Unable to unlock, shut down or restart Galaxy Tab A - please help!

[kindakooky]

As the title says, I cannot unlock, shut down or restart my Galaxy Tab A. Every time I try to unlock it using my pattern, which I know is correct, it says it's incorrect and I then have to wait 30 seconds before it will let me try again. I can't shut it down or restart it normally cos it needs my pattern to unlock before it will do so. So I googled how to force a restart and found a few suggested methods, all using slightly varying combinations of holding down the Power and Volume -/+ keys together. None of them have worked, despite holding the combination of keys recommended down for over a minute, all that happens is that the tablet screen ends up going off. I don't really want to have to wait until the battery runs out as it's still on 64% and given that the screen is asleep most of the time at the moment it's going to take a while

 

[B. Diddy]

Has this always been your tablet? Did the device just get a system update?

 

[kindakooky]

Thanks for replying. Yes it has always been my tablet. I think the last system update was about a week or so ago but it's been working absolutely fine until this happened last night.

 

[spARTacus]

What do you mean "pattern" ? Do you have a 3rd party app installed for lock screen?

 

[mustang7757]

As the title says, I cannot unlock, shut down or restart my Galaxy Tab A. Every time I try to unlock it using my pattern, which I know is correct, it says it's incorrect and I then have to wait 30 seconds before it will let me try again. I can't shut it down or restart it normally cos it needs my pattern to unlock before it will do so. So I googled how to force a restart and found a few suggested methods, all using slightly varying combinations of holding down the Power and Volume -/+ keys together. None of them have worked, despite holding the combination of keys recommended down for over a minute, all that happens is that the tablet screen ends up going off. I don't really want to have to wait until the battery runs out as it's still on 64% and given that the screen is asleep most of the time at the moment it's going to take a while

Try holding power button until.powers off

 

[B. Diddy]

If pressing and holding Power alone doesn't force a shutdown, then try pressing and holding Power and Vol Down for about 20 seconds. After it's off, then try booting into Recovery Mode this way: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...-80/wipe-cache-partition-samsung-galaxy-tab-a