{Help] Soft keys dead, Touchscreen working fine. Suggestions for a ROM like Nexus 4

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HellRazorGod

Senior Member
Mar 15, 2010
233
25
Greetings my fellow XDA experts,

I have a Galaxy S2 (i9100) International version on the NeatROM 4.8 ( XXLSW). What has happened is that my Softkeys are dead and unresponsive.
There is no illumination and response from them. So I have a phone without the menu and back buttons, which implies that I have a f**ked up iPhone like phone with just one Home button to function with.
I took the phone to the service center and they said it's a single piece with the display so the entire display would need to be replaced which is unreasonable and needless since the display works absolutely perfect.
So I was thinking of a remedy in terms of the ROM I use with the phone. Is there any custom ROM available for the S2 which would enable me to use a part of the display as the MENU and BACK buttons itself ? Like the Nexus 4 has ? I don't mind losing out on screen space to enable me to get those buttons back.
Please do suggest me any such ROM's or methods through which I can use the phone without having to change a fully functional touchscreen display. Spending so much just to get the Soft key functionality back is plain ridiculous and a pure manufacturing drawback from Samsung. Yuck

Anyways, please do help with any pointers.
Thanks and Cheers !:)
 

Hopper8

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2012
2,346
3,744
Greetings my fellow XDA experts,

I have a Galaxy S2 (i9100) International version on the NeatROM 4.8 ( XXLSW). What has happened is that my Softkeys are dead and unresponsive.
There is no illumination and response from them. So I have a phone without the menu and back buttons, which implies that I have a f**ked up iPhone like phone with just one Home button to function with.
I took the phone to the service center and they said it's a single piece with the display so the entire display would need to be replaced which is unreasonable and needless since the display works absolutely perfect.
So I was thinking of a remedy in terms of the ROM I use with the phone. Is there any custom ROM available for the S2 which would enable me to use a part of the display as the MENU and BACK buttons itself ? Like the Nexus 4 has ? I don't mind losing out on screen space to enable me to get those buttons back.
Please do suggest me any such ROM's or methods through which I can use the phone without having to change a fully functional touchscreen display. Spending so much just to get the Soft key functionality back is plain ridiculous and a pure manufacturing drawback from Samsung. Yuck

Anyways, please do help with any pointers.
Thanks and Cheers !:)

You'll be hard pressed to find a 4.2.2 ROM that doesn't have some sort of on-screen control. Do a bit of searching around on XDA of all the 4.2.2 ROMs, look at screenshots etc. Navigation bar is the same style as a Nexus 4. Pie controls are a method of on-screen control. AOKP ribbons are also for on screen control. There's probably more. Then there exist ROM's which attempt to mimic the AOSP, Nexus-style experience. Plenty to choose from.
 
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HellRazorGod

Senior Member
Mar 15, 2010
233
25
You'll be hard pressed to find a 4.2.2 ROM that doesn't have some sort of on-screen control. Do a bit of searching around on XDA of all the 4.2.2 ROMs, look at screenshots etc. Navigation bar is the same style as a Nexus 4. Pie controls are a method of on-screen control. AOKP ribbons are also for on screen control. There's probably more. Then there exist ROM's which attempt to mimic the AOSP, Nexus-style experience. Plenty to choose from.

So basically My ROM territory is now limited to any 4.2.2 AOSP/AOKP Rom's ? Do all of them have on-screen navigation?
Like the Parandroid? No more Sammy Rom's obviously.
 

Hopper8

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2012
2,346
3,744
So basically My ROM territory is now limited to any 4.2.2 AOSP/AOKP Rom's ? Do all of them have on-screen navigation?
Like the Parandroid? No more Sammy Rom's obviously.

Hmm well I imagine you could find some lower than 4.2.2 with those controls if you wanted to, but no need to if you don't want. You can use ParanoidAndroid if you want, search my posts for a link for i9100, I posted it yesterday or the day before I think. It won't be the first link you find on Google thats for sure, version 3.6 is the latest. As far as 'limited to 4.2.2 AOSP/AOKP'.... Depends how you see it. I don't see it as a 'limitation'. Start here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=23231772. Go through AOKP and AOSP till you find something you like. Bear in mind that the AOKP contains waaay more than just plain AOKP, there's hybrid (combos of CM,AOKP,PA, AOSP usually) and all sorts in there.
 

rahulsethi

Senior Member
Mar 3, 2012
328
80
30
Delhi
Enable Navigation Bar in AOSP/AOKP roms etc for getting these functions back.
Alternatively if you want navigation bar in Sammy Roms you can still have them , look for soft key enabler in play store or else you can edit build.prop of your phone , there will be option of soft keys , change it from 0 to 1.
 
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Paul Blake

Senior Member
May 14, 2013
1,021
406
Baia Mare
Use pimp my rom it have a option for on screen buttons (back menu and recents) so you can have any rom

Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
 

USADAVE

New member
Feb 15, 2014
1
0
S2 soft keys not working

Issue seems to be related to the usb charging receptacle. As long as a good charging cable is connected, the soft keys work. They work for a short time after unplugging and then stop working again.


Greetings my fellow XDA experts,

I have a Galaxy S2 (i9100) International version on the NeatROM 4.8 ( XXLSW). What has happened is that my Softkeys are dead and unresponsive.
There is no illumination and response from them. So I have a phone without the menu and back buttons, which implies that I have a f**ked up iPhone like phone with just one Home button to function with.
I took the phone to the service center and they said it's a single piece with the display so the entire display would need to be replaced which is unreasonable and needless since the display works absolutely perfect.
So I was thinking of a remedy in terms of the ROM I use with the phone. Is there any custom ROM available for the S2 which would enable me to use a part of the display as the MENU and BACK buttons itself ? Like the Nexus 4 has ? I don't mind losing out on screen space to enable me to get those buttons back.
Please do suggest me any such ROM's or methods through which I can use the phone without having to change a fully functional touchscreen display. Spending so much just to get the Soft key functionality back is plain ridiculous and a pure manufacturing drawback from Samsung. Yuck

Anyways, please do help with any pointers.
Thanks and Cheers !:)
 

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    Greetings my fellow XDA experts,

    I have a Galaxy S2 (i9100) International version on the NeatROM 4.8 ( XXLSW). What has happened is that my Softkeys are dead and unresponsive.
    There is no illumination and response from them. So I have a phone without the menu and back buttons, which implies that I have a f**ked up iPhone like phone with just one Home button to function with.
    I took the phone to the service center and they said it's a single piece with the display so the entire display would need to be replaced which is unreasonable and needless since the display works absolutely perfect.
    So I was thinking of a remedy in terms of the ROM I use with the phone. Is there any custom ROM available for the S2 which would enable me to use a part of the display as the MENU and BACK buttons itself ? Like the Nexus 4 has ? I don't mind losing out on screen space to enable me to get those buttons back.
    Please do suggest me any such ROM's or methods through which I can use the phone without having to change a fully functional touchscreen display. Spending so much just to get the Soft key functionality back is plain ridiculous and a pure manufacturing drawback from Samsung. Yuck

    Anyways, please do help with any pointers.
    Thanks and Cheers !:)

    You'll be hard pressed to find a 4.2.2 ROM that doesn't have some sort of on-screen control. Do a bit of searching around on XDA of all the 4.2.2 ROMs, look at screenshots etc. Navigation bar is the same style as a Nexus 4. Pie controls are a method of on-screen control. AOKP ribbons are also for on screen control. There's probably more. Then there exist ROM's which attempt to mimic the AOSP, Nexus-style experience. Plenty to choose from.
    1
    Enable Navigation Bar in AOSP/AOKP roms etc for getting these functions back.
    Alternatively if you want navigation bar in Sammy Roms you can still have them , look for soft key enabler in play store or else you can edit build.prop of your phone , there will be option of soft keys , change it from 0 to 1.