Download failed for PDF's in stock browser

**Dragerman** · 01-18-2012, 07:58 AM

New to Smart phones. Decided to get SAmsung Nexus instead of iPhone. Having the following problem. When using browser, I go to . While on that site I can down load all PDF files without no problem. If I go to member login from site, I'm prompted with uderid & password. When I try to download PDFS from this location, I get download failed for PDF's. Does not happen on iPhones? Thx

**2waterfowl** · 01-18-2012, 08:23 AM

Try "request desktop site" in your browser. That fixed some login issues with some of my sites.

**Dragerman** · 01-18-2012, 08:32 AM

I can log into the site with no problem. The momnet I downloaded the PDF it idicates unsuccessful download. If the PDF is on public site, it works fine?

**Undertoad** · 01-18-2012, 08:43 AM

This is probably not a phone-related issue.

PS I'm just a little north in Collegeville, I'm a web developer and jack of all trades, if you would like me to try debugging this I would be happy to.

**Dragerman** · 01-18-2012, 09:25 AM

Works with iPhone with no problem.

**2waterfowl** · 01-18-2012, 09:51 AM

After login you might still have to request "desktop site" to download. Sometimes it switches back and forth, therefore rendering you unsecured.

**booboolala2000** · 01-18-2012, 10:14 AM

The site administrator may have some limitations or restrictions set in place that you are unaware of. Contact the site admin.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

**Dragerman** · 01-18-2012, 10:23 AM

I'm the site Administrator. I had someone else try on an AT&T phone with older android operating system and he get the same error message. Download unsuccesful. If the PDF is on public site it works fine. In secure area the PDF won't donwnload. JPG files download without problems. As indicated these don't exist on iphone. Works like a champ. I believe it's an android problem since it happens on multiple android OS and different carriers AT&T & Verizon on different phones.

**Kunji** · 01-18-2012, 10:36 AM

try unchecking Show warnings if there is a security issue. under the browser's setting>security>uncheck

worth a try. it fixed some issues i was having with login on a site.

**booboolala2000** · 01-18-2012, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Dragerman

I'm the site Administrator. I had someone else try on an AT&T phone with older android operating system and he get the same error message. Download unsuccesful. If the PDF is on public site it works fine. In secure area the PDF won't donwnload. JPG files download without problems. As indicated these don't exist on iphone. Works like a champ. I believe it's an android problem since it happens on multiple android OS and different carriers AT&T & Verizon on different phones.

I seems like it would have to be some security settings on the site or the PDF format type. I'm sure other people that visit your site do not all have iPhones and would be interesting if you had prior feedback about this issue.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

**Poseign** · 01-18-2012, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Dragerman

I'm the site Administrator. I had someone else try on an AT&T phone with older android operating system and he get the same error message. Download unsuccesful. If the PDF is on public site it works fine. In secure area the PDF won't donwnload. JPG files download without problems. As indicated these don't exist on iphone. Works like a champ. I believe it's an android problem since it happens on multiple android OS and different carriers AT&T & Verizon on different phones.

You could try a different browser from the marketplace, like dolphin browser for example. It may just be that the secure version of the site doesnt like the stock android browser.

If that doesnt work, at leas we narrowed it down some.

**Dragerman** · 01-18-2012, 05:36 PM

I had other people try with AT &T and other Verizon phones. Seems to be isolated to the android OS. If you have an iphone on AT&T or Verizon. PDF files open with no problem in secured area of website. PDF's will not open for android's. This is a wierd problem.

**Dragerman** · 01-18-2012, 05:51 PM

I just downloaded Oper mobile and PDF files work with no problem.

**tuxdude** · 01-18-2012, 06:20 PM

By a secure site - do you mean https ? Could you also check the web server logs (Apache or whichever) to see what is actually happening when the download fails ?

**Mathmatikus** · 01-18-2012, 06:43 PM

I have encountered similar problems and basically can't download from any website that has a wait time.or code on it. My biggest issue I have is 50/50 getting "download failed" on images from anywhere, they download, it shows complete and suddenly switches to "download failed". I can spam retry all I want and get the same results.

Eventually I wound up clicking the image in the download window as soon as it shows complete and it opens the image up in gallery without a problem and stays complete, if I don't do this the download will always wind up as failed.

So irritating!

**openyoureyes** · 01-18-2012, 06:46 PM

FIX

Settings > Apps > "All" tab > Download Manager

Click "Force Stop", then click "Clear Cache", then click "Clear Data". Try the download again.

**johnysavage** · 01-19-2012, 12:18 PM

For what it's worth, I'll second the use of Opera Mobile for downloading .pdfs from certain websites. I've had problems downloading pdfs in the stock Android browser from the days when I had my OG Droid. I've tried every fix and browser out there and it seems like Opera Mobile is the only one that can properly download pdfs from some websites.

**kharrigan** · 01-19-2012, 02:00 PM

I'm able to d/l and view PDFs no problem from that site.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

**bvns** · 01-16-2013, 11:58 PM

Tried this fix. Unable to do the final step of clear data.
Still unable to download pdfs. All stated as download unsuccessful.
Any other suggestions please?
Cheers.

**Patrick Schroedl** · 01-17-2013, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by Dragerman

New to Smart phones. Decided to get SAmsung Nexus instead of iPhone. Having the following problem. When using browser, I go to . While on that site I can down load all PDF files without no problem. If I go to member login from site, I'm prompted with uderid & password. When I try to download PDFS from this location, I get download failed for PDF's. Does not happen on iPhones? Thx

The files in the "Member Login" section of that site are protected by .htaccess security, otherwise known as HTTP Basic Authentication. There is a known issue in Android causing the built-in — a "system service that handles long-running HTTP downloads" — to incorrectly authorize, or not authorize, file downloads behind HTTP Basic Authentication. The short answer is that you're probably not going to have much luck downloading any files behind such a login prompt. I know that it has occasionally been done, but I have seen no evidence to support a clear reason for why it was successful in those specific instances. It's likely something was triggered in the DownloadManager that caused it to correctly authorize the download.

There is a thread around here somewhere about the issue. I spent a few minutes looking for it just now and couldn't find it, but I remember reading it within the last week or so. If I find it, I'll throw up a link here.

Edit: to be clear, for anyone else receiving "download unsuccessful" notices, if you're getting these while downloading files that do not require HTTPAuth credentials in order to access, then your issue is different. Try the traditional data/cache clearing.