USB Data Connection Broken

[yannik]

Hello,
I have the following problem with my Fairphone4. I just can’t get a data connection via the USB Port. I am just getting the following error messages in my dmesg log. Charging works fine though.

[ 424.241204] usb 5-1.4.2: new full-speed USB device number 21 using xhci_hcd
[ 424.373190] usb 5-1.4.2: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[ 424.612816] usb 5-1.4.2: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[ 424.848739] usb 5-1.4.2: new full-speed USB device number 22 using xhci_hcd
[ 424.981246] usb 5-1.4.2: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[ 425.221196] usb 5-1.4.2: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[ 425.329308] usb 5-1.4-port2: attempt power cycle
[ 426.852734] usb 5-1.4.2: new full-speed USB device number 23 using xhci_hcd
[ 426.852935] usb 5-1.4.2: Device not responding to setup address.
[ 427.061531] usb 5-1.4.2: Device not responding to setup address.
[ 427.269142] usb 5-1.4.2: device not accepting address 23, error -71
[ 427.400758] usb 5-1.4.2: new full-speed USB device number 24 using xhci_hcd
[ 427.401091] usb 5-1.4.2: Device not responding to setup address.
[ 427.609462] usb 5-1.4.2: Device not responding to setup address.
[ 427.817146] usb 5-1.4.2: device not accepting address 24, error -71
[ 427.817921] usb 5-1.4-port2: unable to enumerate USB device

This is the same regardless if I am booted in the system or in fastboot or recovery mode. I once was able to get a data connection in fastboot mode, but that was just a one off during troubleshooting.
I already tried different cables and different PCs with different operating systems. Furthermore I replaced the USB module to no avail.

I also captured the USB-Traffic during a connection attempt, maybe someone with knowledge can help me understand it more. (Can’t upload pcap files so a partial screenshot has to do for now)

For reference the usb devices and their addresses:

>_ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 8087:0025 Intel Corp. Wireless-AC 9260 Bluetooth Adapter
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 27c6:5584 Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co.,Ltd. Fingerprint Reader
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 04f2:b61e Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd Integrated Camera
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Many thanks in advance. I am out of ideas here

[Lidwien]

Did you put your phone on data connection?
On your FP4, swipe down from the top of the screen to access the notification shade.
Look for a notification that says “USB for charging” or “USB for file transfer”. Tap on it …

[yannik]

Thanks for the quick reply. Sadly this notification does not occur. I also tried manually changing this in the settings but all options are greyed out:

I also set the option to “Always allow USB connections” in the Security and Privacy->More security and privacy->Trust->Restrict USB settings.

[Lidwien]

Did you enable Developer options? (Go to the app Settings, About phone and then tap 7 times on Build number.
Then go to System, Developer options
enable Developer Options
and allow USB debugging

In the computer on Linux/Fedora I have made a file in /etc/udev/rules.d/
the name of the file is
51-android.rules
and in this file I have (still for my Fairphone 2)
SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“05c6”, ATTRS{idProduct}==“6764”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp2”

[yannik]

Just tried that. Sadly it didn’t lead to a change. I also changed the vendor ID to 2ae5 as this should be the correct one for the Fairphone4 according to this database (USB\VID_2AE5 - Fairphone B.V. | Device Hunt)

I also reloaded the udev rules each time after changing using this command:

sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger

I tried these different Product IDs and also none with just the Vendor ID

SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“05c6”, ATTRS{idProduct}==“6764”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp4”
SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“2ae5”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp4”
SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“2ae5",  ATTRS{idProduct}==“9024”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp4”
SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“2ae5",  ATTRS{idProduct}==“9015”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp4”
SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“2ae5",  ATTRS{idProduct}==“f000”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp4”
SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“2ae5",  ATTRS{idProduct}==“9039”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp4”
SUBSYSTEMS==“usb”, ATTRS{idVendor}==“2ae5",  ATTRS{idProduct}==“904e”, MODE=“0666”, GROUP=“androiddev”, SYMLINK+=“fp4”

[Lidwien]

Can you try a different cable?

[Lidwien]

What happens if you in Developer options ‘Revoke USB debugging authorisations’?
My Fairphone 4 gives in lsusb
Bus 001 Device 017: ID 18d1:4ee7 Google Inc. Nexus/Pixel Device (charging + debug)

and in dmesg
[81839.976765] usb 1-4: new high-speed USB device number 11 using xhci_hcd
[81840.108749] usb 1-4: New USB device found, idVendor=18d1, idProduct=4ee7, bcdDevice= 4.19
[81840.108761] usb 1-4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=x
[81840.108763] usb 1-4: Product: Fairphone 4 5G
[81840.108765] usb 1-4: Manufacturer: Fairphone
[81840.108767] usb 1-4: SerialNumber: xxxxxxxx

[yannik]

Many thanks for the vendor and product Id. I also tried them but had no luck. Different cables also didn’t change anything.

[yannik]

So I have an update on this issue. I contacted the Fairphone support, which confirmed I have an hardware defect that should be covered by warranty. However they won’t cover it as I have installed e/os on my device after I purchased it. They will only cover it if I reinstall the original OS on my phone which I obviously can’t as my USB data connection is broken.

So yeah all the “Hardware defects can happen. We don’t care about the OS you are running” is just marketing BS.

[kotelnik]

I have the exact same problem.

Luckily I have two FP4 phones at my disposal right now (mine and my dad’s one). Interestingly my FP4 with /e/OS is fine (I’ve also installed it by myself). But the phone of my dad’s has this data-connection bug. He has the original stock android. This should be enough proof that this happens to stock Android as well.

There is at least another guy that has the same problem:

USB File Transfer between PC and Phone does not work anymore

Hi, I have my FP4 for about a year now, was initially happy with it, but for a while now (maybe two months) right after there was a system update, I am not able to connect phone to PC to transfer files anymore. Phone charges via USB but does not show up in windows browser, also the notification / prompt that shows up on phones pull down menu upon connect to allow for filetransfer does not show up anymore. I checked all options on phone and opend / enabled everything related to this, also tried…

One more possibly useless distinguishing thing: my FP4 has only 6GB RAM, the problem one of my dad’s is the 8GB version.

[kotelnik]

They will only cover it if I reinstall the original OS on my phone

That seems not right. I haven’t found such info in warranty terms text:

Our Warranties for the Fairphone Devices and their accompanying accessories...

Maybe I’m missing something. But installed alternative ROMs that are compatible (that even bootloader can be locked) with Fairphone are not listed in items that prevent Fairphone from accepting a warranty claim.

And requirement to do an operation that is impossible due to hardware defect feels almost like a misunderstanding of the original problem from Fairphone side.

You’ve also said that the problem is presented in fastboot mode, too. I believe that installation process of /e/ OS does not touch bootloader so fastboot environment is a perfect case to claim a warranty on. But I’m not an expert in this area, I could be wrong.