Root State of the Eris: Trackball Issues

[crandroid]

I haven't heard a lot about trackball issues lately (perhaps because most people who have experienced them have gotten a new phone).

Anyway, I'm curious about the issue because I'm experiencing a few of the problems myself. I rarely have trackball problems when using the phone unplugged. However, when I plug into USB, everything goes haywire. It mostly scrolls left (as often reported), and the phone is very difficult to use.

So, I was wondering if you guys thought that this would be enough of an issue to bring it into Verizon. I'll have the phone for at least another year (actually a few months more), so while this issue is bearable, I'd prefer not to have it, especially if it may get worse. I'm also rooted and don't want to have to unroot and re-root if they give me another Eris. Also, if I get a refurb, who knows if it'll have worse problems (like trackball issues all the time).

Has anyone gotten their phone replaced for trackball issues recently? What options did Verizon give you?

 

[Bob Cat]

I haven't heard a lot about trackball issues lately (perhaps because most people who have experienced them have gotten a new phone).

Anyway, I'm curious about the issue because I'm experiencing a few of the problems myself. I rarely have trackball problems when using the phone unplugged. However, when I plug into USB, everything goes haywire. It mostly scrolls left (as often reported), and the phone is very difficult to use.

So, I was wondering if you guys thought that this would be enough of an issue to bring it into Verizon. I'll have the phone for at least another year (actually a few months more), so while this issue is bearable, I'd prefer not to have it, especially if it may get worse. I'm also rooted and don't want to have to unroot and re-root if they give me another Eris. Also, if I get a refurb, who knows if it'll have worse problems (like trackball issues all the time).

Has anyone gotten their phone replaced for trackball issues recently? What options did Verizon give you?

I'm on my phone right now so I can't link anything but scroll down the threads and find the one from Scary Alien on track ball not required.

 

[crandroid]

I'm on my phone right now so I can't link anything but scroll down the threads and find the one from Scary Alien on track ball not required.

I'm aware of scary's thread. My problem isn't with recovery, however - like I said, I can use the phone more or less without problem while it's unplugged. I can even use it in recovery while it's plugged in (most of the time) because all of the menus are vertical. It's just that while the phone is charging, I can't do much of anything on it without unplugging first.

 

[scotty85]

Anyway, I'm curious about the issue because I'm experiencing a few of the problems myself. I rarely have trackball problems when using the phone unplugged. However, when I plug into USB, everything goes haywire. It mostly scrolls left (as often reported), and the phone is very difficult to use.

So, I was wondering if you guys thought that this would be enough of an issue to bring it into Verizon.

i dont think its an issue with the phone. i think its a charger base or cable issue. ive got a wall charger with 2 usb ports that i normally use. when i plug any of my phones into it,i get the same thing... they are next to impossible to use,to the point ill have to unplug so i can reply to a text message

if i plug into the wall charger that came with the phone,or the car adapter and usb cable,or my pc,no prollems.

i personally got used to android on a droid 1,wich had no tracball,so i never use it. it may as well not be there... i dont use it to select things,and if it blinks at me for some sort of notification i dont notice it. my ONLY concern with the tracball was its use in recovery. if you havent allready,id install scarys tracball optional recovery just in case,as its good insurance. you wont really be able to unroot or do anything in recovery without it,or a working tracball

if the rest of your phone works well,id keep it. whatever refurb they send you may have much greater issue than what you have now. definately start by trying different bases and usb cables and see if you can find a combination that fixes your issue

 

[crandroid]

That's another thing I forgot to mention - the charging issues. Occasionally I'll have to wiggle the cable around a bit to get the phone to actually charge. I've noticed that this happens much less often with the stock USB cable, so I've been using that for everything.

And I agree about the trackball - I never use it; it's just that when my phone thinks I'm using it then I get problems with the touchscreen. I wish there were some way to disable it completely when not in recovery.

 

[scotty85]

I wish there were some way to disable it completely when not in recovery.

i agree!

also are you having to wiggle the cable where it plugs into the phone? or wiggle the cable itself elsewhere?

its funny about usb cables... i used to think a cable was a cable,but apparently not. ive actually got one cable that i cant use for file transfer. it seems to charge ok(tho reaaaaaaalllllly slooooooow ) but if i attempt to trasnfer a file with it,it slows down/stops to the point that i cant eject it and it eventually shuts down windows explorer and i have to restart my computer! wierd,for sure.

 

[doogald]

I haven't heard a lot about trackball issues lately (perhaps because most people who have experienced them have gotten a new phone).

Anyway, I'm curious about the issue because I'm experiencing a few of the problems myself. I rarely have trackball problems when using the phone unplugged. However, when I plug into USB, everything goes haywire. It mostly scrolls left (as often reported), and the phone is very difficult to use.

So, I was wondering if you guys thought that this would be enough of an issue to bring it into Verizon. I'll have the phone for at least another year (actually a few months more), so while this issue is bearable, I'd prefer not to have it, especially if it may get worse. I'm also rooted and don't want to have to unroot and re-root if they give me another Eris. Also, if I get a refurb, who knows if it'll have worse problems (like trackball issues all the time).

Has anyone gotten their phone replaced for trackball issues recently? What options did Verizon give you?

I haven't had to have my Eris replaced at all - it works just fine, thankfully. If you are still under warranty, I would get it replaced. I'd worry that the issue would get worse as time passed, and the last thing that you may want is to get past the one year warranty and find that HTC will not replace it. But check the replacement carefully for that issue and other common Eris issues - blown speaker is probably the other biggie.

 

[Lagos]

I've had this same trackball issue. Eventually it got so bad that the phone would scroll even without being connected to the charger.
I call verizon and they sent me out a refurb that fixed the problem.

There is a simple rom out there that will flash your phone back to stock.
After that just root your phone with the one click root app from the market place. Super easy to do and takes no time at all.

 

[ChicagoDave]

I had all the issues many have had with the trackball on the Eris. Since the phone is getting older and I hardly use the trackball anyway, I just removed it. Remove back plate and battery, and then unscrew the 4 small screws in the back. They use special screws but I got mine out with a small blade screwdriver. There is a small board behind the plug for the charger, unscrew the 2 small screws. Lift up on the edge of the small board just enough to remove the trackball assembly. I suppose you could replace it at this point too. I saw them on the internet for a few dollars. I just removed mine and put it all back together. I put a piece of black electrical tape over the hole where the trackball was. Looks and works fine except when the charger is plugged in, that's because it's short due to poor design and not a trackball issue at all. I charge mine and use it after its charged, this will work till my I phone 5 comes out.

 

[scotty85]

i had always wondered if that would work,since my lil buddy has no warranty. nice to know if it ever starts givin me grief i can just take the sucker out

 

[Neera]

Had a really bad spurt of trackball issues yesterday (while unplugged).
You know the kind where it is uncontrollable and the phone is pretty much unusable *cry*.

I wish we could just disable it altogether. I never use it anywyay.
I don't want to have to take it out and be left with a hole covered with tape tbh.

I dearly love my little phone, but the trackball is driving me crazy!!!