Complicated iPod touch home button problem.

Discussion in 'iPod touch' started by caspersoong, Jul 11, 2011.

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  1. caspersoong, Jul 11, 2011
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2011

    caspersoong macrumors 6502a

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    Feb 27, 2011
    #1
    I have read many different posts about home buttons not responding sometimes. For me, it's different. No matter how hard or where I press, it randomly does not register as a home button press at all. I am jailbroken on 4.3.2. Is that the problem? The issue started just a night after I went to a concert. I woke up in the morning and picked the iPod up and the problem was there. Sometimes it does not work in a row and after that works perfectly. I am under warranty (if I restore), but there is no Apple Store in my country. I have to pay quite a sum to allow the reseller to courier my iPod out of the country. I am not sure my parents would be happy about that because my mum is quite anti-Apple. And to do a hard restore would be quite hard on me because I have a lot of important data. Should I just remove the jailbreak and install 4.3.3 to see if it is a software related issue? If so, should I do that on another computer? I am quite paranoid on losing my backup. Thanks!

    I am also not sure whether it has been liquid damaged. I did not drop it in water at all, but I live in a humid country. And going in and out of air-conditioned may have also caused liquid damage. If it is liquid damage, I would have lost the courier fee. I am in a dilemma.

    I also removed everything related to the home button in activator but it still has the problem.
     
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  2. fabian9, Jul 12, 2011

    fabian9 macrumors 65816

    fabian9

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    Location:
    Bristol, UK
    #2
    - Sync with iTunes to get it to back up (note this will not back up any apps you installednon Cydia)
    - Restorento unjailbroken 4.3.3
    - Check if if the issue persists, if it doesn't, great. If not:

    - check if any of the water indicators have gone off (use google to find out where they are on your device)
    - Get it replaced by apple.

    Unfortunately from what I see, the home button seems to be quite vulnerable on iDevices, so I wouldn't be surprised if it is faulty. I'd be surprosed if your water damage indicators would have gone off completely unless you did get it wet...

    Which country are you in?
     
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  3. caspersoong, Jul 12, 2011
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2011

    caspersoong thread starter macrumors 6502a

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    Feb 27, 2011
    #3
    Thank you for your prompt reply and valuable advice. I live in Malaysia. Sadly, the nearest Apple Retail Store is in China, I think. I am not too sure about Singapore. The cost of living here is so low that Apple products are extremely expensive to us, as is any other expense such as the courier service.
    However, today, the home button seems to be better. It works more often now, but still has to be pressed many times to work once in a while. I may try to restore if the problem persists. Hopefully, it is just a transient problem that is getting better. Possibly the loud music jarred the internals.
    After restoring, should I immediately plug out the iPod while it is booting? Then can I just sync after ensuring that the problem is fixed to get everything back on the device? Thanks!

    P.S. I checked the indicator before and saw no trace of pink or red. However, I am not sure whether there is any internal corrosion due to the high humidity. That was my worry.
     
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  4. fabian9, Jul 13, 2011

    fabian9 macrumors 65816

    fabian9

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2007
    Location:
    Bristol, UK
    #4
    You don't necessarily have to get it to china, even if that is the closest official apple store. There are a few authorised apple resellers in Malaysia, you can get a list here:

    http://store.apple.com.au/asia/FMPr...duct=3&country=Malaysia&-find.x=93&-find.y=16

    (sorry about the long link)

    I dont think it's a software issue for you I'm afraid, the home buttons tend to a common point of failure in my experience.

    Call one of the authorised apple service providers above and see if they can help. There is also a Malaysian apple support help line that you can call, this is the number: 1-800 803-638

    Hope this helps,

    Fabian
     
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  5. mystera, Jul 13, 2011

    mystera macrumors member

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    Jul 13, 2011
    #5
    I had this problem before, at least similarly. The home button would ONLY work if I pressed the top half of it. I took it to an Apple Reseller and they replaced it for me.
     
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  6. jonrando, Jul 13, 2011

    jonrando macrumors 6502a

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    Jun 22, 2011
    #6
    ^

    Had the same problem and I had it replaced easily.
     
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  7. caspersoong, Jul 13, 2011

    caspersoong thread starter macrumors 6502a

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    #7
    Wow! Thank you so much for your help. God bless you all!
     
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  8. lmbtamadi, Apr 19, 2012

    lmbtamadi macrumors newbie

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    Apr 19, 2012
    #8
    Hi! I know this is an old post, but it was one of the few that had this issue addressed. For those who took their iTouches to the Apple store and got it replaced, were they out of warranty? or still under warranty?
    answers would be appreciated, as I am almost desperate to get this home button issue FIXED :)
    Thanks!
     
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  9. thegreati, Apr 19, 2012

    thegreati macrumors regular

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    Feb 22, 2012
    #9
    This seems more so to be a hardware issue than a software. Home buttons wear out, and over time it just becomes harder for them to respond. Maybe I did not fully catch this in your original post, but what generation is the iTouch? All 4 generations have a "home button flex" you can replace that will most likely resolve your issue. UNLESS there was been some sort of damage done to the logic board that is causing this.

    Hope this is of some help to you!
     
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