Question Can't transfer files from phone to laptop

[marthaHoopkins1976]

When I try to transfer files from my phone to my laptop I get this error message "a device attached to the system is not functioning". I can copy files from my laptop to the phone but not vice versa.
When I connect the phone to the laptop with the usb cable I can open the folders in the phone memory card but I can't open the files. When I click on a file to open it I get this error message "can't read from the source file or disk".
I've tried two different cables (the same brand) and the same problem occurs.
Is there any solution to this?

 

[VidJunky]

It could be that you have cables that are not meant for data. I recently saw people talking about this and was a little surprised this was still a thing. However, you also say that you can add files to the phone and see the folders on the phone, so I'm thinking it is something else.

The thing you don't mention is unlocking the phone or setting the USB state to file transfer. By what method are you trying to do these transfers? Please describe your steps.

Have you pulled down your notification shade and checked the USB state or opened the USB options to check what you have active? The usual options are, Transfer Photo, Transfer Files, Charge Only, Share Network, and some have other options. What is your set for?

Have you ever been able to move files on this device? If so, when did this change? When options stop working there is usually a change behind it. This could be an update, installing a new app, granting a new permission to an app, not updating an app...

It would also be helpful to know what device you have.

Have you tried wireless transfer through Quick Share or Nearby Share?

Are you using a Windows or a MAC computer?

I really don't have too much advice without answers to the question above but just based on the error messages it sounds like you need to check your USB options. Let us know what you find, share your answers with us and we'll go from there.

 

[marthaHoopkins1976]

When I bought the cables everything was fine. I could easily transfer files between devices. The problems started a few months after using the cables.


I did check the USB settings. They were set to "transfer files". The settings have always been the same.

I am using a Samsung A01 phone and a Lenovo laptop that has windows 10.

I tried bluetooth file sharing but it rarely works. I keep getting a "sending failed" error.

 

[VidJunky]

Barring some device issue, are you rough on your cables? I mean are they in use someplace where they get bent or twisted often? I mean that could break a wire inside of the cable and cause issues. I will say though most cables today are pretty tough so I wouldn't expect to see failure in a cable unless it was really being put to the test. The only other physical thing I could imagine would be debris in the USB port of the device. We carry these things in our pockets, purses and bags along with every other piece of anything we pick up and these USB-C ports are huge openings that we never look in or think about. It would be pretty easy for something to get lodged in there, just small enough to prevent one pin from making contact or making good contact and gum up the works. I would say it's more likely the port since it's two cables. Take a look up in there and see if you see any dirt or debris. I would attempt to blow it out before going digging just for the safety of the device. Using canned air blow from either side of the opening so that the air pushes across and is able to lift anything out of the other side, then repeat for the other side. Blowing directly into the port may hold whatever to the bottom and not eject it. If you see something and it doesn't come out you could try carefully picking at it with something like a toothpick, being careful not to apply too much pressure.

If not physical this would bring us to, what has changed? Did your device update for something more than some safety patches in the timeframe you're thinking was the last time you noticed this working and now? Have you installed any new apps in this timeframe? If you installed some apps you could try uninstalling them, restarting the phone and trying a transfer.

Absent updates and installs it could be permission based. Perhaps something with access to your storage is guarding anything leaving the device. You could take storage permission away from all apps. This won't hurt anything and isn't permanent. It just means the next time an app with restricted permissions needs to access your storage it will have to ask, like it did the first time you used it, and then you can decide to grant or deny permission, again like you did the first time you used the app. To do this go to Settings>Apps>touch the 3 dots upper right>Permission manager>Files and media>remove all apps you find here<go back>Photos and videos>remove all apps you find here< go back>Music and audio> remove all apps you find here> restart your phone and test if you can access the files. Any app needed for this task will ask for permission.

What was the result? Let us know what you find.

 

[marthaHoopkins1976]

I turned off the permissions but it still didn't work. I cleaned the port and plugged in the cable and it still won't copy files.
I can't think of any major updates I've made within the past couple of months. I don't think it is an update issue

 

[VidJunky]

I have two more "try this" ideas.

First, and I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, another popular member here usually suggests it so maybe that's why, but try it in safe mode. You've taken away storage permission from all apps but you can't take it away from the System. Try transferring files in Safe Mode may show us if the issue is the system itself or some other app or outside force. In Safe Mode most if not all background activity is stopped. Third party apps don't run. It is just the system and a few select items that you can open, and only when they are open. To get into Safe Mode on your Samsung, press and hold your power button until your shutdown options appear, hold the Power Off button until the Safe Mode option appears, then touch that. You may not be able to open your file manager but when a USB is connected to the device you should still have the options for file transfer.

The last try this idea is to clear your system caches. You'll want to clear two different caches. The OS cache, called the cache partition, and the app caches. For the app caches if you have the room and are not opposed to installing an app temporarily, you might try something like Ccleaner, which you can uninstall after use. To clear the cache partition you'll need to power down the device all the way. Once the device is powered down, press and hold the power button while holding the vol+ button until the Samsung logo appears and then release the power button while holding the vol+ button until the device boots up. Once there use the vol buttons to navigate and the power button to enter your selections. You'll find an option to clear the cache partition. If you were not able to transfer files in safe mode this would be the next step after that. If you were able to in safe mode than you may only have to clear the ones for your apps. Either way neither of these should cause any data loss or effect your device negatively.

The final resort. The final resort would be to factory reset your device. I would estimate there is a 60/40 chance that it helps and a 40/60 chance that it comes back if it does help because we never identified the root cause so it could happen again. As always factory reset form your settings menu after backing up your device to your Google account and your Samsung account before resetting.

Let us know what you find.

 

[marthaHoopkins1976]

I tried using a different usb port on the laptop and it seemed to work. The port was used for a bluetooth adapter but I put it in another port and plugged the phone cable in. It seems to transfer files without any issues but I will keep an eye on it