Android Expert Required - Help please

[Dorset Diver]

Late last evening I was working on my tablet, an elderly Sony Xperia, when I noticed that it needed a bit of a clear out. I started Avast Cleanup as I have done countless times and the program has frozen and remains so this morning. I would reboot it but I can't switch the tablet off, and any "button" I touch simply places a green rectangle around the function and does nothing, this applies to the power off and restart buttons also. I have tried holding down the power button but again nothing. I suspect that just switching it off and rebooting would correct the problem but how do I do that? Any help and / or advice will be gratefully received.

 

[Langtoftlad]

If there's not a pinhole reset button on the back, or sides - the generic android soft reset is hold down the "volume up" button and the "power" button at the same time for a few seconds.

It may reboot into recovery mode - choose the normal start option

 

[Guigsy]

Holding the power button for ~30 seconds should power off the device regardless. The vast majority of devices have a hardware (not software) function to force this to happen... If not... wait until it runs out of juice?

 

[chaser]

Holding the power button for ~30 seconds should power off the device regardless. The vast majority of devices have a hardware (not software) function to force this to happen... If not... wait until it runs out of juice?

yeah you are probably not waiting long enough, 30 seconds is a long time when you are waiting, we have had other tablets do it and have always managed to turn them off eventually.

 

[hilldweller]

If you can get the back off pull the battery. Might not be the ideal solution but it's either pull the battery or let it flat if everything else fails.

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[Dorset Diver]

Thanks for the suggestions. There are no pin holes visible but I was able to switch it off by holding down "volume up" button and the "power" button at the same time. I was then able to power it up again and it seemed to go through the correct start but although the screen has reverted to the normal front page there is a green rectangle edging the whole screen and if I touch any function "button" the rectangle move to surround it and nothing else happens. Any other suggestions will be gratefully received .

 

[pappajohn]

From what I can find on the Web it appears to be an accessibility issue

Can you access the settings option by dragging the top of the screen down

If so go to accessibility and disable EVERYTHING that's been turned on, save and reboot.

 

[Dorset Diver]

Thanks @pappajohn I will give it a try. In the meantime a bit of an update. I have now found that if I touch a function or app "button" the function gains the green rectangle. If I then tap it several times (four or five) the function works. I have been able to navigate to setting and some other thing in this way. It is far from working normally but is improving. Now as suggested I need to find what needs to be reset. Please keep the ideas coming .

 

[pappajohn]

In accessibility look for TALKBACK that can have a green border.
Turn it off, with everything else.
You can always turn things back on later and if one causes the problem to appear leave it off

 

[Dorset Diver]

You cracked it @pappajohn . Talkback was the issue. How it came to be switched on I have no idea but switching it off has restored normal service. Many thanks 10/10.

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[pappajohn]

It would have stumped me too, but I still had access to the Web where you probably didn't .

 

[Dorset Diver]

I admit that I did have web access and was doing my best, but your search skills proved to be better than mine. Thanks again. It just goes to show anything is possible with the Fun .

 

[DBK]

It might also be worth looking at how to do a complete system reset. Not that you need one now but Androids are fairly easy to basically carry out what might be called on a PC a clean install. Google will describe how to do it on your model. You will of course lose any files or photos not backed up but if you have been able to do a backup of all the apps the thing will rebuild itself though it might take a few hours while it downloads all the updates.

 

[Dorset Diver]

It might also be worth looking at how to do a complete system reset. Not that you need one now but Androids are fairly easy to basically carry out what might be called on a PC a clean install. Google will describe how to do it on your model. You will of course lose any files or photos not backed up but if you have been able to do a backup of all the apps the thing will rebuild itself though it might take a few hours while it downloads all the updates.

I appreciate the comment @DBK but the tablet seems to be working normally now, so on the basis that "if it ain't broke don't fix it" I will leave well alone .

 

[DBK]

I appreciate the comment @DBK but the tablet seems to be working normally now, so on the basis that "if it ain't broke don't fix it" I will leave well alone .

Yes, I wasn't suggesting you need to do it but it might be worth considering for the future. It really cleans out the rubbish.

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[Dorset Diver]

Yes, I wasn't suggesting you need to do it but it might be worth considering for the future. It really cleans out the rubbish.

Oh okay. I have found the reset function under settings and will keep it in mind, thanks. As you say these things do seem to be able to set themselves up from new and presumably from reset. I have just given Dorset Lady a new Samsung tablet which I set up or rather I answered about five question as it set itself up . Too dammed clever for its own good .