Develop Bugs

We Need Custom ROMs with Mass Storage Mode Resurrected

I am so sick of MTP instead of Mass Storage Mode. I run Linux Mint and it's simply painful to try to get MTP working properly like Mass Storage Mode did in GB. Please, ROM devs, answer my prayers.

when you can add a sd card to the phone, you will have your mass storage.

I realize people don't like change, and want to stick with UMS, but you would have to pretty much crush the awesome single partition storage of the GN to get UMS...

Just dont understand why most people are aways want SOME MORE STOREGE, how many stuff you gonna put in your device? A thousand songs or pics?

GoZhU said:
Just dont understand why most people are aways want SOME MORE STOREGE, how many stuff you gonna put in your device? A thousand songs or pics?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With UMS enabled, they'd theoretically have lower storage than sticking with MTP. There would have to be at least 2 partitions that would mean files couldn't span across them.

I use wifi file explorer pro. Real easy and just as effective as having mass storage. Was bummed as far as me not being able to connect and drag/drop but when i found this app its just as good.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium App

I can't for the life of me understand this complaint. I have no issues using MTP either in Linux or Win7. Do partition the space up would only bring about all the issues with inadequate space the Nexus One encountered.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

I don't know if it's a MTP thing, but I'm having a hell of a time copying .mkv files to the phone. I can FTP to my Thinkpad Slate at 3MB/s via wifi, the GNex capps out at 400KB/s. I've tried to connect the phone via USB to my desktop and just drag and drop and the progress bar doesn't even move. This is driving me insane.
I'm using the latest GummyNex 0.6.6.
If I recall correctly, when I was using Android Revolution 2.1.2, it was copying at 2MB/s via wifi FTP. I guess I need to look into this.

mallinj said:
I am so sick of MTP instead of Mass Storage Mode. I run Linux Mint and it's simply painful to try to get MTP working properly like Mass Storage Mode did in GB. Please, ROM devs, answer my prayers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried adbfs?
Looks like it solves your needs without introducing the troubles of mass storage mode.

I am using SAMBA...

airdroid also works well (ubuntu 10.04 and 11.10 on different machines, also better than mtp on vista for me)

it's been 8 hours and my music is still copying to my phone. MTP is completely unacceptable. it's already told me i had to skip like 30 songs before i hit "skip this message" 2 hours ago. i'm copying ~25 GB of music over and half of that is .ogg which is not natively recognized by MTP. I could have copied the 25GB onto my thunderbolt 10 times over already. I dont care what the reasoning, requirement, or intent was to remove mass storage, but it was not work it. watching my files copy at like 400 k/s to a phone plugged in with a USB 2.0 cable makes me want to return the phone.

somnambulator said:
it's been 8 hours and my music is still copying to my phone. MTP is completely unacceptable. it's already told me i had to skip like 30 songs before i hit "skip this message" 2 hours ago. i'm copying ~25 GB of music over and half of that is .ogg which is not natively recognized by MTP. I could have copied the 25GB onto my thunderbolt 10 times over already. I dont care what the reasoning, requirement, or intent was to remove mass storage, but it was not work it. watching my files copy at like 400 k/s to a phone plugged in with a USB 2.0 cable makes me want to return the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I use windows media player to sync my music and it flies. Way faster than my nexus one did. It takes about 1-3 seconds per track.
Sent from my Xoom using xda premium

Drag and drop the files onto the folder icon. Don't open the folder itself and then copy into it.

My problem with MTP is compatibility. Hardly anything recognizes MTP and knows what to do with it besides my PC. Things I used to connect to via USB to transfer files or backup while on the go just don't work with the nexus. So instead of having an all around portable storage device in my phone I now have to carry other devices to perform those tasks, might not sound like a big deal but its just nicer being able to have that ability in one device. MTP may be great for some but not for everyone.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium App

dev/null/ said:
MTP may be great for some but not for everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed - my primary OS is linux, I can make mtp work kinda but it's poor and slow.
However enabling UMS would require repartitioning the GN and afaik no one's done it or said they plan on doing it.
Most people find wireless transfer much more satisfactory for this phone - I've only used airdroid but others have set up their own wireless ftp server. There are probably other apps that do it...

josteink said:
Tried adbfs?
Looks like it solves your needs without introducing the troubles of mass storage mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is it an app on the phone or computer (windows/linux)?
thanks

What is the MTP/PTP connection like?

I've read about this on the Galaxy Nexus but I'm not sure how it works. Is it like how my mom's Kodak point and shoot camera works, where it shows up as a device instead of a drive? Also where you can't show stuff like "size, date created, etc"?

It shows up like a camera, kinda. You can still get a "details" view of the files though in an explorer window (or with AFT on OSX).

I use OSX so sadly I am only able to share my experience from that perspective. I've only used MTP but when I connect it Android File Transfer comes up automatically. Its nothing more than a simple file explorer in which you can add or remove files but not move them around or anything like that. The big advantage of MTP however is that I am able to use the internal storage while the device is "mounted" on my computer.

It sucks a$$..just know that..I hate it its glitchy n slower than usb

mmmajor said:
It sucks a$$..just know that..I hate it its glitchy n slower than usb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what kind of slow are we looking at? i'm currently used to 2.5MB/s transfer speeds with my "class 4" MicroSD card on my Epic Touch 4G.

tracerit said:
what kind of slow are we looking at? i'm currently used to 2.5MB/s transfer speeds with my "class 4" MicroSD card on my Epic Touch 4G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The transfer speed is the same... it's just USB2.0 speed. The tool/protocol in tandem with explorer can be kinda slow to respond though.
Using AFT on OSX, I've had no issues with speed. Its often even faster than UMS because there's no mount/unmount time.

My biggest gripe with AFT is that it crashes the USB stack on my MacBook Air, then the keyboard and trackpad stop working.
Anybody else have a similar issue?

WarbyParker said:
My biggest gripe with AFT is that it crashes the USB stack on my MacBook Air, then the keyboard and trackpad stop working.
Anybody else have a similar issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never happened to me before.

martonikaj said:
Never happened to me before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that doesn't happen to me either
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

AFT freezes every time I try to use it. I'm using Airdroid now and it works really good.

Ngo93 said:
AFT freezes every time I try to use it. I'm using Airdroid now and it works really good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its definitely finnicky. I do my best to unlock the device, plug in, transfer, and unplug. Get it done and get out!

My experience is it works great with Windows, but not in Ubuntu or Linux Mint & since I use Linux I don't like it. I use wifi explorer pro to transfer files.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

iLeopard said:
I use OSX so sadly I am only able to share my experience from that perspective. I've only used MTP but when I connect it Android File Transfer comes up automatically. Its nothing more than a simple file explorer in which you can add or remove files but not move them around or anything like that. The big advantage of MTP however is that I am able to use the internal storage while the device is "mounted" on my computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't like it. I'm on Windows so it works naively. On my Galaxy S II you could just use a widget called Multi-Mount that allowed you to do the same thing, except they'd show up as normal drives (I say they because if you use the microSD slot in the S2, you get two drives, internal and microSD), not an MTP connection.
That's not the reason for using MTP though. MTP is being used because all of the device's memory is pretty much one one partition and anything beyond that is symlinked. So no more 2GB of app storage and 30GB of whatever. It's all app storage, file storage, etc. That's what makes the Galaxy Nexus's internal storage configuration different from any other phone's. They used MTP because, since the OS is also sharing the same big memory partition, it needs to be accessible by the CPU to continue running while you're transferring files.

Product F(RED) said:
That's not the reason for using MTP though. MTP is being used because all of the device's memory is pretty much one one partition and anything beyond that is symlinked. So no more 2GB of app storage and 30GB of whatever. It's all app storage, file storage, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And this is why Google is going with single partition storage w/o expandability and MTP transfer. It's the best overall solution.

iLeopard said:
I use OSX so sadly I am only able to share my experience from that perspective. I've only used MTP but when I connect it Android File Transfer comes up automatically. Its nothing more than a simple file explorer in which you can add or remove files but not move them around or anything like that. The big advantage of MTP however is that I am able to use the internal storage while the device is "mounted" on my computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
martonikaj said:
And this is why Google is going with single partition storage w/o expandability and MTP transfer. It's the best overall solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was nothing stopping them from adding a microSD card slot though. It could have showed up normally. Like I said, on my Galaxy S2, through a normal connection, I have two drives show up. One is for the microSD card slot, and one is for the internal 16GB storage. They're non-MTP.

Product F(RED) said:
There was nothing stopping them from adding a microSD card slot though. It could have showed up normally. Like I said, on my Galaxy S2, through a normal connection, I have two drives show up. One is for the microSD card slot, and one is for the internal 16GB storage. They're non-MTP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But it'd be the same bad experience of having separate storage areas and having MTP for part and UMS for the other part. Its best to just keep it all internal and use MTP.

just read up on the MTP transfer speeds. Looks like i'll have to go into CWM to transfer
Is it slow transferring from phone to PC also?

tracerit said:
just read up on the MTP transfer speeds. Looks like i'll have to go into CWM to transfer
Is it slow transferring from phone to PC also?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not slow... At least on OSX it's been just fine as I said before.

Works great in windows. Can't get it working in Linux at all.

MTP is fast for me.
I transferred 3gb of video in about 10 minutes. Its not revolutionary, but its not slow.

[Q] HELP: any way to enable the mass storage mode on the galaxy note 2 ?

can any one help me and suggest a method to enable the mass storage mode in my note 2 , when connected to my laptop ?

Firstly why? MTP is better when you get it working as you don' t need to unmount anything from the phone first!
Secondly, it is likely to be possible yes probably very similar to how it was hacked to work on the s3, however it only worked for external sd and caused lots of corruptions to sd cards... so it is far from perfect.
My advice would be to get used to MTP.

i was need it to let my stereo car read mp3 files i solved by installing an s3 hack that can make the extsd a mass storage unit take a look here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1711009 it worked for me i'm with omega v4 rom

Lennyuk said:
Firstly why? MTP is better when you get it working as you don' t need to unmount anything from the phone first!
Secondly, it is likely to be possible yes probably very similar to how it was hacked to work on the s3, however it only worked for external sd and caused lots of corruptions to sd cards... so it is far from perfect.
My advice would be to get used to MTP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand what you mean but. ..it becomes virtually impossible and frustrating to transfer stuff to internal memory or even external memory because it is slow. ..Very slow
External memory I can manage by taking out my card and using an adapter to plug it into my laptop card slot..
Is there a way to mount internal memory as usb mass storage? I don't mind if I have to turn my phone off or something
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Did you try Airdroid?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

try Kies over wifi...
it transfer data using local connection and transfers GBs of files in some minutes definitely MUCH faster than MTP and prefer it to AirDroid, but it hasnt been working lately (last time i checked was a week or two back)

This is a problem for those like me using Ubuntu. I never managed to make MTP work on it.
Wi-Fi transfer of files can be done with X-Link, but the lack of mass storage is a nuisance.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Yes, MTP is a big problem on Ubuntu. I have tried 3 implementations of MTP protocol on 12.04 and 12.10, no dice.

i'm searching for an answer. worst thing with mtp is the fact that it hides directories from you! so you can't backup everything properly. annoying

bump! MTP is too/painfully slow. Reminds me of 1995. We need an alternative. Whoever put up this technology without due consideration and testing, before deploying it on these popular devices needs to be consider a different job.

looks like I wont be getting this phone until mass storage mode is added

harishdhandev said:
can any one help me and suggest a method to enable the mass storage mode in my note 2 , when connected to my laptop ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, there is no way to enable UMS mode without rooting the phone.
I had to find a solution for my car stereo be able to read mp3 files.
I just rooted the phone and install SGS3 easy UMS ( PlayStore ). Yes its working just perfect on NoteII.
I'm using Ubuntu at work and it works like a charm as well.
Don't forget to unmount the drive in Ubuntu before unplug, and stop the service on Windows.
Also, on the UMS app, switch back to MTP before unplug, to avoid files errors ( no problem if u are just reading, ie: car stereo)

fmpmuld said:
Unfortunately, there is no way to enable UMS mode without rooting the phone.
I had to find a solution for my car stereo be able to read mp3 files.
I just rooted the phone and install SGS3 easy UMS ( PlayStore ). Yes its working just perfect on NoteII.
I'm using Ubuntu at work and it works like a charm as well.
Don't forget to unmount the drive in Ubuntu before unplug, and stop the service on Windows.
Also, on the UMS app, switch back to MTP before unplug, to avoid files errors ( no problem if u are just reading, ie: car stereo)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello,
one question - how to make two-way sync folders between my laptop and SGN2?
I always did it with GoodSync, but now it is impossible...
thx

Haha isn't this a cool icon? ---->
Gah.... I was hoping there was a way to USB mass storage on this phone. I guess I should have done more research on the phone before I bought it. I'm still in my 2 week return it period, but that's not THAT much of a deal breaker. Just really stupid... Why can't I have it all?? I mean we finally got USB host (OTG or whatever; same same) from a stock phone, only to lose USB Mass Storage! Oh the frustrations!
Dramatics aside, will a custom ROM allow something different? I'm not clear on what layer this MTP mode is operating at. I did think it was funny that it popped up as a camera type device in Windows. Right now I'm only using internal flash. Usually I want to browse pics on the phone from the PC, and in this case, if I use IrfanView to open one on the device, it copies it local and then opens it, so I can't scroll through them. Silly, and mildly frustrating. :-/
I'm going to look into some networking options to see if those work (Kies, AirDroid, maybe FTP). Actually, Dropbox might solve this particular problem for me now that I think of it.
I saw the thread for mounting external SD as USB mass storage. I take it there's no way to co-mount the internal storage as a USB mass storage device?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1711009

AllanonMage said:
Gah.... I was hoping there was a way to USB mass storage on this phone. I guess I should have done more research on the phone before I bought it. I'm still in my 2 week return it period, but that's not THAT much of a deal breaker. Just really stupid... Why can't I have it all?? I mean we finally got USB host (OTG or whatever; same same) from a stock phone, only to lose USB Mass Storage! Oh the frustrations!
Dramatics aside, will a custom ROM allow something different? I'm not clear on what layer this MTP mode is operating at. I did think it was funny that it popped up as a camera type device in Windows. Right now I'm only using internal flash. Usually I want to browse pics on the phone from the PC, and in this case, if I use IrfanView to open one on the device, it copies it local and then opens it, so I can't scroll through them. Silly, and mildly frustrating. :-/
I'm going to look into some networking options to see if those work (Kies, AirDroid, maybe FTP). Actually, Dropbox might solve this particular problem for me now that I think of it.
I saw the thread for mounting external SD as USB mass storage. I take it there's no way to co-mount the internal storage as a USB mass storage device?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1711009
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, Samsung turned off the USB Mass Storage for obvious reasons. But anyway, I can access both memories from my computers, using MS Windows.
On windows, there's no problem at all as you can manage all the files directly from explorer.
On Other systems, the problem is different. For some reasons, like with all other systems (ie car stereo or media player...), the galaxy will not be recognized because MTP needs drivers. Then, you have to use UMS and the only way to install and use it is to root the phone. But keep in mind UMS will only permit access to external memory card.
Well, if I have to transfer files from internal memory through UMS, I copy the files I need to external memory before using it..... That's not a big problem , is it ? And because your phone is rooted, you can even find a script to copy some folders automatically.
Hope I'm clear enough and it helps.

USB mass storage

Ok, I have had this phone for 2 days now, and still don't know how to get it to show up as a USB mass storage device. Is there something that I'm missing here?
I have all the updated LG software installed. All other connection methods seem to work. I have even tried a widgetsoid switcher to force the issue, but that didn't do it like it did on an older phone I had.
It would sure be nice if this was an option in the USB menu. How hard would that have been?
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app

seventieslord said:
Ok, I have had this phone for 2 days now, and still don't know how to get it to show up as a USB mass storage device. Is there something that I'm missing here?
I have all the updated LG software installed. All other connection methods seem to work. I have even tried a widgetsoid switcher to force the issue, but that didn't do it like it did on an older phone I had.
It would sure be nice if this was an option in the USB menu. How hard would that have been?
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am wondering the same thing. I got around it by using the MicroSD card in a card reader but it would be nice to do it though the phone.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think native support for USB mass storage was discontinued in ICS. Some companies still provide it but it's not natively included anymore.
Sent from my LG-E973 using xda app-developers app

I really hope someone corrects you if you're wrong, because if you're not, that would be the most disappointing news of the year.
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app

seventieslord said:
I really hope someone corrects you if you're wrong, because if you're not, that would be the most disappointing news of the year.
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't you just go to settings and then pc connection, just select media and then hit cancel when its trying to sync? Shows up as 25GB mass storage for me.
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app

theMaDHakkeR said:
Don't you just go to settings and then pc connection, just select media and then hit cancel when its trying to sync? Shows up as 25GB mass storage for me.
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean the popup on the phone? "Autorun is running to check USB driver"? If so, I tried that, but no dice.
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app

Go here http://www.lg.com/us/support-mobile/lg-LS970 and get the USB drivers. Uninstall the ones you have if they are not the exact same, then reboot. On the phone select PC Connection in the System Settings Menu. Set the USB Connection to Media Sync (MTP) and check Ask on connection. Leave everything else off. When you plug it in it will say its checking USB driver, just hit skip, and it should mount. It may mount and unmount, then mount again.
This works for me.

You should update Windows Media Player if running on XP

theMaDHakkeR said:
Go here http://www.lg.com/us/support-mobile/lg-LS970 and get the USB drivers. Uninstall the ones you have if they are not the exact same, then reboot. On the phone select PC Connection in the System Settings Menu. Set the USB Connection to Media Sync (MTP) and check Ask on connection. Leave everything else off. When you plug it in it will say its checking USB driver, just hit skip, and it should mount. It may mount and unmount, then mount again.
This works for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are the exact drivers I have.
I have this "sort of" working here on my home PC (Windows 7). When I am connected as MTP, the phone shows up in My Computer and Device Manager under "Portable Devices". I can go into the internal storage, and move, cut, copy, delete files, but it's not even perfect because if I want to do something as simple as open an excel file, modify it, and then save it, I can't. Windows instead asks me to save in some temporary directory because it lacks the capability to save the file directly on the phone. Which is a major hassle.
On my work computer (XP) I have these drivers installed also, and I have also installed WMFDist11-WindowsXP-X86-ENU.exe since it asked me to. Following the same steps as above, upon hitting skip, nothing happens. It never shows up as a removable drive or portable device.
There has to be an app for this or something...

seventieslord said:
Those are the exact drivers I have.
I have this "sort of" working here on my home PC (Windows 7). When I am connected as MTP, the phone shows up in My Computer and Device Manager under "Portable Devices". I can go into the internal storage, and move, cut, copy, delete files, but it's not even perfect because if I want to do something as simple as open an excel file, modify it, and then save it, I can't. Windows instead asks me to save in some temporary directory because it lacks the capability to save the file directly on the phone. Which is a major hassle.
On my work computer (XP) I have these drivers installed also, and I have also installed WMFDist11-WindowsXP-X86-ENU.exe since it asked me to. Following the same steps as above, upon hitting skip, nothing happens. It never shows up as a removable drive or portable device.
There has to be an app for this or something...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try dual mount widget.
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app

Well, it physically cant be mount as USB storage device, cause it will ruin files.
Unlike many other phones, The G dont have the Storage Card partition.
All your files are stored in /data/media, and mounting entire /Data/ partition as USB Storage will ruin the OS cause its being used by it.
There a folder called /Sdcard/, but its just a trick for old android apps, so all this stuff still actually stored in /Data/Media/

theMaDHakkeR said:
Try dual mount widget.
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
didn't work... any other apps that might do it?

Tim4 said:
Well, it physically cant be mount as USB storage device, cause it will ruin files.
Unlike many other phones, The G dont have the Storage Card partition.
All your files are stored in /data/media, and mounting entire /Data/ partition as USB Storage will ruin the OS cause its being used by it.
There a folder called /Sdcard/, but its just a trick for old android apps, so all this stuff still actually stored in /Data/Media/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow, you're right, everything I sent to my phone shows up in the /sdcard folder and also in /data/media.
why on earth would they do this? one of the best parts of android phones was that they were essentially giant usb sticks.
is this an absolutely insurmountable hardware issue? or could a new ROM/OS fix it? what about an app for creating a partition?

First of all, they did it cause of usual lacking of free space for the apps. Now you can fill all 25gbs with games and other stuff.
Second, the FAT32 just too old and bad. Since the G doesnt use the FAT FS and SD card, G doesnt have the file size limitations, pretty stable and got high write speed (Must be class 20)
I believe its must be possible to run as USB Storage from the custom recoveries, when the OS is not running.

Tim4 said:
I believe its must be possible to run as USB Storage from the custom recoveries, when the OS is not running.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I imagine that it will be able to do that too, but that's not very useful on a daily basis. I need it when the OS is running.
I used to use my phone to take files to work with me and back so that I could open and edit them at home. I never dreamed they would get rid of that functionality.
so no app is going to be able to take some of that space and partition it as an sd card, then?

But you still able to do it, dont you?
The only limitation of the MTP - you cant execute files directly from PC.
Also there an app called File Share, which probably solving that issue by sharing via WiFi, not the mtp.

Tim4 said:
But you still able to do it, dont you?
The only limitation of the MTP - you cant execute files directly from PC.
Also there an app called File Share, which probably solving that issue by sharing via WiFi, not the mtp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'll look into File Share.
and yes, technically i can open an excel file, edit it, save to my PC, then copy the new version onto my phone, overwriting the old one. but that's a major step backwards from where we were at three years ago.

looks like File Share wouldn't really do it for me, as both the phone and the computer would need to be on the same wireless network.
at home I have a wireless network, but my PC is wired.
at work my laptop has wireless capability but there is no wireless network.
My phone can be a wireless network, though. So an app that would allow my phone and work laptop to share files through that network, would do the trick.
Or, I need an app that does the opposite of Link2SD. Link2SD takes some SD space and uses it as ROM. I need an app to take some ROM space and make a virtual SD out of it.
Does something like that exist? I bet if it doesn't, it will soon!

I really like Airdroid, simple to use, I use it on a linux computer wich is aweful about mtp file transfer, for my sister's S2. It might be an option to consider while other development occurs.
Sent from Somewhere using my Dog

Mangala_Dharma said:
I really like Airdroid, simple to use, I use it on a linux computer wich is aweful about mtp file transfer, for my sister's S2. It might be an option to consider while other development occurs.
Sent from Somewhere using my Dog
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow! Awesome app. Does exactly what I need. Thanks!
Sent from my LG-E971 using xda app-developers app

File transfer mode NOT media device mode?

Sorry for a kinda double post, as ive posted this in the noob thread, but I think its being overlooked.
When connecting to a PC, how can I get a normal file transfer mode?? the media mode is just too limiting, one file at a time, transfer with no ETA, cannot browse picture folders with image viewers.. "this file cannot be played are you sure you want to copy it" blah blah blah...
I'm sure on my old HTC sensation as well as media mode you had file mode.. but I cannot find it and I don't have usb 3.1 on my laptop only 3.0 so hopefully that's not the answer..
please help.. mostly after getting at my SD card without removing it from the phone as I can never find the "proddy thing".. not fussed if I need to install a third party app or other... but currently on stock EU rom non-rooted.

stupink said:
Sorry for a kinda double post, as ive posted this in the noob thread, but I think its being overlooked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
... im not sure if i can help you really. What is the operating system you are using there? MTP works for me in Linux aswell as with Win 10.
stupink said:
When connecting to a PC, how can I get a normal file transfer mode??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When connecting to a PC it should pop up a question about how you want to use the connection. So select Filetransfer and trust it with "Yes". And that s it basically. You can also find this in the notification bar... eh about what to use USB for.
Also be sure to have suiting drivers. IIRC they should be installed with HTC Sync Manager. Maybe installing HTC Sync Manager would fix your issues already?
stupink said:
I'm sure on my old HTC sensation as well as media mode you had file mode.. but I cannot find it
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How old? I think this special mode you refer to was removed some Android releases ago already. Nowadays theres MTP. By all this speed of that USB ports nowadays intention seems to be initially that you do not have to unmount it in order to get all that stuffs you knew from past. I remember when my ONE-S got a update suddenly in past where exactly this step to MTP happened. Since the USB2 hardware in this old phone was a bit older and worse it became slower than before. Many ppl had been looking for a fix for this, since you could not enable it like it was before. IIRC one solution was to use a custom ROM. I can not recommend using a custom ROM personally.
stupink said:
and I don't have usb 3.1 on my laptop only 3.0 so hopefully that's not the answer..
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No it is not. I m also having a 3.0. Still at least with marshmellow you would have to enable the fast file transfer with 3.1 explicitly in the case you really have such port on your Computer. And still theres some influences and things to consider to get optimum bandwidth.
But a 3.0 connection is usually not as crappy as you describe it now. So i would sugguest you:
- I assume a driver bad.
- Or Faulty cable.
- Maybe some setting in your file browser on the computer?
- Is the preview disabled maybe?
- Latest drivers for the phone? (HTC Sync Manager)
At very first i would try to get latest HTC Sync Manager for HTC10 from HTC website. Or if you are in linux, check your packages, udev rules and that MTP gets rolling.
Hope this helps a bit.
PS.: Try connect your Phone to another computer with maybe Windows 10 and latest HTC Sync Manager. Just to exclude that your computer or its software might cause this issue.

Thanks for the reply, my "old" htc was probably 6+years ago.. I think it was my first android phone, Recently I have been using LG G3 running cyanogenmod, so have always had a proper "file mode".. it was just like plugging in an external hard drive. I did not realise this was not a feature anymore in standard android.
The main problem I dislike is not being able to view pictures... If I open one picture from my phone or SDcard, then my picture browswer says viewing picture 1/1 even if the folder has 200 pictures in it, I cannot space/tab through the pictures, I have to close that one, then open the next.... I do find it frustrating only being able to copy one file at a time, and constantly having to tell it that I do want to copy the file despite not being able to play it, but those things I can live with.
I already have tried installing extra software and on windows 7, (I am running W10) but no luck
It just sounds like they want you to remove the SD card.. shame they make it so impossible to do.. I'll continue to hunt for a solution without custom rom.. and post any findings.

stupink said:
cyanogenmod, so have always had a proper "file mode".. it was just like plugging in an external hard drive. I did not realise this was not a feature anymore in standard android.
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Yes! I think this i why they kept (keep) it alive.
stupink said:
The main problem I dislike is not being able to view pictures... If I open one picture from my phone or SDcard, then my picture browswer says viewing picture 1/1 even if the folder has 200 pictures in it, I cannot space/tab through the pictures, I have to close that one, then open the next.... I do find it frustrating only being able to copy one file at a time, and constantly having to tell it that I do want to copy the file despite not being able to play it, but those things I can live with.
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How is it. How do you think about an alternative way to transfer data like e.g. from playstore Air Droid using WLAN.
Did you try another data cable, by all ports and operating systems?
And just in case. Do both of your computers feature the same USB drivers and hub? Maybe a driver issue.
I noticed one thing recently. When i connect with MTP and copy lets say: "400 MB pictures" taken with my old phone, spread on 97 files to the SD card it does not take long. But what takes long like 20 seconds after copying is done is that it shows previews. I have to really wait until it is done transferring.
So could it be maybe the case your phone does not finish somehow?
And yes the Windows Photo thingie does not see it as folder to slide through.
Meaning: i can not deny your issues fully.
Honestly what i totally love is an Plasma Desktop for linux is an software which called KDE Connect. You get WLAN connection to your phone and can even control the mouse. Do simple file transfers. And what i totally love about it is, is that it almost seemingless integrates into the Desktop. On the other End i think WIN10 does not feature such service (stock). Air Droid is one of those tools in this way which you can expand the computer expirience with. The preview and copying over WLAN is blazing fast. Plus you do not have to connect the cable.
But it requires a client/server and permissions on both ends. And thats what i dislike about the Windows side. It is not so seemless. And it is in the way of one of those extra services, running.
Also the speed of the SD card does in fact matter. Is it maybe one of the older generations you inserted?
The new SD's from this year are much faster and bigger.
E.g. read about SD card speed classes SDXC class U1, U2 and U3
Even if you can push 1 GiB /s through a cable.... if the SD only takes 96 mib/s...... lol
Maybe interesting to have a look at what about capacity / price is happening in 6 years.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10315/market-views-hdd-shipments-down-q1-2016/3
So lets say you was using a 6 years old SD.
Your phone is worth (lets say 600 $) but the SD is not worth any cent. In case the SD was so old.

This is how Android now is.
What you're looking for is USB Mass Storage mode. They removed that because it was a wide security hole where someone could just plug your phone into a computer and copy all your storage and mess things up at will. Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) is all Android has now. Your phone memory doesn't just have your photos and music on it; it also has your apps, logins, systems files, etc.
The "file cannot be played" prompt that bothers you can be disabled in Windows. Just do a Google search on that. As for transfer speed, I'll bet you that it's a bad cable and nothing more. MTP isn't slower than UMS.
Good luck.

Thanks also.
I didn't mean to imply it's slow transfer. By limiting I mean it's holding me back. I like to transferr a 20GB video, and while it's doing it, go to my pics and view+sort them etc. But now I cannot. One at a time. Zzzzz..
It sounds like I will either need to investigate lineage again. (I'm unsure at this stage what I loose if I do, camera apps, mirror cast etc). Or perhaps buy a hand full of "proddy things" so I can more easily remove the SD card. I can never find it when I need it.
Thanks for helping me get my head around this alien tech/systems. I feel I understand now what's happening and why.