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Sync failing with unknown error - previously worked

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Over the past month, my desktop Firefox has started displaying the dreaded “Sync encountered an error while syncing: Unknown error.” message. I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting the browser, but it still does it.

Unlike other reporters, I'm not seeing any obvious issues that might pertain to my profile (e.g., corrupted places.sqlite). All seems innocuous until it ends with things along the lines of:

<some seemingly OK stuff snipped> 1406223828207 Sync.Service DEBUG Weave Version: 1.33.0 Local Storage: 5 Remote Storage: 5 1406223828207 Sync.Service INFO Sync key is up-to-date: no need to upgrade. 1406223828207 Sync.Service DEBUG Fetching and verifying -- or generating -- symmetric keys. 1406223828207 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406223828410 Sync.Resource DEBUG mesg: GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406223828410 Sync.Resource DEBUG GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406223828411 Sync.Service INFO Testing info/collections: {"bookmarks":1406143818.46,"meta":1405163266.19,"clients":1406138521.09,"crypto":1399970739.18,"greasemonkey":1405163174.88} 1406223828412 Sync.CollectionKeyManager INFO Testing for updateNeeded. Last modified: 0 1406223828412 Sync.Service INFO collection keys reports that a key update is needed. 1406223828413 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406223858621 Sync.Resource DEBUG mesg: GET fail 503 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/storage/crypto/keys 1406223858621 Sync.Resource DEBUG GET fail 503 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/storage/crypto/keys 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.login: error.login.failed => error.login.reason.server 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => error.login.failed 1406223858622 Sync.ErrorHandler DEBUG Got Retry-After: 1884 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.login: error.login.reason.server => error.sync.reason.serverMaintenance 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: error.login.failed => error.login.failed 1406223858623 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Got backoff notification: 1884000ms 1406223858623 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Fuzzed minimum next sync: 1406225742623 1406223858623 Sync.Service WARN Got status 503 fetching crypto keys. 1406223858624 Sync.Service WARN Failed to fetch symmetric keys. Failing remote setup. 1406223858624 Sync.Service WARN Remote setup failed. 1406223858626 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Clearing sync triggers and the global score. 1406223858627 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Next sync in 2214594.8767703027 ms.

That 503 error is very common. Whilst fiddling, I think I saw a 502, but wouldn't swear to it.

With the logOnSuccess option enabled, I get something which, helpfully, appears to be completely different!

1406224011465 Sync.Service DEBUG Weave Version: 1.33.0 Local Storage: 5 Remote Storage: 5 1406224011465 Sync.Service INFO Sync key is up-to-date: no need to upgrade. 1406224011465 Sync.Service DEBUG Fetching and verifying -- or generating -- symmetric keys. 1406224011466 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406224011678 Sync.Resource DEBUG mesg: GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406224011678 Sync.Resource DEBUG GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406224011679 Sync.Service INFO Testing info/collections: {"bookmarks":1406143818.46,"meta":1405163266.19,"clients":1406138521.09,"crypto":1399970739.18,"greasemonkey":1405163174.88} 1406224011679 Sync.CollectionKeyManager INFO Testing for updateNeeded. Last modified: 0 1406224011680 Sync.Service INFO collection keys reports that a key update is needed. 1406224011681 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406224130781 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224130781 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224133509 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224133509 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224135853 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224135853 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224136820 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224136820 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224189681 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224189682 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224311683 Sync.Service WARN Got exception "Error: Aborting due to channel inactivity." fetching cryptoKeys. 1406224311683 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.login: error.sync.reason.serverMaintenance => error.login.failed 1406224311683 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => error.login.failed 1406224311684 Sync.Service WARN Failed to fetch symmetric keys. Failing remote setup. 1406224311684 Sync.Service WARN Remote setup failed. 1406224311686 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Clearing sync triggers and the global score. 1406224311687 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Next sync in 2214594.8767703027 ms.

It all looks comms related to me, but my broadband isn't playing up.

Over the past month, my desktop Firefox has started displaying the dreaded “Sync encountered an error while syncing: Unknown error.” message. I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting the browser, but it still does it. Unlike other reporters, I'm not seeing any obvious issues that might pertain to my profile (e.g., corrupted places.sqlite). All seems innocuous until it ends with things along the lines of: <some seemingly OK stuff snipped> 1406223828207 Sync.Service DEBUG Weave Version: 1.33.0 Local Storage: 5 Remote Storage: 5 1406223828207 Sync.Service INFO Sync key is up-to-date: no need to upgrade. 1406223828207 Sync.Service DEBUG Fetching and verifying -- or generating -- symmetric keys. 1406223828207 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406223828410 Sync.Resource DEBUG mesg: GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406223828410 Sync.Resource DEBUG GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406223828411 Sync.Service INFO Testing info/collections: {"bookmarks":1406143818.46,"meta":1405163266.19,"clients":1406138521.09,"crypto":1399970739.18,"greasemonkey":1405163174.88} 1406223828412 Sync.CollectionKeyManager INFO Testing for updateNeeded. Last modified: 0 1406223828412 Sync.Service INFO collection keys reports that a key update is needed. 1406223828413 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406223858621 Sync.Resource DEBUG mesg: GET fail 503 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/storage/crypto/keys 1406223858621 Sync.Resource DEBUG GET fail 503 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/storage/crypto/keys 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.login: error.login.failed => error.login.reason.server 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => error.login.failed 1406223858622 Sync.ErrorHandler DEBUG Got Retry-After: 1884 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.login: error.login.reason.server => error.sync.reason.serverMaintenance 1406223858622 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: error.login.failed => error.login.failed 1406223858623 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Got backoff notification: 1884000ms 1406223858623 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Fuzzed minimum next sync: 1406225742623 1406223858623 Sync.Service WARN Got status 503 fetching crypto keys. 1406223858624 Sync.Service WARN Failed to fetch symmetric keys. Failing remote setup. 1406223858624 Sync.Service WARN Remote setup failed. 1406223858626 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Clearing sync triggers and the global score. 1406223858627 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Next sync in 2214594.8767703027 ms. That 503 error is very common. Whilst fiddling, I think I saw a 502, but wouldn't swear to it. With the logOnSuccess option enabled, I get something which, helpfully, appears to be completely different! 1406224011465 Sync.Service DEBUG Weave Version: 1.33.0 Local Storage: 5 Remote Storage: 5 1406224011465 Sync.Service INFO Sync key is up-to-date: no need to upgrade. 1406224011465 Sync.Service DEBUG Fetching and verifying -- or generating -- symmetric keys. 1406224011466 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406224011678 Sync.Resource DEBUG mesg: GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406224011678 Sync.Resource DEBUG GET success 200 https://sync-27-us-west-2.sync.services.mozilla.com/1.5/1006668/info/collections 1406224011679 Sync.Service INFO Testing info/collections: {"bookmarks":1406143818.46,"meta":1405163266.19,"clients":1406138521.09,"crypto":1399970739.18,"greasemonkey":1405163174.88} 1406224011679 Sync.CollectionKeyManager INFO Testing for updateNeeded. Last modified: 0 1406224011680 Sync.Service INFO collection keys reports that a key update is needed. 1406224011681 Sync.BrowserIDManager DEBUG _ensureValidToken already has one 1406224130781 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224130781 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224133509 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224133509 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224135853 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224135853 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224136820 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224136820 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224189681 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224189682 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => success.status_ok 1406224311683 Sync.Service WARN Got exception "Error: Aborting due to channel inactivity." fetching cryptoKeys. 1406224311683 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.login: error.sync.reason.serverMaintenance => error.login.failed 1406224311683 Sync.Status DEBUG Status.service: success.status_ok => error.login.failed 1406224311684 Sync.Service WARN Failed to fetch symmetric keys. Failing remote setup. 1406224311684 Sync.Service WARN Remote setup failed. 1406224311686 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Clearing sync triggers and the global score. 1406224311687 Sync.SyncScheduler DEBUG Next sync in 2214594.8767703027 ms. It all looks comms related to me, but my broadband isn't playing up.

Chosen solution

Hello, Thanks for letting us know about your problem. It seems that there is some problem in your profile. Creating a new profile may fix your problem. Create a new profile and sync with your Firefox Account. For Creating a profile, Please do following:

If Firefox is already included in your Linux distribution or if you have installed Firefox with the package manager of your Linux distribution:

  1. Close your Firefox.
  2. In Terminal run:
    firefox -P
  3. To start the Create Profile Wizard, click Create Profile... Button in the Profile Manager.
  4. Click {button Next} and enter the name of the profile. Use a profile name that is descriptive, such as your personal name. This name is not exposed on the Internet.
  5. To create the new profile, click Finish

For more instruction regarding creating a new profile, please see this article. Profile Manager - Create, remove or switch Firefox profiles

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Chosen Solution

Hello, Thanks for letting us know about your problem. It seems that there is some problem in your profile. Creating a new profile may fix your problem. Create a new profile and sync with your Firefox Account. For Creating a profile, Please do following:

If Firefox is already included in your Linux distribution or if you have installed Firefox with the package manager of your Linux distribution:

  1. Close your Firefox.
  2. In Terminal run:
    firefox -P
  3. To start the Create Profile Wizard, click Create Profile... Button in the Profile Manager.
  4. Click {button Next} and enter the name of the profile. Use a profile name that is descriptive, such as your personal name. This name is not exposed on the Internet.
  5. To create the new profile, click Finish

For more instruction regarding creating a new profile, please see this article. Profile Manager - Create, remove or switch Firefox profiles