Files show up as shortcuts

[lethalgorman]

Hello, I'm having a problem, when I connect my SGS2 or my sons Exhibit 2 to my windows 7 laptop. The pc recognizes the phones, I see all the files, from adobe-digital-editions to Zedge. The problem is that they show up under Removable Disk (F as "Shortcut" and size is 2kb each. I cant open or move anything to them. Has anyone seen this or know what I'm doing wrong. I'm thinking its something on the pc side because 2 phones are doing this. But I really have no idea. Thanks in advance for any help.

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[Devinator]

Well, if you want to see if it's the computer that is the problem. Try connecting one of the phones to another computer. If you have the same problem on another computer, my guess is that there is something that you are doing wrong.

When you connect VIA USB, do you have the Mass Storage option set on the devices? I would assume so, since it's mounting them as Removable Disk, but, I'm not sure why they are displaying as shortcuts.

Have you tried selecting a file, copying it, then pasting it into a folder on your laptop? I mean, that's the same function as dragging and dropping, but, just throwing ideas out there.

 

[lethalgorman]

Hey, thanks for your response. Yes I did try adding a file that way, drag and drop. It does nothing. Still scratching my head. I will try another pc, but I don't have one. That's a great idea, I'll have to try my friends. Thanks again and I'll let you know. :thumbup:

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[Devinator]

No prob. Yea, that's really strange. Either it's a setting that you erroneously set on two phones, or it's the computer. I'd say it's more likely the computer, since all the devices I have had mounted fine right out of the box, and, the likely hood of you setting something to stop it on both phones without realizing it seems slim. But, you never know. Let me know how it goes.

 

[lethalgorman]

Thanks, yeah I don't what's up. I was hoping that somebody has seen this before. I'm going to have to get on a different PC.

 

[Devinator]

Well, maybe someone has and will see this and will respond. In the mean time, can't hurt to try that.

 

[lethalgorman]

Yea I just need to get to one

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[Rukbat]

Are you absolutely certain that you're not copying shortcuts from your computer to your phone? The default settings in Windows don't show you the difference unless you look at the "file's " properties.

 

[Devinator]

Well, a shortcut will have a little arrow in a square box on it. But, they still maybe copying a shortcut, that's a good point.

 

[lethalgorman]

Thanks and I'm sure. In "list" form there's a category for type and size. And it's "shortcut" with a file size of 2kb. Also there is the little arrow in the bottom corner. I have yet to try a different pc.

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[Devinator]

Yea, give that a go and let us know. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this. I'm really stumped.

One last thing, when you drag and drop the file, does it show up with a plus sign, or, with an arrow like on the shortcut (before you drop but are holding drag). You'll notice that if you pick up a file anywhere and drag it somewhere within the same drive, it'll just look like a faded out icon (essentially a cut). If you hold shift (lol, when I proofread this I forgot the f in shift), it'll turn be a faded out icon with a plus sign on it, indicating it's going to copy the file (however, when you drag and drop to a different drive, you don't have to hold shift and the plus sign will show up, it defaults to copy). Now, if you hold control and shift while dragging, you'll see an arrow on the faded icon, which creates a shortcut to whatever file or folder you are dragging.

When you drag, but don't drop, the file from the PC to the phone, what do you see? A plus sign? Or an arrow?

 

[lethalgorman]

Hold on. I'll try

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[lethalgorman]

Here is a picture of what I see. Removable Disk (F

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[lethalgorman]

Yea, give that a go and let us know. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this. I'm really stumped.

One last thing, when you drag and drop the file, does it show up with a plus sign, or, with an arrow like on the shortcut (before you drop but are holding drag). You'll notice that if you pick up a file anywhere and drag it somewhere within the same drive, it'll just look like a faded out icon (essentially a cut). If you hold shift (lol, when I proofread this I forgot the f in shift), it'll turn be a faded out icon with a plus sign on it, indicating it's going to copy the file (however, when you drag and drop to a different drive, you don't have to hold shift and the plus sign will show up, it defaults to copy). Now, if you hold control and shift while dragging, you'll see an arrow on the faded icon, which creates a shortcut to whatever file or folder you are dragging.

When you drag, but don't drop, the file from the PC to the phone, what do you see? A plus sign? Or an arrow?

 

[Devinator]

What I'm saying is, when you drag the file, don't let go of the left mouse button, but, hover over the window as though you are going to drop the file. You should see a faded out copy of the icon you are dragging, or at least a box of some sort. If it's copying the icon, it should have a plus sign on top of it. If it's creating a shortcut, it will have an arrow on it. When you let go of the left mouse button, if there was a plus sign there, it's going to copy the file, if there was a shortcut arrow there, it will create a shortcut. I'm just curious if for some reason it's creating a short cut instead of copying the file. I tried to screen shot it, but, I can't.

To rule out it doing that, you could always highlight file or folder, control C to copy it, and, then right click and select paste on the phone's mounted drive.

 

[lethalgorman]

I get an "open with"

 

[Devinator]

To rule out it doing that, you could always highlight file or folder, control C to copy it, and, then right click and select paste on the phone's mounted drive.

Try this, then we can be 100% sure it's copying the file.

 

[lethalgorman]

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[Devinator]

I meant when you drag the file from the PC to the computer to do that, but, it looks like you are running Vista or something. I don't get options like that on 7 at all. But, try what I said above. Copy the file using control C then paste it with a right click on the phone.

 

[lethalgorman]

Thanks, but nothingt happens when I do that. Also I'm running Windows 7,that laptop is cheap, but only a year old.

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