Author Topic: Android: (Wired) File Transfers from PC (Read 42292 times)

ewemoa · « **on:** June 10, 2014, 10:27 PM »

Any favorite methods for transferring files from PCs?

For one-offs "adb push" seems good enough. For some more complicated transfers am trying out QtADB (0.8.1) with some success [1].

[1] Was helped tremendously via following comment:

1) When launched, QtADB displayed application window then crashed. Cause of problem is missing network resource, which raise SIGABRT in classes/updateapp.cpp, line 57 (function UpdateApp::gotWWW). Probably because QtADB version updates currently is not available. Perhaps QtADB 2.0 should check for resouce availability too and shouldn’t crash only because update server is missing. To avoid this problem in 0.8.1, automatic updates must be switched off. Open QtADB.conf (Linux users must look in /home//.config/Bracia) and set checkForUpdatesOnStart to “false” as displayed below:
checkForUpdatesOnStart=false

via Janis Baumanis' comment at:

http://qtadb.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/qtadb-0-8-1-fix/

Deozaan · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2014, 05:08 AM »

Can't you just mount the Android device as a USB drive and transfer the files using your File Manager of choice?

ewemoa · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2014, 06:06 AM »

That works for some phones, but not all. IIUC, many phones now implement MTP, and unfortunately, I haven't had good results with that.

CWuestefeld · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2014, 04:16 PM »

For some reason, connecting an Android phone (this has happened with three different ones) gives me a BSOD on my desktop (even after upgrading XP to Win7). So I've relied on WiFi transfer, having SMB shares on my desktop and pulling with the phone using ES File Explorer, which has worked out pretty well.

Until my new phone and KitKat. Now, file explorer apps are useless, because Android only lets the app that "owns" a directory write to it. I hate KitKat.

The only solutions I've found was to make my desktop computer an FTP server. The built-in explorer program still has write authority, and includes an FTP client. Alternately, open up the phone, remove the SD card, and write directly to that. Then put the SD card back in the phone.

Did I mention how much I hate KitKat?

Shades · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2014, 08:00 PM »

@CWuestefeld:
There is always Windows phone...

Until now (and my needs have been simple) it is very easy to copy files/photos/music etc. to and from my Lumia 520 from a Windows PC.

Deozaan · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2014, 08:14 PM »

If you root your device, apps such as ES File Explorer can do just about anything you need them to do.

ewemoa · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2014, 09:51 PM »

The only solutions I've found was to make my desktop computer an FTP server.
-CWuestefeld (June 11, 2014, 04:16 PM)

I've done the reverse too, make the phone behave as an FTP server -- FileExpert and other Android apps provide this functionality. Not too happy about unnecessary wireless connections or having to look after more servers though so I try to avoid this most of the time.

brahman · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2014, 11:21 AM »

I use two pretty comfortable ways of file transfer:

My Phone Explorer (a.k.a. MPE):
http://www.fjsoft.at/en/

and Total Commander with the ADB plugin:
http://www.ghisler.com
http://www.totalcmd....ing/android_adb.html

MPE is a really useful free tool for all windows and android users, I can heartily recommend it!

brahman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 12, 2014, 11:36 AM »

@ewemoa et. al.:

There is a well hidden setting in most phones/tablets that let's you switch from MTP to Mass Storage:
Settings>Storage>Menu Button (the one with the three dots top right corner)>USB Computer Connection

There are three general pieces of advice I would like to give to people with driver/connection problems:

1.) Settings>Developer Options> Check "Allow Mock Locations" and "USB debugging" if you cannot connect thru ADB
2.) Use USBDeview from www.nirsoft.net to clean up unused or not working USB driver device entries (may help with BSODs etc.)
3.) Use Moborobo from www.Moborobo.com (could possibly be borderline spyware - so watch out for yourself) which brings it's own drivers and see if you can connect (will also do the file transfer thing - just beware of my warning re. possible spyware)

kunkel321 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 12, 2014, 01:13 PM »

I've been using DocsToGo (DataViz) with my Kindle Fire HD. Works fine.
The KFHD does have some MAJOR annoyances regarding file transfer. My fave calendar app is Pimlical. There is a Java PC version, and an Android version. The Android version does work on the Kindle, but apparently the Kindle is totally invisible to Java (and many other Windows apps) so I cannot use the sync utility...

cyberdiva · « **Reply #10 on:** June 12, 2014, 01:51 PM »

@kunkel321: I should preface this by saying I know zilch about Java, other than the fact that Pimlical/Desktop uses it, which is probably the only reason I still have Java on my computer. I wonder, though, whether the app WebDAV Pro will work on your Kindle, and if it does, whether you could sync between Pimlical/Desktop and Pimlical/Android using WebDav Pro. For months I used it for such syncing, since I couldn't get my Nexus 7 tablet to be seen on my Windows 7 computer any other way. I still use WebDAV to transfer files between the Nexus and my computer. I mention this FWIW, but I have no idea whether Java enters into the equation and thus makes this arrangement impossible for the Kindle.

ewemoa · « **Reply #11 on:** June 12, 2014, 05:11 PM »

There is a well hidden setting in most phones/tablets that let's you switch from MTP to Mass Storage:
Settings>Storage>Menu Button (the one with the three dots top right corner)>USB Computer Connection
-brahman (June 12, 2014, 11:36 AM)

Sounds interesting!

I've navigated accordingly and can see a list that has some entries. One of them is MTP and the other is PTP -- it looks like I can choose between one or the other...but on the surface of it, it doesn't look like either is Mass Storage. I've tried this with two tablets with the same results and on one phone the menu button doesn't bring up a menu, unfortunately...

brahman · « **Reply #12 on:** June 12, 2014, 08:53 PM »

Try this:
Settings>Developer Options> Check "Allow Mock Locations" and "USB debugging"

Did Mass Storage appear?

brahman · « **Reply #13 on:** June 12, 2014, 08:57 PM »

I also would strongly advise everybody to check out the already mentioned

My Phone Explorer (a.k.a. MPE):
http://www.fjsoft.at/en/

It is truly an amazing piece of software! Play around with it to find out all its possibilities.

ewemoa · « **Reply #14 on:** June 12, 2014, 09:23 PM »

Try this:
Settings>Developer Options> Check "Allow Mock Locations" and "USB debugging"

Did Mass Storage appear?
-brahman (June 12, 2014, 08:53 PM)

Unfortunately not -- tried on both tablets and the phone.

xtabber · « **Reply #15 on:** June 12, 2014, 09:26 PM »

Wired transfers are a real PITA with most of the newer Android phones because Google does not want users to be able to access the file system from outside Android. Wireless transfers are much easier because there are many Android file managers that allow you to browse a Windows network and transfer files in either direction.

Most of the time, I use the X-plore File Manager to transfer files to my Android devices.

If I want to move a lot of files in or out, or back things up, I will load an ftp server on the Android device - there are a number of them, but the one I've settled on is built into File Expert, another file manager. Then I can access the ftp server from a PC and transfer files -- I usually use Beyond Compare for this.

brahman · « **Reply #16 on:** June 13, 2014, 10:14 AM »

For wireless I found the easiest least hassle app to be SuperBeam. They also have a PC version at http://superbe.am

xtabber · « **Reply #17 on:** June 13, 2014, 03:06 PM »

Another option, if the USB port on your device supports OTG (USB On The Go), is an OTG flash drive like this one. It has a micro USB male plug in addition to the regular USB A plug and supports USB 3.0 on the PC side. You can also buy OTG cables for less than $10 that allow you to plug any USB flash drive into the Android device.

You will also need an app like Stickmount (requires root) or Nexus Media Importer to read from the flash drive on the Android side.

ewemoa · « **Reply #18 on:** June 13, 2014, 05:47 PM »

Another option, if the USB port on your device supports OTG (USB On The Go), is an OTG flash drive like this one. It has a micro USB male plug in addition to the regular USB A plug and supports USB 3.0 on the PC side. You can also buy OTG cables for less than $10 that allow you to plug any USB flash drive into the Android device.
-xtabber (June 13, 2014, 03:06 PM)

I use this approach sometimes -- on some devices root isn't needed to get this to work.

Am also a FileExpert user

kunkel321 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 17, 2014, 10:20 AM »

@CyberDiva: Thanks for the WebDav tip. I actually do remember reading about that in the Pimlical FAQs. The office location I've had for the last two years doesn't have wifi

so WebDav was not an option. Looks like I'm getting moved to a more "modern" space, with wifi, though. So in the Fall I might revisit WebDav.

Also I should add to my previous post--in case any Kindle Fire HD users read this--I actually rooted my device once. Rooting voids the one-year warranty, so it is not advised. I had assumed that this would allow Java to detect the KFHD, so I did it anyway, but it does NOT! Rooting a Kindle makes no difference in this regard. However rooting does give you access to the Google Play store which is pretty cool. I was rooted for four or five months, then Amazon updated the Kindle OS, and the root got wiped. I haven't gotten around to re-rooting.

Shades · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2016, 11:31 AM »

Lately I have had very positive experiences with Total Commander for Android (after installing SMB plugin) and Total Commander for Windows Phone. Shares on PC's can be easily read and written into. Couldn't care less about the PC version of TC, but on mobile devices it is utterly brilliant (when there is WiFi, of course).

I absolutely like it when I don't need to install crap clients from 3rd parties on my mobile and PC to access what I share on my PC.

antekgla · « **Reply #21 on:** February 28, 2017, 07:44 AM »

My wifi method is install a SSH Server in my phone.
Then in my pc run WinSCP to transfer the files (Only to Documents folder because Android restrictions but later I move them with native file manager)

MilesAhead · « **Reply #22 on:** February 28, 2017, 10:13 AM »

I have cables with USB/microusb connectors. For music files it is easy since when I plug in my phone or tablet, Explorer shows the device as an MP3 Player. I can just drag and drop whole folder trees in.

For other files such as eBooks I have been using Google Drive with the Total Commander Drive Plugin as suggested by Shades. I tried the Lan plugin but it does not seem able to find my computer's name on the WiFi network.

Also I downloaded x-plore file manager in case it comes in handy later.

One tip slightly off topic, for a few bucks you can get a cable a few inches long with a female USB connector and a male miniUsb. When I have to type in a lot of stuff on my phone and get fed up with fat finger frustration I plug in my USB mouse using the adapter and click on the onscreen keys. It is way faster since it is pretty much impossible to miss a key with the mouse pointer.

One of these days perhaps I'll try a Bluetooth mouse. But this is good enough for emergencies.

4wd · « **Reply #23 on:** February 28, 2017, 06:03 PM »

Anyone know how enable MTP mode on Galaxy S6? Can't get the phone being recognized by Samsung Kies even with USB debugging on
-fsmanchies (February 27, 2017, 03:35 AM)

Normally, (in almost all Android devices), you pull down the Notification Panel then tap on the one that says Connected as ... when you have the USB cable plugged in. That should take you to the option to set it for MTP, PTP, Mass Storage, or Charging.

When I have to type in a lot of stuff on my phone and get fed up with fat finger frustration I plug in my USB mouse using the adapter and click on the onscreen keys. It is way faster since it is pretty much impossible to miss a key with the mouse pointer.
-MilesAhead (February 28, 2017, 10:13 AM)

Get a cheap roll up USB silicon keyboard.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #24 on:** February 28, 2017, 09:01 PM »

^^^
Ialready have a usb keyboard. The mouse us easier.