Screen off won't turn on again until reboot

[Lcmv]

I am asking this again, this time I'm logged in. Can someone please remove the "anonymous" question?

I woke up and checked my phone, still in bed. It's a Samsung A20. It was off the charger the whole night while I slept. Everything worked as usual. I placed the phone on a table, took a shower, picked it up and it wouldn't turn on again. Just like that.

I found that I can reboot the phone by holding power and volume down for a few seconds. Then the phone works, everything works except that:

1) I can't turn the screen off. If I do, it won't come back until I reboot the phone.

2) I can or cannot charge. Which one?

Well, a message pops up to tell me that the charger is not connected properly. So I thought it wouldn't charge at all. So I immediately considered hardware failure and I don't have another cable to test, but the phone does charge when it's completely off. It went from 86% to 100% in a little more than an hour. It seemed a little slower than usual, but it charged. So it can charge.

Since it can charge when off, I considered software failure, porbably the firmware. So I did a hard reset. Everything was deleted and reset to factory settings. I have now a phone with none of my old data, apps and settings.

But the two problems remain. The message still pops up, telling me that the charger is not connected properly. And I can't turn the screen off. If I do, it won't come back until I reboot the phone.

Finally, after watching a few videos, I installed an application called Ampere. Ampere gets all green and tells me that yes, the phone is charging. After a few minutes, Android's own indicator tells me that yes, the phone is charging because it went from 87% to 89% just while I was typing all this. It's just slow because well, I can't turn the screen off.

So, does that make any sense to you people?
If it's a hardware problem, how come it still runs with all of its functions and still charges?
If it's a software problem, why does it still happen after a hard reset?

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Many thanks for any assistance.

 

[belodion]

Welcome.

It sounds like a hardware problem needing proper diagnosis. However, you could try cleaning the charging port with alcohol and a small brush, and perhaps flood-cleaning the hardware buttons, especially the Power button, with alcohol on a cotton bud.
Of course, be careful if you think that the finish might be damaged by alcohol.

 

[Lcmv]

I've found that I also have no sound. Both loudspeaker and headphones are dead. I can hear people over the phone, but they can't hear me. No speakerphone though. Google Assistant also doesn't react to voice commands.

 

[Lcmv]

Another strange thing is that the volume buttons do not work. They don't show the volume slider across the screen. It's like they know that sound is broken... or disabled.

 

[mustang7757]

Welcome to AC!

If you can get a can of compressed air and clean charging port sometimes gets build up of lint and debris. For the screen not turning off can try in safe mode see any issues, also you can go to Samsung members app it has a diagnostic tool you can test different things

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Could it have gotten wet? This sounds like water damage.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Here are the steps for Safe Mode: www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00062983/

 

[Lcmv]

Thank you!
I have tried safe mode and it didn't make any difference.

No, it didn't get wet. It just lay by my side while I slept. The strangest part is that I used it before getting out of bed, put it on a table, came back minutes later and it was broken.

 

[mustang7757]

Thank you!
I have tried safe mode and it didn't make any difference.

No, it didn't get wet. It just lay by my side while I slept. The strangest part is that I used it before getting out of bed, put it on a table, came back minutes later and it was broken.

Yeah with electronics you never know when they can go bad sometimes a warning other times not .
Did you look in your charging port ?

 

[B. Diddy]

Thank you!
I have tried safe mode and it didn't make any difference.

No, it didn't get wet. It just lay by my side while I slept. The strangest part is that I used it before getting out of bed, put it on a table, came back minutes later and it was broken.

If the same thing happens in Safe Mode and after a factory reset, then I'd say there's something on the motherboard that's failing or faulty. I'm guessing this is no longer under warranty?

 

[Lcmv]

If the same thing happens in Safe Mode and after a factory reset, then I'd say there's something on the motherboard that's failing or faulty. I'm guessing this is no longer under warranty?

Yes, the phone is two years old. Warranty was only three or maybe six months.

 

[Lcmv]

Sorry if I sound stubborn, but I can't get over these two facts:

1) After the screen is off, it won't come back again when I press the Power button. But when the phone is completely turned off, I can turn it on by pressing and holding the Power button, as usual. Which means the device (and motherboard and components) respond to the Power button. A hardware failure should completely prevent that from happening.

2) A message pops up to tell me the charger is not connected properly when I connect it. But the phone still charges. I can tell by checking the meter after some time. Again, a hardware failure should completely prevent that from happening.

Could that be a virus? I've read somewhere that some malware can install itself so deeply it can even survive hard resets. Is there some kind of FLASHING that might overcome that kind of malware? What would that procedure be like? Would installing an alternative OS be "deep" enough to remove everything and start 100% anew? I mean, would that be different from selecting the Hard Reset option inside the current OS?

Does anybody know? Please?

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Sorry if I sound stubborn, but I can't get over these two facts:

1) After the screen is off, it won't come back again when I press the Power button. But when the phone is completely turned off, I can turn it on by pressing and holding the Power button, as usual. Which means the device (and motherboard and components) respond to the Power button. A hardware failure should completely prevent that from happening.

2) A message pops up to tell me the charger is not connected properly when I connect it. But the phone still charges. I can tell by checking the meter after some time. Again, a hardware failure should completely prevent that from happening.

Could that be a virus? I've read somewhere that some malware can install itself so deeply it can even survive hard resets. Is there some kind of FLASHING that might overcome that kind of malware? What would that procedure be like? Would installing an alternative OS be "deep" enough to remove everything and start 100% anew? I mean, would that be different from selecting the Hard Reset option inside the current OS?

Does anybody know? Please?

It is incredibly unlikely that it is a virus.

The fact you said your warranty was only 6 months leads me to believe your device was either used or refurbished when you purchased it, correct?

 

[Lcmv]

No. It was brand new. 3 to 6 months warranty is the norm in my country.