Help galaxy s5 screen is not working - again. How to access?

[Bea18]

I posted yesterday that my screen stopped working, and I couldn't figure out how to access my data. I have myphoneexplorer installed, but marshmallow has been requiring me to select an option other than the default USB connection - which is set to charging the phone. So the USB does not see the phone at all.
At the time, it occured to me to remove my recently installed tempered glass screen protector, and voila!, everything started working again. However, I still couldn't connect to my PC using a wired USB connection. It turned out that USB debugging had been turned off in settings.
Problem solved! I thought.
Later, I noticed that every time I disconnected MPE, the setting for USB debugging again was "unticked". Regardless, by then I thought that my entire problem was the (defective?) new screen protector.
This morning my screen is failing again. When I remove the battery, and re-insert it, All I get is a fully pixelated color screen.
myphoneexplorer again can not recognize the USB connection to my PC. I can not read my screen at all, to respond to any possible prompt that may be on it. I know that my phone IS on, because I'm getting audible text notifications when I remove and re-insert the battery.
I do have a back up, and would try to hard reset my phone. However, I don't know how to do that without being able to read my screen.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[scary alien]

Hmm, it kind of sounds like your digitizer is either failing or has a loose connection, given the intermittent behavior you've described...

Is there a cell phone repair shop you could go to and have them have a look at things--i,e., try to be as non-destructive as possible, of course, to the point where you can retrieve your data before attempting to actually replace the screen and/or digitizer?

 

[Bea18]

Thank you so much for your response. Can you elaborate... what is the digitizer? It's very likely that there's a loosened wire to my screen. When I removed my previous plastic screen protector, I found another one under that!! So when I removed that one, I wasn't sure if there's another layer still! The screen seemed a bit raised on one side of my phone, and I stuck my finger nail under it, and concluded that I had reached the actual glass screen of my S5.

My charging port is also a bit compromised. I imagine repairs to both could easily add up to $100? Perhaps it's time for an upgrade?

 

[svim]

Just for reference, here's a link detailing the steps involved in replacing the display/digitizer for your phone:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S5+Display+Assembly+Replacement/26914
While there is a chance that the issue could indeed just be a matter of re-seating the connector between the motherboard and the digitizer, with a S5 just getting to the connector involves a bit of disassembly. Samsung was relying a lot of mechanical fasteners (screws) way back but has since opted to use glues and adhesives more and more so before it was a matter of a good set of screwdrivers and a steady hand. Now you need a heat gun and a warming apparatus too, plus a lot of non-conductive shims.
If the charging port is in need of replacement, that is also a bit involved:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S5+Micro-USB+Port+Daughterboard+Replacement/27077

The S5 being only around three years old it would almost be worth fixing but with multiple hardware issues I'd be leaning towards replacement at this point. Still, the original problem being you need the display in working condition again in order to access your data so it might want to take it somewhere to look it over. (... and give serious thought into implementing a back up solution. Phones are not a reliable storage media, it's important to have back ups for situations like this.)
Of course all this is looking at things from a worst-case viewpoint. It could just be a matter of re-seating the display connector and a thorough cleaning of the USB port. But in either case do think about backing up your data.

 

[scary alien]

The digitizer is the part of the screen that interprets the touches and sends that information (location(s), size/imprint) to the system. Pretty sure that it's a separate piece from the glass layer itself (see this for illustration (don't shoot me 'cause it's iPhone related )).

Sounds like you'd benefit from a visit to a repair shop (for all of the issues, you've mention; I've no idea about how much they might charge, so talk/ask before having them do any work) and explain what you've seen going on.

 

[Bea18]

Hmm, it kind of sounds like your digitizer is either failing or has a loose connection, given the intermittent behavior you've described...

Is there a cell phone repair shop you could go to and have them have a look at things--i,e., try to be as non-destructive as possible, of course, to the point where you can retrieve your data before attempting to actually replace the screen and/or digitizer?

Based on your reply, I tried pressing down on all corners of my screen while trying to re-start my phone... and yes, I got a normal screen. (I assume it will fail again.)
I will have to go into a repair shop tomorrow to see what my options are.

 

[Bea18]

Just for reference, here's a link detailing the steps involved in replacing the display/digitizer for your phone:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S5+Display+Assembly+Replacement/26914
While there is a chance that the issue could indeed just be a matter of re-seating the connector between the motherboard and the digitizer, with a S5 just getting to the connector involves a bit of disassembly. Samsung was relying a lot of mechanical fasteners (screws) way back but has since opted to use glues and adhesives more and more so before it was a matter of a good set of screwdrivers and a steady hand. Now you need a heat gun and a warming apparatus too, plus a lot of non-conductive shims.
If the charging port is in need of replacement, that is also a bit involved:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S5+Micro-USB+Port+Daughterboard+Replacement/27077

The S5 being only around three years old it would almost be worth fixing but with multiple hardware issues I'd be leaning towards replacement at this point. Still, the original problem being you need the display in working condition again in order to access your data so it might want to take it somewhere to look it over. (... and give serious thought into implementing a back up solution. Phones are not a reliable storage media, it's important to have back ups for situations like this.)
Of course all this is looking at things from a worst-case viewpoint. It could just be a matter of re-seating the display connector and a thorough cleaning of the USB port. But in either case do think about backing up your data.

Thanks for the links. I don't know if I'd take a chance at trying to fix it myself... especially if hot glue is involved.
The thing is... I DO have a complete back-up. I was actually planning to do a factory re-set, to see if some of my quirks got resolved. That was before my display went cuckoo.

My original question was: how to access the phone, and/or do a reset if you can't see the screen!?
"USB debugging" seems to default back to the unticked position every time I restart the phone. And since marshmallow update, the default "USB charging" has to be manually changed to "file transfer". Both of these require me to SEE my screen in order to connect to themyphoneexplorer app, as well as the smartswitch app.

Any ideas how to keep those two settings in place?

 

[scary alien]

There's the rub: if you don't already have USB debugging enabled and don't have a working screen, there are very few options available to you (the few available are very Android version and/or device-specific).

Not sure why that value is getting flipped back (we've seen users report that before, but I've never seen a rationale for why or a permanent fix).