Root rooting and track ball issue?

[Kaggr]

I've poked around the forums and found some really useful information, but I have a few unique questions, my main one being:

Does anyone know if rooting and putting a new ROM (xtrSENSE) on my phone will stop it from scrolling everything to the left? I loved the phone at first, but the scrolling combined with the lagging/calling the wrong contacts/hanging up calls when I try to answer has me dreading picking up my phone.

Verizon's told me it's a software issue, and this is my third handset that's done it. It has me about ready to throw it against a wall.
(I know I can try to call and harass them to give me a different phone, not handset, but I'm thinking of updating in Feb to an Android phone that hasn't been abandoned at 1.5 and won't be abandoned after the next update. Unless this fixes all my problems. )

Also, what's the best free pre-root backup program? I tried running the trial/free version of MyBackup but gave up temporarily after scrolling made it impossible. Any other programs that work better with the Eris or have a more complete backup?
All of my apps (with the exception of Doodle Jump) were free and I can reinstall them, but I do have some saved text messages/scenes/app settings/etc that I would like to either restore once the phone is rooted, and/or have just in case I end up needing to go back to the factory version (using Flashback).

Anything else anyone has to offer for good things to do before rooting would be great.

 

[scary alien]

I've poked around the forums and found some really useful information, but I have a few unique questions, my main one being:

Does anyone know if rooting and putting a new ROM (xtrSENSE) on my phone will stop it from scrolling everything to the left? I loved the phone at first, but the scrolling combined with the lagging/calling the wrong contacts/hanging up calls when I try to answer has me dreading picking up my phone.

Verizon's told me it's a software issue, and this is my third handset that's done it. It has me about ready to throw it against a wall.
(I know I can try to call and harass them to give me a different phone, not handset, but I'm thinking of updating in Feb to an Android phone that hasn't been abandoned at 1.5 and won't be abandoned after the next update. Unless this fixes all my problems. )

Also, what's the best free pre-root backup program? I tried running the trial/free version of MyBackup but gave up temporarily after scrolling made it impossible. Any other programs that work better with the Eris or have a more complete backup?
All of my apps (with the exception of Doodle Jump) were free and I can reinstall them, but I do have some saved text messages/scenes/app settings/etc that I would like to either restore once the phone is rooted, and/or have just in case I end up needing to go back to the factory version (using Flashback).

Anything else anyone has to offer for good things to do before rooting would be great.

Kaggr,

Malfunctioning trackballs are not affected by software (as far as I'm aware). Therefore, rooting will not solve your problem (of scrolling to the left). Rooting can very well help with the lag issue, however.

Check out the video in this thread first: http://androidforums.com/eris-tips-tricks/114731-trackball-cleaning.html

Perhaps your trackball is simply in need of a good cleaning (several have tried this and reported success). If cleaning it does not help, you clearly have a malfunctioning trackball...

Good luck and cheers!

 

[Kaggr]

Kaggr,

Malfunctioning trackballs are not affected by software (as far as I'm aware). Therefore, rooting will not solve your problem (of scrolling to the left). Rooting can very well help with the lag issue, however.

Check out the video in this thread first: http://androidforums.com/eris-tips-tricks/114731-trackball-cleaning.html

Perhaps your trackball is simply in need of a good cleaning (several have tried this and reported success). If cleaning it does not help, you clearly have a malfunctioning trackball...

Good luck and cheers!

Unfortunately the way it behaves is leading me to believe that it is indeed a software issue that HTC and Verizon both acknowledged, as many other people have the same issue. If the trackball was dirty, it simply wouldn't work, or wouldn't work in any direction. (My dad and boyfriend own Blackberries, so I'm familiar with this problem.)
Mine just likes to scroll when nothing is touching it and won't scroll to the left, consequently the same side it likes to scroll everything to...

Good to know about the lag issue though, I'm hoping that it won't be such a chore to try to use my phone after this!

 

[scary alien]

Unfortunately the way it behaves is leading me to believe that it is indeed a software issue that HTC and Verizon both acknowledged, as many other people have the same issue. If the trackball was dirty, it simply wouldn't work, or wouldn't work in any direction. (My dad and boyfriend own Blackberries, so I'm familiar with this problem.)
Mine just likes to scroll when nothing is touching it and won't scroll to the left, consequently the same side it likes to scroll everything to...

Good to know about the lag issue though, I'm hoping that it won't be such a chore to try to use my phone after this!

Well, what VZW and HTC probably did not tell you is that the trackball is located in very close proximity to the USB connector.

All of the connect/disconnect cycles that you have done (unless you were extremely careful each time) has probably contributed to the USB connector impacting the behavior of the trackball.

This has been a very widely-reported behavior here in the Eris forums (ask me how I know http://androidforums.com/eris-all-t...2-custom-recovery-trackball-not-required.html).

I'll bet that if you plug your USB cable in and very carefully jiggle (I don't want you to break anything) the connector, you will see some behavior change in the trackball (can you find an app or place where the trackball shows a cursor or an arrow on the screen?).

I have yet to see anyone report that making a software change will cause their trackball to become "normal" again.

Cheers!

 

[scotty85]

i just flashed froshedyo.v10 on my phone wich has a setting to disable the trackball.

if she could get that flashed,would that solve the prollem? obviously,it would not make the track ball become normal,but if you can get along without it,it would be better than constantly scrolling left

 

[scary alien]

i just flashed froshedyo.v10 on my phone wich has a setting to disable the trackball.

if she could get that flashed,would that solve the prollem?

Scotty,

I did not know that was even possible in a ROM (thank you for that information).

Does it really work (have you done it--i.e., disable it and see that it actually does not influence the screen scrolling)? If this is true, I might be able to make a simple app for this (provided you are rooted, of course).

Let me know. Cheers!

 

[scotty85]

well,it looks like i lied to you partially,but definately not intentionally. there is a preference to "enable trackball scrolling" but all unchecking it does is turn off the trackball to scroll thru the homescreens. looks like it still works the way it should otherwise... i.e. if you move it around it still highlights different things,so its not completely disabled.

should have checked it out alittle closer before opening my mouth

 

[scary alien]

well,it looks like i lied to you partially,but definately not intentionally. there is a preference to "enable trackball scrolling" but all unchecking it does is turn off the trackball to scroll thru the homescreens. looks like it still works the way it should otherwise.

should have checked it out alittle closer before opening my mouth

lol...not a problem...would have loved to have heard of a resolution for all of the folks with trackball issues.

At least we've got one major pain in the butt already addressed: an alternative custom recovery that doesn't require the use of a trackball.

Cheers and Happy Almost New Year!

 

[scotty85]

lol...not a problem...would have loved to have heard of a resolution for all of the folks with trackball issues.

At least we've got one major pain in the butt already addressed: an alternative custom recovery that doesn't require the use of a trackball.

Cheers and Happy Almost New Year!

i was hoping sure hoping for a resolution! thats the biggest thing that worries me with this phone. i could care less if the trackball works- i never use it. i was pretty happy you figured out the recovery... as long as my trackball isnt continuously scrolling one way or the other guess it will be allright

so if software can keep the trackball from scrolling thru the home screens, is it feasible that it software could disable it alltogether?

 

[scary alien]

i was hoping sure hoping for a resolution! thats the biggest thing that worries me with this phone. i could care less if the trackball works- i never use it. i was pretty happy you figured out the recovery... as long as my trackball isnt continuously scrolling one way or the other guess it will be allright

so if software can keep the trackball from scrolling thru the home screens, is it feasible that it software could disable it alltogether?

I guess its possible...you'd either have to find the API or a specific file that can be used to enable or disable it (I don't know if such a file exists--I did a quick search of the filesystem for "*trackb*" and didn't find anything)...

Cheers!

 

[Bob Cat]

Kaggr,
I use SMS Backup & Restore for my text's and Titanium Backup for the rest.