Stuck in Landscape Mode - Desk Cradle Took Over Phone

[shteeve]

Since last night, my phone is launching in landscape mode (skipping right past the unlock screen, too) and will not rotate to vertical mode no matter what I do. It seems as if the Desk Cradle - which I never use - has taken over my phone, and even when I shut it down, the screen stays stuck in landscape mode. Really don't want to do a hard reset, especially if it won't resolve the problem, so would love some guidance here on possible causes and solutions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[atomD21]

If you don't use the desk cradle, how could it take over your phone? Anyway, have you tried booting into recovery mode and wiping the cache partition? That may clear up your issues. Just in case you don't know how to do that: with your phone off, press and hold both volume keys and then hold the power button. After the Samsung logo flashes once and comes back on, let all three buttons go. It will take you to a screen that is black with some blue text on it. The bottom option should allow you to wipe your cache partition. You scroll up and down with the volume keys and select things with the home key.

 

[shteeve]

Thanks for the reply. I mean the Desk Cradle app, which remains my default homescreen even after trying your fix. This is just the most bizarre behavior; it's as if the accelerometer doesn't work and it's stuck in landscape, but I can feel the phone responding when I turn it. Vertical games will run in that mode, but nothing else will display in that mode except for the System Updates screen under the About Phone menu - and that will only display vertically! I fear a hard reset is in my future. ;-( Appreciate your trying to help.

 

[shteeve]

Just did a hard reset and still have the same problem. What the heck could it be?

 

[alanhatcher]

My phone did this exact same thing last Wednesday, 6/22, around mid-morning. I fiddled with everything I could think of (except hard reset) all day. By sundown it had fixed itself (hours after I had given up on it thinking I had bumped it somehow and busted it). Today, 6/27, the phone did the EXACT same thing: stuck in landscape, home button goes to desk cradle. And it started at about the same time of day. Uninstalled the most recent apps, no change. Uninstalled nearly every app I had added, no change. I ran to the nearest Verizon store during lunch. They swear they'd never seen anything like it; ultimately went through hard reset. At first they thought hard reset had fixed it, but once the phone finished the standard new phone updating....right back to landscape.

They ordered a replacement phone for me no charge (still in warranty plus I pay for extended warranty).

Note: this was a refurb Fascinate purchased online from Verizon in March of this year. I had installed Superuser but had not gotten around to actually rooting the phone. With the hard reset Superuser is gone (thank goodness for Backup Assistant....still have my contacts and pics).

EDIT: My bad...Superuser is still there, along with at least a few widgets I recall installing. I guess a hard reset isn't guaranteed to put everything back to factory stock??

 

[atomD21]

Just did a hard reset and still have the same problem. What the heck could it be?

Wow, even after doing a Factory Reset through Recovery... You may have to contact Verizon about that. What version of Android are you running?

 

[Natas]

I had this problem, but mine had auto rotation off LOL

 

[holster27]

maybe its similar to this problem

http://forum.androidcentral.com/verizon-fascinate/96924-accelerometer-quit-working.html

 

[MunkinDrunky]

Yeah I've had the exact same problem, on going, and it only seems to happen when I use another usb cable- one that is not Verizon issue for this phone. This doesn't happen every time I plug my phone into the non-Verizon issue cable, but it certainly doesn't ever happen when i don't do that. Other weird thing I experience beside annoying desk cradle taking over, is my normal standard home screen decides to rotate into landscape. I don't think the phone is supposed to do this at all with the stock home screen. But when this does happen damn desk cradle always rears its unwanted head. Problem does go away when I unplug my phone and lock the screen and then unlock again. But why would this happen in the first place?

I am running 2.2.1 baseband ED04 kernel 2.6.32.9 build ED04
I have also only rooted.

Um i haven't experienced this for a couple days now so I don't remember exact details. Ill try to recreate the situation then give some more info....

 

[dlarend]

Since last night, my phone is launching in landscape mode (skipping right past the unlock screen, too) and will not rotate to vertical mode no matter what I do. It seems as if the Desk Cradle - which I never use - has taken over my phone, and even when I shut it down, the screen stays stuck in landscape mode. Really don't want to do a hard reset, especially if it won't resolve the problem, so would love some guidance here on possible causes and solutions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Not sure if this problem was resolved. A similar issue happened to me on two identical phones. (the first one replaced under warranty.) Tried hard reset, wiping cache, wiping dalvik cache, blah blah blah. Nothing. Only happens when I retrieve the phone from being charged. Here's what I did. Plugged my phone into the original charger with the original cable, turned it off, took out battery and unplugged, blew out the USB port on the phone, fired it back up and it's back to normal. This may or may not work for you but the problem seems to be hard wear or at least external. Keep trying combinations of plugging it in, taking battery out and cleaning USB port and I bet it works. The phone thinks it's in a cradle probably due to some contact in the port that's giving it false information.

 

[mtm235]

hey all so i stumbled upon this tread because my charge does the same annoying desk cradle app takeover and it seems there are no fixes in sight. for the mean time to return your charge to normal use the menu hard key and go to

settings>applications>manage applications

and then scroll to find the desk cradle app. click this and you will be brought to were you can force close the app and also clear the cache. this worked for me to at least return the phone to normal but in a month desk cradle might rear its ugly head again. good luck hope this helps

 

[jessa_saurus]

I woke up today and my phone was doing the same thing. I had used a cord to a DROID2 and this completely fixed !!