Help Why does Contacts Sync never finish - even when Sync turned off?

[brewmanz]

I'm having problems with my android phone contacts not sync-ing (also photos but that's maybe another issue).
It's a Meizu M2 Note - Android 5.1
In frustation, I have done the following:
- backed up all my google web contacts (around 1000) to CSV
- deleted all my google web contacts, contact groups, contact circles
- created a single google web contact called 'deleteme'
- checked google web contacts just has one contact
- deleted WhatsApp which seemed to have its own (reduced) list of contacts
- turned off all apps sync-ing
- done Settings > Apps > Contact Storage > Clear Data
- noticed that Settings > Apps > Contact Storage seems to set itself to 768KB even with no contacts
- checked no phone contacts (except 'My Profile')
- activated my phone google account sync for only contacts
- noticed it takes forever (many minutes) doing nothing, then says 'Last Synced at [today] 21:00' say, but its sync-circle keeps circling around
- noticed that 2 or 3 minutes lates it says 'Last Synced at [today] 21:03' but sync-circle keeps circling around
- I decide to cancel Sync for contacts but its SYNC-CIRCLE KEEPS CIRCLING AROUND
- check half an hour later and google account says 'sync is OFF', google accounts > contacts says 'sync is OFF' but its SYNC-CIRCLE KEEPS CIRCLING AROUND
- noticed that 'deleteme' has NOT been sync-ed to phone

Note that I have restarted my phone many times, but problem persists.

 

[AZgl1500]

I have never seen the "sync" circle you speak of.
I looked at my Contacts list and it shows the last sync time about 25 minutes ago. So I know it is working at least.

I have been sometimes frustrated at the sync is not immediate, but it at least gets the job done eventually.

 

[brewmanz]

Maybe I didn't make it clear in my initial post, but I wasn't implying that everybody else would have the same problem. It's that I was hoping to hear from either someone who also had had the problem and fixed it, or else someone who could guide me through a process to either fix it or work around it. That's why I wrote what I thought would be enough detail for people to analyse.
Anyway, I'll address the points that you mention; maybe it will help.

I have never seen the "sync" circle you speak of.

This is what I see; the 'sync circle' is to the right of 'Contacts' ands is an arc that rotates at about 60 rpm:

I looked at my Contacts list and it shows the last sync time about 25 minutes ago. So I know it is working at least.

The time of last sync does NOT mean that it's working. My last sync time for my photos also shows 'a few minutes ago' but I know that around 25 have NOT been uploaded - and for several days now.

I have been sometimes frustrated at the sync is not immediate, but it at least gets the job done eventually.

I'm not sure how long I should wait for 'eventually' but several days have now passed, so it hasn't got the job done for me.