Unknown Touch Screen Response Issue, at a Loss

[Gaidai]

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the really long post, but I think I should provide as many details as possible since I'm asking for help.

99 times out of 100 I can solve my own problems by just carefully reading threads, watching videos, or tinkering, but I'm finally at a loss. I have an issue with my Vita 1000 that just doesn't make any sense insofar as trial and error is concerned.

It's hard to explain, so I've uploaded a video to demonstrate:

Basically, my touchscreen refuses to acknowledge the "X" box in the upper lefthand corner used to close certain menus. I'd think this would be at best an issue with my screen protector or moisture from my fingers, or at worst a hardware problem with the digitizer, but check out the video. As you can see, even though "X" does not recognize, I can close the menu in the lower right by touching the screen in the place where the X is. Technically touching anywhere on the screen will close the menu in the lower right, but if it works in the upper left corner...then there must not be a hardware, screen protector, or moisture problem, right? The console is recognizing touches in that exact spot, it just...doesn't want to register that I touched the X. This probably sounds stupid, but I decided to check to see if the system just doesn't like the X mark for some reason by holding my finger on the homescreen until the option to make a new screen shows up--the option to cancel that procedure is the same X, just placed not as far up into the lefthand corner. It worked fine.

I'm running Henkaku 3.60 with Enso, storagemgr, nonpdrm, and osyscall6.

Here's what I've tried:

• Cleaned the screen.
• Disabled all plugins (holding L while booting).
• Ran the console without the SD2VITA/SD card installed at all. Also tried running it with the card installed after a thorough contact cleaning on both the adapter and the card.
• Freed up a bunch of space on the SD card. (I took it from 5gb free to 24gb, although I can't imagine the Vita needs *that* much free space, nor do I think this would matter since I tried with no SD card in it at all. This also suggests to me that the problem may not be with anything on the card, like games or whatnot).
• Deleted all bluetooth devices.
• I had both Autoplugin and Autoplugin 2 at the same time. I removed the first one and left the second, but unless the Autoplugin app itself is the problem, I can't see what difference this would make since I've tried running the console without any plugins active at all.
• Removed Adrenaline and Sharpscale Menu.
• Rebooted multiple times, tried the sleep/wake up multiple times thing, etc teir-1 tech support stuff. I never use the console while its charging.
• Reloaded taiHEN config.txt.

None of the above worked. Here's what I have NOT tried:

• Using a different SD2VITA adapter and/or a new SD card. I have both on the way via Amazon but they're not here yet.
• Returning the console to stock and completely starting over with Enso/Hen. Maybe this is what I'll have to do, but I'd like to get input from the community first, since I could just be missing something simple.
• Replacing the screen. I know how to open/service things like the GBA, DS, PSP, and so forth, so even though I have never opened a Vita before, I'm confident I could pull this off. But as I said before, I'd like to get community help before I spend money on parts and do a complex repair that may not solve anything. Personally I don't think it will because as you can see in the video, the touch screen does work in the problem area.
• Probably something you thought of but I didn't.

Things that might help to know:

• I use the SD2VITA/SD card combo in this device with a PSTV, so I occasionally move the card back and forth between either system. So it's been installed and removed many times.
• I've had this console since launch, so while I've taken care of it, it's well used.
• This problem is a recent development, while the console has been running Hen for years.
• I've noticed that lately I've been getting occasional crashes while playing games--this is also a new development. It has happened on my PSTV and this Vita. On the PSTV a game I had about 25+ hours in crashed, then deleted my save file. On the Vita, a game crashed and the save was still there, but I lost two hours of progress because I hadn't saved recently (for the reason below). I'd like to know if this issue is related.

I know this seems like a minor problem, but so long as I can't make that X work, I can't back out of save or load menus in-game. So whenever I save my game, for example, I can't go back to playing unless I quit the game entirely and restart it. And of course the crashes in-game are a problem too. Is this console just old and breaking down? Gremlins under the hood? It works and it also doesn't

Anyway, thank you anyone and everyone for any insights you can provide!

 

[AaronUzumaki]

Haven't done much Vita work, but as far as touch, is it possible it's registering elsewhere on the screen? You could load a drawing app to test. General IT thought is maybe the ribbon cable is slightly disconnected or corroded going to/from the touch controller causing misalignment.

 

[Gaidai]

Haven't done much Vita work, but as far as touch, is it possible it's registering elsewhere on the screen? You could load a drawing app to test. General IT thought is maybe the ribbon cable is slightly disconnected or corroded going to/from the touch controller causing misalignment.

Hmm, I guess it could be that, but what gets me about it is that the problem portion of the screen *does* work when I ask it to do anything except touch that X symbol. So it's not like it sometimes works or sometimes doesn't. It just won't do that one specific thing. It leads me to think there's some sort of software problem going on, but I've tried it without the sd card in, which makes me think there aren't any games or DLC causing problems. I'm told incompatible plugins are one of the most common problems leading to wonky behavior, but I've also tried it without loading any plugins at all, and it persists.

I guess I could pop the back off and look over the internals though. It's better than just assuming something's broken and ordering new parts. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[The_Dizzy_Vizzy]

Haven't done much Vita work, but as far as touch, is it possible it's registering elsewhere on the screen? You could load a drawing app to test. General IT thought is maybe the ribbon cable is slightly disconnected or corroded going to/from the touch controller causing misalignment

Hmm, I guess it could be that, but what gets me about it is that the problem portion of the screen *does* work when I ask it to do anything except touch that X symbol. So it's not like it sometimes works or sometimes doesn't. It just won't do that one specific thing. It leads me to think there's some sort of software problem going on, but I've tried it without the sd card in, which makes me think there aren't any games or DLC causing problems. I'm told incompatible plugins are one of the most common problems leading to wonky behavior, but I've also tried it without loading any plugins at all, and it persists.

I guess I could pop the back off and look over the internals though. It's better than just assuming something's broken and ordering new parts. Thanks for your thoughts!

Hey chief, that sounds like a software problem, so I'd say refrain from opening up your Vita unless it becomes the absolute last resort. If you can get that same "area" to work on a game or app, but it just won't work on that X when using said menu, then I definitely think that's a software problem.

I say jettison the hack, go back to default settings on your Vita, as in RESTORE the Vita, but AFTER you get rid of the hack, and I'd be surprised if it doesn't work after that.

Refer to the vita.hacks.guide to remove your CFW.

 

[Gaidai]

Hey chief, that sounds like a software problem, so I'd say refrain from opening up your Vita unless it becomes the absolute last resort. If you can get that same "area" to work on a game or app, but it just won't work on that X when using said menu, then I definitely think that's a software problem.

I say jettison the hack, go back to default settings on your Vita, as in RESTORE the Vita, but AFTER you get rid of the hack, and I'd be surprised if it doesn't work after that.

Refer to the vita.hacks.guide to remove your CFW.

Yeahhhhhh that's kinda what I think it's going to come to. I was just hoping maybe somebody knew something I didn't, and it would be all 'Hey, just do the thing!' and I'd do the thing and it would be happy days, haha.

Thank you

 

[The_Dizzy_Vizzy]

Yeahhhhhh that's kinda what I think it's going to come to. I was just hoping maybe somebody knew something I didn't, and it would be all 'Hey, just do the thing!' and I'd do the thing and it would be happy days, haha.

Thank you

It's all good chief! So de-hack that thing, re-hack that thing and tell us how it goes!

 

[AaronUzumaki]

Hmm, I guess it could be that, but what gets me about it is that the problem portion of the screen *does* work when I ask it to do anything except touch that X symbol. So it's not like it sometimes works or sometimes doesn't. It just won't do that one specific thing. It leads me to think there's some sort of software problem going on, but I've tried it without the sd card in, which makes me think there aren't any games or DLC causing problems. I'm told incompatible plugins are one of the most common problems leading to wonky behavior, but I've also tried it without loading any plugins at all, and it persists.

I guess I could pop the back off and look over the internals though. It's better than just assuming something's broken and ordering new parts. Thanks for your thoughts!

Sorry, just checking back, but yes I concur. If that section works with targeted touch interactions elsewhere, it's almost certainly a software issue as others have said. Good news is, vita is fairly easy to unhack and rehack imho.

 

[The_Dizzy_Vizzy]

Sorry, just checking back, but yes I concur. If that section works with targeted touch interactions elsewhere, it's almost certainly a software issue as others have said. Good news is, vita is fairly easy to unhack and rehack imho.

Yes sir it is. Let's hope it's a software thing that just goes away with a de-hack/re-hack!

 

[Gaidai]

It's all good chief! So de-hack that thing, re-hack that thing and tell us how it goes! View attachment 546065

Yep, I came for help and I was helped, so I'll definitely report back to let everyone know if it worked or not (hopefully it'll be helpful if this happens to somebody else in the future too). I've decided to wait until my new SD2VITA adapter and SD card arrive so I can just start fresh. I'll leave the old combo in the PSTV so I don't have to keep moving them around anymore. They're supposed to show up tomorrow, so that'll be the day!

Post automatically merged: Dec 18, 2025

H

Hey chief, that sounds like a software problem, so I'd say refrain from opening up your Vita unless it becomes the absolute last resort. If you can get that same "area" to work on a game or app, but it just won't work on that X when using said menu, then I definitely think that's a software problem.

I say jettison the hack, go back to default settings on your Vita, as in RESTORE the Vita, but AFTER you get rid of the hack, and I'd be surprised if it doesn't work after that.

Refer to the vita.hacks.guide to remove your CFW.

Regarding this link. I've used these guides before but they were years ago...it seems this one wants you to update to stock 3.74, which I'd rather not do since I'm told you can only use temporary hacks on (I'm on 3.60). So I guess I may have to dig around some. I actually saved local copies of all the original guides from when I first did this, but naturally they tell you how to go to CFW, not to stock. I even have all the necessary files so I could jump right back into 3.60...if I could figure out how to go to stock without jumping to 3.74!

Post automatically merged: Dec 19, 2025

Welp.

The good news is, unhacking and rehacking was way easier than the first time I hacked years ago, and easier still thanks to @The_Dizzy_Vizzy , thanks for the DM!

The bad news is...it didn't help. I'm running Henkaku 3.65, freshly installed--and I mean fresh because I completely restored the console down to the point that it forced me to watch the welcome video again. I haven't gone as far as setting up YAMT/SD2VITA yet nor tried any games, but I still can't get the touch screen to recognize an "X" to close things. That portion of the screen still responds to every other input...except X.

Soooooooo...yeah. I have no idea. Maybe there really is something loose or dorked up inside the console, but I don't see how that can be possible when the screen does consistently work--it just doesn't like *that one thing*.

 

[The_Dizzy_Vizzy]

Yep, I came for help and I was helped, so I'll definitely report back to let everyone know if it worked or not (hopefully it'll be helpful if this happens to somebody else in the future too). I've decided to wait until my new SD2VITA adapter and SD card arrive so I can just start fresh. I'll leave the old combo in the PSTV so I don't have to keep moving them around anymore. They're supposed to show up tomorrow, so that'll be the day!

Post automatically merged: Dec 18, 2025

H

Regarding this link. I've used these guides before but they were years ago...it seems this one wants you to update to stock 3.74, which I'd rather not do since I'm told you can only use temporary hacks on (I'm on 3.60). So I guess I may have to dig around some. I actually saved local copies of all the original guides from when I first did this, but naturally they tell you how to go to CFW, not to stock. I even have all the necessary files so I could jump right back into 3.60...if I could figure out how to go to stock without jumping to 3.74!

Post automatically merged: Dec 19, 2025

Welp.

The good news is, unhacking and rehacking was way easier than the first time I hacked years ago, and easier still thanks to @The_Dizzy_Vizzy , thanks for the DM!

The bad news is...it didn't help. I'm running Henkaku 3.65, freshly installed--and I mean fresh because I completely restored the console down to the point that it forced me to watch the welcome video again. I haven't gone as far as setting up YAMT/SD2VITA yet nor tried any games, but I still can't get the touch screen to recognize an "X" to close things. That portion of the screen still responds to every other input...except X.

Soooooooo...yeah. I have no idea. Maybe there really is something loose or dorked up inside the console, but I don't see how that can be possible when the screen does consistently work--it just doesn't like *that one thing*.

"...and easier still thanks to @The_Dizzy_Vizzy , thanks for the DM!"

You are more than welcome!

"...because I completely restored the console down to the point that it forced me to watch the welcome video again."

DAMN DUDE, THAT ABSOLUTELY BLOWS!!! SHIT!!!

Do you have any place you can take it, like a place that works on/repairs consoles, or do you feel competent enough to work on your console yourself? I had to open up my Sapphire Vita to replace the battery. It was a fairly easy task to do, but I wouldn't do any other kind of work on it (I don't even know how to solder, and I wasn't ABOUT to "learn how to do it" on my fucking Vita.

About 3 months later the damn system would not power on no matter what I did. So I took it to a place called UbreakIFix. They called me like 3 days later and said that the power button had died, and so I waited just a few days for it to come in. They fixed it and I got it back in like eight or nine days. Everything worked great, and I was very happy with their service. Somebody else here said they'd had a bad experience with them, can't remember why or what happened, but, to each their own.

I don't know what country you live in. If you are in the United States, these guys are all over the place, in pretty much every state (or close to it). So, they opened up my unit, determined what the trouble was, and fixed it permanently. If you ARE in the states, I'd recommend them as they treated my Vita just fine.

Just a heads-up!

 

[AaronUzumaki]

Can you select the X with the d-pad? I sadly got rid of my vita long ago, so I can't recall, but I know you can (and must) navigate with the controller for PSTV, which I do have, so figured vita allows it natively too. Wondering if maybe you just have stick drift moving the cursor off the button when you try to touch it?

 

[Gaidai]

Can you select the X with the d-pad? I sadly got rid of my vita long ago, so I can't recall, but I know you can (and must) navigate with the controller for PSTV, which I do have, so figured vita allows it natively too. Wondering if maybe you just have stick drift moving the cursor off the button when you try to touch it?

Unfortunately no, that's a function of the PSTV only. It might be possible to do it if I bluetooth a DS4 to my vita, but imo that sort of defeats the purpose of a portable unit.

Updates: I did try opening the console and playing around in there. Made sure things were tight and cleaned it out. I was able to put it back together without any problems, but the original issue still persists. If it's not a hen/enso problem or a hardware issue...then I've got nothing. The console isn't ruined, it still works fine, just anybody playing it will have to quit games and restart after every save.

I went ahead and ordered a new system off of ebay. They're not all that expensive these days and I managed to snap up a good deal on a new listing. When that one comes I'll start fresh, and maybe give this one to the kids, as one of them already expressed that she doesn't mind that particular problem. At least it's 10000x easier to hack these things now than it was years ago.

I very much appreciate the help and ideas, folks. It occurs to me that I've only ever posted here when I need help with something, so maybe I'll do a post showing off some fun mods later instead!