Centro suddenly won't receive MMS or SMS over 160 characters

checkmate · 08/05/2009, 05:21 PM

I've had my centro for over a year and suddenly any SMS messages I receive over 160 characters get cut off and I never receive the 2nd half. Also I can send MMS messages but I can't receive them anymore.

I've got a new SIM from my carrier (O2 UK) and that hasnt sorted it. Tried soft resetting and that didnt sort it. A hard reset actually sorted the issue and restored the regular behaviour, but I don't really fancy reinstalling everything bit-by-bit, so I just used NVBackup to take my Centro back to the state before I hard resetted. Sure enough, the problem returned!

What I'd like to know is, what database files could possibly have been corrupted to cause this? I'd like to use Filez to delete any offending database items and then soft reset to create fresh ones. That way I don't have to go through the hassle of reinstalling everything.

TJSunDevil · 08/06/2009, 12:29 PM

SMS has a 160 character limit per message. Some phones will automatically break up a message >160 chars into 2 messages, then send them right after another. It sounds like the problem is with the sending, not the receiving. Also, some phones might change the format of the message to MMS, because it has a greater character limit, so that might be related to the MMS problem you are having.

brum · 08/11/2009, 09:46 PM

I too have this problem on the GSM Centro. I know the Telstra locked version isn't limited so I find it strange that the unlocked one is.

Optus says it's the phone, Palm says its Optus - charming really.

checkmate · 08/12/2009, 03:44 PM

Its definitely the phone and therefore Palm's fault! I performed a hard reset and the SMSs arrive properly with more than 160 characters. However, the moment I restore my backup (using NVBackup) it starts playing up again :-(

I know the solution is to hard reset and install my programs and stuff one by one, I just need a few days to do it (plus its a pain in the ****). I'd rather find an easier solution.

brum · 08/12/2009, 08:38 PM

Sorry I didn't clarify myself *palm to forehead*. It is about sending outbound messages, incoming are fine.
I did a hard reset and it still didn't work. I have since rebuilt it all.
So is anyone having the outbound issue?

fstopstigmata · 08/12/2009, 11:22 PM

The term 'palm to forhead' had me a bit confused at first :-D

brum · 08/12/2009, 11:27 PM

lol

strobeyprobey · 08/13/2009, 10:25 AM

Hello, the database you would want to delete to fix your problem with FileZ is called "Messages Database.pdb"

I just looked at mine and it is whopping 1.6MB.

fstopstigmata · 08/13/2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strobeyprobey

Hello, the database you would want to delete to fix your problem with FileZ is called "Messages Database.pdb"

I just looked at mine and it is whopping 1.6MB.

Are you sure it would fix this? I thought the Messages Database was just all your saved incoming/outgoing text messages..? That's why it gets so big (if you're only concerned with size, it's probably more convenient to do a purge instead of deleting them all, since purging keeps your recent texts & gets rid of all that bulk). I guess it's worth a shot anyway, there aren't any other databases for the app.

Either way, it can also be deleted with the default launcher's Menu>D, a bit easier than trying to navigate to it through FileZ.

strobeyprobey · 08/13/2009, 02:55 PM

Very good points! Yes of course, I always forget about the purge option! That very well may fix the issue.

I would be willing to bet something in that database is corrupted. Since he has the nvbackup he can restore that database if it doesn't fix the problem.

I remember reading quite a few reports of the Centro really slowing down with large message databases.

fstopstigmata · 08/13/2009, 10:01 PM

Yeah, I try to purge once a week or so, mine's gotten over 4 MB before :-/

brum · 09/06/2009, 11:03 PM

The deletion did nothing for me, still limits the size. Also, is there as way to archive ro save the sms database for access elsewhere so that I don't just have to delete it?

checkmate · 09/07/2009, 11:06 AM

I've sorted the problem, but I had to hard reset the Centro and just reinstall all the basics. Deleting the 'Messages Database.pdb' didnt have any effect on the problem - in fact I restored that from NV Backup after my hard reset and the phone is still working okay.

My guess is that something else, possibly related to the phone's network settings, gets corrupted after long-term use.