem and my button was broken off from the mainboard. But it was really easy using a soldering iron to fix it.
.......
You should consider this as a possible solution... Its not to hard to open the phone and soldering isnt that hard either. Maby you got a friend that can do this. Or someone in your city does repairs of this kind (each electrican should be able to) its just fixing 4 dots on a 2x2mm big button..
dertester123 said:
Do you mean a button on the top of the phone?
I got a Polaris (so maby this is not helpful).
But if you got some knowledge with hardware and got calm hands you maby can open your phone.
I had the same problem and my button was broken off from the mainboard. But it was really easy using a soldering iron to fix it.
.......
You should consider this as a possible solution... Its not to hard to open the phone and soldering isnt that hard either. Maby you got a friend that can do this. Or someone in your city does repairs of this kind (each electrican should be able to) its just fixing 4 dots on a 2x2mm big button..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have it open already... I'm guessing I solder this button to the metal piece... this is pretty precise work but I'm going to try it, nothing to lose...
Well hell, I got it on there, but it's shorted, the power button is always down and I can't figure out how to fix it... I don't understand how this button works as even the design of it makes no sense.
Ok, so I never got it, pretty sure my switch is bad... I can short it out, and use the power button so I have wires sticking out, I'm still looking for an NBH that will let my move my power button to something else... like maybe long hold volume up?
Wonder if it's possible to do something with they keylayout files?
dzo?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=695936
Actually, the perfect power button would be the d-pad center button as I don't think I've EVER hit it before...
If someone can help me try to change it, I'd appreciate it. I know the method above won't work as the Vogue gets it's keymap from the kernel. I did some searches for unsungboxer but never found where it was described how to edit the keymap. All I know is it supposedly requires linux.

captivate problems

my volume down button is constantly trying to turn the colume down have taken it appart and reset it and still wont stop
Have you noticed whether or not the button seemed to click down properly (mechanically), or was it stiff or what?
Seeing as how the volume down button is actually soldered directly to the main logic board, I'd say if you don't have crud that's worked its way in to physically depress or cause the button to stick, then it's probably a broken switch inside the button (sorta like adhesive switches/buttons going out), and the only way to take care of that issue would be to replace and re-solder in a new switch.

[Q] Volume down not working

I just noticed my volume down button isn't working anymore. I don't use it very much, mostly just when I'm flashing a different rom. My first thought was "it's just a bug" so I tried using the registry editor to see if that would help but no luck (not 100% sure if correct but the registries matched what was posted). I watched a video on how to disassemble my phone and that seems to be my next step but I wanted to see if there were any other things I can try before going that far.
Any ideas?
Right now I'm on the intrinsicROM and I can't get into boot loader mode because of my volume down button so I cant just try a different rom. I read the intrinsic thread, I'm only one with this problem so I don't think it's the rom. It's just hard to believe it could be a hardware problem, could a button could go out that easily? and only down?
Thanks!
EDIT!!
I decided to take it apart, took out the flex volume button and it was easy to tell that was the problem. I ordered a flex volume button for 15 usd and now I'm waiting on the mail man. For anyone with the same problem, I watched the youtube video about replacing a cracked screen except you don't take the screen off or peel the circuit board off. All you need is the back cover off, then move some wires out of the way of the flex button, unplug the flex button, the flex button has a sticky backside so you have to separate the button from the phone using something really skinny and pull it out with some tweezers. That's how I got mine out but if someone knows a easier way fill free to share. Be careful with trying to take the flex button out, if you don't know for sure that's your problem, it can be easily damaged if being careless.

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