Restoring a shared back-up file is impossible in Android 14

[ErikJon]

Dear Friends:

I'm using EPIM pro on a Galaxy A54 5G running Android 14.

I have a nice recent backup file from one telephone, and I would simply like to move it to the backup folder on a newer phone running EPIM. The file is called "EPIMBackup_20240805_105528AM.zip."
I copied this file to a flash drive and then moved it to the new cell phone.

Unfortunately, no matter which file manager I use, Android 14, for security reasons, will not allow me to access the default EPIM backup folder, so that I can paste the file there. It asks me to create a new folder. Yes, some file managers will allow me to access the folder, but not go paste into it.

Unfortunately, even if I create a new folder, EPIM will not let me choose a "custom backup folder" in the settings. If I click on the option hat it pretends to offer, it does not open any separate dialog box through which I could browse and select a custom folder; the option is merely highlighted briefly when I click it, but that's as far as it goes.

Yes, I have reinstalled the EPIM app and seen no improvement.

So, my good backup file is resting at the root level of my internal memory.

So I choose the "restore" feature from within EPIM, and it allows me to browse to find my new backup file there. However, when I click on the file--guess what--EPIM tells me that it is not a valid backup file.

Yes, I am aware that there is a cloud backup option, but that is not my question. My question is how to restore any ordinary backup file imported from another device without using any online service, when Android 14 does not allow pasting into the backup folder.

I conclude that EPIM cannot restore imported backup files anymore as of Android 14.

What are your thoughts?

[admin]

Was the backup file created with the same AEPIM version you are now attempting to restore it with? Is the backup file password protected?

[ErikJon]

Thank you for your ideas. (Please note my updated "signature" below)

Yes, I am using an identical version of EPIM on both phones, updated whenever PlayStore offers the updates.

No, my backup file is not password-protected. I have only one common password to open EPIM on both phones, but the backup files themselves are not protected nor encrypted.

[admin]

In this case, it should work. Alternatively, you can always sync your data between the two devices via WinEPIM.

[ErikJon]

Well, thank you for the work-around, but that would suggest that EPIM indeed, had a serious bug when running on Android 14, unless I am still doing something wrong.

(By the way, for YEARS I have never had good results synchronizing EPIM Pro from the PC to any Galaxy cell phone, and tried many times, back when Vista was still current,so I don't expect it to be any better now, especially since I have an older paid version 6.5? and Windows 10)

[admin]

I would recommend upgrading to the latest version, 12.0.5, as EPIM 6.5 was released years ago. The Free version also supports this type of sync.

[ErikJon]

On both of my phones (Android 12 vs. Android 14), clicking on the "Backup folder" button does absolutely nothing, other than "blink;" it does not allow me to browse and select my preferred back-up folder.

Second, if I click on the "Restore" folder, it will take me to the file, but will not recognize it as a valid backup file.

Yes, I have tried other back-up files and EPIM will not recognize any of those, either.

In Android 14 any file manager allows me to navigate to the Android /data/ com.astonsoft.../files etc folder, but will not let me paste anything into the folder.

[admin]

Please utilize the Windows EPIM synchronization feature to transfer data between your devices.

[ep1mtest]

Hello,
reading this post i am still wondering, if this behaviour (invalid back-up file in Android 14) will be fixed or permanent.
I also ha(d)ve troubles with Windows EPIM synchronization and MOTO devices.

[DanFelix]

@ErikJon:

I have an S23+. I am unable to paste into some phone folders, or even access the folder, using the phone file manage. However, when the phone is cord-connected to my PC (Win 11) then I am able to access folders and transfer files while connected using the PC file manager. I think it is an Android security thing. Hope this helps.

[ErikJon]

Thank you. That sounds like a potential work-around.

Meanwhile, there is no excuse for EPIM Mobile not to have a built-in solution that does not require connecting to a PC, since users like me do not even use the PC version anymore. Why should I have to own a PC in order to use an Android app?

[ep1mtest]

After syncing my new MOTO G84 with WinEPIM I also succeeded in restoring my back-up file from MOTO G5 (Android 8.1) on MOTO G84 (Android 14). Transfering the .zip via quick share to G84 AEPIM accepted the file from the download folder as valid back-up file (>find ..>open from ..). I also copied the file to a another (new) folder and it was accepted from that location (internal storage) too.
Deleting all data in AEPIM or de- and reinstalling the app did not cause failures in restoring any more.
As i had failed to restore from several different back-up files before (invalid back-up file), it seems to me, that all these files somehow must have been corrupted.
At least i can confirm, that the problems are not caused by android 14. On the other side i am still wondering why it's working now.