maemo.org - Talk - [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

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- - [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=90839)

[Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

today when i woke up my N900's hardware slide to unlock key was not working. It was working yesterday without any problem. I thought may be its a software issue so i reflashed it but its still not working.

after trying/sliding button more than 15 times its behaving totally weird now. it keeps locking and unlocking phone. seems like its stuck inside. lshal -m log attached. see how its behaving.

Code:

BusyBox v1.10.2 (Debian 3:1.10.2.legal-1osso30+0m5) built-in shell (ash)

Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.



~ $ lshal -m



Start monitoring devicelist:

-------------------------------------------------

06:06:02.392: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = false

06:06:02.408: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:02.485: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = true

06:06:02.515: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:03.456: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = false

06:06:03.464: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:03.555: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = true

06:06:03.564: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:11.977: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = true

06:06:12.074: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:12.075: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = true

06:06:12.116: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:23.365: bme property battery.voltage.current = 3775 (0xebf)

06:06:23.400: bme property battery.reporting.current = 428 (0x1ac)

06:06:23.501: bme property battery.remaining_time = 7200 (0x1c20)

06:06:33.205: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = false

06:06:33.223: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:33.341: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = true

06:06:33.361: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:33.573: bme property battery.voltage.current = 3781 (0xec5)

06:06:33.589: bme property battery.reporting.current = 427 (0x1ab)

06:06:36.701: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = false

06:06:36.716: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:36.780: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = true

06:06:36.822: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:38.084: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = false

06:06:38.100: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

06:06:38.146: platform_kb_lock property button.state.value = true

06:06:38.161: platform_kb_lock condition ButtonPressed = cover

any solution or i have to take it to a repairing shop ?

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

Did you have a storm at night by any chance? There have been a few reports (including by yours truly) that the slider is sensitive to moisture but will start working properly again once completely dried. Which may take hours or days.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

take it to repairing shop if moisture then they will dry it up or act accordingly :) and stop sliding it over and over again

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

Quote:

Originally Posted by pichlo (Post 1361985)

no. can it be caused by sweating ? as weather is pretty hot here and when i leave to take my classes i sweat much and also my phone is in my front pocket of my shirt. and it morning it was not working at all.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

sweat damages phones intensively specialy displays and hardware switches and shorting the board:) its too conductive.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

I believe it can be caused by sweating. I found a steamy bathroom was the cause in my case.

Of course that is just one possible cause. It may turn out to be another problem altogether.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

Quote:

Originally Posted by pichlo (Post 1361997)

I believe it can be caused by sweating. I found a steamy bathroom was the cause in my case.

Of course that is just one possible cause. It may turn out to be another problem altogether.

yeah that may be the cause. as first it was totaly un responsive and now it is too sensitive. is there any way to turn this off ? i mean make N900 not to respond to hardware slider lock and unlock commands ? its really annoying.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

I would suspect a little dirt, that is making it stuck (for a while) in one position... Before taking it to repair shop, I would disassemble device and check it myself - it's as easy as unscrewing 6 screws, really.

Either "faerie" is visible, or (if you check pressing that button on MB yourself, and it seems to work OK), it's really damaged switch. In the latter case, repair center sounds sane - one could attempt to replace that switch her/himself, but it's not trivial for beginners (small parts, SMD).

/Estel

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

Quote:

Originally Posted by Estel (Post 1362031)

is there any guide for disassembling ? i would do it myself if its easy. and is there anyway to disable it until its fixed ? it keeps locking and unlocking device. slide itslef is smooth as it was.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

one more question. now whenever i try to start backupmenu it just restarts itself when it shows menu for about 1 second. it reboots because of this problem ?

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

strange 3 hours ago it worked without any problem. i locked and unlocked it 4 times and it worked just like it should and now its not working again.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

Quote:

Originally Posted by panjgoori (Post 1362106)

one more question. now whenever i try to start backupmenu it just restarts itself when it shows menu for about 1 second. it reboots because of this problem ?

Yes, as mentioned in the BackupManu thread, BM uses that switch as the reset button.

Quote:

Originally Posted by panjgoori (Post 1362297)

strange 3 hours ago it worked without any problem. i locked and unlocked it 4 times and it worked just like it should and now its not working again.

That just confirms the transient nature of your problem. Moisture of dirt.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

Quote:

Originally Posted by pichlo (Post 1362303)

Yes, as mentioned in the BackupManu thread, BM uses that switch as the reset button.

That just confirms the transient nature of your problem. Moisture of dirt.

i think i should take it to repair shop. they told me today bring it tomorrow and i will repair. this will cost me about 3 to 5$.

Re: [Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

its now working again. seems like it was moisture as Pichlo said. thanks everyone for your replies. and sorry for posting so late and changing thread title to solve.

Re: [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

I'm happy I've come across this thread.

I'm having the exact same issue as panjgoori. The screen started to flicker today (even in my pocket, got a lot of apps opened and shortcuts deleted by itself). It will often flicker by it's own : I mean the phone is on the table and the screen unlocks by itself and then 1 second later locks and again unlocks (like a lot of times) and then just locks. And also the battery is draining really really fast because of the flickering.
And the same thing as described by panjgoori happens with backupmenu, it restarts after the menu is showed.
I didn't drop it lately, I mean the last time was like 6 months ago and it worked fine until today.
I hope it is moisture, but in the country I am no repair shop wants to open it to clean it. They say it is too complicated because of the slider mechanism and it is not worth it. I would do it myself but I don't have the necessary skills.
This weekend I will try some other repair shops and I hope someone will be willing to take a look at it.

Re: [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

You do need some basic skills but opening is easy-peasy for anyone who has opened as much as a transistor radio. It really should be no challenge for a repair shop.

Re: [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

They know they can't ask a premium price for a dated phone like the N900 so don't even bother.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVEHm325-z8

Re: [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

So after going at like 10-12 repair shops (don't remember actually as I lost all my weekend on it) nobody wants to open and clean my N900.
They all give the same response : it is an old phone and it doesn't worth the effort from them to deal with it cause they will have to do some research and stuff.... they are just a bunch of lazy.

So, what I will do : first buy a second N900 (as this one was my main and only phone, got to replace it with an old nokia phone for now), then get the necessary tools (will have to look for what I need exactly) and open it myself. I never had to deal with opening a phone (not even a laptop) until now, but like they say "you have to start some day".

Thanks t-b for the link it will certainly help me.
Also, I will have to recover my backup from backupmenu on the n900 I will buy next week (if I find one worth buying), but I've seen on the forum that it is discouraged to recover a backup on another device (but I don't remember why).
I hope it is doable as that was the intend of the backups I did, to use them on another n900 when the one I have will fail.

Re: [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

So, I just got an used N900 (but in very good condition) for about 55 euros. Now I have to reinstall every app (including catalogs and all) to customize it the way I want (it may take a while).
I ditched the idea of using the backup from backupmenu as I would like to have a fresh install with all the configurations.
I will try to open the old N900 and clean it just to have a backup (I hope I won't break anything and that I will be able to assemble it again).

Re: [Solved][Hardware Help Needed] N900 Hardware Slide to Unlock key not working

Restoring a backupmenu backup from device A on device B is a lottery. I've heard success but also horror stories. Here is mine.

Good luck with your hacking, I am sure you will come out richer for the experience.