8100 Pearl's Weird behaviour - Help plz!

[carl_el]

Hi,
I am facing a peculiar problem with my BB 8100 Pearl.
1. If the phone is locked, once the backlight goes off (screen goes dark), the unlock message repeatedly pops-up. If left alone, the phone again goes dark after around 15mins. Now, any amount of button pressing will not light up the screen again. Only if I start to charge the phone does the screen light up.(Else I need to take out the battery and re-insert it)

2. If the phone is left un-locked, then the phone automatically starts typing the letters "Qwewewewewe.....". This happens till the battery drains out.

3. Once the phone is in this mood, the Menu button does not respond to clicks neither do all the other buttons work. (However when the phone does work, albeit briefly, the buttons work fine so I am pretty sure its not a hardware problem).

I tried doing a "Handheld Wipe" and that eased point. 3 but points 1 and 2 still remain. I am thinking of doing an OS re-install but am worried that it might not go well and leave the phone in a totally un-usable state.

I am very sure I didn't get the phone wet but its been rainy weather for the past couple of months and maybe the moisture in the air has messed up the software.

Any advice would be much appreciated!
TIA.