Fixing Sync Icon in Gingerbread

[Sailmaker]

I really like the new Gingerbread (sometimes called the OTA leak). I had been reading about many complaints and one of the most frequent is the Sync Icon showing constantly in the top right side of the screen.
I followed the often given advice of doing a wipe/data reset. What a PITA...having to reconfigure all the apps and data. Fortunately I had backed up everything but still had to set up many apps again and put icons back on the screen.
FWIW, it didn't seem that doing a wipe/data reset did any good because the dang Sync Icon stayed on constantly.

Finally, I did a battery pull twice, and plugged in the wall charger while the battery was out of the phone. Much to my surprise, the dang Sync Icon has finally disappeared.

I really like the new Gingerbread. The lags that were present previously seem to have disappeared and the phone apps load much more quickly. Additionally, you can once again sort contacts by last name first in the stock Contacts app. (although I use GoContacts because I like the visual style better)

So, there you have it...my fix for getting rid of the Sync Icon!

 

[gafly]

FWIW, it didn't seem that doing a wipe/data reset did any good because the dang Sync Icon stayed on constantly.

I think, if you just let the phone sit for a while after you did the wipe, the sync would have eventually stopped - without the need for the bat pulls and such you did.

...if you did let it sit for a long time and then resorted to the bat pulls because the problem was not solved, did you have your gmail app backed up and restored it when you were done wiping? This could be the reason why your sync icon problem didn't get solved. Someone said, yesterday I think, that the restoring of the gmail app data was actually the cause of the sync problem because the data is stored differently in GB than in Froyo.

 

[diverbelow]

I also had this issue when I installed the first GB leak for my X. Also, other users are having the same problem. The following solution came from this site: FOLLOW UP: Motorola DROID X Gingerbread Update Issues Exposed [Update 2: Root & Deodex] | Android Headlines


Not included in yesterday’s file was how to do a data wipe. It works differently under Gingerbread. You may need this as some people installing this leaked file are reporting that the sync icon won’t go away. In fact you may need to wipe data, wipe cache, and factory reset multiple times.

Question: How do I get to data wipe now?
Answer: (thx Mike7143) With the phone off hold the home key and power button. Then the triangle should show. Press both volume up/down keys. You should now be able to use the volume keys to move up and down. Scroll down to something similar to erase/clear data. Select with the power button. When it’s done, select the clear cache. When that’s done, reboot.

 

[Sailmaker]

Good thought Gafly...hadn't considered the gmail sync operation. You may be right about that. Oh well, all that REALLY matters is Sync Icon is gone and I'm sure liking the new OS.

 

[Arelunde]

I discovered that sync icon is your X syncing to cloud Gmail/Google after the GB manual install. There's a notice (barely noticable) that this will going to happen once you authorize the sync/backup data to be updated. I did a Factory reset, etc, after the initial manual update on stock Froyo 2.3.340 because that d--- sync icon was always in the notification panel -- and when I checked the Accounts > my Gmail account > it said the sync was ongoing (like 2 days later!!!) and the only option was to cancel the sync. Thus the drastic measures, but it DID work.

Just wanted you to know that sync icon comes from the X's Gmail attempting to sync with cloud account Gmail/Google.

Hopefully there will be a fix in the official OTA 2.3 GB.

 

[shaundiesel]

For the record, the battery pulls did not work. I'm still stuck with the damn icon, and really trying not to do a wipe.

 

[Jbairdjr]

I had the same problem. Did the Factory reset and everything is fine.
Sucks having to reload apps, but I found I loaded less, because I actually dont use them.

 

[wildman]

ultravisitor working solution.. http://forum.androidcentral.com/motorola-x-rooting-roms-hacks/76540-new-gingerbread-ota-leak-18.html

Do you have a nandroid of your previous setup (like, from right before the installation of the rooted build)? If so, you can do an advanced restore of your data and avoid setting up all over again. That's what I did, and I didn't have any sync issues.

I did this and it worked for me.

 

[Bob61]

Doing a factory reset for this isn't making me warm and fuzzy.

I've done a factory reset a couple times before. First time I did a factory reset everything restored just fine. The next time I did a factory reset none of my apps came back, had to do a lot of manual changes and downloading to get it all back. Maybe I'll put up with the icon instead of spending an hour to reconfig my phone.... dunno... kinda sucks.

 

[gafly]

Doing a factory reset for this isn't making me warm and fuzzy.

I don't think it gives any of us a warm and fuzzy feeling lol.

Most of your older apps will probably restore. The newer apps you may have downloaded... like within the past month (4 weeks) or so may not (probably will not) auto restore. It all depends on when the last time your DX was backed up to the google servers (which you cannot control).

 

[jerseyboy357]

my fix was freezing Blur Contact Sync 2.3.3 w Titanium. As soon as it froze even before I left Titanium the sync arrows went away. Waited an hour, didnt come back so I just rebooted and its gone forever.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Bald Steve]

I had to factory reset to fix it, too.

 

[Bob61]

my fix was freezing Blur Contact Sync 2.3.3 w Titanium. As soon as it froze even before I left Titanium the sync arrows went away. Waited an hour, didnt come back so I just rebooted and its gone forever.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

If I could use titanium that would me my phone was rooted. If my phone was rooted I could use root explorer and fix the problem. Hoping someone will uncover the key to resolve his for non rooted devices short of doing a factory reset.

 

[French]

Just adding that I, too had to do a factory reset. Otherwise this update would have gone better than any I had done before. Everything else was working perfectly so having to do the factory restore was a MAJOR let down.

 

[jerseyboy357]

If I could use titanium that would me my phone was rooted. If my phone was rooted I could use root explorer and fix the problem. Hoping someone will uncover the key to resolve his for non rooted devices short of doing a factory reset.

Well some of us are rooted, some are not. I was just sharing what my fix was. So in case other rooted users read it, they could see if it works for them.

 

[wildman]

My solution doesn't require a hard reset... Have you tried it.

 

[LVracerGT]

I too had to do a factory reset. When I set up my accounts I did all but the google account. Then I opened my gmail icon, and set up my google account there when it prompted me. After it sets up the gmail app says "email will appear shortly" I walked away from my phone and waited for the "droid" notification tone from the email, and voila! No more sync icon.

 

[CarSalesman]

After reading the multiple posts about the sync icon, I decided to do a factory reset before installing GB. Should be ok - right? Installed GB. Shortly after, the sync icon appeared. I left it on the charger overnight, sync icon still there. Took off for the day. My battery was completely dead in 6 hours. With Froyo my battery still had 30% to 40% remaining after the full day (Verizon extended batery). I also noted the phone was very hot all day.

I have since done another factory reset using the GB method (hold both up/down volume buttons). Of course that means I had to set up my screens all over again. The Update icon is now gone, and the phone temperature is back to normal.

So.... doing a factory reset before installing GB does not help. You should perform the factory reset as soon as the GB Update.zip process is done, on the first bootup.

 

[gafly]

So.... doing a factory reset before installing GB does not help. You should perform the factory reset as soon as the GB Update.zip process is done, on the first bootup.

This has always been the method to use... but it looks like we may have not clearly articulated that.

1) Flash Update.zip
2) Wipe Data
3) Wipe Cache (if you want)

...in that order.

 

[LVracerGT]

I too had to do a factory reset. When I set up my accounts I did all but the google account. Then I opened my gmail icon, and set up my google account there when it prompted me. After it sets up the gmail app says "email will appear shortly" I walked away from my phone and waited for the "droid" notification tone from the email, and voila! No more sync icon.

Decided to "re-do" my GB install yesterday just to make sure I had everything wiped and good to go. Went through the same process I'm quoting again and it worked. Did it 2 or 3 more times to verify. If anyone is having trouble getting the icon to go away try this method.