Screen very very dim - is this the end?

[gardengal4]

During a phone call tonite, I noticed the display got really dim barely readable as if the battery was at 2% or such. but it wasn't. It was at 49%. I rebooted the phone no help. I booted into safe mode and saw all the startup screens perfectly fine and bright even my lock screen picture but just for a second. Then the home screen came on and went dim really dark again. I put it in the charger. Used a new charging block. and shut the phone off. I got a very bright charging symbol and bright white message that it would take 1 hr 37 minutes for a full charge (it won't really take that long). Then it dimmed out in a second or two.

Can't think of anything new that has happened. No new apps. This phone has been rock solid for 7 years and I love it. No annoying updates for the past 4-5 years I dread going to a new Android version. I'm such an old timer. I hate change!

Any thoughts on is this the end?

I'm seeing lots of posts about dimming but nothing that spoke to this scenario.

i've also noticed the earpiece volume is low when I get calls. I have to use speaker to hear calls well.

Hope I'm not going deaf and blind - Ha ha!

Panicking also about the backups I don't do!! Photos will be fine. contacts are mostly fine. But screenshots, files, downloaded saved pics, conversations concern me. That's all I can think of now. Probably there is more to worry about if I try harder.

 

[SpookDroid]

If you manually change the brightness level (and disable auto-brightness if enabled), does it change? Does it go 'all the way up'? Does it stay bright or does it dim back down even if the slider says it's on full brightness? You can also try to run the hardware diagnostic test (*#0*# on the dialer) and check the screen and ambient light sensor.

 

[gardengal4]

It was nearly impossible to find it. I had to recall from memory exactly where it was. But OMG! It was all the way to the left. Who did that?

I am embarrassed. This is like the toaster was't plugged in!

In the meantime, I started looking at new phones online and maybe this was a wake-up call that I am on borrowed time.

Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

Most phones won't let the screen brightness get so low natively that you can't see anything. Did you ever install a 3rd party screen dimmer app?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Panicking also about the backups I don't do!! Photos will be fine. contacts are mostly fine. But screenshots, files, downloaded saved pics, conversations concern me. That's all I can think of now. Probably there is more to worry about if I try harder.

Now might be a good time to do a massive backup.

 

[gardengal4]

>>> Now might be a good time to do a massive backup.

I copied all screenshots and Downloads to my sd card. What is best method for backup? All I can think of that Google won't have is Conversations.

I recall switching phones in the past, Verizon was involved in some part of data transfer. Details fuzzy. I think I avoided a Samsung account when I got this phone.

I like to keep my phone processes running lean so I typically opt out of any dynamic services like backups. Is it time to change?

 

[Golfdriver97]

I copied all screenshots and Downloads to my sd card. What is best method for backup?

My opinion: no. But I also don't know what all your options are either. Do you have a laptop or desktop? How sensitive are your screenshots? What are in your downloads?
The general rule of thumb for backups is this: Always assume one copy will get destroyed. The best way to have a backup of one file is this: a copy on your phone, a copy on a physical drive that you own, and a copy in the cloud. If the copies are sensitive information, use a PC program like 7zip to zip then encrypt the zipped folder and upload that to the cloud. The more copies you have the better, and the more spread out they are is even better. In theory, my list should include one more: a copy on an external drive which is stored in a safe deposit box at your bank.

All I can think of that Google won't have is Conversations.

I think Google Messages stores a copy of all your conversations, but I am not totally sure. I think I did a direct connection transfer when I got my last phone. @mustang7757 might be able to give a more clear answer.

I like to keep my phone processes running lean so I typically opt out of any dynamic services like backups. Is it time to change?

Coffee hasn't kicked in yet. Could you clarify what you mean by processes? If you mean a cloud storage like Google Photos, I think that is fine in most situations. It would depend on how many photos you have.

 

[gardengal4]

Now might be a good time to do a massive backup.

Now might be a good time to do a massive backup.

My opinion: no. But I also don't know what all your options are either. Do you have a laptop or desktop? How sensitive are your screenshots? What are in your downloads?
The general rule of thumb for backups is this: Always assume one copy will get destroyed. The best way to have a backup of one file is this: a copy on your phone, a copy on a physical drive that you own, and a copy in the cloud. ...

I'm with you on that in general for my real stuff (laptop/pc), but this is just phone stuff. Nothing that valuable. I just tend to be a packrat and may need/want to look back at something.

Coffee hasn't kicked in yet. Could you clarify what you mean by processes? If you mean a cloud storage like Google Photos, I think that is fine in most situations. It would depend on how many photos you have.

I meant backup processes that are always monitoring changes in real time to update/sync stuff in the cloud. For pictures I use dropbox. Every picture I take is auto uploaded to the cloud (same as Google Photos I imagine). Dropbox is a non issue resource-wise. But when I think of PC backup programs, I think of resource-hogs.

An on-demand transfer backup is another thing. I would do that, but it's only a snapshot in time so that's only good for the day before my phone breaks!!

 

[gardengal4]

Still thinking about the brightness level decreasing (and so grateful it was not the end of the phone!), I am wondering if being on speakerphone for extended period of time played into it somehow. Phone call was at least a half hour. Not that it makes sense that it would be a cause, but maybe a sign of something degrading.... ??? Just thinking out loud...

 

[Golfdriver97]

Every picture I take is auto uploaded to the cloud (same as Google Photos I imagine)

In that case, since they are files you don't really need, I think this is enough.

But when I think of PC backup programs, I think of resource-hogs

They may have been back in the day, but probably not anymore. In all honesty, I have an unorthodox way of backing up. I don't accumulate many files quickly. I have a monthly backup routine where I clone my desktop PC OS to a different drive that is disconnected to my PC. This does 2 things: It serves as a backup, and it's a fallback in case something happens to the drive that my OS is on.

An on-demand transfer backup is another thing. I would do that, but it's only a snapshot in time so that's only good for the day before my phone breaks!!

In theory, this argument can be used for any type of backup under any time frame. If your phone breaks in the middle of an auto backup that is daily, you still lose out on the day. If something happens to my PC right before my monthly backup day, I lose that entire month. But, no matter what, any backup is better than none at all.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Still thinking about the brightness level decreasing (and so grateful it was not the end of the phone!), I am wondering if being on speakerphone for extended period of time played into it somehow. Phone call was at least a half hour. Not that it makes sense that it would be a cause, but maybe a sign of something degrading.... ??? Just thinking out loud...

Does your brightness bar pop up when the notification shade is pulled down?

 

[gardengal4]

Does your brightness bar pop up when the notification shade is pulled down?

yes.

And because pulling it down is quite explicit an action, it doesn't seem like something that I could do accidentally while talking on the phone.

 

[gardengal4]

In that case, since they are files you don't really need, I think this is enough.

Yes, good enough for pics. But still concerned about other non-Google and non pics elements

They may have been back in the day, but probably not anymore. In all honesty, I have an unorthodox way of backing up. I don't accumulate many files quickly. I have a monthly backup routine where I clone my desktop PC OS to a different drive that is disconnected to my PC. This does 2 things: It serves as a backup, and it's a fallback in case something happens to the drive that my OS is on.

I do similar on PC/Laptops. Macrium is my go-to. My frequently changing file area (for work) is backed up daily. I organized my drive to highlight important stuff. Everything else is more static and monthly.

But for a phone, is there an equivalent?

In theory, this argument can be used for any type of backup under any time frame. If your phone breaks in the middle of an auto backup that is daily, you still lose out on the day. If something happens to my PC right before my monthly backup day, I lose that entire month. But, no matter what, any backup is better than none at all.

for sure!

 

[Golfdriver97]

yes.

And because pulling it down is quite explicit an action, it doesn't seem like something that I could do accidentally while talking on the phone.

I had a couple of hangups because of my ear. So I started locking my device after a call is connected. I wouldn't be too surprised if something similar is happening to you as well. Does the swipe down seem like an explicit action? Sure. But I would suggest NOT eliminating this possibility. I have had times when I swipe in one direction and the screen acts like I swiped a different way (right instead of left, etc.).

I do similar on PC/Laptops. Macrium is my go-to. My frequently changing file area (for work) is backed up daily. I organized my drive to highlight important stuff. Everything else is more static and monthly.

But for a phone, is there an equivalent?

Mine is DiskGenius. Macrium and Acronis are good, but I have had too many failures with them in the past. Acronis really upset me because I paid a year license and right after I did my backups failed 3 months in a row.

As for a version for phones, there is but not really. It would require root access and a custom recovery, both of which aren't really worth it these days. A custom recovery can make a backup of the current OS and kernel. If you choose to get a new phone, use the current one as a way to do it, but there are a lot of hoops to jump through, even more when I did it last in 2013.



Edit for the first segment: I just thought of this now, but to a degree, the phone can't tell if you are swiping your finger, or if your finger is remaining stationary and the phone is moving. So, the slight repositioning of your phone to your ear can be considered a 'swipe'.

 

[gardengal4]

Oh-oh... problem happened again. I was just out to lunch at a restaurant and had my phone sitting on table. When we arrived, I checked work email and then just set it down. A bit later I went to open it and it was dark. I tried to swipe down notification area and it wasn't working. Not sure if it was me or maybe it was all black. I shut off display and had a cocktail! Then I checked on it later and rebooted. same as last night... bright during startup screens; then quickly very dark. I could (barely) find the brightness bar and increased it and I was back in business.

Back to looking at new phones. and reading more about Smart Switch.

I turned off Adaptive Brightness, but I doubt that's related. I browsed Developer Options and there are a gazillion things to debug or log, but I won't turn on anything unless I know it might help. Anyody know about Developer Options? I only have it to observe Running Services. Iniitally I was very conscious of excessive apps and this was handy to monitor apps.

 

[gardengal4]

although this article suggests adaptive brightness may be related:

Why Brightness Keeps Going Down on Your Android Phone (And How to Fix)

Have you noticed your Android screen getting darker with time? Is it becoming harder to use your smartphone since you can barely see what's on your screen? That's a sign that the Adaptive Brightness on your Android smartphone stopped working. Read on to learn why Android devices automatically...

www.online-tech-tips.com

 

[Golfdriver97]

The article isn't bad, I'd just suggest starting in reverse order. Restart, check for updates, then start digging around in the specific app.

Edit: The reason for the way I suggested is you are going from the least invasive to the most invasive.