Existing phone connection stopped working for no reason

[nocturnal]

Been using this software for years. Today tried to sync Outlook contacts with my phone and the WiFi connection failed for no reason, saying phone could not be identified, even though the exact same sync worked a million times before.


tried reinstalling both, phone app and desktop client, one at a time, then both simultaneously - didnt help. Deleted existing user from the desktop client and tried re-adding back the phone - same result. Always throws "phone could not be identified error" as of today. I have not changed any settings or install/uninstall any apps on the phone or PC in a while, so it must be one of the recent MyPhoneExplorer updates that broke it.

Tried adding the phone via Bluetooth instead of WiFi, which I normally use - doesnt work either. No errors, the desktop client just closes, after a while.

The phone is Vivo X Fold. If anyone has any suggestions, before I'm forced to abandon MyPhoneExplorer and find another contact synching software, please let me know.

[icke1954]

Please check in the app info of the MPE client whether all rights are activated ?!
This error message always occurs when 'Phone' is disabled.

[nocturnal]

Thanks for the reply. The thought about MPE Client Android app permissions had already crossed my mind before I posted, so I gave the app ALL permissions available - made no difference. Desktop client still produces the message "Phone could not be identified".

[nocturnal]

The exact same issue reported yesterday by another user, for whom the app has also worked fine for years: https://androidforums.com/threads/mypho ... e.1346997/

[bemanet]

The issue was solved by the user... please see: https://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36745

[nocturnal]

@ bemanet you failed to read the previous messages in this thread and therefore failed to notice that suggestion was already previously made and that I replied to it, saying it did NOT resolve the problem in my case. It may have worked for that user, but my phone MPE app already had all permissions granted to it.

I also very clearly said in the OP the sync previously worked for years, Ive synced this phone and other phones a million times, and that I have not changed any phone MPE client or desktop MPE software settings. It can be very easily inferred from that information such suggestion is irrelevant in my case. If MPE did not have phone permissions, or other permissions it needs - it would not have worked for me in the past.

It's most likely a software defect on MPE side, and that bug needs to be identified and fixed, rather than trying to find some fault with my phone, or my settings.

[FJ]

The permission "Phone" is essential for MyPhoneExplorer and he also did need this permission in the past. it worked in the past because you allowed this permission. It stopped working because Android removes permissions if seldom used apps from time to time. You get notified about this in Android, probably you did not notice this.

[nocturnal]

Hello FJ,

Your assumption that "It stopped working because Android removes permissions if seldom used apps from time to time." is incorrect. I am well aware of that setting, and I have had this setting disabled on my phone for this particular app (and ALL other apps I use) for years.

I have also already said thrice, in plain English in this thread, that before making the forum post I already double checked and made sure MPE app on my phone has ALL permissions it wants, not just "phone" permission. All permissions are active/enabled/allowed and I'm talking about RIGHT NOW, not just the past....I'm not sure why my message isn't getting through and people keep speculating that there is something wrong with my phone permissions.

[FJ]

OK, then please post the logfile directly after the error message was shown: Menu-File-Settings-Show logfile

[nocturnal]

I'm not willing to share the log publicly, due to privacy and personal security concerns, and when I tried to send you a PM and attach the log - I got this from the forum: "You may not send a private message yet (at least 5 posts in the forum and at least 2 days after registration). This measure is to protect against spam."

[nocturnal]

@FJ if you want the whole log - please unblock my user from sending PMs and I will send it to you. However, I believe these are the log lines you are looking for:


10:55:13.49 AndroidSocket_Connect...
10:55:13.60 Connect to Android OK (192.168.1.252)
10:55:13.60 Settimeout: RT=2000 WT=500
10:55:13.60 bOpened=True
10:55:13.61 [TX]: AT+CGSN
10:55:15.60 C.Answer=
10:55:15.60 Got no Model, close port
10:55:15.60 ClosePort called
10:55:15.60 Androidsocket wird geschlossen 7
10:55:15.60 Port wurde geschlossen
10:55:15.61 Phone could not be identified
10:55:15.61 Refresh ComDescriptions...
10:55:15.62 ErrMsg: Connection to phone could not be established:
Phone could not be identified


It looks like your software is coded to simply close the connection port, when it cannot get the phone model. Also, keep in mind Chinese phones like Vivo use their own Android OS skins, based on vanilla Android, due to US/Google licensing restrictions, imposed on Chinese tech firms. Vivo X Fold uses OriginOS 3, which is based on Android 13. Until recently, your software used to work just fine with this firmware version of my phone, and previous ones, which were based on Android 11 and then Android 12.

_____________________________________________________


Note: My browser's automated translation to English appears to be breaking and translating against my will several lines in the log I'm pasting - I cannot disable it. Some of the log text I'm pasting is actually in German.

[FJ]

You are right, the permission is not the problem. MyPhoneExplorer gets no answer vom MyPhoneExplorer Client on the phone. Maybe a firewall blocks the communication.

- restart your WiFi Router
- restart your phone
- launch MyPhoneExplorer Client on the phone manually and keep it opened
- ensure that the phone screen is active while you try to connect

[nocturnal]

I've already tried all of the above, and then some (things like disabling Windows Firewall and Virus and threat protection), before you suggested it.

I dont believe this is WiFi related, because I get the exact same error when trying to sync the phone using USB-C cable.

[FJ]

OK, then the next steps would be to try another PC and another phone to locate the issue better

[nocturnal]

I only have ONE Microsoft Office license, and the Office, including the Outlook, which contains contacts database I'm trying to sync is installed only on ONE computer, which I'm trying to sync with my phone.

I dont have another computer with Office installation, my full contacts I need to sync are not on any other computers, and I do not own another smartphone - this is the only one.

Also, if I got another smartphone to work with MPE that would give me no clues how to fix this error with the phone I actually need to use.

My counter suggestion is for you to create a debug version of the app's primary executable, which has enhanced logging enabled (log must be plain text, not encrypted/obfuscated - otherwise I wont be able to send it over, if I cannot see what kind of info your app collected from my computer) and send it over to me. I then would run the test again, and PM you the log, once your forum allows me to send private messages (right now it does not)

[FJ]

Your problem is related to the connection between MyPhoneExplorer and the phone. So its no problem that you do not have Office on the second PC. Please test on the second PC.

If the problem exists on both PCs and it does NOT exists with another phone on both PCs then it must have something to do with the phone. If it does work with another PC then the issue is related to the PC.

MyPhoneExplorer has enought logging options, also debug modes but those will not help, at least not at the current time. Follow my instructions and we will come forward to fix the issue. If you think that you have more experience and knowledge than me in fixing this problem - your phrases sound like this - then fix it without my help.

[nocturnal]

I never said or implied anywhere that I know about your software more than you do, but as far as general software development or Windows or troubleshooting knowledge goes - I'll let you be the judge. I'm a principal software, hardware and networking/communications engineer with nearly quarter of a century of experience in my field, an engineering R&D team lead for a large company, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), internationally certified software security and identity management expert and certified Amazon Cloud (AWS) practitioner.

Therefore, even though there is no question you know about your own software a lot more than I do, and I appreciate your help - I would still hope my credentials carry some weight with you, and you won't just dismiss/ignore my ideas/suggestions just because you're the MPE creator. Quite frankly, saying just "follow my instructions" and dismissing any ideas but your own sounds a bit ignorant and condescending. I've always thought putting 2 brains together is better than one....

I will install MPE on another computer and try to add my phone, but I won't be attempting any kind of sync, even if I'm successful adding it. My concern is accidentally wiping out my phone's contacts using the sync, with no clear way to restore them, because MPE sync doesnt work on my primary PC, which is where my contacts reside.

[FJ]

My concern is accidentally wiping out my phone's contacts using the sync, with no clear way to restore them, because MPE sync doesnt work on my primary PC, which is where my contacts reside.

This will not happen. Just let the sync setting on "Only MyPhoneExplorer" then MyPhoneExplorer will delete nothing on your phone.

To get the phone logs - so that we see if MyPhoneExplorer Client gets any request - is a littlebit complicated and because of this i do regulary the other checks. But if you want you can try it - follow each step exactly:
- quit MyPhoneExplorer on the PC and on the phone
- run MyPhoneExplorer on the PC in debugmode (Win-Key+R->myphoneexplorer debug->OK)
- try to connect MyPhoneExplorer via USB-Cable
- after it failed open the datadirectory of MyPhoneExplorer ( %appdata%\MyPhoneExplorer )
- there should be 2 files: AndroidDebug.txt and Debug.txt - send both files to me via email

[nocturnal]

There was no AndroidDebug.txt in %appdata%\MyPhoneExplorer folder, only Debug.txt and general.ini. Both files were emailed to you.

Also, the experiment of trying to add the phone via USB ended up in MPE getting stuck indefinitely (I waited 15 minutes) on this progress line:

I had to manually terminate the app and that didnt work well either - when I tried to close that progress bar using red cross in upper right corner - MPE went to "phone could not be identified" screen, when I closed that screen - it went back to the above screen again, and so on in a loop - I had to repeatedly close these MPE UI windows like 7 times, before they stayed closed.

[nocturnal]

@FJ I tried temporarily disabling Windows Firewall, and all antivirus/protection software, 3rd party and Windows built-in protection - no change. At least I know it's not Windows that's blocking MPE.

Any updates from your end?