Database Users

Help please! Flashing w/o trackball

Is there any way possible to flash a new rom either from my PC or maybe a custom version of recovery with remapped keys?
My trackball has been on the Fritz for the past couple weeks, at first just scroll down wouldn't work at times. Then nothing worked besides scrolling up or right but I figured that pressing the ball down lightly right before it clicks and scrolling down slowly would work. Then it pretty much stopped work altogether and found that if I press the trackball in all the way while booting recovery and carefully scrolling down slowly without releasing pressure that I could sometimes it would work. But now its not even doing that except on rare occasions, and my phone is in kind of a crippled state as i messed up the rom and need to reflash. I can't return it to Verizon because they wont honor the warranty because I bought it off my friend only a week after he got it new. So I don't know what to do, except for maybe trying to return it to HTC under a manufacturer warranty if that's even possible. I don't ever use the trackball so I don't care if it never works but I'm hoping somene knows of a way to flash a new rom without it.
Sent from my FroyoEris using XDA App

n0yd said:
Is there any way possible to flash a new rom either from my PC or maybe a custom version of recovery with remapped keys?
My trackball has been on the Fritz for the past couple weeks, at first just scroll down wouldn't work at times. Then nothing worked besides scrolling up or right but I figured that pressing the ball down lightly right before it clicks and scrolling down slowly would work. Then it pretty much stopped work altogether and found that if I press the trackball in all the way while booting recovery and carefully scrolling down slowly without releasing pressure that I could sometimes it would work. But now its not even doing that except on rare occasions, and my phone is in kind of a crippled state as i messed up the rom and need to reflash. I can't return it to Verizon because they wont honor the warranty because I bought it off my friend only a week after he got it new. So I don't know what to do, except for maybe trying to return it to HTC under a manufacturer warranty if that's even possible. I don't ever use the trackball so I don't care if it never works but I'm hoping somene knows of a way to flash a new rom without it.
Sent from my FroyoEris using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been having the same issue. I've tried everything to fix it... The trackball sucks on the Eris. I've been using ClockWork Recovery with much success as it lets you select with the Volume Rocker.

metasage said:
I've been having the same issue. I've tried everything to fix it... The trackball sucks on the Eris. I've been using ClockWork Recovery with much success as it lets you select with the Volume Rocker.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No had the same problem
Get a refurb like i did
No trackball no hack
Sent from my Eris using XDA App

Ya i just discovred clockword mod recovery. Very nice! Thanks. Now to decide between CELB Froyo and Kaos Froyo v22

n0yd said:
Is there any way possible to flash a new rom either from my PC or maybe a custom version of recovery with remapped keys?
My trackball has been on the Fritz for the past couple weeks, at first just scroll down wouldn't work at times. Then nothing worked besides scrolling up or right but I figured that pressing the ball down lightly right before it clicks and scrolling down slowly would work. Then it pretty much stopped work altogether and found that if I press the trackball in all the way while booting recovery and carefully scrolling down slowly without releasing pressure that I could sometimes it would work. But now its not even doing that except on rare occasions, and my phone is in kind of a crippled state as i messed up the rom and need to reflash. I can't return it to Verizon because they wont honor the warranty because I bought it off my friend only a week after he got it new. So I don't know what to do, except for maybe trying to return it to HTC under a manufacturer warranty if that's even possible. I don't ever use the trackball so I don't care if it never works but I'm hoping somene knows of a way to flash a new rom without it.
Sent from my FroyoEris using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
use your USB cable as a "crutch" if you angle the USB cable while plugged in (press and hold it upward slightly) then using the trackball works fine as if nothing ever happened.
sorry to see people are having this much of an issue with it mine bugs out too but works fiine if i use my usb cable or finger to move the USB port. its just an HTC issue they always have funny usb ports.

Take a Q-tip and dip a little rubbing alcohol on it and lightly brush the trackball until it frees up. Chances are it just needs to be cleaned.
Worked for me.

Patricosuave said:
Take a Q-tip and dip a little rubbing alcohol on it and lightly brush the trackball until it frees up. Chances are it just needs to be cleaned.
Worked for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disasembled the whole phone, cleaned it with rubbing alcohol and blew the rollers inside with compressed air, no go.

n0yd said:
I disasembled the whole phone, cleaned it with rubbing alcohol and blew the rollers inside with compressed air, no go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow that didnt work i was think about doing this

now that root is available to all I am turning my phone in for this very issue ....supose to have a refurb here tomorrow....be rooted 5 mins after I get it ...and all is good again

Sjflowerhorn said:
use your USB cable as a "crutch" if you angle the USB cable while plugged in (press and hold it upward slightly) then using the trackball works fine as if nothing ever happened.
sorry to see people are having this much of an issue with it mine bugs out too but works fiine if i use my usb cable or finger to move the USB port. its just an HTC issue they always have funny usb ports.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!! Worked for me and now I'm rooted!! Never even knew the trackball wouldn't go down. I never used it until I tried to scroll on the recovery screen.

Sjflowerhorn said:
use your USB cable as a "crutch" if you angle the USB cable while plugged in (press and hold it upward slightly) then using the trackball works fine as if nothing ever happened.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a warning: that miniUSB port is held on only by two small posts, which are soldered to the board. These posts are inserted into two holes in the board.
While these posts have suitable strength to resist against lateral force (i.e. you inserting the cable), they have almost no vertical strength. Imagine a nail hammered into a hole; if you push or pull the nail from the side, it'll hold strong, but you can easily pull a nail out of the wall from the top.
In short, pushing on your USB cable at an angle is a very good way to break the port's contact with the board. No contact = no charging = very fancy paperweight.

The magnets used for the trackball mess up with the usb. They go out of wack. A known problem I've had and my wife. Get back to 1.5 or 2.1 and take you're phone into the store. It will get worse untill you can't use you're phone.
Sent from my FroyoEris using XDA App

[Q] big problem to solve

Hello everybody. Before asking my question I need share with you my bad luck.
3 days ago I accidentally dropped my phone and the Glass on the screen broke...the touch screen was still working and everything so just the glass was cracked. I brought my phone to a shop near my house, they told "we can fix it, come back in 2 hours, it's 150$". I know it's a high price but I love my phone and I Said yes. After 3 hours I went back there and they told me: "look trying to replace the glass we broke the LCD too, so it's gonna need more time, come back in tomorrow". I came back the day after and they gave me the phone. Immediately I notice that the volume button UP wasn't working, so I asked them "what's going on?" and they took the phone for another hour or so and told me that they didn't do it, and probably touching it something went wrong so Now I have to wait a week for another part to come from china to be replaced. IN the mean time I can't use the phone the way I want.
The phone is working and everything but now don't hear any sound on calls at all, only if I put it on speaker...otherwise it doesn't work, not even with headphones. Now is there some application or fix that I can use to raise the in-call volume ? I don't know what to do!!!
Please help me! what should I do with the shop?
thank you

If it's just a matter of being able to raise the volume without using the button, you can use AudioManager Widget, free in the market. If they messed up your internal speaker somehow, you'll have to wait til the parts come in.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

yo have a PM

matthew33 said:
yo have a PM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't get anything...thank you for the advice

I dont' know if it's only that now it's not working not evene on the speaker during calls. I tried to do a clean install of android but still same problem. On windows mobile the calls work...the volume key still doesn't of course

Would button remapper (free in the market) work just remapp volume to a different hard key
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

tried to remap keys, install android (american droid) from scratch, formatted sd card and everything but still same problem. No sound on calls on android? They said they changed the "volume flex" with one they had but it didn't work...It seems like a weird software issue because in Winmo I hear sound, but O never had this problem before with the same build....

SOLVED!!!! I don't know how, but I tried to boot with winmobile in airplane mode and it worked!!!
Thank you again

Is my touchscreen dieing?

I was running an older Paramid version of dunphp's ROM, and right before swtching the ROM my touch screen start to not function. I could not pull the ring up to unlock the screen. I rebooted multiple times. Cleared Dalvik and fixed permissions. It finally worked after attemptiing to unlock it for what seem like abother 500 times.
I was going to change over to his latest Deisre HD ROM anyway. So I did a Task 29, and cleaned and reinstalled everything from scratch. It worked perfectly for about 5 days. Now I am getting the same issue with my touch screen. It just seems to go out. Is this typically what happens when it's about to die?

Never mind. I Task29, and flashed a Windows Mobile ROM just to see, and yeah...it's dead...

cmajewsk said:
Never mind. I Task29, and flashed a Windows Mobile ROM just to see, and yeah...it's dead...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have semi-dead digitizer. But it is nothing you can't temporarily fix every time it happens. Just push red (end call) button really hard for a while and it will get fixed for a while. I recommend you using button savior and lock screen with it and unlock with any other button than red one, it should be permanently fixed then. Please hit the thanks button if I helped you.

lolkoz said:
You have semi-dead digitizer. But it is nothing you can't temporarily fix every time it happens. Just push red (end call) button really hard for a while and it will get fixed for a while. I recommend you using button savior and lock screen with it and unlock with any other button than red one, it should be permanently fixed then. Please hit the thanks button if I helped you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hit the thanks button as you gave me hope. I am currently using my old TouchPro 2 with an old NRG Titanium Rom on it for the time being, but will try this today. I’ll install “button savior”, but what am I supposed to do with the app? What settings do I run? I think you are totally right about this, as I noticed when I was unlocking my phone, using the green call button worked most often, but now that’s not even working.

cmajewsk said:
I hit the thanks button as you gave me hope. I am currently using my old TouchPro 2 with an old NRG Titanium Rom on it for the time being, but will try this today. I’ll install “button savior”, but what am I supposed to do with the app? What settings do I run? I think you are totally right about this, as I noticed when I was unlocking my phone, using the green call button worked most often, but now that’s not even working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I have exactly the same problem as you have. My phone was working flawlessly for like a year and a half, but last week all of a sudden the touchscreen sometimes didn't work and sometimes it did. So I tried literally everything, I was fixing my permisions all the time, wiping dalvik, task29, remaking parrtitions, even bought a new sd card. But few days ago I found a solution, by pushing red button really hard (because the digitizer is right behind it) and not using it after. The Button Savior app is a simple app that makes a very little transparent icon on your screen and when you tap it, the menu of buttons will come up (with the same buttons as your hard buttons on your device) so every time you will want to lock the device you will do it on your screen, and won't have to push the hard button and come through all the hassle of pushing the digitizer. I really hope I helped you, as this very same problem was driving my crazy for the past few days.

lolkoz said:
Yes, I have exactly the same problem as you have. My phone was working flawlessly for like a year and a half, but last week all of a sudden the touchscreen sometimes didn't work and sometimes it did. So I tried literally everything, I was fixing my permisions all the time, wiping dalvik, task29, remaking parrtitions, even bought a new sd card. But few days ago I found a solution, by pushing red button really hard (because the digitizer is right behind it) and not using it after. The Button Savior app is a simple app that makes a very little transparent icon on your screen and when you tap it, the menu of buttons will come up (with the same buttons as your hard buttons on your device) so every time you will want to lock the device you will do it on your screen, and won't have to push the hard button and come through all the hassle of pushing the digitizer. I really hope I helped you, as this very same problem was driving my crazy for the past few days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, that didn't work...my digitizer must be completely dead. I held the Red Button for a while and holding it down really hard...made no difference..oh well guess a dumb phone until the Prime comes out....thanks anyway.

cmajewsk said:
Nah, that didn't work...my digitizer must be completely dead. I held the Red Button for a while and holding it down really hard...made no difference..oh well guess a dumb phone until the Prime comes out....thanks anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aww, that's a shame. I really tought it would help. It doesn't work every time, maybe you can try it few more times. If it's not even then going to work, then maybe you should get your digitizer replaced.
Cheers

lolkoz said:
Aww, that's a shame. I really tought it would help. It doesn't work every time, maybe you can try it few more times. If it's not even then going to work, then maybe you should get your digitizer replaced.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How long do you hold the red button? Also, I am pushing down really hard. I didn't know you could get the digitizer replaced...I wonder who would do that (no way would I send it to HTC and wait a month), and how much that costs...?

HTC sends phones back crazy quick. Atleast that's how it was for me. They actually sent it back the day they got it from what I remember. It did take a while though for the phone to arrive to HTC (this depend who and from where you send it though) If your phone still has warranty I seriously recommended you send it yo HTC. Just remember to flash it 100% stock before sending it.
Sent from my HD2 using XDA App

Well believe it or not, after pressing the Red phone off button for an eternity and applying a ton of pressure, it's working. I am sure it won't be for long. I have a shortcut to lock the phone on the screen. So basically your saying I should stay away from hitting the Red phone off button, or else that will kill it again? What about the other hard buttons?
I am in the UAE at present, so it might be better for me to just order a digitizer and do the repair myself. I see there are a lot of YouTube videos on the subject.
Thanks everyone for your help!

Touchscreen problem.

I bought my TF300 at Amazon June and basically it works well until yesterday.
The sympton is like someone keep tapping the specific areas of touchscreen and never stop, actually i haven't put my finger on ,even i didn't hold the tablet, just put it on desktop.
I had to tried to hold the power button to restart the TF300 several times and finally it looks become normal.
But this morning, when i power it on, the problem occurred.
Anyone have idea this problem ?

Weird. Do you have a screen protector on? If you do, you might need to take it off. If you don't, try cleaning your screen with the cloth it came with, also do a cold reboot (this is done by turning off your tablet then turning it back on holding the volume down button until you see some text in the upper left of the screen, after that just leave the tablet do he's thing, meaning don't touch anything else until it boots up). If that doesn't fix the problem, you will need to try to do a factory reset. If that fails to fix the problem I suggest you contact ASUS support or if its still under amazon's warranty exchange for a new one.

jgaf said:
Weird. Do you have a screen protector on? If you do, you might need to take it off. If you don't, try cleaning your screen with the cloth it came with, also do a cold reboot (this is done by turning off your tablet then turning it back on holding the volume down button until you see some text in the upper left of the screen, after that just leave the tablet do he's thing, meaning don't touch anything else until it boots up). If that doesn't fix the problem, you will need to try to do a factory reset. If that fails to fix the problem I suggest you contact ASUS support or if its still under amazon's warranty exchange for a new one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your suggestion.
I found a member had the some problem. See thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1653178
I gotta to contact ASUS local first.
A friend of mine bought it in Amazon U.S for me and bring it to China, which makes me hard to exchange ( International post fee and custom tax).

I had that problem
abczhou said:
I bought my TF300 at Amazon June and basically it works well until yesterday.
The sympton is like someone keep tapping the specific areas of touchscreen and never stop, actually i haven't put my finger on ,even i didn't hold the tablet, just put it on desktop.
I had to tried to hold the power button to restart the TF300 several times and finally it looks become normal.
But this morning, when i power it on, the problem occurred.
Anyone have idea this problem ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine wasn't picking when I pressed on the screen... I open the back and saw a ribbon cable was kinda loose and held with tape. So I pressed it in and put more tape on it and now its fine with the response from the screen.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1764971
I think u have the same problem as i do.
I have just applied a capdase matt screen protector. I am currently testing out if the problem is here or.not.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app

abczhou said:
I bought my TF300 at Amazon June and basically it works well until yesterday.
The sympton is like someone keep tapping the specific areas of touchscreen and never stop, actually i haven't put my finger on ,even i didn't hold the tablet, just put it on desktop.
I had to tried to hold the power button to restart the TF300 several times and finally it looks become normal.
But this morning, when i power it on, the problem occurred.
Anyone have idea this problem ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've noticed differences touch responsiveness between different roms. What are you using?

blakerw87 said:
I've noticed differences touch responsiveness between different roms. What are you using?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its a faulty digitizer - i have the same. you can check with phone tester and see if you moce the tab that the screen is seeing inputs (touches) that shouldnt be there.
(see my vid: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=28416198&postcount=9 )
cheers

stock rom , US .30 ,i think.
It rooted.
since the day i posted the problem here,i used out the battery and recharged it to full,the issue didnt happen again.
what i can recall that before the problem happened,i had connectd it to my PC by USB cable,maybe it is another clue about cause.
Sent from my LG-P990 using xda app-developers app

yes,i am using the screen protector since the firstday I owned it, it works well until that day I met problem . I recalled I had connected the tablet to PC with USB cable once, in other thread ,same problem happened after it removed from dock, probably it is the clue for cause
Sent from my LG-P990 using xda app-developers app

Fix for touchscreen issues
Hey guys,
I thought I'd post my solution to the same problem. It is a hardware issue and I figured it was because of how thin the device is. Basically, I noticed it when I would be playing or if the device started to heat up. Since the battery and screen are so close together, I figured there wasn't enough space and that the heat from the battery was making the tablet think that there was a touch input when there was none.
My solution was to open up the tablet and take the battery out. Then I put slivers of foam (about 1/2" x 2") in between the battery and the screen. Since then I haven't had problems with the touchscreen.
I hope this helps you guys with this problem.

20 days, 2 bricked Nexus 6P

I assume bricked is the right term. And I'm pleading for some help here on what I can try before I call Google Support again.
Here is the quick run down: Bought 2 Nexus 6P, (Gray - Me), (White - Wife). Wife bricks her phone in 15 days, screen seems to work when held at different angles, can't seem to get it to stay on permanently, acts almost like an old VCR where it will partially draw the screen horizontally. Almost like a loose connector. It only stays on for milliseconds at a time, not long enough to factory reset or do anything remotely useful. Holding power for 8 seconds doesn't help. Holding power and both volumes does not help. Just to clarify, device is running, screen is black. Not a boot issue per say as a screen issue. Could previously hear her get alerts, can't right now (only see a battery icon). Since the screen is the main issue, I'm flailing in the dark as to where I am at any given point in time.
I assume how she uses the device because mine has been perfect and I can't seem to find a vocal crowd with this issue. However, after she bricks hers, she uses mine for an entire week and doesn't have any problems. Google support is extremely helpful and sends out an entire new device. I set it up and restore the apps, within 3 days (Friday -> Sunday) she has the exact same issue again - bricked. Now I'm completely flabbergasted. This device is still spotless, she has barely used it, it hasn't hit a surface hard, hasn't even been sneezed on. I can't even begin to stress how short a time period this is for a device to brick in. I can't help but feel this is a software app and the restore brought over the delinquent app. However, how come I can't reset the device and get back to a clean slate? Can anyone give me a trick?
Please, please help. She wants me to switch back to Verizon because of these device issues. However, even with 2 people, we are saving a ton on Project Fi and I really need this to work. Everything else has been a joy.

So I got it working. But I have a few questions...
Process:
1. Connected it to charger
2. Held power and both volume connectors
3. Held power again
4. Did both of these actions for upwards of 30 seconds at a time hoping for some response from the device.
5. Put it down on the table to write my forum post (still charging).
6. Battery image came on and off the screen randomly
7. Picked it up and held power one last time and it started booting normally.
I'm not sure which sequence of events led to what and I'd really love to know how to reliably reset it in the future. If this is the case then it means it was a software issue all along that persisted over several reboots.
Additionally, I'm frantically pulling software off of her phone - Elmo Calls, Sesame Go, Snapfish, Pinterest, etc. Fearing that one of these apps that I don't run on my device could be causing this. Is there any way to troubleshoot the software itself and see what device could have had access to the screen power and perhaps been powering the screen off as soon as I attempted to power it on (causing a flicker)?
Thanks.

your experience is really unusual you bought 2 phones but the one you are using does not have problems but your wife has, you switched phone then the problem occurs there is a chance a program is causing it as you already received a new one and it still occurring try to let her use the phone with the same software you are using and avoid which you dont use see if there is any progress.

Did you try factory resetting either phone?
Sounds like a software issue if they both had the exact same issue.

does she have some kind of serious strong magnet in her body or purse? haha

Soulfly3 said:
does she have some kind of serious strong magnet in her body or purse? haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I was going to say. Seems consistent to what a strong magnet would do to a screen. My next guess was a rogue app.

No magnets, nothing crazy. It started happening again yesterday a few hours after fixing it, I've hard wiped the device and bypassed the restore. Only updated the base applications and it is sitting on a charger - waiting to see if it will happen again.

Get a new wife?

VerucaSalt said:
Get a new wife?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or, as OP seems to like to get things in 2, get 2 new wives so that if you brick one, you still have one left without having to wait for RMA.
All jokes aside, is there any specific oddities in how your wife uses phones (Does she work at a metal scrapyard with a big ass magnet? Okay, I promise, last one.) Or you could be extremely unlucky to have bought a defective unit, which was replaced by another defective unit.

To reliably reset the 6P you just hold the power button until the phone vibrates as it starts to boot again. Did the screen flake out as it booted up too?

ttminh1997 said:
Or, as OP seems to like to get things in 2, get 2 new wives so that if you brick one, you still have one left without having to wait for RMA.
All jokes aside, is there any specific oddities in how your wife uses phones (Does she work at a metal scrapyard with a big ass magnet? Okay, I promise, last one.) Or you could be extremely unlucky to have bought a defective unit, which was replaced by another defective unit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although these posts are funny as hell, honestly you would be surprised how many common every day things you come into contact with that can wipe data right off any storage medium. Although its definitely a possibility that you received a crap refurb phone, when you get the next RMA I would take some time to monitor your wife's daily routine with her cell (not her tinder activities), she might just be placing it near/on something that is wiping the phone or corrupting the data. Could also be a really junk app, but google is pretty good about keeping them out of the play store the best they can.

dl200010 said:
To reliably reset the 6P you just hold the power button until the phone vibrates as it starts to boot again. Did the screen flake out as it booted up too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, it was flaking out on the 8 second hold reboot - I performed it dozens of times without getting my screen back. What works reliably for me is to hold power and both volumes and then hit power again once the diagnostic screen shows up (whether I can actually see it or not). The reboot off of the diagnostic screen seems to bring the phone back to life consistently.
She is using the phone w/ just the base apps from yesterday - I told her to try breaking it without loading new apps - will see how this plays out today.

jaaaaaaaaf said:
Yea, it was flaking out on the 8 second hold reboot - I performed it dozens of times without getting my screen back. What works reliably for me is to hold power and both volumes and then hit power again once the diagnostic screen shows up (whether I can actually see it or not). The reboot off of the diagnostic screen seems to bring the phone back to life consistently.
She is using the phone w/ just the base apps from yesterday - I told her to try breaking it without loading new apps - will see how this plays out today.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was that diagnostic screen flaking out too? I suggest to get more aggressive and factory reset through recovery and than ONLY connect her google account to get her contacts. Run like that for about a week. Otherwise your other choice would be to unlock the bootloader and try a custom ROM. I would suggest Cyanogenmod, DLROM (mine), Pure Nexus Project, or even Noob Builds.

ttminh1997 said:
Or, as OP seems to like to get things in 2, get 2 new wives so that if you brick one, you still have one left without having to wait for RMA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haaaaaaaa, very good
---------- Post added at 03:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:35 PM ----------
Soulfly3 said:
does she have some kind of serious strong magnet in her body or purse? haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was actually going to say this too, is there somewhere she goes or sits which has some kind of strong magnetic field? It's odd that it happened to one and then to the next one, unless they're just both from a faulty batch.

Suppose I will add a follow-up. Since I ripped all her software off the device it hasn't crashed once in the same fashion. So I mean, that is the conclusion. I'd love to say I knew how to dive deep enough into Android to pinpoint exactly which app had such incredibly disruptive and adverse affects (far worse than complete OS crashes). But I don't know Android well enough. Google has the original phone. It definitely seems like an app should not have been able to take over the display so completely.
I'm going to move forward and have my wife install more of her apps. Just wanted to shoot an update out in case I don't revisit this. Thanks everyone who posted.

Maybe a combo of rogue (rouge?) apps? I mean some apps do have the ability to draw over screen, so that might have caused whatever problem you had.
And OP, don't leave us