Xperia Z3 compact tablet Home and Open app key not working

[Lotech]

Have tried Safe Mode and support test which has not helped. Prior to this issue to touch a browser occasionally causes a re-boot.

Suggestions welcome please.

[Lotech]

Thank you Uliwooly.

As mentioned in my post my main concern is loosing all the apps that were installed when I purchased the Tablet from new, including the Android operating system.

I will have to be patient and see if the community can help from their experience.!

[CosmicTomato]

The apps which came with the phone are preinstalled and cannot be uninstalled, just as the Operating System the phone doesn't lower or get back to the earliest version that was on the phone, it remains the latest that was installed, I'd done a factory reset before, it only erased the apps that I installed from Google Play Store.

Just make sure you have a full backup for your stuff before you do it, you can use the Google cloud services, instead of the PC and companion app, since It's safer and easier anyway. Good luck.

[Lotech]

Thank you Cosmic Tomato very helpful. Can I assume same applies to my Tablet as your Smart Mobile with the same name?

Before I try the reset would you happen to know what could be causing these two keys to stop working?

Both keys respond to touch (e.g. cause vibrate and a halo behind the black border) but unfortunately the command does not initiate any activiy. To me a driver issue, but that's just a clueless observation!!

[CosmicTomato]

Well it'd be hard to tell what exactly is the cause, but if the factory reset fixed it, it'd mean it was an operating system issue.

[Uliwooly]

@Lotech 

Ok, I thought you were concerned about purchased apps, if you are, don't, you should be able to access/install any app, book, movie that you have purchased as long as  you have the same Gmail account with your phone. 

Let us know if repairing the phone with Xperia Companion solves the issue. 

[Lotech]

Thanks for the additional information.

I am talking about the installed apps which came with the initial Tablet purchase and appear as Icons on the apps page, to name a few------camera, FM radio, Gallery, Sketch etc.

So to repeat will they magically re-appear after the reset without any intervention by me.

Yes you will be the first to know if the reset via Companion goes well.

[Uliwooly]

@Lotech 

Yeah, like @CosmicTomato  stated, everything should be back to the way it was (last update) with preinstalled apps.

[Lotech]

Just attempted to backup the files using the Xperia Companion and on completion a message confirmed virtually all had failed.

What's more frustration the Companion doesn't confirm the location of the backed up files if any, so not easy to see what's missing?

Not keen to try XperiFirm/flashtool.

Anyone else have any bright ideas before I stick the Tablet in the recycle bin and see yet more of my hard earned cash waisted|

[CosmicTomato]

That's some rough luck, I don't trust the apps or independent backup services, I stick to Google, they have all our info and data anyway, so why not store them to their cloud and be able to access them myself, from any device. I break my devices all the time, and constantly restore all the backed up data, only using my email account for these Google apps and Drive. Google Photos for media and there's one for contacts too. Give it a go, and keep the automatic backup on, so you don't lose everything when accidents take place.