1. john502's Avatar
    First time poster here.

    I have written up the problem in pretty specific detail and I hope this is helpful in the initial post and does not deter you from responding. However, for the short version, it is this: my Bold is on the fritz (key input non-response and irregular) and a battery pull does not solve it; I have not upgraded to the latest OS, and that will probably be my next move.

    Now here are the gory details:

    device: Blackberry Bold 9650

    carrier: Verizon Wireless

    Blackberry OS: 5.0.0.975 bundle 1600 platform 4.2.0.424

    3rd party apps: Google Maps; VZW Visual Voicemail; VZW Tones (never used)

    Recent events/changes: none unless apps updated themselves over 3G w/o my involvement

    Symptoms/description:

    * device is slow to acknowledge input from sleep (screen stays black until I hit 10-15 keys rapidly)

    * trackpad functions are hit and miss
    - trackpad push/click never functions under any circumstances
    - trackpad right/left/up/down works on certain screens, not others
    - trackpad function is consistently inconsistent
    (inconsistent across context, but consistent over time)
    (it always works on certain screens, never on others)
    (on some screens, it partly works, not completely)
    - trackpad scroll sometimes works with alt key depressed, otherwise not
    - trackpad scroll sometimes works with shift key depressed, otherwise not

    for example: on home screen, trackpad scroll works normally to move up/down/right/left. after pressing menu key to see all applications, trackpad scroll does not work to move up/down nor left/right -- unless ALT is depressed. Another example: trackpad scroll up/down works perfectly in email message list. Does not work in text message list.

    * most but not all "select" actions can be accomplished with the "carriage return / enter" key on the keyboard

    * keyboard alt key characters do not work (cannot type exclamation point, for example)

    * right convenience key does not work

    * volume-down key does not silence phone ringer

    * alt-shift-del reboot does not work (no response)

    * phone will not power on after being powered off (requires battery pull to turn phone back on)

    * device receives and sends emails/texts/calls

    Attempted fixes/diagnostics so far:

    - there has been no drop and no water intrusion
    - alt-shift-del does not respond
    - battery pull (done at least 4 times) -- no change in device behavior
    - 'test' diagnostic from options/status screen (result: diagnostic cannot function without trackpad press, which does not work. Battery pull to end test.)
    - enable trackpad "audible roll" (from options/screen-keyboard menu)
    result -- can "hear" the trackpad receiving input, even when there is no response on the screen. That is, there is audible clicking indicating my finger is moving across the trackpad, and the audible feedback is exactly the same during cases when the scrolling is actually working, and when it is not.
    - updated my BB desktop software to latest version in advance of OS changes
    - backed up my BB to desktop PC in advance of OS changes to device

    To my mind, this seems to be a software not hardware problem. Why would the trackpad scroll work perfectly and consistently on certain screens if there were a hardware problem with the trackpad?

    next steps:
    - will try to upgrade to OS 6.0 and see what happens

    funny remarks from Verizon:
    Verizon Store agent says, during 5 minute conversation:
    "your phone is old, that is why it doesn't work"
    "it is your phone itself. I can see the trackpad is a little high"
    "you don't have the latest software. Of course your phone does not work because you have old software."
    "it is the software"
    "you are not under warranty and you don't have insurance"

    Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
    05-30-12 05:10 PM
  2. john502's Avatar
    Addendum:
    In the initial post I wrote that I tried...

    'test' diagnostic from options/status screen (result: diagnostic cannot function without trackpad press, which does not work. Battery pull to end test.)
    Actually, I was able to run a single test, but not step thru the tests nor end the one test. However, I did run a keyboard input test, and I found nothing unusual. When I depressed letter, menu, alt, shift keys, etc, the test responded onscreen that those keys had been depressed. I believe this was also true of the convenience keys but don't recall for certain.

    Also, all keys, including convenience keys and trackpad, look and feel normal. They move up/down and have normal click feel.
    05-30-12 05:20 PM
  3. john502's Avatar
    You may wonder why I am posting my question before doing the OS upgrade. (I wondered that myself!) I think this is the answer: I am skittish about making a change, in fear that I will go irreversably from a partly functioning phone to a zero-functioning phone. How might such a thing happen? Well, for instance, if an OS install requires trackpad input on the device to go either forward or backward in the process!
    05-30-12 05:24 PM
  4. john502's Avatar
    this is a test post. testing thread subscription.
    05-30-12 05:30 PM
  5. kbz1960's Avatar
    Well back the thing up and do the upgrade. You can always go back if you want. At least that will tell you if it's software or hardware. You could always do a security wipe and see if that improves things before adding stuff back.
    05-30-12 06:23 PM
  6. john502's Avatar
    Thanks kbz. I upgraded to the latest OS (6.0.0.719) but that did not solve the problem. It still is behaving like a software/hardware interaction of some sort. (Certainly is not clear to me from the evidence that it is either one or the other.)

    I've now lost access to visual voicemail because I am unable to say "ok" (trackpad doesn't work, nor does the enter key on the keyboard) to the EULA that pops up in the new OS for the vm. Thankfully I was able to accept EULA for the OS!

    Haven't wiped it yet.
    06-06-12 02:53 AM
  7. john502's Avatar
    This person seems to have had a very similar problem.
    Weird: Need to hold alt key for trackpad in some menus - BlackBerry Forums Support Community

    I am wondering about the right convenience key. I ran the keyboard test again and all keys responded properly except for the right convenience key, trackpad, and mute button. For these I got the following responses:
    mute: {speaker phone}
    trackpad press: no response
    right convenience key half-press: {convenience_1_half}
    right convenience key full-press: {convenience_1_half}
    06-06-12 03:15 AM
  8. petrohawk's Avatar
    Had the same problem. Remove the SIM card, remove the SD card, blow out the phone with canned air. Clean contacts on both cards with the eraser on the end of a pencil. Reinsert cards. Worked for me!
    02-06-17 12:48 PM
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