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Hi,
does any of you know if the device can work in USB Mass Storage mode, i.e. can it be seen as an external drive from Windows/OSX/Linux without additional software? I own a MacBook Pro and HTC support told me that they are going to release soon a piece of software that works under OSX, but it would be wonderful to have access to the device storage without additional software..
Question already asked and answered here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1543735
They dont use USB Mass Storage they use Media Transfer Protocol to deal with USB connection. This change was introduced in Honeycomb and has continued into Ice Cream Sandwich.
You can still transfer files to and from the devices its just a diffrent way of doing it.
Forum user Gogol posed these questions:
- Why Google is using MTP instead of USB file transfer on Honeycomb?”
He received the following response from a Google developer:
“MTP is a big improvement over USB mass storage — for devices with lots of internal memory, a manufacturer no longer needs to come up with some hard partition between the USB mass storage and internal storage. Instead, they are all in one partition, with MTP providing access to the directory of media files that would normally be available through USB mass storage. This means there is no longer a need for apps on SD card for such devices, because what used to be the ‘internal SD card’ is in the same partition as where applications are stored. The storage on your device can be used for either applications or media, depending on what you want to put on it. You aren’t stuck with how much space the manufacturer decided to leave for the two areas.
Oh also this means that the media storage doesn’t need to be unmounted from Android when it is being access through the PC.“
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Source: http://glasskeys.com/2011/02/28/why-google-uses-mtp-instead-of-usb-file-transfer-on-android-3/
A main reason for using MTP rather than for example the USB mass-storage device class (MSC) is that the latter operates at the granularity of a mass storage device block (usually in practice, a FAT block), rather than at the logical file level. In other words, the USB mass storage class is designed to give a host computer undifferentiated access to bulk mass storage, such as compact flash, rather than to a file system, which might be safely shared with the target device (except for specific files which the host might be modifying/accessing). In practice, therefore, when a USB host computer has mounted an MSC partition, it assumes absolute control of the storage, which then may not be safely modified by the device without risk of data corruption until the host computer has severed the connection. Furthermore, because the host computer has full control over the connected storage device, there is a risk that the host computer may corrupt the file system, reformat it to a file system not supported by the USB device, or otherwise modify it in such a way that the USB device cannot completely understand it.
MTP and PTP specifically overcome this issue by making the unit of managed storage a local file rather than an entire (possibly very large) unit of mass storage at the block level. In this way, MTP works like a transactional file system - either the entire file is written/read or nothing. The storage media is not affected by failed transfers.
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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Transfer_Protocol
No idea how this works with OSX though I'm a Windows guy
HTC-Gunge said:
No idea how this works with OSX though I'm a Windows guy
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Very nice reply, thank you very much!
I've found Android File Transfer Google utility for OSX: http://www.android.com/filetransfer/
Actually, the One X still uses mass storage mode. Plug it in and you get the same old prompt for charge only, disk drive etc. and it still shows up as a removable disk.
Yes, vanilla android handsets like the GN use MTP mode, but HTCs don't. They have a separate partition still.
Hmm that's interesting if its true, it means HTC have implemented it independently of the OS. Could even be a selling point as I know quite a few people didn't really like the change from USB Mass Storage to MTP.
Thanks for the info!
I'm one of those who hates MTP because it is not as reliable as USB Mass Storage. MTP just doesn't want to play nice with my Win7 machine on my Nexus so I'm really looking forward to the One X and getting proper USB Mass Storage on it.
As much as i prefer MSC over MTP (mainly because you can open music and video files directly from your mass storage device, but if you use MTP, they will have to copy the entire file over to your computer before it will play), my office blocks MSC devices, but strange enough, MTP devices are not blocked.
Therefore i am actually trying to find out of i can use MTP mode in my One X, since MTP is embedded into ICS, there might be a chance. This will enable me to access my One X in office..
anyone has any idea?
I have a slightly similar problem here:
How do i tell the HTC ONE phone, that i want use the mass-storage-mode in USB, and not the f******g HTC/Nero bloatware crap?
Before the update to Android 4.1.1 it was working fine as mass-storage.
CBrown0815 said:
I have a slightly similar problem here:
How do i tell the HTC ONE phone, that i want use the mass-storage-mode in USB, and not the f******g HTC/Nero bloatware crap?
Before the update to Android 4.1.1 it was working fine as mass-storage.
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HTC has changed mass-storage-mode to MTP in their latest update. I didn't find any way to use as mass storage so I installed CM10.1 (A8 supports mass storage mode).
parkentosh said:
HTC has changed mass-storage-mode to MTP in their latest update. I didn't find any way to use as mass storage so I installed CM10.1 (A8 supports mass storage mode).
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Thanks for this info. Unfortunally is this no option for me. I dont want to hack my phone, i want to use it.
CBrown0815 said:
Thanks for this info. Unfortunally is this no option for me. I dont want to hack my phone, i want to use it.
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Agreed - I have the same problem with my OneX on 4.1.1. 4.0.4 was great, 4.1.1 is a backward step in several ways. My Galaxy Nexus (bought to play with Ubuntu Touch!) did the same [email protected] until it updated itself to 4.2.2, and now works correctly - to my mind - as a mass storage device. I think Google realised the error and quietly fixed it. I can't find a document that details all the changes in 4.2.2 so not sure.
is it possible force the MTP mode into Mass Storage Device ?
as for many users come from Nexus S , Nexus S uses mass storage device to communicate with PC for copy/past/delete files on internal SDcard
i found that it isn't same here on Galaxy Nexus , which uses new mode MTP ...
but i figured out this MTP is little bite pain in ass as i modified files with Root Explorer , but it doesn't show any changes when I try to access internal SDcard with PC to copy/delete files.
even i rebooted my phone twice or thrice , still doesn't show any changes ...
so i begin to miss the old MASS STORAGE DEVICE MODE as we had in Nexus S ...
is it possible to do so ?
If it was possible, it would have been done already. It is not possible on gnex because the sdcard is just a link on the /data partition, which cannot be unmounted while android is running.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
There is no way to enable USB Mass Storage. You're gonna have to deal with MTP.
.... well, in that case any possible solutions to what I have described about no showing files change in PC ?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
not possible in this configuration. And honestly why would you want to? I certainly do not miss the delay of mount/dismount, also being able to access the storage on my phone at the same time as the connected pc is so much more useful
I don't why and how to say it, for example, I want to mod SystemUI.apk so I copy from /system/app to /sdcard by using Root Explorer, then I connected my phone to PC, but windows explorer doesn't show SystenUI.apk exists in SDcard section while the Root Explorer indicates there is in the SDcard, even I rebooted my phone twice or thrice, it still doesn't show up in windows explorer...
This is what being bother me
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
i just attempted your exact scenario and windows explorer is now showing systemui.apk in root of /sdcard/, soon as i copied the file using es explorer on the phone i saw my windows explorer window flicker and updated with the newly copied apk. i did this while the phone was connected fyi
Try the app "sdrescan". It'll for android o re "read" the sdcard and populate any changes in it's database.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
The implementation of MTP on Android 4.x is buggy. While it seems to work for some people, a large number of users experience issues with file transfers hanging & refresh issues. Forcing a rescan seems to work for the refresh issue.
Personally, I avoid MTP and use ADB for copying stuff. Follow the link in my signature for more info.
lol! try backing up your sdcard using MTP sometime.
strumcat said:
lol! try backing up your sdcard using MTP sometime.
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This.
I know this thread is old, but hoping someone can help - I cannot find ANY undelete programs for Windows that recognize my GNex. They all require Mass Storage Mode or a disk drive, and even though "Internal Storage" shows up in My Computer, none of the programs see it as a viable location for scanning.
I need to undelete a lot of files from my internal storage (sdcard folder on my GNex). How can I mount this? Or how can I mount the entire internal storage as a "drive" in Windows? I'll put the phone in any mode I have to recover what I accidentally deleted. Can I do it from recovery (mount sdcard perhaps?)
crobs808 said:
I know this thread is old, but hoping someone can help - I cannot find ANY undelete programs for Windows that recognize my GNex. They all require Mass Storage Mode or a disk drive, and even though "Internal Storage" shows up in My Computer, none of the programs see it as a viable location for scanning.
I need to undelete a lot of files from my internal storage (sdcard folder on my GNex). How can I mount this? Or how can I mount the entire internal storage as a "drive" in Windows? I'll put the phone in any mode I have to recover what I accidentally deleted. Can I do it from recovery (mount sdcard perhaps?)
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Try this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1994705
geoffcorey said:
If it was possible, it would have been done already. It is not possible on gnex because the sdcard is just a link on the /data partition, which cannot be unmounted while android is running.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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bull****
look at the nexus S. it has built in storage and it used USB mass storage prior to ICS.
it is not a hardware limitation, it is strictly software. google did it so the partition can be EXT3/EXT4 and allow an unlimited amount of storage for apps
the problem with this is, even with its EXT3/4 capability, MTP is ****ing TRASH on linux. i can only send files to my phone, i cant move them onto my PC. i cant move/delete/copy files within the storage.. the only way for me to do it is through a file manager on my phone and even then it doesnt update when i connect to my PC until i reboot my phone a few times.
MTP is a decent technology but mass storage should still be offered. why not have a scalable partition for apps using EXT and allow the rest to be what it wants. i dont know. there are many different ways they could have implemented this internal storage thing but MTP is the worst way (at least for linux)
Nexus S's /sdcard is a separate partition, GNex's /sdcard is just a link to /data/media/0
In other words in with the nexus s the command umount /sdcard works and doesn't with the gnex.
mrplowdan said:
Nexus S's /sdcard is a separate partition, GNex's /sdcard is just a link to /data/media/0
In other words in with the nexus s the command umount /sdcard works and doesn't with the gnex.
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again, not a hardware issue but a software issue.
why can we not partition the internal storage in this way?
the nexus S was partitioned to allow mass storage but with JB it doesnt allow it. it is obviously capable of reverting.
i dont know.. im gonna try to figure something out. ill come back with updates (if i remember to)
I cant seem to find an option to use the Galaxy S4 as USB mass storage, only media device (MTP) or Camera (PTP) is available. Cannot find any USB options in the settings either.
How am I able to copy files from and to my SD card and/or phone HD?
I appreciate any helpful posts. Thank you!
crco said:
I cant seem to find an option to use the Galaxy S4 as USB mass storage, only media device (MTP) or Camera (PTP) is available. Cannot find any USB options in the settings either.
How am I able to copy files from and to my SD card and/or phone HD?
I appreciate any helpful posts. Thank you!
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You us MTP fyi usb mass storage has been gone for a while i know for a fact the gs3 & note2 used MTP
deeznutz1977 said:
You us MTP fyi usb mass storage has been gone for a while i know for a fact the gs3 & note2 used MTP
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with MTP my device doesnt show up in Mac, as well as my Sony TV or LG receiver. what to do?
Is there anyway to disable MTP and go back to mass storage? Also, is the SDCARD MTP as well?
Mass Storage is gone for good... and while it sounds bad, there's a good reason..
Using Mass Storage forces the storage partition (or external sdcard) to be unmounted by Android, so any data/apps/widgets on there are no longer available until you disconnect your device from your PC. Using MTP allows the data partition to remain mounted and available concurrently on both your device, and on your PC via USB.
1) No, you cannot get UMS back.
2) This belongs in Q&A.
3) For Macs, you will need this.
Questions go in Q&A
Thread moved
FNM
The auto-unmount is ok...
pakraider said:
Mass Storage is gone for good... and while it sounds bad, there's a good reason..
Using Mass Storage forces the storage partition (or external sdcard) to be unmounted by Android, so any data/apps/widgets on there are no longer available until you disconnect your device from your PC. Using MTP allows the data partition to remain mounted and available concurrently on both your device, and on your PC via USB.
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"there's a good reason" is somewhat subjective. To me the great benefit to the more general usb mass storage option is so you can connect the phone to any device as if it were a usb flash drive. No driver issues, no worries about camera or MTP mode, no Mac issues, no linux issues, no Windows issues ... it's just a usd flash drive and can be treated as such. I am ok with the side affect of auto-unmounting the sdcard from Android when I connect the phone to another device to use as noted USB drive.
Is there in fact any way this will ever come back?
I can't get my phone to show up on my computer for nothing.have the correct drivers installed and everything.running Windows
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
umlguy said:
"there's a good reason" is somewhat subjective. To me the great benefit to the more general usb mass storage option is so you can connect the phone to any device as if it were a usb flash drive. No driver issues, no worries about camera or MTP mode, no Mac issues, no linux issues, no Windows issues ... it's just a usd flash drive and can be treated as such. I am ok with the side affect of auto-unmounting the sdcard from Android when I connect the phone to another device to use as noted USB drive.
Is there in fact any way this will ever come back?
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There was an app someone made for the GS3 that did some filesystem trickery to expose the storage as UMS (needed root). I'm sure something like that will come around that works on the GS4 too.
I had the same issue until I installed Kies, no issues after that
TheAtheistOtaku said:
I can't get my phone to show up on my computer for nothing.have the correct drivers installed and everything.running Windows
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
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Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
umlguy said:
"there's a good reason" is somewhat subjective. To me the great benefit to the more general usb mass storage option is so you can connect the phone to any device as if it were a usb flash drive. No driver issues, no worries about camera or MTP mode, no Mac issues, no linux issues, no Windows issues ... it's just a usd flash drive and can be treated as such. I am ok with the side affect of auto-unmounting the sdcard from Android when I connect the phone to another device to use as noted USB drive.
Is there in fact any way this will ever come back?
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How could anyone possibly know if it will come back, especially "in fact?" My guess is you would have to ask Samsung that question to get anything other than a guess or an opinion (which would be NO) but it's not "in fact" just "in an opinion."
I jumped from an S2 to the S4 and was also annoyed that USB mass storage wouldn't work either. Since I use Linux as my desktop, MTP is not an option "out-of-the-box". I therefor turned to an awesome app (that I heard about on this site!), Airdroid. Now I was able to quickly get an album/picture/book datastore onto a shiny new 32GB microSD! And yes, I know I could have put the microSD into a slot on my laptop, etc., but I shouldn't have to, just because I choose to use Linux!
I mean, its rather ironic not to be able to use Linux to connect to Linux (android), don't you think? If I'm completely wrong about this, please someone point me to the right path.
Thanks
There is a "hack" to allow the external to be read as UMS. Also, the internal sdcard is no longer yaffs2 its ext4 and only linux knows ext4. So if you were to use UMS, only a linux computer would "see" the sd card and nothing else.
elesbb said:
There is a "hack" to allow the external to be read as UMS. Also, the internal sdcard is no longer yaffs2 its ext4 and only linux knows ext4. So if you were to use UMS, only a linux computer would "see" the sd card and nothing else.
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elesbb,
That's awesome news! Thanks for the tip. I use opensuse (currently 12.3) with kde, will definitely make the necessary tweaks to get this going in dolphin.
Thanks again!
Ignore. Posted in wrong thread.
If you are rooted and busybox installed yes there are lot of apps on play store that can convert your externel SD Card to Mass storage.
Anyone know of any custom roms that allow me to mount my phone as a mass storage device rather then mtp? I want to be able to connect my phone to my tablet and transfer files but need my phone to read as mass storage first.
mastermind1234321 said:
Anyone know of any custom roms that allow me to mount my phone as a mass storage device rather then mtp? I want to be able to connect my phone to my tablet and transfer files but need my phone to read as mass storage first.
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then you need to get another phone with a sdcard.
this topic has been beaten into the ground. use search next time.
The Galaxy Nexus does not have the Mass Storage function, it uses MTP instead.
Sorry if this has already been discussed, but I didn't found any answers regarding my issue.
So how can I transfer files from my pc using the pad's USB cable?
On my Sony phone with ics, it was enough to enable usb debugging mode and the pc sees it as a flash drive, using usb mass storage.
But here it seems there's no mass storage mode, only mtp and ptp which I don't like.
So what options do I have to actually see my 64 gb card when I connect the pad to the pc? Is it possible?
Cause even with debugging mode enabled it doesn't change anything, still have to use windows explorer and it's working very hard. Any help would be much appreciated.
Not sure I fully understand what's wrong with mtp option but I can fully see my 64GB card when connected to my pc via usb cable. I have successfully copied files to and from the SD this way with no issue. Explain what issue you may be seeing.
Usb Mode
gioni mnemonic said:
Sorry if this has already been discussed, but I didn't found any answers regarding my issue.
So how can I transfer files from my pc using the pad's USB cable?
On my Sony phone with ics, it was enough to enable usb debugging mode and the pc sees it as a flash drive, using usb mass storage.
But here it seems there's no mass storage mode, only mtp and ptp which I don't like.
So what options do I have to actually see my 64 gb card when I connect the pad to the pc? Is it possible?
Cause even with debugging mode enabled it doesn't change anything, still have to use windows explorer and it's working very hard. Any help would be much appreciated.
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Can not see why you have any problems when my G Pad is connected I can see it as a device in My Computer " Not Devices " and when I open it up I see two drives. Internal and external SD card
Make sure you have loaded the LG USB Drivers
Plus it should come up with a list of what you want to do when connected click Open and view files
Thank you for the replies, guys.
Not sure if i made myself clear. Yes, my pc can also see my g pad device in My Computer, but it is not listed as a removable flash drive or an external hdd, thus i cannot see sd card properties, format options and so on. I usually use total commander for transferring files, because windows explorer is way too slow in doing this.
For example, if i want to download a movie or some songs directly to my tablet, how can i do that? With my sony phone is easy, my pc sees it as a removable flash drive, thus is easy to save files directly to it.
But with the g pad that option is gone, or at least i cannot find it. I must first download the files to my pc and only after that transfer them to my pad using windows explorer, which is really working hard. Basically, i have to wait one hour for downloading something, than another hour to transfer the files to my tablet, instead of downloading directly to the tablet.
And all this i believe is the effect of usb mass storage mode missing.
So in the end, is there an option to satisfy my needs?
gioni mnemonic said:
So in the end, is there an option to satisfy my needs?
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In settings, go to "system", choose "PC connection", choose "media sync(MTP)".
MTP option does exactly what i was saying earlier, it only gives me the option to use windows explorer to transfer files.
It does not satisfy my needs, as i cannot save files directly to the tablet's SD card when downloading something, for example.
Can you people see the tablet's SD card as another DISK drive in your pc? With formatting options, sd card properties and stuff that you can do with a flash drive or an external hdd? This is my question, but i believe this is not possible.
Usb
gioni mnemonic said:
MTP option does exactly what i was saying earlier, it only gives me the option to use windows explorer to transfer files.
It does not satisfy my needs, as i cannot save files directly to the tablet's SD card when downloading something, for example.
Can you people see the tablet's SD card as another DISK drive in your pc? With formatting options, sd card properties and stuff that you can do with a flash drive or an external hdd? This is my question, but i believe this is not possible.
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I have no problems it must be your USB drivers as mine sees it as a Device
I open mine up from my computer then open the SD card and transfer all my Movies and Pictures direct to the SD card I can open up files on Device or Card
Hi again, i've attached some print screens with the issue i'm trying to explain. The main thing that bothers me is the clearly slower speed for transferring files using windows explorer. With total commander it goes almost double the speed rate. Plus, why should i download a file to my pc instead of downloading it directly to g pad's sd card? Waste of time in my opinion.
But recently i did read somewhere that jelly bean does NOT support usb mass storage, so i guess that answers my question.