Menu button only works when slider is opened.

[Diozakrod]

So I just bought a Droid 2 second hand off craigslist on Thursday. The phone works flawlessly except for one quirk: The touch sensitive menu button only seems to work if I have the keyboard slid out. Even then I seem to have to tap it in a very specific location to get it to work. If I can't get it to work right away, sometimes wildly swiping my finger back and forth across it will trigger it, other times it just won't work at all. The weird part is, you think it wouldn't matter whether the phone was in the standard position, or the keyboard was open, but no matter what, I can not get the button to work unless it is open. The 3 other buttons work without a problem.

I've searched the forums, and didn't find anything on this issue, google only brought up issues that were only kind of similar.

I've tried a factory reset with no results, and the fact that this is usually only an issue when I don't have the keyboard out makes me think it might not be a hardware issue.

Any ideas? You think I'm just gonna have to buy another digitizer? If I take this to the verizon store, will they help me at all? I think not because it was purchases second hand.

I love the phone, it's my first Android based product, but this problem is getting more and more frustrating as I get to know the phone more.

 

[amujee]

Does the digitizer look like it was tampered with? I might have a spare working digitizer in the next week or so.

Verizon store won't help.

 

[Diozakrod]

Nah, not at all. Woman I bought it from didn't look like the type to go messing with things like that. No nicks or anything around the digitizer that would make me think someone tried to pop it off, and the adhesive "plating" on the back doesn't look tampered with, so I don't think it's ever been opened.

There are some noticeable chips in the chrome on the bottom left side of the phone where it looks like it was dropped or bumped up against something, so that may have something to do with it. But other than that, thing thing is in perfect shape, not one scratch on the screen or anything like that.

 

[amujee]

Hmm. Wish I could be more helpful.
Can you try putting a little pressure in the upper right corner of the glass (not the touchscreen area) and trying the menu button? The digitizer ribbon cable is underneath that area, so it might be a little loose. Or the possible drop could have damaged that corner of the digitizer. Either way, it's going to require taking the phone apart.

 

[Diozakrod]

Hmm, putting pressure on the corner does seem to help, doesn't work 100% but there is definitely a difference... Guess I know what i'll be doing later.

Thanks for the help!