Homescreen Launcher problems

[Spencer Owen]

Hello everyone! New to the site, but working with Android for 2 years now (Samsung Captivate Glide, HTC One X, now the Google/Asus 2012 Nexus 7). Love it!

Only one complaint regarding my (old) Nexus 7: my home screen has recently, for no apparent reason, defaulted to the wrong screen. When I unlock the tablet, it opens to Screen 1 (of 5), which should be the home screen. However, when I hit the home screen shortcut, it goes to Screen 3. Additionally, when I try to drag either an app or a widget to Screens 1 or 2, I get an error message: "Unfortunately, Launcher has stopped" and I get chucked back to whatever app was last open.

This is obviously quite annoying, especially for an OCD person like myself who likes a neat clean look. I run Android 4.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, and the problem showed up before that update rolled out (although it did mostly fix the nasty lag issue). I am NOT rooted (honestly!), and I am nowhere near my memory capacity.

Need help please, genius Androidians!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! You could try either clearing the cache or clearing the data of the Launcher app. Go to Settings/Apps/All, and select Launcher. First, select Clear Cache. If that doesn't help, you could try Clear Data, but keep in mind this will completely reset your homescreens, and you'll have to rebuild them afterwards.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Golfdriver97]

Hello everyone! New to the site, but working with Android for 2 years now (Samsung Captivate Glide, HTC One X, now the Google/Asus 2012 Nexus 7). Love it!

Only one complaint regarding my (old) Nexus 7: my home screen has recently, for no apparent reason, defaulted to the wrong screen. When I unlock the tablet, it opens to Screen 1 (of 5), which should be the home screen. However, when I hit the home screen shortcut, it goes to Screen 3. Additionally, when I try to drag either an app or a widget to Screens 1 or 2, I get an error message: "Unfortunately, Launcher has stopped" and I get chucked back to whatever app was last open.

This is obviously quite annoying, especially for an OCD person like myself who likes a neat clean look. I run Android 4.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, and the problem showed up before that update rolled out (although it did mostly fix the nasty lag issue). I am NOT rooted (honestly!), and I am nowhere near my memory capacity.

Need help please, genius Androidians!

Welcome to the forums.
With any update, be it major ones from 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, to 4.1 Jelly Bean, or minor ones from 4.2.1 to 4.2.2, a wiping of the cache in recovery should be done.
The reason is data conflicts can occur causing apps to act funny.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

 

[Spencer Owen]

Thanks everyone! That resolved the error issue, but not the "wrong" home screen issue. I'll live if I have to swipe or rebuild to make #3 the primary, but it would be better to see it completely fixed. Any other ideas?

 

[Spencer Owen]

@Golfdriver97:
Is there a way to do this en masse? I have only cleared out the Launcher's cache so far; would prefer not to go into each app individually and do the same.

 

[msndrstood]

What launcher are you using? If it's Nova, just pinch any screen and it will shrink all of the screens and allow you to place a check next to the desired home screen and you can also re order the screens themselves.

Sorry if I misunderstood the problem if this isn't what you are looking for. (No pun intended).

Sent via Note II

 

[Golfdriver97]

@Golfdriver97:
Is there a way to do this en masse? I have only cleared out the Launcher's cache so far; would prefer not to go into each app individually and do the same.

There should be. I am not totally sure how, but try this: Power off. To reboot into recovery, press the volume keys and power. Hold for a few seconds and release. That should bring up the recovery menu.
I can't offer more than this, as I do not have the device. You can ask or search the forums for the procedure.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Sorry if I misunderstood the problem if this isn't what you are looking for. (No pun intended).

Sent via Note II

No pun intended...yeah...right....lol

 

[B. Diddy]

@Golfdriver97:
Is there a way to do this en masse? I have only cleared out the Launcher's cache so far; would prefer not to go into each app individually and do the same.

You can install an app called App Cache Cleaner, which will clean all caches with one press.

Golfdriver97 was referring to a different cache, though--he was talking about the system cache partition, which holds various temporary system data and log files. It is worth trying a cache partition wipe to see if your wrong homescreen issue resolves. Follow the instructions in this link, except instead of "Wipe all data," select "Wipe cache partition." After the process is complete, select "Reboot system now."

https://support.google.com/nexus/7/answer/2668187?hl=en

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Spencer Owen]

@Msunderstood: No, not Nova. Not sure what to call it, but I have a Nexus 7 (2012). I tried the pinching; no dice.

 

[GedBlake]

... when I unlock the tablet, it opens to Screen 1 (of 5), which should be the home screen. However, when I hit the home screen shortcut, it goes to Screen 3...

Hi, Spencer Owen...

This is actually the correct behavior for the stock Android Launcher... the third or middle screen is ALWAYS THE HOME SCREEN, and the home button always defaults to it.

The only way of changing this, is to install from PlayStore, a third party Custom Launcher like Apex or Nova, in which you can selectively designate which screen is the HOME SCREEN.

Rgrds,
Ged.

 

[B. Diddy]

Hi, Spencer Owen...

This is actually the correct behavior for the stock Android Launcher... the third or middle screen is ALWAYS THE HOME SCREEN, and the home button always defaults to it.

The only way of changing this, is to install from PlayStore, a third party Custom Launcher like Apex or Nova, in which you can selectively designate which screen is the HOME SCREEN.

Rgrds,
Ged.

What the OP is concerned about, though, is that when he unlocks the tablet, it defaults to screen #1, i.e., the leftmost homescreen. It should default to #3, the middle one, but it doesn't. When he taps the Home button, it does return to #3, but it should still also unlock to #3.

 

[GedBlake]

What the OP is concerned about, though, is that when he unlocks the tablet, it defaults to screen #1, i.e., the leftmost homescreen. It should default to #3, the middle one, but it doesn't. When he taps the Home button, it does return to #3, but it should still also unlock to #3.

Hi, B. Diddy...

My experience of the stock launcher is it will unlock at whatever screen you last left it at when you put the device to sleep. It only defaults to the third screen from a cold boot.

So, if you where on screen four before 'sleeping' the device, it will unlock at screen four. Unless the OP means it ALWAYS unlocks at screen one, regardless of which screen he was on prior to putting the tablet to sleep.

Rgrds,
Ged.

 

[B. Diddy]

Yes, a good point. From the way the OP described it (and how he described himself as OCD), I'm guessing that he has been leaving it on #3, only to find it unlock back to #1. Let's see what he has to say.

 

[Gkatch80]

Any ideas what to do when this launcher message appears, and nothing else will respond? I tried rebooting my daughter's new RCA 7" tablet in safe mode, and still nothing. The error pops up, and repeats endlessly when I tap "ok". I can turn wifi on and off, and airplane mode, using the pull-down menu in the top right corner. But "settings" does nothing. Any ideas how to get it factory reset, so that I can install some parental controls before I send her back to her mother's with it?

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

I recommend switching to a launcher like Nova, which gives you much more control over your screens and is so much easier to use.

Sent from my SM-N900P using AC Forums mobile app

 

[sp0r412]

I recommend switching to a launcher like Nova, which gives you much more control over your screens and is so much easier to use.

Sent from my SM-N900P using AC Forums mobile app

I one hundred percent agree. If you are running the updated version of nova launcher prime on almost any device, it's hard to even realize you aren't running 4.4.
If your Nova launcher device is rooted with framework (xposed in my case) you will have a lovely experience.

Sent from my LG-LG870 using Tapatalk